GPS Units

[hdpegscraper]

So im thinkin about a GPS, but have no idea whats what. Any recommendations? Any to avoid? The Zumo 550 looks to be popular, and the same as the Harley unit. Screen size, and ease of use are my biggest concerns.

[northbrun]

Ok.. call mecheep but I have  problem paying 600+ for a gps unit for my bike when i got my garmin for 129.00 that + a sandwich bag and a rubber band and i have a fully waterproof unit. got me through a week in Nova Scotia and it rained every day!

[Frankie42]

I own a Garmin Zumo 550 and I believe it's the best designed GPS for motorcycles. It has too many features to mention. Go to the Garmin web site and check out the many features.
If you shop around, your could land your self a good deal. 

[marc]

I have a Zumo 450 and love it...

[Jeffd]

I have a Zumo 450 and love it...

ditto on the 450.  I got mine at Cosco.com for 350 shipped.

[08ultra]

I got a Zumo 550 a couple of years ago and absolutely love it, one of the nice features is that you can manipulate the touch screen wearing your gloves.

[RK101]

I bought the Tom tom rider 2. It's not a bad unit and does what I need it to do. I've used it on a couple road trips with great results.

[GunsUp]

I bought a Garmin nuvi 750 for the trip to HD-105th from Texas.  Traveled back roads through Texas, Okla, Arkansas and Missouri.  It didn't steer us wrong until we got within 2 miles of the event (exits from the freeway were not mapped very well). 
I tried tomtom and navigon units and returned them cause the screens were not bright enough to see in sunlight.  The nuvi 750 was bright enough to see all details in direct sunlight and the same can probably be said for the Zumo's.  The nuvi has a touch screen that can be operated with your gloves on.  It also has a wide screen 4"x3" and is only 1" thick so it fits in your jacket or shirt pocket without being bulky.  It also allows you to map multiple waypoints for each days travel so you can chart your own route instead of just putting in starting and ending points and the device doing its own routing.  $340 at Amazon...way cheaper than the zumo.
09

[moose]

i too have a zumo 550

go to zumo forums dot com and read all about it

moose

[GaryD]

I have the H-D fairing mounted Garmin unit. I love it. It's not stuck on the handlebars with wires running everywhere. It's clean, compact and easy to see/use. I've had it for 4 years. If I didn't have this one I would buy the Zumo 450 (I sure don't need the mp3 player and Blue tooth on the 550).
The only problem I have with the newer units is I can't stand the 3D viewing angle, to me it's very confusing. I'm old and like the 2D screen that actually looks like a map and not a video game. I also like the 20 hour back up battery so you can bring the unit into your room to re-plot if you need to. Other than directions, the best thing about a GPS is locating your favorite restaurant or gas station, or anything for that matter.
The main reason I bought a GPS is, I only have a week (at one time) of vacation, so I want to go to and see as much stuff as I can and can't afford to take a wrong turn. If I can ever retire, I will do as a lot of members will no doubt say here, that they like getting lost, that's the best part of riding, it may be, but that's not for me right now.

PS: I still carry a road atlas.

[x52gnr]

  I have a Garmin Nuvvi...Its not waterproof so a ziplock bag keeps her dry...Has not let me down for may thousands of miles

[IBARider]

I went with the Zumo solely for the purpose of xm radio and mp3 files.  otherwise, I would have done a cheaper model... like the 450.....

[GunsUp]

The only thing I don't like about my Garmin Nuvi is when I go off route the female voice sounds really irritated and says she's "recalculating".  Sort of like the OLady!

[x52gnr]

The only thing I don't like about my Garmin Nuvi is when I go off route the female voice sounds really irritated and says she's "recalculating".  Sort of like the OLady!

Yes, but unlike the ol-lady you can mute the Garmin.........

[88b]

I've got a tom tom rider 2 works OK, if I did it again I think I'd go Garmin. A few friends have Garmin's and some have failed ,but Garmin's custromer service is second to none, unlike tom tom's when my car mount broke the second time I used it 

[hdpegscraper]

Thanks for the input guys, seams there are some pretty good deals on Gps's these days and figured it's time for one. The Zumo 450 looks to do every thing I need, But I see the 550 comes with an additional cigarette lighter plug in and house charger, along with two car mounts also. Kinda makes it worth the extra 150 or so. Best prices I can find come in just under $500, I guess I can live with that. 

[Tex_Bagger]

Love the 550s ability to transfer from the bike to the car.  Comes with a nice bike HB mount and just pop it out and put it in the car.  It paid for itself many times with the go home feature.  I'll get lost out in the hill country and the thing never fails to get me home when It really matters.  I took it to Daytona last Feb/March and it did great riding in the rain, sitting out in the weather.  Truly waterproof.  Biggest concern is theft of the darn thing. Ive never seen a biker get ripped off but I know it happens.

You'll like the 550.

Mike

[Panzer]

And they wonder why I carry an extra pair of socks and duct tape in the bags.
Not for me, for her mouth, for when I make a wrong turn.   
"Real men don't need instructions".

[frisco]

hdpeg    would you share that info on where to get the Zumo 550 for under $500        thanks Dave



                               

[hdpegscraper]

Everyprice.com shows that Prestige Camera is offering it for $479 with free shipping. I may poke around a bit and watch what prices do as x-mas gets closer before I spend. Its not like the economy is gona turn around any time soon and drive the price back up.  

[Ed Y]

Prestige Camera is a notoriously bad "bait and switch" outfit. Do a Google search on it and do some readings.

[hdpegscraper]

WOW! All bad reviews, they wont be getting any business from me. Thanks very much ED.

[Tex_Bagger]

Try Amazon.com  I bought mine there, always good service and generally lowest prices around if you don't mind the wait.
http://www.amazon.com/GARMIN-010-00567-00-Zumo-550-Receiver/dp/B000H2W4E6/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1227494110&sr=8-1

Retail for $650

Mike

[FSG]

Being Oil Field I've been using Radio Navigation Systems and Satellite Navigation Systems since '78, Loran C, Argo, Spot, Shoran (used to drop the big one), Maxiran (based on Shoran) and Transit Sat in Water & Bottom Track Modes all slowly gave way to GPS.  The first GPS unit I used was a Trimble 4000 with Gas Nixi Tubes in it, worth US$40K, not surprisingly we found it all over the place in Korea in the early 80's.  My company invested in Magnavox GPS, a good choice at the time but with hind site, well you know how that goes.  These days all the equipment we use is based on Garmin Receivers, the Surveyors we contract all use Garmin, the data sets they provide us are all compiled using Garmin and my personal choice is Garmin.  I have recently purchased the Garmin Nuvi 760 for personal use and if I was looking for one for a Motorcycle I'd look at the Garmin Zumo 550.


Nuvi 760




Zumo 550




Below is the Garmin GPSMAP276C which I've purchased for 2 of our new crews.  It comes with MapSource for Trip & Waypoint management, excellent software and there is a way (published on the net) to upgrade the demo version to a full unpaid for version.

[tinkerman]

Will the Zumu survive the vibration mounted on the handlebars of my 88 Heritage.

The bars are isolated from the triple tree by synthetic bushings but the morrors still blur up at certain RPM's.

Would I need to isolate the Garmin unit even more.


Tink