Sat Nav - Garmin or Tom Tom Rider?

I've got a Garmin Zumo 550 (got it cheap at the price of a refurbed 500). It does the job really well. Battery life on my one is absolutely rubbish, but then it's connected to the powered cradle when on the bike so it doesn't bother me at all. Definitely recommend it, although I don't have any experience with the Tom Tom Rider so can't really give a fair comparison. HTH

I got a tom tom go 300 of ebay for £40

Not water proof and very basic but it does the job.

I stick it to the screen and attach a lanyard just in case.

So far no problems with it.

I would love a rider or zumo but there is no way i can afford one of them at the minute.

[_Stretchie_]

I've been looking at ZUmo's on e-bay trying to find a cheap one, you can get A Zumo 400 or 450 for under £200 I'm trying to find a UK one but can't buy until after christmas has been and gone.. Basically same as the 500/550 but no Bluetooth. But that's not a feature I'd use anyway so not bothered about that.

Garmin also do a 'maps for life' type thing £100 will give you map updates for the life of the satnav, upto 4 updates a year (if they release that many)

http://www.garmin.com/garmin/cms/sit...umaps-lifetime

[timwilky]

I am still not convinced on the use of a sat navs for bikes. I do however have my old PDA with tomtom shoved under the seat and plugged into the autocom for those few times I have gone somewhere specific on the bike that I did not know.

My argument against satnavs is:-

Generally I don't need to be told how to get to a town even if I have never been before. Sat nav is only of use once I get to the town to find the specific address.

Half the fun of the bike is finding new roads, I don't want a sat nav sending me down A roads and motorways on the bike, I like the back roads that are twisty and empty.

Originally Posted by timwilky

Half the fun of the bike is finding new roads, I don't want a sat nav sending me down A roads and motorways on the bike, I like the back roads that are twisty and empty.

Could always tell it to stay off the motorways (I do understand what you're saying though)

[tigersaw]

I use tomtom on the mobile phone in my pocket, with an earpiece on the few occasions I need a sat nav. I find the verbal instructions sufficient, no need for something to look at as well. Same in the car, just put the phone inthe ash tray, no need to look at it.