Best GPS Navigator for handlebar mount

[coy55boy]

I'm researching for the best GPS nav system to add to my bike. I'm sure some of you have experiences (good and bad) that might help me with my decision. Obviously I want something that has a large readable screen. But, it also needs to be visible in an outdoor situation and not be prone to breakdown due to vibration. I'm not even sure what other criteria are important...you tell me!

[Aimhigh]

I think you will find the Garmin Zumo 660 or 550 are the best ones for the bikes. I have the 660 and really like it. Can use it in other vehicles as well.

[rumboogy]

There is also the Garmin zumo 665 if you want XM radio.

[Guest scarylarry]

Everybody has their preference, I use a garmin 205 I'm happy with it, no it doesn't have a lot of features, I'm looking for gas stations and motels mostly with mine...

[Freebird]

I agree...the 550, 660 or 665 are top of the line units that are made for motorcycles. They sell for a premium but I think are the best choice if you don't mind spending the money. Otherwise, there are several models that people here use. Do a search for Garmin and you'll find a lot of posts about the different models.

[Aimhigh]

Buddyrich had a 550 that he was giving up...might pm him to ask about it.

[Owen]

I have a Zumo 550... 40,000+ miles... lots of hard rains... easy to read in sunlight... great bluetooth operation... zero problems!

[Double D]

I have the Zumo 550 with the Buddy Rich cable for my phone and would not trade it for anything.

[skydoc_17]

Hey Stephen,

I wish I could afford one of the high end Garmin's like a lot of the members have! The Garmin's are high quality, dependable units. For my birthday 2 years ago, My wife Jean got me the Garmin Nuvi 855W for my birthday for under $200.00. I have about 38,000 miles on it and it has performed flawlessly! With it's wide screen, and ease of use, I don't know how I rode before I got it. The coolest feature of the Nuvi 855 is that it has a built in MP3 Player and an FM transmitter so the sound of the "British Chap" that gives me directions AND all of the music I have loaded on the Mini SD card come right out of the Stereo Speakers on my VR! Is that cool or what?!?! I have several Mini SD Cards loaded with "Mood Music" for the different types of riding I like to do, weather it be carving a bunch of twisties, "Smokin' The Concrete Slab", or a nice Sunday ride with Jean, I am good to go with my Nuvi. It has been in the rain several times with no ill effects, and I carry a baggie for the "gully washers" I have used the baggie two or three times and I could still see the screen and the baggie kept the unit dry. For the difference of $400.00 to $500.00 between the two units, you can buy a lot of baggies. :crackup:They even make the Nuvi 865 that has blue tooth but I really don't talk on the phone much when I ride. I have a ram mount and power cable in our Nissan and the GMC Jimmy and we just move the Nuvi into which ever vehicle we are driving that day. With the Nuvi, the cable to connect the unit to the battery and my "home made" mount, this was the best $300.00 I ever spent on my bike! :dancefool:I ride ANYWHERE I want to now and when it gets close to dinner, I just push the "GO HOME" button and I am never late for dinner! It doesn't get any better than that.

Earl

[coy55boy]

The coolest feature of the Nuvi 855 is that it has a built in MP3 Player and an FM transmitter so the sound of the "British Chap" that gives me directions AND all of the music I have loaded on the Mini SD card come right out of the Stereo Speakers on my VR! Is that cool or what?!?!

 

I got a feeling you're gonna tell me that's not gonna work so well on my '83 MKI. As to the rain, we don't get much of that out here in AZ. And when we do, it pours buckets for about 15 minutes and quits. So, best to just get under something in a hurry.

[Motorpig]

I have a Garmin 765t that i picked up on Ebay for about $75. The unit works great and has for about the last 10,000 miles. I love the lane assist feature, the blue tooth, and the built in MP3 player. I carry a heavy gauge plastic bag with me for heavy rains but my mounting location keeps it from getting wet from a light rain. The waterproof models are great but you pay for them...Good luck!

[cecdoo]

Hey Stephen,

I wish I could afford one of the high end Garmin's like a lot of the members have! The Garmin's are high quality, dependable units. For my birthday 2 years ago, My wife Jean got me the Garmin Nuvi 855W for my birthday for under $200.00. I have about 38,000 miles on it and it has performed flawlessly! With it's wide screen, and ease of use, I don't know how I rode before I got it. The coolest feature of the Nuvi 855 is that it has a built in MP3 Player and an FM transmitter so the sound of the "British Chap" that gives me directions AND all of the music I have loaded on the Mini SD card come right out of the Stereo Speakers on my VR! Is that cool or what?!?! I have several Mini SD Cards loaded with "Mood Music" for the different types of riding I like to do, weather it be carving a bunch of twisties, "Smokin' The Concrete Slab", or a nice Sunday ride with Jean, I am good to go with my Nuvi. It has been in the rain several times with no ill effects, and I carry a baggie for the "gully washers" I have used the baggie two or three times and I could still see the screen and the baggie kept the unit dry. For the difference of $400.00 to $500.00 between the two units, you can buy a lot of baggies. :crackup:They even make the Nuvi 865 that has blue tooth but I really don't talk on the phone much when I ride. I have a ram mount and power cable in our Nissan and the GMC Jimmy and we just move the Nuvi into which ever vehicle we are driving that day. With the Nuvi, the cable to connect the unit to the battery and my "home made" mount, this was the best $300.00 I ever spent on my bike! :dancefool:I ride ANYWHERE I want to now and when it gets close to dinner, I just push the "GO HOME" button and I am never late for dinner! It doesn't get any better than that.

Earl

 

 

:sign yeah that::sign yeah that: It will fit on your bike with a ram mount!

[bryan52577]

You could always put my "X-wife" on the handle bars. She was kind of small and ALWAYS was telling me where to go. Had kind of a whinie voice, so I UP graded her. Much better now with the up grade.

Sorry couldn't resist getting a plug in on that one, thanks for the oppertunity. I feel much better now.

Bryan

[Condor]

I just picked up my second Garmin Streetpilot c550 off Ebay, for $70 bucks total, because I liked the first one so much, and the Omnitech in the truck was getting confused a lot lately. Anti-glare screen, bluetooth, and MP3. What more do you need? It even looks like a Zumo 550.... It just isn't water proof, but I don't ride in the rain anyway.....

[Eck]

You could always put my "X-wife" on the handle bars.

She was kind of small and ALWAYS was telling me where to go.

Had kind of a whinie voice, so I UP graded her. Much better now with the up grade.

Bryan

 

I think I had that same model at one time in my life too, and I also upgraded..

 

 

Check this one out.. Appears to be a good choice...$640.00

 

http://www.escortradar.com/iq/?utm_s...q_v=4d60e06c07

Edited November 5, 2010 by Eck

[Evan]

I just picked up my second Garmin Streetpilot c550 off Ebay, for $70 bucks total, because I liked the first one so much, and the Omnitech in the truck was getting confused a lot lately. Anti-glare screen, bluetooth, and MP3. What more do you need? It even looks like a Zumo 550.... It just isn't water proof, but I don't ride in the rain anyway.....

That's what I have and I love it for its functions and performance, including the MP3 player. Mother provided me with a sort of "plug and play" switch that allows me to integrate all the GPS's functions, including MP3 player and bluetooth, through the VR sound system, This works great and I think there are a number of threads about this. However, I am a bit jealous when I see how easily others like Marcarl and Wizard765 can mount and remove their new GPS units while I have to unplug the power and headset wires to remove my unit.

[Condor]

 

That's what I have and I love it for its functions and performance, including the MP3 player. Mother provided me with a sort of "plug and play" switch that allows me to integrate all the GPS's functions, including MP3 player and bluetooth, through the VR sound system, This works great and I think there are a number of threads about this. However, I am a bit jealous when I see how easily others like Marcarl and Wizard765 can mount and remove their new GPS units while I have to unplug the power and headset wires to remove my unit.

 

 

On the bike I just leave the power cord plugged in and stow the GPS. In the truck, and Suburban, I don't even bother unplugging them...just turn them off.... and sometimes I forget to do that too... I hear ya on the hard wire. When I get around to saving up enough $, I think I'm going to try the Bluetooth route....

[Wizard765]

The motorcycle specific garmins come with a car mount AND a motorcycle mount. The M/C mount is hard wired to the bike so that everything is connected to the mount. This makes it easy to take it off and on the bike. Also there are modes. It is like having more than one GPS. You can have everything set up on the unit for the bike (like avoidances etc) and save those settings to the bike mode then set it all up different for the cage and save those settings to the cage mode. The unit is smart enough to know which cradle it is in.

BUT the best feature is being able to read it in broad daylight or direct sunlight.

I have the Zumo 660... Love it!!

[MikeWa]

I would advise against the TomTom Rider. I have one but as soon as I have the funds I will get something else.

Mike

[Evan]

[QUOTE=Condor;531482]On the bike I just leave the power cord plugged in and stow the GPS. In the truck, and Suburban, I don't even bother unplugging them...just turn them off.... and sometimes I forget to do that too... I hear ya on the hard wire. When I get around to saving up enough $, I think I'm going to try the Bluetooth route....

For me, I will put up with the wires to have the MP3 feature which works so well on my 1st gen. The major Garmin dealer told me that non of the newer units have the MP3 feature and I assume he knew what he was talking about. Because its not worth much now, I mostly just put a bag over it when I park my bike in a public place.

[Freebird]

I don't know how many of the newer models have the MP3 but I know that the latest models of the Garmin Zumo do have it.

[Mariner Fan]

The MP3 feature is pretty handy when your riding through canyons and the signal gets blocked on the XM radio.

[eagleeye]

I think that you are going to find that there really is no BEST, but a lot of GPS's that we prefer. I would say that a garmin would be, in my opinion, the best manufacturer though. I have a 765T also and have nothing bad to say about it, in fact I'm just learning it. The garmin nuvi models, have most of the features that the Zumos have, but hundreds of $ less. Now, you can't spray a fire hose at them, but in 5 seconds it can be off of your handlebars and in your pocket. When I was looking it was the BUDGET that had a big influence.

Good luck,

Steve

[BIG TOM]

I just picked up my second Garmin Streetpilot c550 off Ebay, for $70 bucks total, because I liked the first one so much, and the Omnitech in the truck was getting confused a lot lately. Anti-glare screen, bluetooth, and MP3. What more do you need? It even looks like a Zumo 550.... It just isn't water proof, but I don't ride in the rain anyway.....

 

 

 

:2cents:Paul Robbins (customer service at Garmin ext 5934) tells me the old street pilots "ARE WATERPROOF" but they didn't advertise that....who would spend more $ for a zumo if we all knew that...yes, he is a rider himself....they discontinued those models ...just what he told me...mine has been poured on many times and still works fine.....

[Roadhand]

I don't suppose there are too many canyons to ride through in Indiana are there?