GPS purchase

[RiderRay]

OK folks, it's that time of year. I'm finally going to take the jump and buy a GPS. I am a techno weenie, so I want easy to operate and can easily move from bike to RV to car. Not interested in XM capability necessarily. I've looked in this forum but need to get your opinion.....what's the best unit to meet my requirements? Is the Zumo 550 worth the $$?

Thanks - Ray

[petevandyke]

Hey, Ray...

If I had it to do over again, I'd say "screw it" to the Zumo.

I bought the ball and chain a refurbished Tom Tom One from tigerdirect.com for $149.99 a couple months ago. Has about a two hour battery back-up(like the zumo), BETTER and more accurate maps, bluetooth links, traffic and weather that connects with your phone (instead of having to pay for xm-radio extra service for another $7 a month, and the zumo's versions suck, tomtom's are really decent, and show great satellite weather that riders would want, i.e. when the storm front they just rode into will be over with), FREE map upgrades instead of only 12 months.

No, it's not as water-resistant, so get a ziplock baggie in case you get caught in the rain.

No, it doesn't come with a bike mount (does come with a car mount), so you'll have to get a ram-mount for about $40, and plug it in to your aux plug or get a second power cord and hot-wire it.

But sheesh, man, it's almost $500 cheaper and does the same stuff...much of which it does better, in a smaller overall package with the same screen size.



here, it's at circuit city for $149: http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/productDetail.do?oid=191752&WT.mc_n=67&WT.mc_t=U&cm_ven=COMPARISON%20SHOPPING&cm_cat=PRICEGRABBER&cm_pla=DATAFEED->PRODUCTS&cm_ite=1%20PRODUCT&cm_keycode=67


or if you have an issue with refurbished, pay another $40: http://reviews.cnet.com/car-gps-navigation/tomtom-one/4505-3430_7-32026663.html?tag=also


buy it and send me $550


Pete

[gglove]

OK folks, it's that time of year. I'm finally going to take the jump and buy a GPS. I am a techno weenie, so I want easy to operate and can easily move from bike to RV to car. Not interested in XM capability necessarily. I've looked in this forum but need to get your opinion.....what's the best unit to meet my requirements? Is the Zumo 550 worth the $$?

Thanks - Ray
I have been very happy with the Garmin Nuvi 350. It is easy to operate, to view the screen, and also has good voice commands. I must admit I am fairly directionally challenged and believe every direction I am facing is north. The GPS has saved me countless times.

[strsout]

Zumo worth the $$$$. Yes.
I have one and I can use on the LT and on the GS and on the cars and it is great.
Very functional for motorcycles. The wife can operate it easily and for her it's something since she is a little GPS challenged. :)

few friends have already try it and they found it very intuitive and easy to use too.

if you care to read my report on install:
http://www.viajareua.com/motozumo.html

I hope it helps.

:)

[RiderRay]

Hey guys, thanks for the info. Pete - how do you find the touch display works with gloves on and how good is the display in the sunlight? Can you attach any photos of how you installed yours? I was thinking of the mount on the clutch reservoir cover. The TomTomOne sure seems like a good deal for the $$$ and for a techno weenie like me, seems to fill my needs AND saves me a bunch that I can then send to YOU.

[petevandyke]

here's one mount option for the tom tom one...

http://www.mountguys.com/product_p/ram-b-149z-to4.htm

If you have a BMR shelf, the base of that thing should screw right into one of the existing holes (or you could drill your own) to mount it high, otherwise you could put it on the handlebars--it's about 1/3 the weight of the Zumo so no concerns would exist about throwing off the balance of the handlebars or anything, like you'd have with a streetpilot 27XX series...

I don't use mine (I have a Zumo that I paid, embarassed, $800 for...will post how I have it mounted tonight), the spouse has that, it comes with a GREAT suction cup mount for the windshield.


I like the Zumo fine, just saying that "If I had it to do again, I'd get the tom tom" (or one of the nuvis) and save a lot of cash, keep a ziplock bag in the glove box for if it rains.

When I bought the Zumo, there were two "functionalities" that sold me. One was the battery backup so I could program routes off the bike, the second was the advertised weather and traffic features. The tom tom has the battery function. And the Zumo weather function is worthless (no detailed satellite views) and traffic is a joke (no specific details), both of which are actually FUNCTIONAL on the tom tom--and on other garmins, for that matter.

For those who are brand-conscious, you can always get a gold-metallic sharpie and write "BMW" on the top of the tom tom and pretend it's an official BMW Motorrad next-gen gps, too!

P

[ironbuttwannabe]

Does the Tom Tom come with wiring to wire it to the bike? On the circuit city website it says battery power, nothing about 12V.

[strsout]

I would say that part of the 'high' cost of the Zumo is because it cames with the motorcycle mount, the car mount, and the wires for AC, for motorcycle and for cigarette adapter.
If you add all those on any other GPS, the cost will be pretty compatible.
And then you have a Garmin with a lots of maps you can download and install, even non-Garmin maps (see Mexico excelent Atlas 1.2 and World Map Routable v 3.0)
Neither one you can upload on Other then Garmin.

[astuber]

I currently have an old Garmin StreetPilot and have been looking to upgrade. I recently read that Tom Tom is the dominant GPS system in Europe and I decided to do some investigation. Tom Tom makes several motorcycle specific models and they seem to be very complete units, down to an included Bluetooth head set and all of the cables needed.The only negative is that they don't come standard with a car mount. The price seems to be quite competitive and I really like the lifetime map updates.

Anyone have any experience with Tom Tom? There is a nice review at pcmag.com (http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2704,2213485,00.asp) .

[Dick]

I currently have an old Garmin StreetPilot and have been looking to upgrade. I recently read that Tom Tom is the dominant GPS system in Europe and I decided to do some investigation. Tom Tom makes several motorcycle specific models and they seem to be very complete units, down to an included Bluetooth head set and all of the cables needed.The only negative is that they don't come standard with a car mount. The price seems to be quite competitive and I really like the lifetime map updates.

Anyone have any experience with Tom Tom?
Hi, Alan -

At the Chicken Fried Bacon gig, I rode over with Monte in his truck and he had just gotten a Tom Tom 1. It did pretty good in giving voice directions to Snook after he had the planned route plugged in. His did have a small glitch, in that 'she' kept repeating what we knew wuz a wrong turn; although the display showed the correct route. I don't know if he sent it back for a fix or not (it wuz a refurb'd unit from Tiger Direct). He had it mounted by suction cup to the cab window; almost in his line of view. Power source wuz via a cigarette lighter-type plug, IIRC.

FYI - I've decided to finally ditch my Streetpilot 1 and am currently looking at the model lineup of Tom Toms. Stay in touch and lemme know what you do.

[kevincook]

The TomTom One's have been on sale everywhere for the past week. I bought two last week for $125 each.

Best Buy has them for $149 right now. There are two models the LE and the 3rd Generation. Supposedly the LE is a BB exclusive and is features are slightly better than the 3rd generation. For $150 it will get you where you want to go. As with all GPS units, sometimes the directions will be a little screwy but it will get you where you want to go. :)

Look at all the ads that were in Sunday's paper. I'm sure that there are several places selling them for between $125 and $150 right now. Some have mail in rebates so don't.

These are entry level GPS', no bells and whistles and they aren't waterproof.

Good Luck,
Kevin

[GBaker]

I do not know all the features of the TomTom but I look at Garmin as more than a GPS and more of a navigation mapping tool system.

I have two. One an older handheld 12Map bought for duck hunting and my son's backpacking and still very much in use and the NAV III that came on the LT. I used it on our 5,000 mile Iron Butt run this summer and with my wife on a fly and drive vacation in Maine. I love them both. These come with the Map Source programs and pc hook ups that let you plan a trip or id points save them to a file and download to the gps. I mapped our IB run with fuel and motel stops. Then when we got back I loaded the routes we traveled after the initial 1500 IBA run from the GPS back to a file on the pc program. As we knew of places we wanted to go in Maine I preloaded them and could go to them from anywhere we were. When my bride saw some where she wanted to go once there we loaded the address and went straight there, no worries. The touch screen with gloves on the bike has not been a problem.

Garmin has been in the navigation business a long time and is widely used on ocean going cargo ships, fishermen, and the local fish and game guys. They have great customer service and downloadable up grades. We have the street maps that came with the NAV III and the Topo Maps we bought years ago with the 12Map and are still getting upgrades.


There that is my 7 & 1/2 cents worth.

[RiderRay]

OK, here's the situation. I had my retirement party tonight and my co-workers gave me a Magellan Maestro 3100 as a gift. Seems like a nice, user friendly unit. I see it only has 750,000 POI's and no text to speech. Reviews I've read all rave about the unit. What's your opinion, should I keep it or return it and go for the TomTomOne 3rd edition?

[jackd]

Well Ray, I don't want to hijack your thread but congrats on your pending retirement.. ! :thumb:

I would think that my first concern would be can I get it mounted where I want with a substantial M/C mount. If it is not waterproof and you want it in the open it might be a pain covering it when you need it the most.. i.e. in bad weather.

There are lots of good units and from people that I know that have TomTom they really like them. I for one don't really use the POI much.. But it is nice trying to find a hotel in a strange city with a strange address..

IMHO unless the unit has updateable maps and firmware it is only really good for 24 months and then the unit is out of date.

[astuber]

IMHO unless the unit has updateable maps and firmware it is only really good for 24 months and then the unit is out of date.

That is my point. You have to buy the map updates from Garmin and they appear to be free from Tom Tom. I have an old Garmin unit that I have never updated the maps on and have to believe that I am not the only one in that position.

[RiderRay]

Thanks Jack, now maybe I can put some miles on in the Spring. this winter is 24K service time. I think Imight trade the Magellan in for the TomTomOne, I like the free updates.

[jackd]

That is my point. You have to buy the map updates from Garmin and they appear to be free from Tom Tom. I have an old Garmin unit that I have never updated the maps on and have to believe that I am not the only one in that position.

Obviously 'free' is much better than $75 or $150.. :D

I have talked to a lot of people that purchased GPS technology for the first time and when I ask them if they are able to reload or update the maps or POI they just look at me with a stare and some actually think that updates should not be necessary. I have an old SP III Garmin and I have updated maps multiple times. Usually once I start seeing that I getting poor directions on obviously newly reconfigured interstates or looking for new industrial parks and roads.

I need a new GPS myself because the technology is getting way ahead of me not that the unit has become unreliable getting around the streets. If I had access to 'free' map updates I would update every year or sooner when updates actually become available, not every two years like I have been. I am looking at upgrading equipment now because it's time to upgrade my maps again.

[jackd]

Thanks Jack, now maybe I can put some miles on in the Spring. this winter is 24K service time.

That is the way I try to do it.. Not always sucessfull as the winter gets away from me sometimes. I hope that I will also retire in a year or two. I have some big plans for a few American adventures myself! :cool:

I think Imight trade the Magellan in for the TomTomOne, I like the free updates.

Free updates and a good price is really a nice option. :thumb:

I do like the rain proof option though. I leave my Sirius on and running in all but the worst rain but it's not too exposed under the windshield on my BMR CoPilot. I'm not so sure that I would feel so confident with the GPS not being rain proof. If the Sirius radio craps out on a trip it is no big deal but if the GPS gets unreliable it would really ruin a trip for me. I don't bring any paper maps along. For me using paper maps with progressive lenses makes it pretty easy to make pilot errors in directions and road response.

My Garmin is as much a safety feature as a navigation aid. On the BMR CoPilot, it never has got 'too' wet, even in the worst of frog drowners. I have turned off the Sirius radio more than a few times. I do ride in whatever weather is there at the time so I would want the advantage of the having the GPS running no matter what is happening as I always use it for my MPH indication. I never use the analog gauge.

[shadowofshoe]

Does the Tom Tom come with wiring to wire it to the bike? On the circuit city website it says battery power, nothing about 12V.

Neil- Hey how are ya?

That unit will power via your accessory ports w/adaptor. Pete set us up w/a link to one for 149.99-best money ever spent...works great. Bowles may mention -if it's in your oddiments box it may be ineffectual-Hi John!!!!

Mike

[harrowbmw]

Greetings Ray.

Forget the Zumo, not enough features. Go the wider screen Nuvi 660 or 760. If it rains, pop it off and jam it in your pocket or the clear part of your tank bag. The big Nuvi runs on batteries, mains or power from your bike or car, meaning you can sit in your motel room and work out the next days routes. Brilliant.

Let me know how you get on.

Kindest regards

Paul Harrington
AU
e: corcaigh@internode.on.net

[ironbuttwannabe]

Neil- Hey how are ya?

That unit will power via your accessory ports w/adaptor. Pete set us up w/a link to one for 149.99-best money ever spent...works great. Bowles may mention -if it's in your oddiments box it may be ineffectual-Hi John!!!!

Mike

Yeah they seem to keep going down in price. I just have to decide if I want to buy new shocks or get my gps, intercom thing going. I don't think mine are shot yet, even at 40K miles, and don't feel like putting 1,500 away right now.

Don't forget the quote you swore by, "This thing don't display mph!"

John, "Did you read the manual?"

Mike, "Yes"

Joe, "That means he took it out of the box and turned it on!"

I think it went something like that.