Daft question.

[Alpha]

My old trusty tomtom rider v1 brqcket has given up this morning and im in the market for a replacement. Looking in Halfords today astonished by the reduction in car costs over bikes but was wondering given the advent of decent waterproof cases if anyone is using a car unit on a bike.

The chappie wanting to sell me a 400 quid unit for the bike suggests none of the car units will like to a bluetooth headset and provide direction. He suggested that the freq was different. Even though by my recollection the idea behind BT was a generic bandwidth.

Anyway onto the stupid question. Are their any units that people are using designed with cars in mind that work for us bikers.

Im looking at EU maps as I have a couple of trips planned next year and some of the cheaper units now include lifetime maps.

Any and all advice appreciated, but if its just along the lines of buy a 660 or equiv please refrain, I get that a bike model would be better suited, but for 2 weeks abroad and little use in the UK im not wanting to spend that much tbh. I tend to ride withiut GPS and just want a backup really.

Thanks

Dave

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

 

[luke scott]

I use my old Garmin car unit with a set of cheap ipod style earphones. Works great. Then use a Givi waterproof holder. https://www.google.ie/#q=givi+waterproof+gps+case as you say, for two weeks abroad its all you need.

 

[rockchunk]

I phone top of my tank bag always worked no worries FWIW if i didnt have the phone i would certainly use a cheep car one before id spend a ridiculous some on a bike one

 

[bisbee]

http://ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?352758-Using-a-car-sat-nav-on-a-bike&highlight=car+sat+nav

two pages here

 

[Alpha]

Thanks chaps. I think ill try one of those chinese things. Seem v reasonable and igo would do for me.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

 

[oddshapedballs]

I use a car TomTom in a GIVI case that straps round the handlebars, worked fine that way for years in UK, France and Spain. Also used Google Maps/Navigation on my Samsung Galaxy S2 shoved into the clear map pocket on top of the tank bag. There is no need to spend the earth on a bike specific sat nav for everyday road riding.

 

[paul08]

I have tried to use an iPhone for navigation, putting it in the clear plastic pocket in the top of my tank bag. okay as a last resport but virtually unreadable (no, not virtually, it was totally unreadable) in many light conditions. And it doesn't half run the battery down (let alone the data allowance if you have not downloaded the maps to the phone).

So, okay as a last resort, but if I were to use a phone again for regular use, I would want a clear waterproof plastic case for it mounted on the bars or screen somewhere. And a power lead from he power socket.

But the screen on an Apple iphone5 is a tad too small as well. So I would prefer to rig up a car nav system in a waterproof case and get the plus of the bigger screen.

Compared to a nav IV or 660 or whatever, I know what I would choose; the bike specific unit

 

[Alpha]

I bought one of the peaklife umits off fleabay for £110. V 8m0ressed so far. Came with waterproof unit, bike and car mounts. Wiring unit for bike, cig power lead for car and bluetooth headset. From all the blurb onlone I was expecting a bit of a chore loading maps, but it came with all the maps pre loaded. Just charged and turned on. Set a route from home to Wardraig Austria and it built the route in a few mins. The interface isnt as smart as sayvTomTom in that its not postcode driven, but the actual dashboard works well. Provides a detailed trip computer, route and quick way to change details. All in all a cheap unit that will suit me perfectly for the use it will get.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

 

[kevmean]

If you put your existing tomtom in a waterproof case you can then use the car charger in the open flap on the bottom of the unit , non charging motorcycle mounts are often available on ebay for these , I got through 8 original tomtom mounts on mine before I managed to get hold of a touratech mount and have had no problems since .

 

[STUBBS]

i use a car garmin nuvi 200 £25 off ebay on my bike