Sat nav recommendations?

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?

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.

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

Originally Posted by madness

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)

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.

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]

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 i use one of the now outdated cheepies ebuyer done a few years ago and still works great.

Originally Posted by philbut

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 )

Cheers philbut, that would be great.

[STRAMASHER]

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!). 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.

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