Cost-effective GPS options...

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Think its a Navman ZUNO550 designed for bike use . aterproof and shockproof

You mean Garman Zumo550?


http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Sear...00&type=Search

[xgnr]

You mean Garman Zumo550?


http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Sear...00&type=Search

Garmin Zumo 550, they also make a 450 but that does not have bluetooth (cheaper of course)

Check PB technologies, they stock them and don't charge you extra for the NZ map unlike those guys on trademe

[Viferpilot]

With yer GPS you can travel into foreign territory possessing a degree of 'location awareness' that'll compete with most of the locals - you know where the intersections will be, and can be well prepared before you see them for real. Try traversing NZ on all the 'alternate' routes ... well off the main routes, 3rd level linking roads etc ... it's real convenient to not need to stop to mangle a paper map or road atlas. I use the tracklog to locate where I took my pics. My GPS is more accurate than my speedo ... it's my odo, speedo, ave moving speed indicator, etc. A growing catalogue of old tracklogs and waypoints is a trip planning resource for crafting further adventures. If you need roadside assistance ... there's no location ambiguity ( for you at least ! ).

[pritch]

Someone I know is looking at a Zumo 550. He has been quoted prices up to $1600.

Last night in an idle moment I took a look at Amazon.com and they are selling them for somewhat over half that. OK there'll probably be GST to pay and the freight won't be cheap but it would still be a lot cheaper than the $1400 to $1600 he's being quoted.

The big concern for me is the software as I don't want to know how to get from Dallas Texas to Six Toes West Virginia. How easy is it to obtain the appropriate software and install it. I'm not a physics lecturer or an IT professional so it'd need to be reeeeeeal easy for me to get interested.

[ducatijim]

Someone I know is looking at a Zumo 550. He has been quoted prices up to $1600.

Last night in an idle moment I took a look at Amazon.com and they are selling them for somewhat over half that. OK there'll probably be GST to pay and the freight won't be cheap but it would still be a lot cheaper than the $1400 to $1600 he's being quoted.

The big concern for me is the software as I don't want to know how to get from Dallas Texas to Six Toes West Virginia. How easy is it to obtain the appropriate software and install it. I'm not a physics lecturer or an IT professional so it'd need to be reeeeeeal easy for me to get interested.

I have a Zumo 550. After just 3 weeks its gone back to the agents as it won't turn on anymore, it was however, doing everything a rider could want once equipped with the appropriate software.
I bought mine in Oz, for $1500nz with CNA preloaded( Garmin program = city navigator australia) I have loaded for free, autorouting maps for NZ.

If you buy in NZ it will come with CN NZ loaded and then you will have to pay for most overseas maps at about $290ea for oz, north america or europe.

I bought overseas as I intend to use it extensivly in oz and didn't want to pay for extra maps I would have needed had I bought it here in nz.

As I, and most motorcyclists in nz, know better than most nearly every road in this country, I personally can't see the use for 1 of these here in NZ. Invaluable however for travelling in a strange country.

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Here is our Garmin Quest, mounted using Ram Solutions ram mounts

[breakaway]

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.8545

[xgnr]

As I, and most motorcyclists in nz, know better than most nearly every road in this country, I personally can't see the use for 1 of these here in NZ. Invaluable however for travelling in a strange country.

wow... with all due respect... I have been traveling NZ SI and NI for 30 years and I still don't know them all.

Don't forget the MP3 player and all the other cool stuff it has eh

Ask ZAPF about how cool the functions are when finding local gas and accommodation. Invaluable on our last trip South was the ability to work out time/distance and estimated time to the next city or way-point. Uncanny how accurate it was.

Oh an BTW a GPS was very useful in finding a suitable quick turn off the main road...

Cheers

Stu

[ducatijim]

wow... with all due respect... I have been traveling NZ SI and NI for 30 years and I still don't know them all.



Stu

OOps, that did seem a 'little' arogent didn't it?? Not wot I intended at all. Sorry.

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Ask ZAPF about how cool the functions are when finding local gas and accommodation. Invaluable on our last trip South was the ability to work out time/distance and estimated time to the next city or way-point. Uncanny how accurate it was.

Oh an BTW a GPS was very useful in finding a suitable quick turn off the main road...

The thing I am finding useful with mine is that when in maps mode, I can see the corner ahead of time (a good 500 to 1km) and it helps with my judgement for speed of that corner especially those tight blind corners...

The other day saw an (unmarked) blind corner coming up... a quick glance at the GPS and I could see it was a very tight corner and thought up 120kph might be a bit fast for it...

And as stated... fuel stops, even coffee stops... as well as when the leader missed the turn off... quick check on the GPSS and said that the the road doesn't really go where we want it to so we did back track...

[LoC]

Bein the poorest Maori in the world I had to settle on the tatty little Navman S30 But I can see it and me bein best friends tho. Just type in where, and if you wanna go the fastest or shortest or most scenic route your there! or ya can even turn it off and get lost the good old fashion way!

[NordieBoy]

Bein the poorest Maori in the world I had to settle on the tatty little Navman S30 But I can see it and me bein best friends tho. Just type in where, and if you wanna go the fastest or shortest or most scenic route your there! or ya can even turn it off and get lost the good old fashion way!

Waterproof?

[LoC]

Nope (I wish) But she goes fine if ya got a decent waterproof tankbag!

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Bit of glad wrap and a rubber band... oh wait thats for something else...

[xgnr]

OOps, that did seem a 'little' arogent didn't it?? Not wot I intended at all. Sorry.

ha ha thought that you didnt quite mean it in the way it came across. I agree tho that a GPS wont provide huge amounts of info on the suitability or not of a great Bike road. I would refer to a decent topo map for that.

The ability to share good routes is very useful. I have a number of them as "tracks" when I have followed others and can convert to "routes" and be able to find/follow them again.

I am off to UK for work in Jan and looking for a UK and or Europe Base map (Garmin... any one got one they want to sell??)

Merry xmas eh

Stu