Tom-tom, Garmin or ?

[Rasputin]

I am looking to buy a GPS. Mainly for use in my car and work truck, but I would like the portability to use it on my bike as well. I know next to nothing about these type of setups. Does anyone have any advice about which system is better? Reliability, map availability, ease of use, or any other input appreciated.

[Ken Talbot]

You have lots of choice for a unit to be used in a car or truck. There is a lot less choice for a unit that will stand up to being mounted on your handlebar, where it will be exposed to more vibration and to rain. I bit the bullet a couple of years back and bought a Garmin Zumo 550 and have been very happy with it. It's touch screen is a decent size, and you can operate it with a gloved finger. The only drawback so far - they are not cheap.

[Rasputin]

Thanks for that Ken. I was not thinking about the vibration issue which I should have been because a concrete mixer truck is not the most vibration free zone either. Cost is a factor but I believe you get what you pay for so if I find that I need a more expensive model, I will just have to suck it up.

[Winterhawk]

I've got the Garmin Zumo and love it. It comes with both the car kit and a motorcycle mount. I have lifetime upgrades, XM radio, Nav traffic and weather hooked up to mine. Plus it is an MP3 player. Lots of money at about $800.00 bucks but It has served me well for 3 years and riding it talks to me in my headset so there is no worries while riding. It even can know about accidents and reroute you also.

[CatatonicBug]

How about using your smartphone? Most phones have GPS built into them nowadays. I'm looking at getting a bluetooth headset, and once I do, I'll be able to listen to the GPS instructions directly from my phone, and listen to music at the same time.

[psycoreefer]

I was going to suggest the same thing C-bug, if you've got a newer smart phone many have Turn by Turn direction apps, and its something you already carry.

Now me personally, I've got an old brick of a phone so I use a garmin, its a Nuvi 265W, I've got the bike mount and a power cord wired in but I only use it occasionally on the bike, mostly its for in the car. It is not waterproof, not bluetooth, etc but it works ok for the once a month that I want to use it on the bike.
I also have a garmin e-trex legend CX that is on the bike full time, my speedo broke so the e-trex is held on where the speedo used to be with a zip tie, it works great as a replacement for the speedo as I can have "large" numbers speed and odometer displayed all the time, and has maps should I ever become lost but it doesn't do directions, and is a pain in the butt to use because its designed for hiking with little buttons on both sides, but it is shock/vibration and water proof.

[fredintoon]

We bought the low end Garmin that was $100 off at Canadian tire.
An incredible device that always knows where it is and which way to go. Except when a police road closure makes you take a different route. That whiney voice insisting "Make a U-turn at the next opportunity" soon starts to annoy.
Thing is, I can still read a map if I have to. Judging by my kids who grew up with calculators and can't do mental arithmetic worth squat; today's kids won't be able to find their way to the washroom without a GPS in their hand.

[Rasputin]

Thanks for the input so far fellows.

Winterhawk, that is a nice unit as you describe it. I would probably not use all those features, but it would be nice to have the capabilities.The price is a bit higher than I would like to pay right now, but if it ends up being the unit I choose, I will find a way
.
C-bug and Psycoreefer, Thanks for the smart phone thoughts but that is not they way I want to go. Locked in with this old brick of a phone and server for 2 more years. I am also a crotchety old fart who thinks a phone should be a phone not an entertainment center and units that do too many things all at once confuse my already muddled brain. "I've got the bike mount and a power cord wired in but I only use it occasionally on the bike, mostly its for in the car. It is not waterproof, not bluetooth, etc but it works ok for the once a month that I want to use it on the bike." sounds just like the usage I have in mind.

Fredintoon, Does the cheaper models come with mounting stuff for the bike or is it more of an auto unit? I am also wondering how you find the updates here in Canada. Do the newer areas being developed show up within a reasonable amount of time? I have been told by a few freinds that the newer areas do not show up for a couple of years. That makes use of it when I drive down in Calgary (Concrete Mixer) kind of a moot point.

From what I am hearing and reading the Garmin has better units and more supporters than any of its competition. Any other thoughts or opinions, I would like to hear them. Thanks again.

[psycoreefer]

sounds just like the usage I have in mind.

I'll throw up some pictures when I get home, my 265W came with a suction cup mount for the car and a cigarette lighter adapter. I got (for christmas) a bike mount and "hard wire" power adapter from these guys I'm not impressed with the power adapter - its very cheap - but its also only like 2 bucks more to get them together then to get just the mount, and it works.

Things to consider is that this solution is NOT waterproof (can't use it in the rain), and I can't hear the directions spoken at anything above 15mph or so. I have to glance down and look at the arrow and street name on the screen, which I prefer to do anyways.

I think Garmin has more units/supporters because they offer "budget" models and so sell more units. As far as updates taking a couple years I think that would be the case with most GPS units - they all buy their maps from either Navteq or one other company I can't remember the name of and mapping is done by a fleet of vans with crazy equipment all over them actually driving the new areas.

[MrOzz]

Rasputin,

I would get a Garmin nuvi 1300.

I have used magellen and tom tom. So far the Garmin nuvi 1300 is the best one I have found for around $100.00. The Garmin has a nice size screen and good volume for hearing the directions. I found the Tom toms are not as loud and have a smaller screen. Most GPS manufacturers will give you one free updated map within 30 days of purchase, the cost for map up dates after are close between the manufacturers. Most map updates will be for the US and Canada. You can get them for other countries if you wanted to do so. The one other thing I like about the Garmin is it has a micro sd slot so you can load maps on to the card and will not take up alot of room on the gps memory. Thats is only helpful if you plan to travel outside the US and Canada. The Garmin nuvi 1300 you can get a special cable that allows for live traffic updates to help with road closures and heavy traffic rerouting. The cable is not cheap thou. If you can spend a little more for a unit that comes with the cable. If you want to use one on your bike I would suggest getting one that is bluetooth enabled. You will also need a bluetooth headset to wear while on the bike to hear the directions. The Garmin nuvi 1300 is not bluetooth enabled. You will pay about another $80.00 for a bluetooth enabled GPS.
The best thing to do is go to a electronics store, ie Bestbuy and play around with them. That way you can see if you like the way you can input addresses and other info. The Garmin also has points of interest. Food, gas, hotels, parks, etc. Mine came with a suction mount, sticky mount, power cable. You will need to get a usb cable to upload maps.

As far as using it on the bike its not really design to do so. If you wanted one to use on the bike I would make sure it is water/ vibration proof.

Hope that helps.


Ozz

[Rasputin]

Rasputin,
The best thing to do is go to a electronics store, ie Bestbuy and play around with them. That way you can see if you like the way you can input addresses and other info. The Garmin also has points of interest. Food, gas, hotels, parks, etc.
Ozz

I am off to town later today to do exactly that, which is why I appreciate all the input. Now I have some ideas about what I am looking for before the sales people get hold of me...lol.

[jwhughes3]

Never on a bike, but I like Garmin...

Much better than the others. Interface is easy and more intuitive to me but I dont know what works on a bike.

John

[DGXSER]

I have a Magellan Maestro 4700. Works really well and has voice commands. No idea about on a bike though.

[tarzan]

I have a Magellan Maestro we got a couple years ago.It works great in the car.
I just bought a Garmin 2720 street pilot for the bike. I have used it once
and it is pretty nice and easy to use.
The Maestro has a backup battery so you can take it with you and use it without be connected to a power source.The Street pilot doesn't have a
battery, so if it isn't hooked to a power source, it won't work.

[Winterhawk]

The Garmin is high but it is 110% waterproof and you get 2 mounts. 1 for a bike and 1 for your car with a built in speaker. I used it for my 2,000 mile trip to the Tail of the Dragon.