Paragon asked:
"So whats the difference between a 2610 and a Quest then?"
As far as I can figure it out, the major differences are as follows:
Map Storage Capacity - Quest has a fixed amount of internal memory that cannot be added to (the amount of memory varies by region, I expect Australia will get the same as the USA - about 115 megs or so), the SP 26xx accepts a CF memory card that can hold up to 2 gigs. For use in Australia only, I think the Quest probably has more than enough memory for you, because of the limited population on your continent.
Screen Size - The SP 26xx screen is quite a bit bigger than the Quest screen. You should have a look at both of them, in person, before deciding which you prefer.
Cartography - The SP 26xx comes with CityNavigator, the Quest with CitySelect, but this might be moot in Australia, I don't know if CN exists for Australia or not. In any case, for motorcycle use, CN and CS are functionally identical, so this really isn't a consideration (anywhere in the world).
Functional Capability - I've never used a Quest, so I don't know exactly what features is does or does not have. I do know there is a trend at Garmin towards equipping all GPSRs that have autorouting capability with the same feature set, as long as the hardware (processor power) can support the feature set. The Quest does support custom route preferences and custom avoids - these are the two most processor-intensive tricks that the a GPSR does when performing route calculations. The SP 26xx series also supports these two features, and I expect the 276/296 probably soon will as well. My un-educated guess is that the Quest is probably functionally identical to the SP 26xx. They both provide voice guidance.
Touchscreen - the SP 26xx series uses a touch sensitive screen for operation, the Quest uses buttons. Both are equally effective overall. For some tasks, the touchscreen is better, for other tasks, buttons are faster. It's really a personal preference issue for motorcycle use. For car use, the SP 26xx is the more capable unit, because it has a remote control. You just plop the GPSR up on the dash, a nice distance away from you, and point the remote at it if you want to operate it.
Battery - The SP 26xx is intended for auto or motorcycle use only, so it does not have a battery. You need to either use a cigarette lighter plug-in thing (which includes the speaker) or hard-wire a cable into your motorcycle power system. The Quest has an internal battery, so you can use it when you are away from your vehicle, for example, when walking or hiking.
PanEuropean
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