Which GPS?

  • Thread starter Thread starter bevo28
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bevo28

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I am soon to take delivery of a new R1200GS and want to start out with a Navigation System but am unsure of which one and with which spec? The BMW Navigator III offered to me by the dealer seems perfect, but unacceptably expensive compared to other systems on the market. My list of requirements is as follows:
1. I need the UK and all of Europe as I have a German Girlfriend with a short temper who never believes me when I say I got lost.
2. Waterproof
3. Not too big and not too difficult to remove but secure on the bike (I would not trust anything with a sucker cup attachment).
4. Must be able to be updated with new road info.
5. Speed camera warnings would be great.
6. Must be able to be used in the car too.
DILEMMA: Should I order the BMW genuine power cable and cradle to be fitted to the bike before I take delivery then buy a Garmin 2720 or 2820, fit it and save myself loads of cash (presuming the BMW Nav III is the same as one of these models)..... OR..... just go for a system that is battery powered that I can charge, programme etc on and off the bike like the Garmin Zumo (although this probably would not work with the BMW power lead)

As you all can probably tell I have never had a GPS before and as such any recommendations, hints, tips and general advice would be most welcome in assisting me with this purchase.

Bevo28
 
I been using GPS for several years. Currently own Garmin 2610 and Tom Tom Rider.

The Garmin is great for planning long trips on the computer at home. The Tom Tom is more 'taxi driver'. If you just want it to get you somewhere, then it is far far better. If you want control, and are prepared to spend the time programming the route on your computer in advance, then the Garmin is necessary.

I use my Tom Tom Rider every day, just commuting to work, it has speed cameras, and live traffic updates (via my mobile phone).

The standard mount is rubbish - but a RAM mount is not that expensive. Customer care is appalling. But, and I suppose it is a big but, despite the fact I have a car kit for the Garmin, I have just ordered one for the Tom Tom. Bought my parents (my father is a retired RAF navigator) a Tom Tom One (basically a non waterproof Rider with a speaker) last Christmas (05), and they use it all the time. My mother now drives down here to babysit on her own (it is a simple journey, but one she never dared do alone). My father trusts it blindly. He has used it to get to my new house 3 times, and even he cannot show me the route he took on a map afterwards. (If he had used a Garmin, I could have downloaded a track of his route onto my computer, only I wouldn’t need to ‘cause he would have had to have checked in advance).

At work, if I need to go somewhere in London, I just punch in the post code and go. Never give it a second thought. With the Garmin, I have to check. And almost always have to then plot a revised route on the computer and download it.

Mapsource reminds me of Microsoft Autoroute. ( I have Autoroute 2003). Ask Autoroute to plot quickest route from Rosslare to Lahinch (in Ireland, a trip I have done many, many times) and it sends you via Dublin. On the computer, you can easily see this is a stupid route, so you put in Limerick as a waypoint, and hey presto, it gives you a much shorter, much quicker route. But, if you got off the ferry and asked it to give you the route, and you follow the instructions blindly, you would end up on a very silly journey. I trust the Tom Tom, I do not trust the Garmin.

However, if you are planning in advance, the Garmin would allow you to plan a very detailed route on the computer, you can choose roads, avoid places, plot a very specific route. Tom Tom does not allow this.

The Tom Tom gets slagged here rightly. The speed camera database is consumer based (ie if variable speed limit on M25 is set to 40mph, someone reports this, then it shows up as the ‘permanent’ speed on the update, several traffic light/CCTV cameras have been reported as ‘speed cameras’ etc etc). And the bracket/customer service are truly dire.

But if the Tom Tom tells me a journey across London will take 53 mins, then it takes 50-53 mins. If the Garmin tells me it will take 53, it might take 60, 70, 80 – it almost always under estimates, but it does so in an inconsistent manner.

So, in summary, if I wanted to plan a rideout, on specific roads, I would use the Garmin. And I could share the route with others. But if I am at work, and I just need to go somewhere, I use the Tom Tom.

And when I bought a second bike, I bought new brackets/cables for both units, so I could use the most appropriate unit for the journey.

Hope this helps.
 
Don't expect to fit the BMW cradle and be able to use the buttons on it to operate the Garmin units, as you'll be wasting your money.
 
BACKMARKER a great reply, loads of info and answers to some of the questions I had regarding the Garmin / TTR, tried Maplins at the weekend for a price for the rider but they still had it priced at £399, I thought it was much cheaper now, looks like the Garmin wins.
 
Hi,

just reading your comment about being able to make a cables etc.

I have a TomTom Rider version 2 .Is it possible to make a cable to use the BMW power socket mounted at the front of my 2008 gs1200.Have been to my dealer and they have suggested using an autocomm gadget or wire in a power connector similar to the one under the seat. Both seem a little ott considering BMW have already fitted a GPS socket at the front albeit for their Nav system or a Garmin Zumo.

Oh if its possible how much would it cost.

Cheers

Phil
 
I use TYRE with my Rider 2 all the time and its fantastic! Should meet all the features of the Garmin equivalent software.

And if tracking is a issue, there is a third party device app called NMEA logger for your TomTom, ive never used it but it claims to record your route travelled. Both of the aforementioned are free to download from the tinterweb but if you need them I can help.

Im glad to hear im not the only person that thinks the TomTom is more accurate on arrival times, having traffic helps massively and its got to be worth a few quid for sure. :) Not that I let traffic slow me down of course. :cool:
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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