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Navigation - Maps, Compass, GPS How to find your way - traditional map, compass and road signs, or GPS and more
Photo by Andy Miller, UK, Taking a rest, Jokulsarlon, Iceland

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Andy Miller, UK,
Taking a rest,
Jokulsarlon, Iceland




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  • 1 Post By cycad 1

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  #1  
Old 13 Apr 2014
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Cool Navigation system for pillion
Hi fellow hubbs,

I hope one of you can advise us:

Division of labor
My husband drives, I navigate. Be it car or motorcycle.
And no we don’t like to have GPS, Radio, Music, Telephone, intercom or whatever in our helmet. We wear earplugs and enjoy the ride. Yes we know there are earplugs with speakers.
We do use maps, prepare the trips, look around for north, south, appreciate to get lost from time to time and have the gps as a general backup system or for navigation in towns.
As pillion, holding the gps isn’t comfortable. So we were wondering if anybody knows about a practical system to mount a standard GPS for the pillion rider
Mount on top of panniers ? Use antenna like microphone holder ? Anything ?

Our motorcycle is a BMW1200GS.
Many thanks for your input!
Christine
Last edited by cycad 1; 13 Apr 2014 at 11:52. Reason: better phrasing
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Old 13 Apr 2014
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cycad 1 View Post
Hi fellow hubbs, I hope one of you can advise us.
What NAVIGATION system and/or brand/type would you recommend that fulfills following requirements:
- we don`t want a GPS on the dashboard
- we don`t want a central GPS system with voice in helmet
- we need a good visual one (with clear screen) to be used by the passenger (pillion) only.
So I (=the pillion) can check out the route at ease and guide the driver.
We thought about a GPS that can be mounted on one of the side bars.
Our motorcycle is a BMW1200GS.
Many thanks for your input!
Christine
I will ask the question many will be thinking of.
What is your reasoning behind this?
All your "don't wants" are the same as all my "do wants"

My best answer would be any of the "motorcycle" friendly units will work as pretty much all have large good clear screens, good size buttons.

I personally rely entirely on sound commands when sat nav is used for finding my way through cities ect... But of course this only works if you set a destination. How well it would work if you were to be feeding information from pillion to rider in a busty city? Not sure I would get along with that method too well. My wife and I would fall out very quickly doing that method

Good luck with your idea, some one may well have done it, be interested to see.
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Old 13 Apr 2014
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Hi Tim, thanks for your reply!
The reason behind it is:
- we both prefer to wear our ear plugs to protect the ears while driving (especially long distances) so a voice command would not be useful
- the rider needs reading glasses in order to see the details on the screen and that is not possible while riding
- the rider prefers not to be bothered looking for the route

But I understand what you are saying of course: it gets tricky in a busty city.
Thanks anyway for this. Will keep you updated.
Christine
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Old 13 Apr 2014
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Old 19 Apr 2014
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^ Nice
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Old 30 Oct 2014
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We are the same as you. Rider needs glasses etc. We do use intercom, as over the years shouting at each other has caused too much stress. She Nav has a car Garmin Sat Nav in bag on the right hand pannier lid. Easy accessible when needed, like finding the accommodation or getting out of town etc. Otherwise we don't use it. Its put in the bag, out the way and forgotten. Works fine for us and doesn't need to be mounted at all, and because its a car model its cheap! Plugs into an auxiliary socket mounted on the pannier frame. Simple, cheap and it works for us. Hope this helps.
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Old 30 Oct 2014
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I'd be worried about injury in a fall. Have the GPS on a RAM mount .. a very long armed RAM mount .. RAM mounts give if hit.. you might get a bruise.

I'd make the same comment about the GoPro mount on the hat. Maybe a velcro mount?
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