MC specific GPS.

[JOHNBIGDOG]

My XOG usb charging port bit the dust, the battery does NOT hold a charge, and there is a dead line of pixels in the screen.

So I have been looking at a new GPS that is happy in the car, on the bike, or the wheeler. Be able to take some abuse. I also would like the free map updates. Laurance was not to nice about this.

Garmin zumo series, tom tom rider. Anyone have experience with these or another brands?

Maps are great too, but they are hard to look at as you ride, my short term memory can be lacking.

[leech~~]

I know a few guys in my Dual Sport group that use the Garmin Zumo 350LM. But they are kind of spendy. If you aren't going to be doing any off roading and don't need all the extra little side roads any road Garmin unit will work. I to like the old XOG's mainly because they are cross overs and can take a lake chip. I have 3 of them. One on the bike, boat and snowmobile! I'm going to miss them once they die!

[JOHNBIGDOG]

The thing that bothers me is I want something I don't have to worry about water/moisture when I am on the bike. Also with the Xog I have vibrated the usb charging port loose. I have to admit that I liked its versatility, its just not water proof, and when I'm using it I usually don't have a good idea where I'm going and it sucks to have to put it away

I was kinda leaning to the 390LM. I can see dropping the money if it can be used in the car and the bike. I also like that map updates are free.

[leech~~]

In the rain I would just throw a zip lock bag over the XOG with a rubber band to hold it on. Worked for me.

It is getting harder to find a good all around GPS that will work for many things. I loved the crossovers but they just don't seem to make them like it anymore. With the old XOG I could drive to the lake with it, put it in the boat or on the sled and keep going with the lake maps. Or drive my trailer up north and throw it on the bike and hit the woods.

[Whoaru99]

Bring this one back again...

I finally put a GPS on my cruiser bike. I looked at the MC-specific ones and they are spendy. However, they (claim to be) more rugged, they do have brighter screens and better touch screen performance, and have different routing style than the current crop of car ones. At least with Garmin, anyway.

So, instead of paying the big bucks for a Montana or one of the MC specific units, I started with a nuvi 2555 because you can load custom routes to it. The problem I found though was that each segment of the custom route is treated separately. So, what this means is that it doesn't load nor display the next segment of the route until you complete the current segment. So, if that next segment happens to be at or near a turn, well, you don't know which way to go because that next segment hasn't loaded yet until you get to that point, and it takes a few seconds to load. The next problem is, now that you're off the route, it doesn't try to get you to the segment you wanted next, it routes you back to the segment you were just on.

There are ways you can somewhat work around that problem, like by putting your custom route points WAY before any turns (if you can) so it has time to load the next segment before you actually have to turn. Pain in the rump.

What I found is that the newer auto units use what is called Trip Planner while the earlier GPS units and the Montana and MC unit use is called Route Planner. Route planner more or less loads the whole thing as one route with steering points rather than as individual segments of a trip.

The last model of automotive Garmin to use route planner method was the nuvi 1490. This (actually the 1490LMT (lifetime map and traffic updates) is what I bought as a refurb and it works much better for the custom routes.

[leech~~]

"The problem I found though was that each segment of the custom route is treated separately. So, what this means is that it doesn't load nor display the next segment of the route until you complete the current segment"

When you are getting close to the end of one segment, couldn't you bring up the next and then zoom out a bit to see you current location on the screen? It wouldn't be as detailed but will still show you where you are until you can zoom back?

[Whoaru99]

Sure, there are a number of workarounds.

To me though:

• If I wanted to do that much messing around just use a map.
• If you're in the market just buy one with less workarounds.

I see 1490 refurbs for $100, give or take.

[JOHNBIGDOG]

Update, my XOG died while I was on a trip in the cities. Luckily I was at a Sam's club, went back inside and purchased a Garmin Nuevo 2555.

Now the only problem is that for the traffic alert to work you need an external antenna, so not sure what I want to do for the bike, dont want to buy a 100 buck power cord.

[Whoaru99]

I suggest you return the 2555 if you can, then buy a refurb 1490. Not only do the custom routes work much better, it also has a traffic antenna power cable and Bluetooth. Didn't think I'd use the BT, but actually it's sorta nice because you can see right on the screen if someone is trying to call you, even if the handsfree part isn't practical due to wind noise.