Sat nav recommendations? [Archive] - SV650.org

Cornish

13-09-10, 11:30 AM

Im looking to get a satnav for my bike as i soon plan to ride long distances and maybe even abroad.. my sense of direction is pretty shocking when enjoying the roads! anyone no of any they would recommend?

madness

13-09-10, 11:39 AM

I wouldn't buy the Tomtom Rider 2. It has a design fault on the dock and is prone to stop working. Mine is ok at the moment. If I had to buy a new satnav, I'd buy a cheap car one, and use some ingenuity in mounting it and keeping it dry.

littleoldman

13-09-10, 11:47 AM

Got a Garmin Zumo 500 brill, but the PC software would be better if you could drag to change routes

Amplimator

13-09-10, 12:38 PM

I wouldn't buy the Tomtom Rider 2. It has a design fault on the dock and is prone to stop working.

I have the RiderV2 and they have sorted out the docking issues that were common on the V1. Im surprised you have this issue TBH.

My stepdads V1 will no longer stay in its dock due to the plastic notches have worn away. The new spring fitting clip thingamajig on the V2 seem to be much sturdier.

The garmin has much better functions but you pay for that and the headset isnt included whereas the Tomtom has it all in one box. I found the headset essential as i didnt wanna be lookin at the nav whilst riding (and they aint cheap on their own)
They all work equally well TBH, even car ones in a condom (to keep dry)

boot

13-09-10, 12:52 PM

Buy my old mobile (Sony Ericsson X1) for £80, and I'll supply it with iGo8 software and an 8gb memory card.

Phone, mp3 player and space navigator all-in-one.

You can't see it while you're riding (even in a tank bag with a clear map pocket it's hard to see in daylight) but you can hear it, and can set independent music and voice volumes, so you can listen to your tunes and still get navigation and fixed speed camera warnings.

philbut

13-09-10, 01:40 PM

Garmin Zumo 550 or 660. I have the 660, its brilliant but expensive.

Incidentally, littleoldman, I have a very simple widget that converts googlemaps waypoint into a GPX. file which you can then upload into Mapsource and thus onto your Zumo. Just did 2500 miles across europe on a route I planned with googlemaps and it worked great. I can post up a link if you're uinterested (and yep its free :-) )

Bibio

13-09-10, 01:52 PM

littleoldman

13-09-10, 02:09 PM

STRAMASHER

13-09-10, 02:55 PM

Zumo660.

Sat up on my left on a mirror mount on my GSX1400, performed faultlessly through torrential rain and mega hail storms (Rain in Spain mainly falls on the plain!:(:rolleyes:). Saved my mates bacon with his diddy tank range by finding us gas in the middle of the night and prevented the stress of a mad burn up the road for a ferry home by giving you an constant ETA. And deliver you to a foreign address in some city or suburb, no faffing or two hour "tours" of said places in melting hot/monsoon conditions.

All at speeds of up to 150mph (a dissapointing 134mph, GPS corrected) with the associated impacts of liquifying the local bug-life, took in its stride.

If I am honest its mainly used by the missus in the motor. Again faultless. Great features (ie bluetooth for your phone). Maps are not bang up to date though. (But good ol Espana rattle up more perfect m/ways in no time and not hard to navigate out in the sticks.)

Love it. No going back.:)

SUPERSTARDJ01

13-09-10, 03:06 PM

Do you have a phone that has or can have satnav on it?

SUPERSTARDJ01

13-09-10, 03:22 PM

from all accounts these are good. if you loose it no worries as its cheep as chips. just stick it in a sandwich bag if it rains.

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/188955

you cant hear voice prompt on the bike anyhoo so its next turn and road direction that's most important. i use one of the now outdated cheepies ebuyer done a few years ago and still works great.

I have a Garmin sat nav and it's great and I would use it on the bike except I and turn by turn instructions so I now use Skobbler on the iphone, alows you to listen to music while getting navigation instructions and it's free.

BaP

13-09-10, 03:26 PM

How is your iPhone's battery life with Skobbler. Was looking at it last night, it's now gone up to £1.19!

It'll be worth it if my battery lasts for more than a few hours with it. Sell it to me.

Specialone

13-09-10, 03:33 PM

Try this, it supposed to be very good, seen it recommended on a trumpet forum.

http://www.tyre.tk/

Uses google maps as well.

BaP

13-09-10, 03:36 PM

Basically, I want a cheap 'turn by turn' app with audio. Google maps is great for route planning, but on the bike and needing to get my phone out and remember say 6/7 insturctions at a time is pretty useless.

philbut

13-09-10, 03:40 PM

link for littleoldman or anyone else interested in planning routes on googlemaps then exporting them to a satnav...

http://www.elsewhere.org/journal/gmaptogpx/

littleoldman

13-09-10, 05:07 PM

Thats bloody brilliant,thanks Phil

SUPERSTARDJ01

13-09-10, 06:40 PM

How is your iPhone's battery life with Skobbler. Was looking at it last night, it's now gone up to £1.19!

It'll be worth it if my battery lasts for more than a few hours with it. Sell it to me.

There is still a free version, I have an iphone 4 so battery is a little better, skobbler is less battery intensive than say tomtom and should last as long as ur phone would using 3G so about 6hrs or so? Although I think u can lock it, so that will save a lot of battery probably say 10hrs or so, it is pretty accurate and upto date, really simple to use and for free is worth a go.

maviczap

13-09-10, 07:54 PM

Try this, it supposed to be very good, seen it recommended on a trumpet forum.

http://www.tyre.tk/

Uses google maps as well.

I use Tyre on my Garmin, its great, plan your map on Googlemaps and then export to the device.

I've got a Garmin 400, which is fine, but the later Garmins ones have bluetooth to link to a headset. Mine has a headphone jack in the cradle

Either way you get spoken directions and you can also listen to music in between directions.

If you can find a car sat nat with bluetooth, then there are plenty of waterproof Sat Nav holders to attach to the bars, which would be cheaper than a dedicated bike sat nav.

http://www.busters-accessories.co.uk/productinfo/T7SNB/Luggage/Luggage-other/Tech-7

rictus01

13-09-10, 07:59 PM

http://forums.sv650.org/showpost.php?p=2356905&postcount=4

Specialone

13-09-10, 08:00 PM

I use Tyre on my Garmin, its great, plan your map on Googlemaps and then export to the device.

I've got a Garmin 400, which is fine, but the later Garmins ones have bluetooth to link to a headset. Mine has a headphone jack in the cradle

Either way you get spoken directions and you can also listen to music in between directions.

If you can find a car sat nat with bluetooth, then there are plenty of waterproof Sat Nav holders to attach to the bars, which would be cheaper than a dedicated bike sat nav.

http://www.busters-accessories.co.uk/productinfo/T7SNB/Luggage/Luggage-other/Tech-7

I have a tom tom 710 car sat nag and i have another dock which i leave on the bike all the time, its cable tied at present though because the sprint has not round bar to clamp to.
Plus my tom tom pc software dont work for some reason, bought off ebay dealer.

What would i need to hear the bluetooth in my lid? i have tried a bluetooth headset and that dont work but it does say output to bluetooth speaker on settings.

sv4me

13-09-10, 08:11 PM

I've got a Garmin 500 and use a Midland BT2 bluetooth headset paired with it.

Works great and saw me round France and Germany on the bike and Italy in the car without fault. Pair your phone with it and you can have a conversation using the boom mic fine up to about 50mph. Completely waterproof (thoroughly tested in Scotland :rolleyes:) at least the sat nav unit is I should say. The powered mount it sits in burnt out after about the 7th or 8th time I used it, looked on a few forums and seems like this has happened to a fair few people. Was out of warranty so had to fork out £40 for another 1 :mad: though mount I have now is currently still going strong even after experiencing the Scottish summer! Not ideal though.

The Midland headset is wireless and lasts about 7 hours fully charged.

Pretty happy with the setup :)

maviczap

13-09-10, 08:15 PM

I have a tom tom 710 car sat nag and i have another dock which i leave on the bike all the time, its cable tied at present though because the sprint has not round bar to clamp to.

Get one of these and a RAM mount if your sat nag, if it doesn't have one. Its great

http://telferizer.com/

What would i need to hear the bluetooth in my lid? i have tried a bluetooth headset and that dont work but it does say output to bluetooth speaker on settings .

Pass, I had a headset with connected with my phone but Sat Nav doesn't have bluetooth.

I don't know which car sat nags have bluetooth and if they'll work by giving spoken directions

bris

13-09-10, 08:18 PM

I have tomtom runing on my phone connected to a parrot sk4000 via bluetooth, best bit of kit I ever bought for the bike. I can even make calls with it.

maxinc

17-09-10, 02:21 PM

I've ordered my Garmin 550 from http://www.satnaveasy.co.uk/

They are factory refurbished in white boxes sold as new with full 12 month warranty for £340 delivered. They come with UK & EU maps, bike and car mounts, power adapters and some software.