Any GPS junkies here?

[ryu hayabusa]

Originally Posted by Alex

Anyone else using their GPS to do neat things on a motorcycle?

I toss mine around like a baseball and see how fast i can record some speed. fastest i've gotten is 200MPH. i don't know how...

[Momaru]

Originally Posted by M

RAM came out with a new thread/pitch ball, compatible with the 250 handlebars threads late summer 2008. It makes the installation a bit easier. I don't recall the part number off the top of my head.

Can't remember where I found it cited, but I've been told the M10 post size with a 1.25 thread pitch is the right setup for our handlebar aux threads. The RAM-B-349 should be right on for that.

[spencerkro]

Does the Zumo, or any GPS for that matter, have the ability to avoid interstates and still give you the quickest route? I want a GPS that can upload tracks but that still has the ability to give me a route without interstates if I change plans mid way through a trip. I've looked around online and messed with different maps (google, mapquest, etc). I did the whole drag the blue line to the desired roads, but that's a pain to do for long trips when all I want to do is avoid interstates.

[mikesova]

Originally Posted by spencerkro

Does the Zumo, or any GPS for that matter, have the ability to avoid interstates and still give you the quickest route? I want a GPS that can upload tracks but that still has the ability to give me a route without interstates if I change plans mid way through a trip. I've looked around online and messed with different maps (google, mapquest, etc). I did the whole drag the blue line to the desired roads, but that's a pain to do for long trips when all I want to do is avoid interstates.

Both the Garmins I've had, have the ability to avoid highways. The one I'm using currently, a Nuvi 200, doesn't do tracks, though. You have to go with a better model to do that.

["A"]

I've been using the same GPS model since 2000, Garmin StreetPilot3, it been dropped from my various motos on and off-pavement, it doesn't have fancy graphics, 3D view, fuel consumption calculator, etc.. just a plain old GPS that gets me home when I get lost.

I turn off the auto-zoom feature an just leave the map scale small so I can see the road curves and judge my corner entry speed accordingly. Many times it had saved me in unfamiliar areas with blind curves or during spirited rides following inexperienced group riders.

[antiant]

@Alex - I know you're big on GPS and techy stuff. I'm looking for a GPS unit to do a lot of things, are you up to date with the latest Garmin units? I am looking on their site and I feel overwhelmed with all the choices. I would like to use GPS for my motorcycle, car, hiking and have maps for Canada, Mexico and North America (maps around the world would also be a plus). Also, reading through this thread it looks like I want something where I will be able to load my own routes/maps, so I can follow others, etc. Do you have any recommendations, or does anyone who is reading this have recommendations? The more versatile the GPS unit the better, but at the same time I don't exactly want to break the bank.

I have also heard that "motorcycle GPS" units are hit and miss? You're basically paying the extra cash because of the waterproofing, ruggedness/vibration, visibility during sunlight, etc? What's your thoughts on that? Handheld (60 series, Montana, Oregon, etc) vs Motorcycle (Zumo line) vs Car (Nuvi line)?

[Alex]

I still like the Garmin units. I use a 60Cx on the Ninjette; on the BMW I use both a Zumo 550 and the BMW Navigator IV, which is a branded version of the Zumo 660. Their current motorcycle specific units are the 390LM (a little less than $600), and the 590LM (a little less than $800). Both are quite pricey. They do come with motorcycle mounts, motorcycle power cables, have large glove-friendly screens, and have free lifetime map updates, and can speak to you through your bluetooth headset. If you're just using it for mounting on the bike, you can't go wrong with either.

If you're planning on using it for hiking, on the bike, and in cars, you might look into something like the GPSMAP 64. It goes for less than $300, but you then need to add City Navigator NT for $80 for the full US mapset. The device has enough memory that you can put it all right on the built-in memory, but it also supports microSD cards if you need even more memory (and want to load all street maps, plus hiking/topo maps). You would need to add a Ram Mount (like this), and a 12V power cable (like this). All in, it's probably $450, but that's still cheaper than either of the motorcycle specific ones, and it's more capable for one that's used for a variety of different use cases.

You can also go much cheaper with the Nuvi line, but make sure that you can add routes to it, some of the lower line ones are surprisingly limited. I don't know much about the differences between the Montana, Monterra, Oregon, or some of their other product lines; but none of them seem to be better than what's already listed for motorcycling use.

[antiant]

Thanks Alex, very helpful!

[Klondike1020]

I am so glad you started this thread. I want to set up a GPS and tracking on my bikes soon so I can see where I have been and know where I am going.

I have been lazy and not working on my bikes for the last year or two because all my good tools and equipment are back home in my moms garage.

Has anyone experimented with the cameras that record in sync with the GPS for use during accident claims and what not>

[jschorr]

Wow, that is $$$ for a gps. Is there any advantage to having a dedicated gps over using a smartphone? .

I know you can run a camera through an android or iPhone. Not sure if it would Geo tag it for you but it does on normal videos so idk why it wouldn't for am external.

[antiant]

Originally Posted by jschorr

Is there any advantage to having a dedicated gps over using a smartphone? .

Yes, a huge advantage. A dedicated GPS unit is way more accurate than a smartphone. Also, you need data for the use of a smartphone GPS, which can drain your battery really quickly because it's pushing data as it uses your location. Dedicated GPS units use satellite and is more reliable, lasts longer battery wise, etc. If you have no cell phone coverage in a particular area, you're screwed. This is where dedicated GPS units shine, as you're covered everywhere, pretty much. Cell phone GPS is cool if you do light navigating and or around major city areas with coverage, but beyond that it's limiting.

[antiant]

@Alex - I did a comparison chart on the Garmin site with the 64, 64st, 62stc and 62st. I love the price of the 64, however you're not able to preload maps on that, nor can you use it for unit-to-unit transfer, which can share data wirelessly with similar units. As I was doing more reading, I also found out that between the 64 series and 62 series, they added a security feature to deter piracy of the maps (more info here: post 19). I won't say anything more on that, but just a general FYI to anyone interested.

I was leaning toward the 64st or the 62stc and here is what I found:

64st - 8 GB of internal memory, 5,000 waypoint, no camera, smart notification and live tracking w/use of your cell phone, Glonass, 250,000 preloaded geo caches, free 1 yr subscription to birds eye view.

62stc - 3.5 GB of internal memory, 2,000 waypoint, camera, no smart notification.

I can't think of anything else that I missed with those two units. Both are priced the same at $499.00 on Garmin's site. On Amazon there is a difference, with the 62 being cheaper.

I think I will go with the 64st, when I decide to pull the trigger on one. I really love that it has Glonass and more memory. Also, thanks for an informative thread on GPS.

Edit: Ok, now I'm looking at the Zumo 550, like the touch screen and easier GUI, ahhhhh decisions, decisions!

[jschorr]

Your right about battery, I had to buy a USB port for my bike for just in case. But is is my phone/mp3/navigation/internet/PDA/game console. So I don't expect it to last more than a day.

location is pretty good. It can tell the difference between my front porch, back porch and which way I am facing. I get an average of 3-5 satellites more out of the city.

I am not sure if you know this but if you save the maps you don't need data. Not sure how much you can save at a time but I have 1/4 of pa saved from when I was using it for geo-catching. I never looked into it but with 65g of storage I'm sure I could fit the us maps.

It just seems redundant to carry 2 things that do the same thing. I will admit that the HUD GPS it pretty cool though.

[Alex]

You can load maps on the 64; it just doesn't come with preloaded topo (hiking/elevation) maps. If you are going to use those maps, great. If you aren't, it saves you some money. To load them onto the 64, you can find freeware topo maps, or here are Garmin's official US topo maps for $100. It has 4GB of memory to load a whole pile of maps in, and it can take a microSD card to add even more if needed (you can get a 32GB card for less than $20 at this point). What it is missing is an electronic compass and altimeter, but those are reasonably low value for most cases anyway. All you need to do is start moving the gadget a foot or two in any direction and it works as a compass anyway based on the GPS movements, and the accuracy of the GPS elevation is more than good enough without having an additional altimeter. I wouldn't want to pay for the extra sensors, nor would I want them to take any battery power when not powered by the bike or car.

The wireless features may be useful, but I'm not sure if they are $200 useful. To directly push routes or other info, it can only share with another Garmin unit that has the same feature. However, I would want to learn more about the live tracking with Garmin Connect. It says that it is compatible with it, but then when you go to Garmin Connect Mobile directly, it's not listed. If it can really push to your cell phone, and have your cell phone with an app push directly online for live tracking, that is a neat feature (but I'd carry an extra cell battery along! )

[antiant]

@jschoor - Yes, I'm aware of saving maps, so you don't need data. I'm also aware of the app Co-Pilot, which I've heard good things about and dl'd.

@Alex - Ah, thanks for the clarification. Very good point on the compass, plus I have one on my phone too, so those features are redundant. You're also right about the wireless feature, it's neat, but I don't know lots of people who have Garmins, so I wouldn't be using that feature. It's a waste of $200 for me. Livetrack is cool and yes I have an extra battery - New Trent 11,000 mAh to charge all my techy stuff on the go, so no worries there. I've been looking at the 390 zumo as well. Will have to take a hard look at those two.

[misfitsailor]

I use a Garmin 260 Nuvi. I use the same one on both bikes and in the car. It is small and simple. I am so used to having the GPS that I would not consider leaving town without it. My smart phone is my backup GPS.

You don't need a special "motorcycle GPS", even the cheaper models can do fine. It is worth the trouble to wire-in a power supply in each bike.

[csmith12]

Lemme see if I can export the gps data from the contour. Your guys route data may be interesting when compared against my track data.

[antiant]

Yeah, my ultimate goal is to get a PDM 60, a couple of powerlets, then wire up some heated gear, camera(s), gps, phone, etc. I love my techy stuff and I'm a tech geek.

I'm sold on the GPSMAP 64, takes up less room, has Glonass and it's more versatile for my needs.

[InvisiBill]

I use my iPhone for GPS. It does have some drawbacks compared to a dedicated GPS unit, but it also has some benefits being connected to the internet. I already have it on me, and it's good enough for what I do most of the time. I'm OCD about using Waze, and I also bought MotionX GPS a few years ago for my annual camping trip to Canada. Even Google Maps is often good enough.

Waze is nice in that it's a realtime app made for driving. You can flag hazards (pothole, roadkill, vehicle on shoulder, police trap, etc.) for other drivers. It automatically flags traffic where cars are going slower than normal and can suggest alternate routes. The data is originally based on Google Maps, but allows for crowd-sourced editing. For a free app running on a device I'm already carrying, I think it's very valuable.

I have a USB power port installed on my bike also, so I don't have to worry about battery life. The GPS still works even without data service, but the app won't be able to load new map data. I have a Sena BlueTooth headset in my helmet, so directions are piped right to me. I have a LifeProof nüüd case, but I haven't figured out a good way to mount a cradle for it on the Ninja yet.

[EsrTek]

Originally Posted by Klondike1020

Has anyone experimented with the cameras that record in sync with the GPS for use during accident claims and what not>

I seen 3rd party software that loads over your video...a bit of manual time syncing is needed.
Search the RC Planes/copters forums I'm sure you'll find a link...
I pretty sure I ran across some vids and name of software when I was buying my Mobius camera.

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by Klondike1020

Has anyone experimented with the cameras that record in sync with the GPS for use during accident claims and what not>

Contour GPS + Dashware = easy brah

https://www.ninjette.org/forums/show...1&postcount=27

[EsrTek]

^^ That was it...

Chris got vids of you on track w that??

[csmith12]

Yea, but I haven't upload anything yet. I will have some soon, still playing catchup from the past 2.5 weeks.

[Alex]

GPS mapping tech bump!

-------------------

I had to create a GPS-compatible route for an upcoming local ride, and was sent a google maps version of it. The method described earlier in this thread has become less reliable over the years, as google updated their map api, so I hadn't used it in quite awhile. It turns out there appears to be a much easier process available now.

The first thing I needed to learn is the difference between the "normal" google maps page, and the "my maps" area. Once in "my maps", you can edit and save maps with directions on them, and it also has a critically important feature: you can export the map as a KML/KMZ file. So - to get a useful route from Google all the way to your (or your friends') GPS units, all you need to do is:

1. Go to google maps. Click on settings to go to My Maps. (direct link)
2. Create map with directions. Add start, end, and any key stops. Drag around until it is going on all the right roads.
3. Export to KML
4. Go to Garmin BaseCamp, import KML
5. Right-click on Track, convert it to a Route
6. Export directions as GPX file

Couple things to add; if you have a relatively new Garmin GPS, some can route directly from tracks, so that last conversion may not be necessary for those with relatively recent units. But cheaper and/or older units (and non-garmins) may not work unless it is an actual Route contained in the uploaded file. Also, some people find creating new routes in Basecamp directly to be just as easy as Google, making it more of a one-stop shop without any needed conversions. Garmin added the very helpful "click and drag" method to move the route around on a map, you just need to hold alt down when dragging and it works the same as the Google feature.