GPS recommendations

[khabel]

I'm moving to Auckland in a couple weeks and am after some recommendations for a GPS suitable for both bike and car, car being the main use, around $300?

[ajturbo]

PM "Nasty" she has all the stuff that works... she could help

[slofox]

I'm moving to Auckland in a couple weeks and am after some recommendations for a GPS suitable for both bike and car, car being the main use, around $300?

You can get free maps for any Garmin unit from HERE. Which is a plus...

If your budget is $300 forget about a dedicated bike unit like a Zumo. But I hear tell you can rig a car unit to work OK in an aquabox etc...

[Zerker]

you may find a "Waterproof" (yes those are air quotes) end of Line Garmin unit for around that mark, or maybe a lil more, but dun bother if you want one for the bike, spend the extra and get one designed for a bike, with:
bluetooth, spoken street names, advanced lane guidance, glove friendly display, full seal waterproofing (most use a standard mini USB port for both power and data connections but that's a big no no for waterproofing) compatible handle bar mounting system (you can leave the mount on the bars and remove the unit so thieves cant fark with it)

so who makes these? buggard if I know :P tomtom have the Urban rider line but that's a fair whack in the $700.00 range
garmin's Zumo series is in a similar price range, there are other brands out there but I know nothing about them.


Zerker

[banditrider]

Zumo's are the way to go. Just bought another cradle for mine (not cheap) so I can use it on both bikes.

Have seen them for as little as $800 new. Remember this includes bike mount, car mount, AC charger, Mapsource etc.

Aquaboxes keep the water out but you can't read the screen...

[slofox]

Zumo's are the way to go. Just bought another cradle for mine (not cheap) so I can use it on both bikes.

Have seen them for as little as $800 new. Remember this includes bike mount, car mount, AC charger, Mapsource etc.

Aquaboxes keep the water out but you can't read the screen...

Wot 'e said.

I have a Zumo 220 - which does the bizzo for me.

BUT - I cannot connect to both the ZUmo AND the phone. It's either or...I get around this by looking at the screen rather than listening to the spoken directions. Pays not to stare at it too long though as you hurtle down the highway at warp factor 9...

[Owl]

I have a Zumo 220 - which does the bizzo for me.

Me too, but I don't know what I'm doing yet

[Pogo2]

Just wondering if you can get a battery powered one for bike rather than through a cigarette lighter adaptor.

I currently have 3 but would like to have one for the bike. One in the phone but fades after 1-2 minutes and then is unreadable. A navman for the car but internal battery life is only about 1.5-2 hours and another one for my plane, has a battery life of 30 hours but only has aviation charts which are no good when I'm cruising.

So any ideas?

[Edbear]

Just wondering if you can get a battery powered one for bike rather than through a cigarette lighter adaptor.

I currently have 3 but would like to have one for the bike. One in the phone but fades after 1-2 minutes and then is unreadable. A navman for the car but internal battery life is only about 1.5-2 hours and another one for my plane, has a battery life of 30 hours but only has aviation charts which are no good when I'm cruising.

So any ideas?

I guess it all depends on the altitude...

[slofox]

Just wondering if you can get a battery powered one for bike rather than through a cigarette lighter adaptor.

I currently have 3 but would like to have one for the bike. One in the phone but fades after 1-2 minutes and then is unreadable. A navman for the car but internal battery life is only about 1.5-2 hours and another one for my plane, has a battery life of 30 hours but only has aviation charts which are no good when I'm cruising.

So any ideas?

Zumo 220 has a battery life of "up to 8 hours". Well, that's what the man selling them says anyway...

It is a very simple task to stick in a ciggie lighter socket - even I managed to do it without blowing up the universe.

[Gremlin]

The zumo 550 is only rated for 3-4 hours battery, but then its more as a bridge between power sources, not designed to be running on batteries, as such.

You don't need a cigarette lighter socket, as the zumo 550 comes with a wiring kit that goes straight into the battery or a fuse block.

[slofox]

You don't need a cigarette lighter socket, as the zumo 550 comes with a wiring kit that goes straight into the battery or a fuse block.

Correct. The 220 comes with its own wiring loom etc as well now that I think of it. I hooked mine into my handy Distribution Block...It also comes with RAM mounts. Makes for an easy install. Furthermore it comes with car mounts and wiring as well. That one does use the ciggie socket.

The only thing I use the ciggie socket for on the bike is the 12v air compressor.

[george formby]

I've done a couple of trips in Yerp & the UK using a Garmin & a TomTom rider.
The Tomtom was not as functional as the Garmin but was much easier to update software etc. Both took me through cities no problem & I ended up following the route through an earpiece ( turn left 500mtrs...) rather than watching the screens. I put an adaptor on the bike to keep them charged & stored them either in my tank bag or in a jacket pocket.

[steelphoenix]

I have the possibility of getting a TomTom GoLive 1000 for a (veryvery) reduced price - how well have car GPSes translated over, and what kind of gear would I need for it?

[Gremlin]

Generally speaking, the car GPS's are not as waterproof (some not even close), and also look at the connectors (often a weak point water wise). If you're going to use it, then often it needs to go into a bag, which can make it harder to look at, or use.

I'd seriously recommend a Garmin for NZ, because of the open source maps, which are almost certainly more accurate than any from Garmin or Tom Tom, costs nothing, and only compatible with Garmin.