Member Contributer FotoMoto Posted July 9, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted July 9, 2009 Searching this forum pulls up a lot of item specific threads (31 pages!) but I've yet to find any kind of poll or comparison type of threads. Names like Garmin, nuvi, zumo, tom tom, magellan have me confused and bewildered. I'm looking for a low cost combo unit that will mainly be used in the car (80%) and bike (20%). The few bike specific models I've found are very cool but way, way more than I care to spend. Garmin claims support for it's discontinued items and I've found the Nuvi 550 (waterproof but not necessarily m/c specific according to them) selling new around the $250 price point. Honestly, I have no issue with getting a cheap ($100ish) non-waterproof unit automotive unit and not using it in the rain (toss in tank bag). Comments, experiences, recommendations? TIA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Ron Mexico Posted July 9, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted July 9, 2009 I had the same requirements a year ago when I picked up a CB1000 for my dad and delivered it via the blue ridge parkway. After much research on advrider.com where people are very knowledgeable on cheap waterproof GPS, there is one answer: Garmin 2610. I picked mine up with a 2GB card and updated North America v8 maps for $160 on CL. It gives me more info than I need and is waterproof. The v8 maps alone are a $75 option through Garmin which is why it pays to buy off of ebay or CL and let someone else already do the modifications you want for free esentially. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEBSPEED Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 Doug, I highly recommend this unit, from Amazon. Garmin Nuvi 750. Not waterproof(it's a car unit), but, the touchscreen works wells w/ gloves, and it does have a bredcrumb feature. (go for ride, anywhere, w/ the feature on, when you get home you can see where you went). Also holds MP3's, or extra maps but the internal memory is good too. Best part? Super price! $190! http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-4-3-Inch-Wide...7442&sr=8-1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer V-FORE Posted July 9, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted July 9, 2009 http://www.macmall.com/ttsvr/p/Telephony/p...1FD85AAD698CBF0 See above link Macmall Tomtom One 130 refurb 49.99 Free shipping, I got one from work a week or so ago, works great. Although now I feel as though I have lost alot of Testosterone, feeling alot less manly Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wera803 Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 Doug, I highly recommend this unit, from Amazon. Garmin Nuvi 750. Not waterproof(it's a car unit), but, the touchscreen works wells w/ gloves, and it does have a bredcrumb feature. (go for ride, anywhere, w/ the feature on, when you get home you can see where you went). Also holds MP3's, or extra maps but the internal memory is good too. Best part? Super price! $190! http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-4-3-Inch-Wide...7442&sr=8-1 I bought a Zumo 550 a couple of years ago and love it. My girlfriend was looking for a GPS this year and didn't really want to spend the money on a Zumo. I found the Nuvi 750 for her and she is very happy with it. Got a 8 GB SD card for it and put music on it since it has an MP3 player. RAM mount also makes a pretty secure mount for it that we put on her bike so she uses it in the car or on the bike. She tried it in the tank bag and it worked alright, just doesn't allow her to see the map or change songs if she wants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer BrittC Posted July 9, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted July 9, 2009 I use a Garmin Nuvi 200 (purchased for car use initially) on a RAM mount and I'm 90% happy with it as a cheap way to go. It won't let me download a route to it, and it's not waterproof - those are my only 2 complaints. On a long ride, I would love the ability to specify the route rather than letting the Nuvi tell me the shortest or fastest route..... As already mentioned, the Garmin 2610 is a really nice unit that you can find cheap (usually there are lots of refurbished ones on Ebay, complete with warranty). I'm putting money aside to buy one (with the corresponding RAM mount) for the bike so my Nuvi can stay in the car (where I'm 100% happy with it!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpiralGray Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 Comments, experiences, recommendations? I had a Garmin nuvi for a couple of years and really liked it, but it just didn't meet my needs for motorcycling, so I went shopping. I decided there were three features that were must-haves: 1. Routing - This lets you design a route on the GPS or on your computer and download it. GPS units that just let you put in a location and then the GPS calculates the route are not good for motorcycling (in my opinion). 2. Waterproof - Sometimes the sky opens up and you don't have time to stop and put the unit in a safe place. 3. Track log (bread crumbing) - So when you go for a ride with someone else, or just go exploring, you can see exactly where you went and save it as a route so you can do it again later. I've got the zumo 550 (zumo is Garmin's motorcycle-specific line), but that nuvi 550 you mentioned seems like a good option. A quick look at the specs showed it meets requirements #1 and #2, I didn't look to see if it met #3 or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEBSPEED Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 Comments, experiences, recommendations? I had a Garmin nuvi for a couple of years and really liked it, but it just didn't meet my needs for motorcycling, so I went shopping. I decided there were three features that were must-haves: 1. Routing - This lets you design a route on the GPS or on your computer and download it. GPS units that just let you put in a location and then the GPS calculates the route are not good for motorcycling (in my opinion). 2. Waterproof - Sometimes the sky opens up and you don't have time to stop and put the unit in a safe place. 3. Track log (bread crumbing) - So when you go for a ride with someone else, or just go exploring, you can see exactly where you went and save it as a route so you can do it again later. I've got the zumo 550 (zumo is Garmin's motorcycle-specific line), but that nuvi 550 you mentioned seems like a good option. A quick look at the specs showed it meets requirements #1 and #2, I didn't look to see if it met #3 or not. The Nuvi 750 meets #1 & #3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tightwad Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 I currently have $59 invested in my TomTom One, which includes so many hacks it hardly resembles what I bought....but the base TomTom One, which can be had for $50-$75 fairly easily is a great starter unit, and works well in the car. It doesn't work as well on the bike as it doesn't come stock with a headphone jack (I added one to mine). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer FotoMoto Posted July 10, 2009 Author Member Contributer Share Posted July 10, 2009 Hmm, Sounds like the Garmin line is the way to go. Now, just have to decide which. :unsure: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer SeoulMan Posted July 10, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted July 10, 2009 I recently bought the Nuvi 760 and have come to regret it BIG TIME. Despite specifically ordering cables that are supposed to allow it to charge I find that it constantly cycles into and out of charge mode. It's been a constant tinkering pain in the ass. So bad I'm ready to give it away! Question to the group: Would the marine Garmin's be an option for biking or should bikes stick to the Zumo line? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trinith Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 So far my Nuvi 500 has been just about perfect. It doesn't have the breadcrumb feature I don't think, but it's waterproof and can take a fair bit of abuse. It's been dropped a few times and tossed around, generally abused and it still works great. I've never had a problem using it while wearing gloves either, and best of all it was only $225 brand new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpiralGray Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 I recently bought the Nuvi 760 and have come to regret it BIG TIME. Despite specifically ordering cables that are supposed to allow it to charge I find that it constantly cycles into and out of charge mode. It's been a constant tinkering pain in the ass. So bad I'm ready to give it away! They say that the zumos are designed for the more rugged conditions (vibration, bouncing, etc) that one finds on a motorcycle. Perhaps that's part of the problem you're having with the nuvi, they just aren't designed for those conditions. Question to the group: Would the marine Garmin's be an option for biking or should bikes stick to the Zumo line? My buddy has one of their marine units. He's had it for years. I think he bought it before the zumo line existed. Anyway, when I create a route in MapSource and send it to him he always finds he has to add a whole bunch of waypoints to get it to approximate the route. Because it's designed as a marine unit, it routes point-to-point rather than along roads. Perhaps their newer marine units are better about that and can route along roads as well as point-to-point, but it's kind of a pain for him because his distances are never quite right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer BonusVFR Posted July 10, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted July 10, 2009 I recently bought the Nuvi 760 and have come to regret it BIG TIME. Despite specifically ordering cables that are supposed to allow it to charge I find that it constantly cycles into and out of charge mode. It's been a constant tinkering pain in the ass. So bad I'm ready to give it away! Question to the group: Would the marine Garmin's be an option for biking or should bikes stick to the Zumo line? You should check out advrider.com There are endless threads on the virtues of the marine units. The appeal is mostly on their track handling abilities off road and the fact that you can customize the screens a bit. Among other differences, the marine units do not have the newest sirf chips though. I have found the Zumo does the job for me off road as well but I am biased ............I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer RollinAgain Posted July 10, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted July 10, 2009 I currently own two Garmin 2610 units and have been very satisfied using them in both my cars and motorcycles. These units can easily be found used on Ebay for around $100 or can be purchased as refurbs on the net for around $200. I also believe these are the only units ever made that include a remote control. Having a remote control for a GPS may seem like a stupid idea but believe me when I tell you that it is the most convenient thing to have for use in the car and I can't imagine using my GPS without it. The unit is also waterproof and has flash based memory which means there are no fragile internal hard drive parts that can easily be broken. The reason I bought the second unit is because I was so happy with my first and wanted to make sure that I had a backup unit since they are no longer being manufactured. It's a no frills unit that does it job very well without all the extra crap that is included with new GPS's. PROS Waterproof Includes Remote Control Solid Feeling unit Available Motorcycle Mounting Kits Flash Based memory instead of fragile internal hard drive parts. Includes PC software that can be used to create custom routes that can be downloaded to the unit. CONS Requires ac or dc power to operate (not rechargable) Larger size than most units No route tracking feature (bread crumb) Regards, Rollin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer trav72 Posted July 10, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted July 10, 2009 I purchased a 2610 a few weeks back. I just wanted something cheap, waterproof that could stand the vibrations on the bike. I got it for $75 and it was worth every penny. I then bought a cradle for it complete with hardwire and I'm all set. It's perfect for the bike. I had a Nuvi 5000 in an aqua box. But it suffered from the vibrations and I couldn't see it 1/2 the time as the aqua box cover gets dirty very quickly. The software ended up crapping out and I had to send it back to Garmin for a replacement. Once I got it back, I sold it. Do yourself a favor, find a 2610 or similar model and be done with it. You won't have a lot invested in case something goes wrong, it's stolen, or broken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RustyA Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 I've been using a nuvi 260w for 2 years now. I keep a baggie with me, if it's going to rain. LOL Use it in truck, jeep, and bike. Think this x-mas. I'll get a zumo 550 tho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasmeneh Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 Take a look at the Garmin Quest. The screen is a little smaller that the newer units, but the battery lasts a long time and it works great. It's waterproof and totally portable. I got one off ebay and I don't think that with the tank mount I've got more than $85 in it. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baileyrock Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 Once you figure out which Garmin you want, check here! They have a factory referb center. :cool: http://garmn.factoryoutletstore.com/landin...WID=13388288522 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baileyrock Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 I use one of these and the price is cheap as hell right now, $119.00! :huh: Smaller screen than most newer models, but works for me on the bike so it can't be that bad! :cool: They were around $600 when they first came out! :cool: http://cgi.ebay.com/GARMIN-QUEST-2-GPS-200...93%3A1|294%3A50 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V4 Rosso Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 Have a look at the Nuvi 510: waterproof, bluetooth (for e.g. helmet speakers) , sirf III reciever, trip planning on your PC using mapsource. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dnossirb Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 Searching this forum pulls up a lot of item specific threads (31 pages!) but I've yet to find any kind of poll or comparison type of threads. Names like Garmin, nuvi, zumo, tom tom, magellan have me confused and bewildered. :cool: I'm looking for a low cost combo unit that will mainly be used in the car (80%) and bike (20%). The few bike specific models I've found are very cool but way, way more than I care to spend. Garmin claims support for it's discontinued items and I've found the Nuvi 550 (waterproof but not necessarily m/c specific according to them) selling new around the $250 price point. Honestly, I have no issue with getting a cheap ($100ish) non-waterproof unit automotive unit and not using it in the rain (toss in tank bag). Comments, experiences, recommendations? TIA I bought a NUVI 350 about a year ago. So far I love it. It's square instead of wide, which on the bike is a huge plus. I bought this unit first for it's price and second because it has an audio out port. I plug the NUVI into my Autocom and can hear the prompts in my helmet. It really is sweet. Plus I can play mp3s on it so there is always music when I want it. I just got back from a trip to WV and it worked flawlessly. I had it avoid all annoyances like highways and toll roads and it led me to places that I would never have found on my own. A sandwich bag and a rubber band make it waterproof, unfortunetly I have put significant time into testing the baggies waterproofing qualities!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer pm_wizard Posted July 14, 2009 Member Contributer Share Posted July 14, 2009 I'll add my voice to the Zumo 550 chorus! I use the Zumo on both bikes and in my wife's car. The screen works well, but the audio is at times a little hard to hear in the car. I like not havin to jump from one piece of equipment to another! John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer FotoMoto Posted July 14, 2009 Author Member Contributer Share Posted July 14, 2009 DAMN, you guys aren't helping here!!!! :cool: Now I got too many great choices. I really like the 20 hour life on the quest series. No on board power hookup needed. sweet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baileyrock Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 DAMN, you guys aren't helping here!!!! :cool: Now I got too many great choices. I really like the 20 hour life on the quest series. No on board power hookup needed. sweet. For the money the Quest 2 is packed with features, fully loaded with v8 detailed maps of the entire US, is waterproof, 20hr battery life, for the cage it has a suction cup holder that plugs into the cig outlet that has a speaker built-in on you can hear the voice directions, blah, blah, blah. :cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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