Motorcycle Sat Nav

[BirchesBiker]

Anyone have or had a motorcycle sat nav. Are they good? Can they be wired to bike so they don't need any charging. Can you use them with gloves?

 

[andyc1]

Motorbike specific satnavs will wire to the battery or an ignition source. Gloves work but still bulky if trying to put an address in or something. Ive used one and found it quite good but only if you can mount it above the clocks and in good view. Depends on the style of bike really. If you have to look down to see it there usless and probably dangerous. It takes too long for the eyes to adjust when you have to change where your looking. Well thats what I find anyway.

 

[Chris666]

The Garmin Zumo range is great, athough they've changed a fair bit since I had one. Hardwired on two bikes

 

[Apis]

I hear the Tomtom ones have come on a lot lately.
Check with whatever one you get, that it works with your Bluetooth headset. (Or if you plan on buying a headset, check its compatible with the gps.
I use a Garmin car model and it won't communicate with either the Bluetooth in my car or my helmet headset. Not saying it a Garmin problem; mine is probably just too old.

 

[Cookie Munster]

never used a satnav per say on the bike, but I did use an old iPhone in a waterproof case designed for it. Powered it off the bike battery and removed it from case when parking up. The newer waterproof phones like the experia z range could be used without a case being needed

 

[ilovequo]

Great job when synced via Bluetooth...

 

[cupraricky]

I have the TomTom rider V5 and have had for a few years. Brilliant piece of kit. Fully waterproof and wired into bikes ignition for power. Offers you options for your route (the usual fastest, most eco etc) but also offers winding option which takes you some amazing roads (and some not so but mostly good). Sync's to phone and bluetooth in the lid. Easily operated with gloves on both summer and winter gloves. Takes a lil while to get the hang of the route planner but once ya know what your at its handy enough. When i ordered mine it came with lifetime updates not sure if this is still the case,

Only downside i found is the car mount option, its quite weighty and when fitted onto the car mount (which has a built in speaker as the sat nav doesn't have speakers) that over bumpy ground the screen slowly bounces downward out of view.

 

[WhiteWolf]

I have a Garmin Zumo a few years now.cradle wired into the bike. Used on tours in Scotland and Ireland. Switches off when bike is off. Bluetooth to the lid, so easy to follow directions without looking at the screen. I've found the sat nav very useful but I also carry a map to get best overall view of where I am and intend going.

 

[NotKG]

i'v a car one cost me a fiver, on a camera mount that cost me £2 of ebay velcro tape that was £2 for a metre of it, , and a torrent map of europe,
it's not waterproof, but a bit of clingfilm on it if it rains or i just don't mount it.
well i'm just home from 2300miles round france, it found every hotel and destination without fail.
no bluetooth, so have a glance occasionally and full volume behind a touring screen, i could hear it fine.
£9 well spent