Looking at a GPS upgrade

[alecmuffett]

Hi All!

I have had a Garmin GPS II+ for years, and it's basic but B&W and lacks maps; now that I have got my big long-distance bike (12GS) I am considering a major GPS upgrade for European touring, rather than "let's get lost in Scotland and then find my way back to the B&B".

There are, so to speak, three major candidates:

1) BMW Navigator II

2) Garmin 2610 (ie: OEM item for above)

3) Something else entirely, to be discovered (ha!)

I hate the fact that I need to have Microsoft Windows to drive the Garmin-based units - I use Apples and Linux - which I why I am still willing to look at other manufacturers.

In terms of quality, the reputation for robust/waterproofness of the Garmins is still appealing. Paying over-the-odds for the BMW unit is not appealing, but at least it'll definitely fit the bike and be reasonably mounted.

Clive (Reading-based UKGSer) showed me his 2610 setup and it looked good, although I still want to work out a "total cost" comparison of 2610 plus mounting bracket, versus the BMW package, before deciding anything.

Can anyone say whether there are any robust, waterproof, easy-to-use-with-gloves GPSes out there - ones which are not wedded to Windows?

 

[alecmuffett]

ps: does the BMW Nav II come with the remote control that the 2610 supplies, please?

 

[richie]

Alec,

I run a PC and a MAC. I have not installed mapsource on my MAC but you can and it does run. With VPC. Slowly by the way due to graphics in VPC.

Personaly I don't play around with Mapsource too much myself so I can't see it really being an issue.

I believe that currently for Moto use, the QUEST is the best GPS on the market.

Coz.

1 its smaller
2 it has a battery

Downside of course is a smaller screen, but its easy enought to read, (i reckon) and if you want it has voice prompts...

WTF do people need a remote on a bike

 

[alecmuffett]

WTF do people need a remote on a bike

I was thinking back to the pain of programming waypoints on the GPSII+ rocker-switch setup, and am not intending to take my laptop with me everywhere.

An SMS-like remote-control programming method would be really nice, for that.

 

[richie]

Making a waypoint is one click. The gps gives it a generic name. You can either rename it on the unit or upload it to your computer and rename later.
HTH

 

[MikeO]

Re: Re: Looking at a GPS upgrade

ps: does the BMW Nav II come with the remote control that the 2610 supplies, please?

Yes it does. I'm confused by your later reference to 'SMS' - the Garmin remote is just that - a remote of the functions available on the unit, nothing more.

IMO the Nav II (which I have) isn't worth the extra dosh over the 2610 - do a search for 2610, open a cold one and settle back for a bit of reading...

Mike

 

[BurnieM]

The SP2610 can use all the BMW mounts
The BMW button pad will not work on the SP2610
The Nav II does not come with a remote but the Garmin remote will work fine

Both Garmins and Magellans mapping use a Windows PC

Also look at the;
Garmin GPSmap 276C
Garmin Quest

 

[MikeO]

The Nav II does not come with a remote but the Garmin remote will work fine

Mine did.

Mike

 

[Cheesy Mike]

Garmin every time.

In another thread (can't be arsed to search for it ) discussing Garmin's after sales service, it was revealed that they refuse to repair BMW units. Given the premium price you pay for BMW versus Garmin, there is every reason to suspect that the same price premium applies to their out of warranty or accidental damage repair service as well. I have used Garmin's repair service twice - once when they completely replaced my old GPS-II free of charge and once when they charged me a very reasonable fee and gave speedy attention to a cracked case (my fault) on my GPSMAP 295 (aviation unit)

And yes, you are almost certainly going to drop your unit the week after its warranty expires!

Mike

 

[alecmuffett]

Re: Re: Re: Looking at a GPS upgrade

Yes it does. I'm confused by your later reference to 'SMS' - the Garmin remote is just that - a remote of the functions available on the unit, nothing more.

Ah, I was/am hoping that becuse it displays Alphanumeric keys, you might be able to type waypoint names into it, SMS-style, like on a phone for text messaging?

On the GPSII+ you have to rock the little rockerswitch down, 36 times, to get to the letter 'z' (0123456789abc...wxyz)

It's a pain.

 

[BurnieM]

Mine did.

Mike

Hmmm
Australian BMW Nav II package does not include a remote
Interesting

 

[Fanum]

Garmin Quest.

Next question?

 

[alecmuffett]

Garmin every time.

Tell that to our mutual colleague Monsieur Gravier - he has other opinions.

That said, I am seriously looking at the 2610 now; the BMW unit is way overpriced for what I want, the Quest's UK 243Mb (US 155Mb) is too small for detailed European maps of the scale I want to travel, and I don't care to lug a Windows laptop with me, to the Russian border and back.

Shopping around shows a variety of potential sources and mountings.

I intend to fit my old Touratech crossbar to my 12GS, and then can use the 1150-style crossbar mount to get the unit away from my tankbag; the ball and socket mountings are a bit too tall for my taste.

adventure-motorcycling.co.uk do a kit of 2610 + touratech mount + headset for 765 quid, including training videos and stuff.

That sounds steep but GPSW do a basic 2610 for 599, the TT mount is 71, the headset another 30, which brings you up into the 700 region anyway; allowing some slop for the frills and the prices are pretty comparable.

Compact Flash cards are certainly cheaper on Amazon, though, so I would just get the base unit and then go get a couple of 512Mb-ers.

I was surprised to find that TT are offering a handlebar remote control, which I presume replicates the BMW function:
http://www.touratech.de/shop_uk/en-us/dept_393.html - bottom of page, 143 quid, I think I won't bother.

I'd love to know how the adventure-motorcycle kit gets wired into the 12GS loom? Is it a complex job, or a matter of running a wire to the rear power outlet?

Thanks!

 

[MikeO]

Alec,

running the power line is simply a case of running a wire to the positive terminal, via an in line fuse.

Get yourself a 1Gb CF Card - I've currently got all of Europe on one (albeit, V4 - upgrading to V7 in a few days, so I expect the map files to be significantly bigger).

If you can bear to take a laptop away with you it'll allow you a lot more flexibility. I really think that travelling without a computer only allows you to use half of the capability of a good GPSR - the ability to plan in detail once you are in an area is one of the main benefits of using GPS as a navaid, IMO.

Mike

 

[alecmuffett]

Alec,
running the power line is simply a case of running a wire to the positive terminal, via an in line fuse.

Hi Mike,

Even on the notoriously fly-by-wire 12GS? If so, that would be nice...

Get yourself a 1Gb CF Card - I've currently got all of Europe on one (albeit, V4 - upgrading to V7 in a few days, so I expect the map files to be significantly bigger).

I'd love to know how big the maps are; the issue with the laptop is largely one of weight and power - I am expecting to be in the wilds without much / any charging time for 2 or 3 day stretches, and a big laptop would eat space that is better occupied by food.

That said, I do have one Intel laptop that I am willing to take/use, pictured here - the little Libretto on the left, compared to the 12" iBook on the right.

I can have that running Linux or Solaris pretty easily, but alas Windows is far too lardy for it nowadays. It'll require mains power and permit blogging whilst in cybercafes, but it is as small as I can get, and provides 30Gb of backup space for digital camera pictures/video.

Plus, of course, there is always the 1:1,500,000 map as backup...

 

[MikeO]

Even on the notoriously fly-by-wire 12GS? If so, that would be nice...

Yep - it's still old fashioned enough to have battery terminals

As regards the laptop, it really doesn't matter how old it is - the ability to program a new route during the evening is going to pay dividends. Be aware that Garmin will only work with PCs - if you want to use Mac, you'll have to run a PC emulator (never tried it myself). If it has a PCMCIA slot, get a CF card programmer - it'll give you USB II load speeds - essential if you suddenly decide to load different maps.

Mike

 

[BurnieM]

I'd love to know how big the maps are

http://www.gpsriders.net/mapsource_sizes.html

City Select Europe v6 is very similar to City Navigator
http://home.online.no/%7Esigurdhu/CS_Europe-v6.htm gives you size by country

 

[Rampant Stallion]

Just going back a little bit - I understand about not wanting to lugg a laptop around with you, to feed the GPS with different maps as you ride through different areas, and the practical restrictions of this when you could, as mentioned, carry more food instead.
But, (and I know very little about this - so please be gentle) is it possible to load all the relevant maps from a home PC to any number of CF, SD etc cards. These could then be loaded, as required, into a handheld PC (PDA?) and from there to the gps, again as required?

 

[alecmuffett]

But, (and I know very little about this - so please be gentle) is it possible to load all the relevant maps from a home PC to any number of CF, SD etc cards.

I gather that this is the case, and since the cards go straight into the 2610, I propose to get three medium-sized cards and put Western Europe on one, Eastern countries on another, and Scandanavia on a third.

I suppose the value of the PC is in having a mouse. It would be nice if you could plug a USB mouse directly into a Garmin, and cut out the middleman, so to speak.