GPS mapping and GPS units you use

**Waihou Thumper** · 29th December 2013, 11:51

https://buy.garmin.com/en-GB/GB/on-t...i/prod158.html

The cradle is still available, the only negative I see is the Garmin specific memory cartridges required ad they are expensive...
If you are lucky you could pick up a unit with one installed, then you can use it here in NZ. I like the look of them, big, bulky and robust!
You'd need to hard wire it though, the 6 batteries it needs doesn't make it track friendly....Has all of the functions required, just a good old school GPS unit.

Review can be found here http://gpsinformation.net/spiii/sp3review.htm

**Waihou Thumper** · 30th December 2013, 10:12

Originally Posted by dino3310

good prices matey

Originally Posted by Waihou Thumper

Well two sold on Trade me within hours of advertising.....Two left
What a great advertising medium, get out amongst the masses!

Another one sold this morning, one left...
Maybe they are too cheap?

**dino3310** · 30th December 2013, 11:02

and ya call me a trade me whore

**Waihou Thumper** · 30th December 2013, 13:12

Originally Posted by dino3310

and ya call me a trade me whore

Gotta sell them mate! No good sitting on the shelf...Petrol money

**Waihou Thumper** · 2nd January 2014, 14:12

I have hardwired the Garmin Montana 650t to both bikes now. The Garmin mount is superb! it even comes with a nice tooled spanner for securing the unit to the cradle to prevent theft.
The only thing is once turned off it still charges the lithium battery from the bike battery. That means either wiring it directly to something from the ignition of just removing it at the end of the day which is of course preferable.
I actually think that this GPS unit is better than the Zumo 550/650 for bikes. It does more and it is also a handheld. I like the fact it can be portrait or landscape whichever way you mount it, it adjusts automatically for you.

**Old bones** · 2nd January 2014, 20:15

Can I ask where you purchased your Montana 650t ?

Cheers John

**pomgolian** · 2nd January 2014, 20:37

Got my 650T from GPS city in Auckland bloody awesome the more you use it the more things you find, John Tigerpig told me about setting up profiles which i have done as well, if you google it or search ADVrider there is a great thread on setting it up, basically you have as many icons on the screen with diferent settings for each type - so trail riding = topo maps, direct routing, diferent dashboard. Car driving = road routing with lower quality maps, diferent dashboard, and mountain biking just coz i could with topo and a couple of diferent options.

**Old bones** · 2nd January 2014, 21:28

Thanks for that Pomgolian!

John

**Waihou Thumper** · 3rd January 2014, 04:57

Originally Posted by Old bones

Can I ask where you purchased your Montana 650t ?

Cheers John

From these guys..They were the cheapest I found, loaded with the maps required and two year warranty.

http://gps-newzealand.com/index.php?...tegory&path=57

**Transalper** · 3rd January 2014, 07:49

Originally Posted by Old bones

Can I ask where you purchased your Montana 650t ?

Cheers John

In the SI I'd go to this guy (who I have bought my last 2 GPS's from)... especially if you are happy with the open maps and topo.
www.kiwigps.co.nz/product.php?id_product=211 $920 incl.
It looks like a great GPS, a good upgrade from the 62s but almost twice the price of the 62s. I like the idea of the bigger screen and touch screen, not sure how thick glove friendly it is but then it's probably better to stop to use the controls so taking a glove off wouldn't a big deal to me anyway.
Unfortunately right now Tony at kiwigps is out of stock of the Montana 650T but more is on the way.

**Waihou Thumper** · 3rd January 2014, 07:59

Originally Posted by Transalper

I like the idea of the bigger screen and touch screen, not sure how thick glove friendly it is but then it's probably better to stop to use the controls so taking a glove off wouldn't a big deal to me anyway.

No different to the Zumo 550/650 in that respect. The screen responds well and the coating on the screen holds up well in direct sunlight unlike the others. If you set up the screens correctly, the issue of flicking through to find the right page is now redundant.

**Old bones** · 3rd January 2014, 08:32

Thanks for your replies Waihou T and Transalper.

As it is pissing down hear I shall check out these sites and decide what I need and price I'm prepared to pay.

Happy New Year all

John