Sat Nav's for motorbikes

[sfergusson1]

Hi everyone,

Am really enjoying the forum and the warmth and friendliness of all shown towards new members - thanks!

When I pass my Mod 2 next Tuesday (positive thinking and a great instructor Mr Able :) ) and get my Fazer 600 - (not getting the Hayabusa any more lol ;D ), one of the things I am looking forward to doing is enjoying nice rides out on the bike.

For the times I don't go with you guys I am considering a Sat Nav for the bike. My geography is not fab and have used one in a car for years - they are very good at what they do. I would like to transfer that benefit across to the bike.

My question is - are they just as good on a bike, or do they vibrate a lot, are they waterproof, and most importantly of all (for me) might they be a distraction?

I know you shouldn't ride or drive along and push buttons on things etc but one may do.....

I guess it all comes down to common sense on that one.

But on the whole do we - as a united community :) - think they are a good thing for bikes? :-/

[goz1960]

I have thought of getting a sat nav for the bike, however the thing that has always stopped me is that I think it would be distracting. :( :(

[Dabz]

The bike specific ones are pretty expensive because they need to be waterproof etc. Very good though

I personally use an app on my iphone when needed, and have a waterproof iphone mount that was £8 from amazon! Having said that, I've only used it 3 times - I prefer to either get lost and figure it out, pull over and check google maps, or just keep riding until I find a sign that's useful :)

I also find when I have it on I'm looking at the screen too often...though I don't have sound/bluetooth which a proper bike one would have

[goz1960]

The bike specific ones are pretty expensive because they need to be waterproof etc. Very good though

I personally use an app on my iphone when needed, and have a waterproof iphone mount that was £8 from amazon! Having said that, I've only used it 3 times - I prefer to either get lost and figure it out, pull over and check google maps, or just keep riding until I find a sign that's useful :)

I also find when I have it on I'm looking at the screen too often...though I don't have sound/bluetooth which a proper bike one would have


Thats my fear and cant afford or warrant the expense of a dedicated bike satnav :'(

[Pidge]

I personally use an app on my iphone when needed, and have a waterproof iphone mount that was £8 from amazon!

That sounds like a great idea! Don't suppose you still have a link to the add do you?

[Snowy]

I have had a Zumo 550 and now have a Zumo 660 from Garmin. Both are excellent bits of kit but very expensive. I have two bikes so have different solutions for fitting them but on my GSA its fitted on a brace above the clocks so I can see it easily. I have a bluetooth intercom headset so I can hear voice instructions which are easier to follow most of the time than looking at the screen. The Zumo's also come with route plotting software for you pc, you can download or upload routes, POI's etc etc. They are waterproof and designed specifically for bikes, so are glove friendly etc.

If you can afford to have toys for your bike they work very well but don't try and justify the cost as I doubt you will be able to do that to anyone including yourself. Maps and a good sense of direction will work just as well, but I'm getting lazy in my old age ;D

[Ducatista]

I have a car gps and a waterpoof mount.
If your worried about being distracted then you can always turn the screen off and just use a (flat) earphone.
That means you don't need a mount as you can put it in your pocket.
Turning off the screen prolongs the battery too.

[goz1960]

I have a car gps and a waterpoof mount.
If your worried about being distracted then you can always turn the screen off and just use a (flat) earphone.
That means you don't need a mount as you can put it in your pocket.
Turning off the screen prolongs the battery too.


I have Tom Tom in the car but I dont think it has socket for an ear piece.

[Nikki]

I dont use a SatNav but have a pretty good sense of direction anyway and quite like exploring new roads/routes if I do get a bit lost.

The OH who gets lost if he's more than 10 miles from home (really!!) uses a SatNav all the time. He made up a really smart DIY mount for his TomTom and uses the one normally in his car on the bike. He just relies on looking at the screen for directions rather than the sound or plugging in an ear piece.

When we went to France on the bikes it was certainly invaluable.

[Geordie Stu]

Ride in a group 1 gets lost we all get lost. Unless you use the WB marking system never fails..... :D ;D

[wiltshire builders]

I have a car gps and a waterpoof mount.
If your worried about being distracted then you can always turn the screen off and just use a (flat) earphone.
That means you don't need a mount as you can put it in your pocket.
Turning off the screen prolongs the battery too.


I have Tom Tom in the car but I dont think it has socket for an ear piece.
I thought about that but my Tom Tom doesn't have a socket either.
One of our lot used a sat nav when we went to Italy and it was a life saver.
If you're desperate for fuel or a mechanic it saves a lot of messing about and eliminates the need to keep stopping to check the map and write down directions.

[Ade]

The Garmin Zumo 660 is great but as G stated above, they are fairly expensive compared to car sat nav due to having to be waterproof.

[CharleyX]

I use a bike Tom Tom its waterproof and like snowy said if need you can operate with gloves on :D

[Mitch9128]

I use iphone4 with ram mount in the steering head, this case http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Waterproof-Tough-Case-iPhone-4-1-RAM-Ball-RAM-motorcycle-Mounts-/120865099908?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item1c241 f1084 and a bluetooth headset, this one http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-Sony-Ericsson-MW-600-Wireless-Bluetooth-Stereo-Headphones-FM-Radio-/170795962023?_trksid=p3284.m263&_trkparms=algo%3DS IC%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BUA%252BP%252BFICS%252 BUFI%252BIIUM%26otn%3D8%26pmod%3D290686914674%26ps %3D54#ht_4176wt_1139 on normal commuting duties the phone goes in the tailpack and the headset is used to listen to the music off it. One of my favourite gadgets is the Mw600.

[Mitch9128]

Oh and one of the best free sat nav apps is 'Navfree'.

[stretchie_]

I tried a bunch of workarounds with my phone and mounts or keeping it in the tank bag and after a couple years of doing that I shopped around and splashed out on a Garmin 550.

Best thing I ever did satnav wise. There's no faffing about, I just walk up tp the bike and put it in the cradle, no messing with waterproof bags or any of that, and if going away I plan a route on the computer and zap it over to the satnav to use when I need it.

Deffo not cheap though but I would say that if you save up for it you won't regret it

[Dabz]

I personally use an app on my iphone when needed, and have a waterproof iphone mount that was £8 from amazon!

That sounds like a great idea! Don't suppose you still have a link to the add do you?

It was effectively this one:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Navitech-Waterproof-Including-Blackberry-BlackBerry/dp/B004P9XMZC/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1335456519&sr=8-14

but slightly different - it was only £8.99, though still from amazon

[RedSoul]

I tried using my mobile for a while but ended up paying out for a zumo 550...great bit of kit

[Bigfish]

I use a car Euro Tomtom with a waterproof case and handle bar mount, connected it to an auxiliary power socket on the bike and bluetooth to my helmet. Works great for me and its interchangeable with the car. I don't find it distracting, it helps me prepair my road positioning on unknown roads aproaching roundabouts, junctions etc. ::)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Arkon-Bike-water-Waterproof-Handlebar-Mount-Case-cover-holder-GPS-Sat-Nav-/230778323575?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item35bb7 5c277#ht_1602wt_1118

[kirc]

I run a Zumo 660... pricey but an excellent bit of kit... whether its worth the money, only you can decide :)

[wiltshire builders]

I use a car Euro Tomtom with a waterproof case and handle bar mount, connected it to an auxiliary power socket on the bike and bluetooth to my helmet. Works great for me and its interchangeable with the car. I don't find it distracting, it helps me prepair my road positioning on unknown roads aproaching roundabouts, junctions etc. ::)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Arkon-Bike-water-Waterproof-Handlebar-Mount-Case-cover-holder-GPS-Sat-Nav-/230778323575?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item35bb7 5c277#ht_1602wt_1118
That looks great. I was just about to buy it and realized my bike doesn't have handle bars :(

[Mitch9128]

WB

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Waterproof-5-GPS-SatNav-Case-1-Ball-RAM-Motorcycle-Mounts-/120878335794?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item1c24e 90732#ht_1999wt_1270

With

http://www.ram-mount.co.uk/double-socket-arm-short-for-1-ball-p-1010-c-238_286.html

with

http://www.ram-mount.co.uk/motorcycle-fork-stem-mount-with-1-ball-p-1019.html

[Swanny]

I never go anywhere that I would need one. :-/
If I was off to France it would be handy but then I'd worry the police were going to smash it

[Mitch9128]

I never go anywhere that I would need one. :-/
If I was off to France it would be handy but then I'd worry the police were going to smash it


Why are the police going to smash it?

[Gerry]

Suspect it’s something to do with a built in camera / speed trap warning facility.

The French police had (may still have) a big dislike for such things :)

I only know of one injcident when we (Supra Club) used to go over there for a blat. Guy was stopped for speeding and had a “Snooper” and he was well shouted at and it was confiscated. This was before Sat Navs were so common (and before laser jammers behind your grill was too) 8-)

Still use my Snooper, it seems much more accurate than the TomTom warnings you get every five minutes :)

G

[Mitch9128]

I'd heard this about Spain, regarding sat navs with speed camera warnings, my sister lives there and she says it's utter hokum. Everyone has them and get's no bother at all, urban myth. Besides, how are you going to police cars with satnav as std, i have camera warnings on mine, are they gonna crush the car? Ithinknot.

[Snowy]

Garmin have issued a revised software release to reflect the changes proposed or that are now in effect law. I don't have my Zumo with me but if I remember its a change in terminology such that the SatNav doesn't call them speed cameras warnings as such, but they issue you a "safety warning" instead. That way they are not giving the location of the camera away which I think is the crux of the legislation changes. I'm not totally sure so when I get home I will double check, but the manufacturers are taking this seriously so I would suggest its not a myth.

[Gerry]

Wasn't a myth a few years ago in France (I know nothing about Spain in 2012) in fact my mate was mything his Snooper :-)

Saying that, there were twenty plus MKIV Supras blatting about like the French roads were a racetrack which I suppose with hindsight didn't really help matters or get us loved by the locals or police lol
I'll be missing Dragonball 2012 :'(
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWRb0TNOSjs

G

[Mitch9128]

A snooper isn't a satnav though? Years back they were illegal here.

[Gerry]

A snooper isn't a satnav though? Years back they were illegal here.

Really ! Wondered why I keep getting lost :-/

;D

[Jon_W]

I use Google maps on my phone. I keep the phone in my pocket and use the noice only. Works well in town but is a bit quiet on the open road.

[Mitch9128]

The Sony MW600 is perfect for bluetoothing the directions to whatever headphones/earpiece you use Jon.