Europe maps - how detailed?

[chickenlegs]

Firstly I must apologise for asking what is probably to you long time users of GPS, a daft question. I am dipping a toe in the 'other world' that is satalite navigation and getting more and more confused. However, here goes with dumn question.
I would like to know how detailed the European map information is for the Garmin SP2610? Is it possible to get voice prompts for the backroads of France, for example? Or doesn't it work like that? I have scoured the Garmin site and been reading a bit about City Navigator Europe v7. which indicates that the software includes: "....detailed maps containing motorways, national and regional thoroughfares and local roads with attributes such as turn restrictions, speed categories and other navigation features". Does this actually mean that this clever little box of tricks will navigate you around the backroads of Greece, along stoney tracks in Italy and to a hotel lost in woods in Germany?
Sorry for the simpletons question, but I'm still learning.
Chris

 

[MikeO]

Does this actually mean that this clever little box of tricks will navigate you around the backroads of Greece, along stoney tracks in Italy and to a hotel lost in woods in Germany?

Yes.

Mike

 

[Kenny Rodkiss]

Without fail, every time.

 

[mpriestley]

and see you safely home afterwards

 

[Taff]

Does this actually mean that this clever little box of tricks will navigate you .... to a hotel lost in woods in Germany?

Go on chickenlegs - we love a challenge, have you got a specific "hotel lost in woods" in mind? If you have, I'll try and find it, and poste a screen shot so that you can see how detailed the coverage gets.

 

[samwise]

How about the:

Hotel Bären
Dorf 35
77784 Oberharmersbach

 

[MikeO]

How about the:

Hotel Bären
Dorf 35
77784 Oberharmersbach

 

[samwise]

Shows pretty much all you need - here's the closest you can get online with viaMichelin

 

[Greg Masters]

I had to do this one from the office where I don't even have MapSource - shows that it's not hard!

Greg

 

[chickenlegs]

Daft question coming!

OK - taking your excellent example, would your GPS be able to offer voice command route information from say, Locherberg (which I found by looking on Multimap which is north west of your hotel location)? Or, does the GPS only track your route visually on the screen?
Can I assume that you would enter your start (Oberharmersbach)and desired finish location (Locherberg) and the GPS will track your position along the route type that you choose? How do you actually enter the data for these co-ordinates? I have read somewhere that you are unable to enter post code information. Is this right?
I must admit, the detail of the map example that you have posted is quite amazing.
One last point. Has anyone actually calculated, 1. What equipment you actually need to purchase to fit out a BMW with GPS (say the 1200GS) and 2. What the rough cost of this equipment would be. There seems to be a long list of bits that people buy - flash cards, carriers, power leads etc.. I'm sure that this is going to be lumped in the "how long is a piece of string" category, but I'm sure that the basic list of requirements would help novices like what I am! Any volunteers?
Thank you all for you help.
Chris

 

[nud1e]

Quest package

Buy the Quest package for under £360 with the RAM handlebar mount.
http://www.gpsw.co.uk/details/prod2504.html
Quest will give you 12+ hours on its internal battery, so you don't need the bike power lead and you can get by without the audio directions.
Just tuck it in a pocket when you leave the bike or leave it active to record your track through foreign streets to the pub/restaurant and use it to find your way back to the campsite/hotel later.

 

[nud1e]

Postcodes, yes

you can enter postcodes on the Quest.
That How I locate my aunt's house in Pinner.

 

[Repoman]

Chris

I am a relative GPS newbie and have just done the buying / speccing thing...

The minimum you need is -

Garmin 2610 - got mine from Maplins using their voucher offer and it was £499 delivered, but I think that offer is now over. Try Aspid, GPS Warehouse etc but doa search here for comments on the best service, price etc.

Power lead and mounting -

The 2610 comes with a lead for powering it in the car and that can be butchered to use on the bike (I did, and regret it now) but you are better off buying the proper lead from the get go, ie this from GPS Warehouse - search their site using this part number - 010-10495-02

For the mounting you need a cradle specifiic to the 2610 - again I used the GPSW which is fine, albeit plastic and non-lockable compared to the touratech ones which are lockable but about three times the price. You also need the RAM mounts to mount the cradle on, I think my set up from GPSW was about £30 and it works just fine. They also do a bundle which includes the power leads above.

Voice prompts

If you want to hear the voice prompts you can either route via an Autocom or plug some phones into the lead indicated above. System works fine without them tho.

Case

I bought a Digital camera bag made by Tamrac for mine - firts perfectly and cost €12 - about £7

Extra memory

Skys the limit - and there is loads of info here - but seems that you can get 2gb fur well under a ton. Should be plentty

I would say the above is all that you would need to get you started - and you wont need the meory unless you have a big trip to Europe planned.

 

[Fanum]

Re: Postcodes, yes

you can enter postcodes on the Quest.
That How I locate my aunt's house in Pinner.

how?

 

[gasman]

Does this actually mean that this clever little box of tricks will navigate you around the backroads of Greece, along stoney tracks in Italy and to a hotel lost in woods in Germany?

It will take you via backroads in Greece when you want to go direct, ditto along Stony tracks in Italy, and you will get lost in the woods in Germany trying to find your hotel !!

Seriously though, it depends on the mapping quality from the countries concerned: don't know about greece, but germany is v good. In Italy many of the backroads will NOT be there (on Mapsource V6 anyway) , and if you're trying to get to an isolated villa say, small single track roads and unpaved roads may not be shown. France is somewhere in between. For cities and big towns, pretty much everything is there, and this is where it's really useful.

 

[chickenlegs]

Excellent replies and help as usual - thank you.
One other question - has anyone suffered from any waterproofing issues with the Garmin SP2610?
Chris

 

[(RIP) Boxertools]

Chris,
I have been looking at the 2610, and the best I have found is GPS warehouse @ £599 inc bike kit and cable.
I currently have the SP111 and have had no water proof problems.

Mike

 

[chickenlegs]

Best prices

Thank you Mike, I have also found that www.globalpositioningsystems.co.uk are doing the 2610 for a snidge under £550. I will start to put a shopping list together and begin the careful negotiation process with my better half which has to be handled with the utmost delicacy - it may mean bringing in a UN negotiation team but we'll see how it goes! I can't be too long with the prevarication as we're planning a trip on the 1200GS to deepest darkest Brittany in June from Bristol and I cannot possibly go without the aid of GPS. Well it wouldn't be right!
Chris

 

[Greg Masters]

.. has anyone suffered from any waterproofing issues with the Garmin SP2610?
Chris

After a hard day on dusty roads, I take my 2610 in the shower with me to wash it down!

All current Garmin products can be put in a bucket of water for half-an-hour and still work fine.

Greg

 

[Taff]

After a hard day on dusty roads, I take my 2610 in the shower with me ..

Personally I like to take the wife into the shower, but each to his own I suppose.