Which GPS system?

[rdover]

I was at BMW in Glasgow and they have the Garmin system with BMW bracket for ....... wait for it ......... £1400 including fitting and vat (it would have to include a new bloody bike for that price!)

I've had TomTom for years and love it but now I'm looking at purchasing system that is as easy to use as TTN3 but will fit on the bike without faffing about with otterboxes and cables and can be used in the car ie is a self contained waterproof unit.

I like the autonavigation in TTN even tho it's a little idiosyncratic and the 3D 'flying' view is also great especially at night in January when I can't see the road so am using the GPS as a sort of HUD (not for the fainthearted).

There are offers on the garmin 2610 but is it realy that good.


Opinions please

 

[John Armstrong]

Yes. Don't bother with a SP3 unless the money is really tight. The 2610 is really that much better. nI know because I've got one of each.

 

[rdover]

It is waterproof then? The garmin site says it is 'fully gasketed' but stops short of calling it for motorbike use.

The lack of postcode navigation is a slight drawback but after years of resetting my Ipaq and given I do not need a pocket PC anymore I'd be happy with a GPS system that clips onto the bike or into the car in seconds.

Does £550 seem like a good price?

 

[Taff]

... (2610) ... Does £550 seem like a good price?

According to this thread

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=38176

there are better prices about, ie £499 is mentioned but doesn't say where from. I'm sure though that a friendly PM to Greg Masters would pay dividends.

 

[rdover]

The best price I've seen was £550 but Maplin had a special offer on 1 machine (damaged box) so I've got the motobike mount plus 2610 (which takes nromal cf cards of which I have plenty up to 1Gb) for £510. And I get the vat back!!


here's hoping I like it!

 

[niven770]

Hi,
I just purchased a 6210 from Maplin for £499. The way to go about this is to call them on this number 0870 4296000. Tell them you are going to spend over £500 and you want a voucher number. They will then give you a long number. Present this number to your local maplin store and they will give you £50 off the price or the 6210. The unit will come with software version 6 but you will be entitled to a free upgrade to version 7 which you will do online at the Garmin website..

Regards
Davy

 

[rdover]

Good one niven!

I got the bike mount as well inc delivery for £510 by the same method. I've got a businessa ccount with them and was ordering over £1000!


Maplins can be really good for all sorts of stuff

 

[TerryM]

Consider a 276C

I also recently went through the selection process and concluded that the 276C was a better deal for me personally as it has a much brighter and bigger high resolution display, easier to use controls(4 way rocker),faster hardware/software and is truly waterproof. The downside is price and use of Garmin proprietary data cards, but you can use it in your boat should you be so lucky!

The marine mount it comes with is easily fitted to a bike, the wiring is simple, and I have had no problem sorting it out with a few pounds worth of bits from Maplin and the local hardware stores. That side of it was a fraction of the prices I see advertised for mounts and special purpose cabling. I think I have spent no more than GBP20/22 including a HG plug and socket, details of which follow.

Hein Gericke do BMW clone auxiliary power plugs and sockets made by Hella at GBP2.99 per plug and GBP3.99 per socket. Which with a metre of cable beats the BMW socket kit at GBP30 and plug at GBP7+ by a clear 30 quid! Part numbers are 2400028-plug and 2400029-socket.

 

[ebbo]

That just what I’ve done Terry, stripped the marine mount down to just the bulkhead fitting, then made up a simple bracket to fix it to the bike. It’s the neatest mount I’ve made to date, and as the 276c comes with a fused power lead, that side of things is taken care of too.

There is rumour emerging of a 276c with Compact Flash! (don’t you love a rumour

Quoted from the alt.satellite.gps news group

“Also, I've heard that a Garmin rep has said that there's a Compact Flash
version of the 276C in the works to be released soon. Has anybody else
heard anything like this or was this rep mistaken?”

It is only a rumour, and personally I’d be surprised if it happens, but you never know…

Try this link; sorry it’s so long.

http://groups.google.co.uk/groups?h...25&hl=en&lr=&group=alt.satellite.gps&start=25

Martin

 

[TerryM]

That just what I’ve done Terry, stripped the marine mount down to just the bulkhead fitting, then made up a simple bracket to fix it to the bike. It’s the neatest mount I’ve made to date, and as the 276c comes with a fused power lead, that side of things is taken care of too.

There is rumour emerging of a 276c with Compact Flash! (don’t you love a rumour

Quoted from the alt.satellite.gps news group

“Also, I've heard that a Garmin rep has said that there's a Compact Flash
version of the 276C in the works to be released soon. Has anybody else
heard anything like this or was this rep mistaken?”

It is only a rumour, and personally I’d be surprised if it happens, but you never know…

Martin,
A cf version would be good but having spent the money for two 256mb cards I think I will be ok for some time.

Agree with you about the mount, I bought a die cast aluminium box (about 120x65x30mm) with a top secured by 4 screws from Maplin for a fiver. Then ran the shortened Garmin cable in through a extended grommet to a terminal strip and power to the strip from the auxilliary socket from HG via another extended grommet. As I wanted a line out for the sound signal I installed a 3.5mm jack in the wall of the box to plug in my earphone.

It sits on four M8x45mm stainless steel socket head cap bolts at 80mm centre laterally and 40mm longtitudinally, replacing the bar clamp bolts with four 13mm long spacers cut from tube to be equal length and square at each end.(10mm o.d.x8mm i.d.) These things are critical and soft material such as copper or aluminium will crush and odd lengths or out of square could similarly result in loose bars. Whoops!

I have space in the box and will fit a voltage step down thingumy found in my old electrical bits box to give 3v dc for my fm radio via another 3.5mm jack set into the box.

With the power coming from the HG--BMW clone socket running electrically in parallel from the BMW installed one I can even forget the fuse as the 12GS cicuit protection will cover it.

And our toys do not shut down with the ignition off as we have onboard Li batteries, another plus over the 26xx series, and they recharge in use from the bike system.

I am really grateful to all who replied when I was in the evaluation phase as I may have gone for a 2610 without those inputs.

Read the link, seems somewhat dubious?

Terry


Try this link; sorry it’s so long.

http://groups.google.co.uk/groups?h...25&hl=en&lr=&group=alt.satellite.gps&start=25

Martin

 

[ebbo]

Terry, have you got a picture? If you have but can’t post, send it to me and I’ll post it for you.

 

[TerryM]

Pictures coming soon

Terry, have you got a picture? If you have but can’t post, send it to me and I’ll post it for you.

Martin,

Will dig out the digicam morgen and send the results.

Terry

 

[ebbo]

Ok Terry, I won’t be able to post it until tomorrow evening as I have no access to my server till I get home. Send a couple to the mail address, on my website

 

[BAKERMAN]

I ordered a MAP 60 cs from ASPID a year ago.

 

[ebbo]

Pictures of Terrys 276c

 

[BAKERMAN]

I ordered a MAP 60 cs from ASPID a year ago.

FEDEX say Tuesday before 12.00

 

[BurnieM]

RAM rules !

RAM mount on SV1000

Garmin cradle (removed from marine mount) and attached to 2 1/2 inch RAM round base

Included bare wire cable with Powerlet (BMW style) power plug and 2.5 mm audio socket attached

Sydney !

 

[TerryM]

Very neat Burnie.

 

[Lamble]

CoPilot Disaster

If anyone is tempted by CoPilot from ALK, don't be. They are gits of the highest order when it comes to tech support.

Enough said!

 

[RadioActive]

Had some trouble getting my money off vouchers from Maplin and when they finally arrived I went to order a 2610 and it had gone up overnight from £549 to £649. Aghhhh!!! Called them and asked if it was a mistake - "No sir, the special offer is over now. Do you want to order one?" No thanks, not at that price. Very nice lady asked her manager if they would still do the old price and bingo - £549 minus £50 token. So if anyone's looking for one it might still be worth a call to Maplin.