Car GPS units again!
 

Hi folks,

I'm thinking about getting an in-car GPS unit in the sales for using on my bike as the on bike units are, for some reason, three times more expensive. I have a plan that involves making a waterproof housing for it out of a clear peli-case I have, so water resistance shouldn't be a problem.

However, I've noticed you can buy bike/motorbike mounts for the TomTom One and Garmin Nuvi. Does this mean they are weather proof? They don't seem to be made by TomTom or Garmin, but by independent manufacturers, so am a bit sceptical.

I have no experience with in-car GPS so wonder what difficulties I might have using an in-car system on a bike? I realise the touch screen would not work with gloved hands, so am expecting to set the unit up with its journey at the start of the trip and not have to touch it much during the trip. Is this a practical expection?

What difficulties might arise from not being able to hear the unit? Are they still useful when you can't hear them? I don't really want some velvety voiced bint yelling directions into my ears when I go for a ride anyway, so am not bothered about getting a unit that has the capability to use with earphones.

The model I particularly like is the Garmin Nuvi 250 with UK/Ireland and Europe programmed in.

Matt

Halfords are doing some really good prices on the in-car systems at the moment. I wasn't going to take one and work solely off maps but at these prices I am beginning to wonder.

I am having a good think about this one. I figure I could keep it in my pocket and get it out when needed. ie looking for camp grounds, petrol stations that kind of thing.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/s...dkey=ClickInfo

PS I don't work for Halfords.
:thumbup1:

Hi,

I admit, I'm a bit of a map-loving curmudgeon, but I was thinking about going on a short trip to europe this year and it's sometimes quite hard work staying off the motorways and on the nice little A roads when you have somewhere to be. I'm thinking a GPS might stop me from being tempted off the nice roads and on to the 'easy' ones (i.e. boring bloomin' motorways!). I also think it will encourage me to slow down and ride longer, with the knowledge that my GPS will help me navigate my way to accommodation at the end of the day!

Halfords do seem to have some good prices and that Becker does look good. Also, there's one near me so I can go down and have a look at them before buying, which is always good. Haven't heard of Becker before, what's their reputation?

Matt :)

I agree with trying to stay off the motorways and see more of the country. You are right about that for sure (maybe this is the evidence I need to convince the other half to buy one?), I have a 2008 Michelin Europe atlas but as expected because it covers the whole of Europe so the detail is not great, not bad but not great.

I haven't heard of Becker either and a quick google search only revealed that they make a lot of in-car systems, as in integrated into cars at manufacture. I as yet have not got a hold of one. So I would be very interested with what you think of it. The map coverage looks good.

Yep, might toddle along to Halfords this evening and see if they have those two (the Becker and the Nuvi) and let you know what I think.

I hadn't realised that these units have 'Points of Interest' programmed in, including hotels etc. which is fantastic. When all you've got is a map, it often takes lots of riding around to locate a hotel, and I've often found one that's a bit out of my budget and thought "Sod it, I can't be bothered riding around any more on the off chance of finding a cheaper place." and stayed there. If you can look at your GPS when you near a town and ride directly to several hotels in order to compare prices etc. it would save a lot of bother and you'd probably save a fair bit of cash too. I reckon a £100 unit would pay for itself quite quickly in this way. There: I have justified it to myself! It will save me money!

Matt :)

mmmm, Spend a £100 to save money, time and bother on the trip. I think you have convinced me too.

Cheers
:thumbup1:

I'm looking at Garmin's Nuvi 550. Their 500/550 units look like their car units but are waterproof for bike/marine use. They don't have a lot of the features of the Zumo units, but I just need something basic and don't need bluetooth, XM radio, or MP3 capabilities. Anyone else have any experience with these units?

Have had a look at the Becker website and it's not clear if you can get maps of parts of the world outside Europe. Apart from that it looks great, but I'd like to know I could use my GPS anywhere I like, so it may have to be the Nuvi.

Matt :)

Which Nuvi are you thinking of ? The 250 model ?

Yes, the 250 seems to be good value. It has Europe maps and points of interest included.

Matt

Hi Matt,
From their site:
Accepts data cards: microSD™ card (not included)


That means you can put any Garmin compatible map on the chip, (microSD card), including the Wanderlust Worldmap, Topo maps, etc.

John

I just found the Nuvi 250 Wide on amazon for the same price as the Becker. if you want a bigger screen than the £92 model that is. As you say the POI are good and from what I have been reading you can update/load in the different types from various POI sources.

Garmin Nuvi 250 Widescreen Satellite Navigation System: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo

I think you are right with this one over the Becker. This one might be worth a look Ironheadziggy76, not waterproof though.

I used a cheap car GPS on my bike for 4 years without any problems at all. It never went into a wterpoof case as I had a windshield on the bike which kept the worst of the weather off it.

It probably travelled about 70,000km in all weather.

The amount of times you put data into the GPS, even on a run from Denmark to France, is not that often. So having to take a glove off at a petrol station or coffee stop was never a problem.

My GPS was used mainly on tarmac, so what the shock factor has on a car GPS to a bike GPS I do not know.

I have now bought a car GPS with bluetooth a bluetooth helmet so my GPS can travel in my pocket if I think it needs to. I can also answer my phone and listen to books and music on the GPS.

Steve

Ah! That's good info! I hadn't realised other manufacturers maps were compatible with different units. Thanks!

Steve, that's also good to know. And that's a good point about tucking your GPS in a pocket on rough stuff, I know from experience that GPS units work from inside a rucksack, so a jacket pocket should present no problems!

Matt :)

Have bitten the bullet! Ordered a Garmin Nuvi 250 from Amazon for the bargain price of £79.95. Just went for the standard non-widescreen version as this seemed adequate. I went for the Nuvi because it had europe-wide mapping, had lots of good reviews online and was made by Garmin, who have a good rep. I've had a Garmin E-Trex for use in the hills for years now with no problems so decided to go with what I knew. The Becker looked, if anything, a slightly sleeker and nicer GPS, but my cowardly purchasing instincts took over!

Will just have to wait and see how it performs. Am thinking now of eschewing my previous plan of putting it in my clear peli case and building a small rally screen for the XT which it can hide behind.

Matt :)

I think you are right Matt, the Nuvi 250 from Garmin is probably a better buy for all the reasons you stated.

When you make your "clear peli case" post some photos.

Happy new year all.

:thumbup1:

Been using a Nuvi 250 for nearly a year now I think - I would recommend one without hesitation.
really good on and off road and no silly tricksy gimmicks - it just maps really well and has some good useable features on it.

Have you loaded different/new POI on it ? like new hotels or camp sites ??

That's good to hear eightpot,

One question: Is that on a bike? If so how did you mount it?

Matt :)

I was hesitant to resurrect this old thread, but it's relevant to my question and saves duplicating effort...

I have a TomTom XL Europe (the 330) for my car, with the "EasyPort" (spring-loaded) circular mounting system, and I'm looking ahead to travelling longer distances and taking it with me. As others have said, there are bike mounting kits available for these type of unit -- such as this one that looks like it's meant for a bicycle (I assume would work on a motorcycle?) and this one by RAM that looks to be the bog's dollocks (if a little industrial - but not as industrial as Matt's ;)) -- but my concerns are mainly about rain/spray and preventing it from making a run for it after too many bumps.

What level of success have people had with just a naked car GPS in the glorious UK & western European weather, or am I silly for even entertaining the idea? My Thundercat has a windscreen, so if I mounted it carefully it could avoid driven rain and spray, but may need a plastic bag over it to protect it when stopped, etc?

What of the strength of its mount? Does anyone have any good or bad stories about the EasyPort mounting system on a bike? I suppose the mini-USB power cable would act as a tether in an emergency, but only until it had a chance to unplug itself. :)

Even if not for my model in particular, it would be good to get more feedback from others on how they go about using their car/non-waterproof GPS units on their bikes.

If you can't be bother or can't get it to work (and have a few spare quid!!) Have a look here: GPS Warehouse

Not the cheapest, but pretty close to being, and they have oodles of bits....

Bike attchment withiout Garmin Nuvi 250...

http://monsieur.smugmug.com/photos/4...79_qsAk2-L.jpg

Nuvi 250 in situ - very safe when attached, very reliable satnav, very cheap satnav with UK and EU mapping :thumbup1:

http://monsieur.smugmug.com/photos/4...93_inKBT-L.jpg

I've been using a Mio 550 pda with TomTom software on my bike for over two years. The pda is protected by mounting it in an Otterbox plastic box and that's fixed to the bike via a Ram mount.

The whole thing looks a bit agricultural but then again so does the bike (CCM trailie) so it's not out of place. The pda has an internal battery that'll last about 2hrs but usually it's powered through a mini usb socket. I bought an in car charger for it for £2-3 on ebay and rebuilt the electronics in it into a small box which is permanently mounted on the bike. The cable goes through a rubber plug arrangement on the Otterbox into the pda.

Feedback after two years use : It works well, particularly on cloudy days but can be a bit dim in bright sunshine. It's waterproof and has been through some horrendous downpours without any problems. The box doesn't seem to affect the signal strength but programming the thing can be a bit hit or miss through the plastic window and it's sometimes easier to take it out of the box to do it.

Biggest problem has been the fit between the Otterbox and the Ram mount. it depends on two springy plastic "ears" with pegs on them to fit into two holes on the Otterbox. These were secure initially but move around with vibration and over two years have worn to the point where they pop out with wind pressure. I was about 2 miles out of Dover the first time it came apart and just managed to catch it. I keep meaning to replace the worn bit but for the time being have just used some elastic cord to keep it in place.

I can't find a pic of it bit if you've got a copy of May's MSL with the report on the overlanding day at the Ace cafe, it's bottom left on page 102. Just ignore me:blushing:

I had a good look at my handlebars this morning and realised that they're not the standard bent tube type, rather are a solid v-shape with short tubes at the end where the grips and such attach. There's no area of handlebar tube free on which to place a mount, so I may have to come up with something creative. :detective:

Either that or simply put the GPS in the clear plastic map pocket of my Bagster Alpha tank bag. Mounted, waterproof, and less likely to leave on the bike by mistake, I suppose...

Does anyone know for sure if you can use the Olaf Morocco map with the Nuvi 250?

Ive been using my TomTom one on my bike with no problems.

Try this site for good mounting options..

Tomtom Accessories, Ram Mounts, Tom Tom Accessories, SatNav Store


The mount I use is for a bicycle and Ive adapted my screen brace to fit.

Im only using it for reference so I dont need all the features of a more expensive unit. I just send a location to the unit as a POI through Google maps and away I go. I use a clear pencil case as a make shift cover for when the weather gets rough, but as it is positioned behind the screen it does not suffer from much.

A serious tourer could justify the price of a bike sat nav, but if its only as an extra aid then this fits the bill just fine.

Thanks for the links. Looks like there's two choices for a bike with next to no handlebar tube available: one that attaches to a brake/clutch bracket or a stem-mount.

Anyone else tried these? I like the idea of the stem mounted one, but it's all money. :)

My Triumph Trident bars did not allow the fitment of one of the cheap handlebar brackets but there is a fairly easy fix. Find yourself a bit of handlebar sized tube just long enough for the bracket and attach that somewhere suitable. I actually used a piece of the plastic tube you get given with Oxford Hot Grips. With a long bolts going right through the tube and a large washer at one end and a piece of plate to use as a fixing bracket on the other it works perfectly.

this is my solution
 

This is the method I have come up with to use a GPS intended for cars on a bike.

I bought the case from this company but I have to admit that it was only £14.99 when I bought it. I think it must have been a mistake as it is now £124.99!!!!:eek3:

I houses a Tom Tom 730 with full European maps. I have used it to check everything works but I have not used it for anything other than testing trips so far. We are heading off for two weeks into mainland Europe in August so I can let you know a full report afterwards.

Here are a few pictures showing how it mounts etc.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2496/...8d089f.jpg?v=0


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2555/...6fd61f.jpg?v=0http://www.flickr.com/photos/23531027@N04/3707376841/
mounted on the original headstock nut with a Ram Mount fitting (uses UNF nut - not supplied).


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2604/...7bb3a1.jpg?v=0
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23531027@N04/3708187086/Case with Ram Mount fitted to rear.


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3516/...ae8c7c.jpg?v=0


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3526/...ee3785.jpg?v=0

It looks big, but bear in mind this is an SV650. You can reach the ignition key easily and the clocks are not obscured at all from the riding position. The Ram Mount does offer adjustment forwards and backwards. As it is it clears the Bagster tank bag easily.



http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2442/...8ced4e.jpg?v=0

I had to make some small modifications to allow for cable access. The lump that can be seen on the left of the case in other pictures is for cable access and has all the seals needed to stop water ingress. However, I completely forgot about the fact that the Tom Tom needs to have the cables fed in from the bottom, not the side as the PDAs do that this case was originally developed for do. My own fault and I kick myself for it a little :oops2:

When in position the water should not be a problem as it will just drip down in the still pocket of air... I hope :innocent:

The leads are for power (needed a cheap micros USB lead because the Tom Tom original was 90 defree item) and iPod connection along with Audio that plugs into my AutoCom.


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2445/...6ee67f.jpg?v=0

The front surface it flexible and you can control the Tom Tom when inside the case. I have found that even when outside the case a fat finger can give problems, but a small point similar to a PDA stylus works perfectly. I may add one on a cord to the case so that zooming the map to check details of the route is easier. But in testing I have not found it a problem as the route will be planned beforehand.




All in all I think it will work well as I have used Tom Tom on the phone linked to the intercom, but the problem came when in and around large junctions etc. The ability to look at the screen is a big help and also just reasures that all is well when the thing has been quiet for 10 minutes. Also I can control my iPod fromt he screen.

Cheers,
Simon





http://www.flickr.com/photos/23531027@N04/3707377417/

Just entered the 21st Century with a purchase today of a shiny new Nuvi 255 - hurrah! Should be useful on my week-long trip through northern Germany this coming week... now how to programme a preferred route into the damn thing... :funmeterno::confused1::eek3:

£125? That's more than my GPS -- some sales manager is clearly getting high on his own supply...

FWIW, I had the So Easy Rider v3 pointed out to me the other day; here's a review.

Just a follow up...
 

Well I'm back after a wee tour of Europe and thought I would let you know how the waterproof case worked along with the TomTom Go 730.

The case was really good and held the gps inplace without problems. It only rains when we were at standstill so the gps was removed anyway for security. So no idea if my holes would give problems :rolleyes2:

There were two problems I had, first was difficulty in seeing the screen in bright sunlight. The cover's flexible front reflected a lot of light and I imagine the item Jumile suggests will also - but a shield might help.

The second problem was the backlights on the TomTom gave up :(, luckily on the way back and after most of the good riding was over. Took maps with us and also used the phone as back up.

Spoke to a guy on the eurotunnel on the way back and he used a Garmin zumo which was bike dedicated and he had no problems. Maybe a brighter screen?!

At £450 I'd want the zumo to ride my bike as well :rolleyes2:

My little nuvi worked brilliantly in France regardless of sunshine :thumbup1:

What was the outcome of this thread ?

I am after a satnav for my Tenere (and not one costing > £ 400..), and have read all about the Nuvi 250 etc. Semms you can pick one up for around £ 100 with full coverage of Europe.

Some questions :

- Can these be loaded with maps of Morocco, Mali, Senegal, Mauratania ? (apologies if that a silly question..)

- Can these units withstand all the vibrations of bike riding, bit in desert etc ?

- Any similar, better alternatives ?

- Any good waterproof kits ?

Any other comments welcome.

Thanks in advance.

I've been away from the HUBB for a while, so if this has been mentioned before I apologise, but following a thread on the BMW Owners Club I rigged up a cheap system as follows. I put a Garmin Nuvo 250 in my tank bag and linked it to a cheap intercom. I taped one mic to the 250 and stuck the other earpiece in my helmet. I did only a quick test and it worked - but I now need to set up the earpiece etc properly. The intercom was a Chatterbox around £20 from Maplin. May be worth a look.

I would say that it is possible to go down the route of non bike GPS on a bike. But the biggest problem is going to be screen brightness. I'm changing the bike soon and will be looking at an adventure tourer, road or dirt biased I'm not sure of.

The advantage will be that I can mount the screen more vertically and this should help with reflection. Vibration should be Ok if you can keep the mountings isolated with rubber at all points.

The Garmin units seem to be the only devices that have the ability to load third party maps of the rest of the world.

The givi GPS case and the item posted earlier in this thread ( So Easy Rider v3) both look pretty good and should keep the water out of the electrics.

No sure how well the chatter box will perform once the speed gets over 40\50mph I have tried similar in the past and found they were not suitable for extended use.

simon