GPS mapping and GPS units you use

[Waihou Thumper]

New refurbuished item from Garmin.
Includes everything, RAM mount, cradle, bar mount etc....
USB cable, maps loaded and Mapsource CD unopened.

$290 .......postage $6.50.
PM me if you want it guys...
Hasn't been used, just sitting here waiting for a bike....

[gavinharriss]

I just use my phone with a good topo map app installed...

Windows Phones: NZ Topo Map app

Android Phones: New Zealand Topo Maps Pro / New Zealand Topo Maps Free

There's apps available for iPhones as well, but the big advantage of Android and Windows Phones is that you can turn on airplane mode and still have GPS working - saves battery life no-end as the phone isn't constantly trying to find a cell phone tower signal when in the wop wops.

[gpcustom]

If anyone is interested I have a Garmin zumo 590lm motorcycle gps. fitted with a off-road topo NZ Australia map has a car mount and handle bar ram mount all wiring books and box has had little use

[Night Falcon]

what's the latest greatest GPS peeps?

Main options appear to be ...

Tomtom rider 400 - seems to have an annoyingly slow processor and throuble loading gpx files....which you have to do cost tomtoms map software is below par

Garmin, 590lm or nuvi 500 if you want to keep the price down

Cellphone on a cradle with a gps app....appealing as I already have a phone? they say...they will handle vibration with the right mount?

what's you guys using?

[flashg]

Garman Montana 650. 5 megapixal camera, touch screen (with gloves). Eyesight not as good as it used to be, but I can read the Montana. Mounted in a ram mount, also have it wired which keeps its lithium battery charged, can also use AA batteries if you want. Its waterproof for when you and the bike go under. Google is your friend for more information.

[pomgolian]

Garman Montana 650. 5 megapixal camera, touch screen (with gloves). Eyesight not as good as it used to be, but I can read the Montana. Mounted in a ram mount, also have it wired which keeps its lithium battery charged, can also use AA batteries if you want. Its waterproof for when you and the bike go under. Google is your friend for more information.

+1 Montana set mine up with several profiles (thanks to tigerpig) which you can customise for different routing like turn by turn on the road or off road so it follows a line or walking point to point (point to point)

Show ya tomorrow

[vegeman]

what's the latest greatest GPS peeps?

Main options appear to be ...

Tomtom rider 400 - seems to have an annoyingly slow processor and throuble loading gpx files....which you have to do cost tomtoms map software is below par

Garmin, 590lm or nuvi 500 if you want to keep the price down

Cellphone on a cradle with a gps app....appealing as I already have a phone? they say...they will handle vibration with the right mount?

what's you guys using?

hey NF

just been going through this palava myself, as my old trusty garmin 60csx has bit the dust, so was looking for bigger screen, and better gpx management. Smartphones are really good at those options but on one trip I did break my smartphone on the 42 traverse, and then was buggered with no phone or gps. I now don't want to have my communicagoin device as my primary gps as well. In saying that, I have now secured another smartphone for the GPS

I managed to get a sony z3 which had a sim card fault, so the value of it was low. Yet it makes a good gps. The z3 is waterproof, big screen, has a glove friendly setting, has SD card etc. I have now cache heaps of maps so it works offline. I wifi to my Samsung s7 if I need to get more maps etc.

I did a 800k test ride in the weekend, welliy-karapoti, turakina, 42-traverse, kuratau...and back, and it did well. I think the software selection options are good, but at times I miss a real bike centric GPS app, and real buttons that I can push. The smartphone market for gps is perfect for adventuring yet....but I think its alright.

I also found a waterproof wireless Qi charger that I hotglued to ram x mount to charge the S7 as well...that setup works real good as no plugs to charge the phone while riding...cool as bro

[Night Falcon]

hey NF

just been going through this palava myself, as my old trusty garmin 60csx has bit the dust, so was looking for bigger screen, and better gpx management. Smartphones are really good at those options but on one trip I did break my smartphone on the 42 traverse, and then was buggered with no phone or gps. I now don't want to have my communicagoin device as my primary gps as well. In saying that, I have now secured another smartphone for the GPS

I managed to get a sony z3 which had a sim card fault, so the value of it was low. Yet it makes a good gps. The z3 is waterproof, big screen, has a glove friendly setting, has SD card etc. I have now cache heaps of maps so it works offline. I wifi to my Samsung s7 if I need to get more maps etc.

I did a 800k test ride in the weekend, welliy-karapoti, turakina, 42-traverse, kuratau...and back, and it did well. I think the software selection options are good, but at times I miss a real bike centric GPS app, and real buttons that I can push. The smartphone market for gps is perfect for adventuring yet....but I think its alright.

I also found a waterproof wireless Qi charger that I hotglued to ram x mount to charge the S7 as well...that setup works real good as no plugs to charge the phone while riding...cool as bro

a dedicated gps phone is a great idea. One burning question....do they have the same coverage as a GPS? I'm with Vodafone and sometimes find reception a little hard to come by. GPS systems use satellites as opposed to cell towers so coverage is way better. Or do the GPS apps fix that?

[Gremlin]

a dedicated gps phone is a great idea. One burning question....do they have the same coverage as a GPS? I'm with Vodafone and sometimes find reception a little hard to come by. GPS systems use satellites as opposed to cell towers so coverage is way better. Or do the GPS apps fix that?

Depends on the mobile. Some use assisted GPS, which uses mobile reception, others are happy with true GPS. You normally find out properly when in the middle of nowhere.

I'd stay with Garmin due to open source maps, an Android/iOS that can handle the img files. It also depends what you want from the GPS. More off road biased the Montana is better, but if you want Music library, multi-bluetooth, mobile handling that sorta kit a Zumo (590 is EOL, I think the 595 is the next one) is perhaps more suitable.

I wouldn't bother with a mobile. Batteries give you enough grief with regular usage, and on the bike running GPS you need to give it a really good charging feed otherwise the charge may not even match the drain. They're not going to like the rutted roads either, what will you do re thunderstorms?

[Night Falcon]

Depends on the mobile. Some use assisted GPS, which uses mobile reception, others are happy with true GPS. You normally find out properly when in the middle of nowhere.

I'd stay with Garmin due to open source maps, an Android/iOS that can handle the img files. It also depends what you want from the GPS. More off road biased the Montana is better, but if you want Music library, multi-bluetooth, mobile handling that sorta kit a Zumo (590 is EOL, I think the 595 is the next one) is perhaps more suitable.

I wouldn't bother with a mobile. Batteries give you enough grief with regular usage, and on the bike running GPS you need to give it a really good charging feed otherwise the charge may not even match the drain. They're not going to like the rutted roads either, what will you do re thunderstorms?

Verly interesting. Kempy has leant me his Montana for a week to see if I like it so will see how it goes. It seems to have some quite good features but I'm really only interested in a GPS which can take gpx files. I have Garmin Mapsource which is a great route planning app, so staying with Garmin makes good sense. Don't need all the other stuff.

It will have to be car friendly so provided it does what I think it will the next step will be getting a good deal on one....initial inquires have a $1,000. RRP

I'm comparing it to my old Zumo 550 which was good but very basic.....I can get lost in a map shop so I definitely need a gps!

[Gremlin]

Zumos, while expensive do come with all the mounts, car, motorcycle etc, so that is certainly a cost to consider.

However, the Zumo 660 was the last to work with Mapsource. The 590 and on use Garmin Basecamp, which I don't really get along with.

[Night Falcon]

so you don't think the Montana will work with a Mapsource created gpx file? That might be a problem as I've got loads of them

[BMWST?]

if you want to know Montana......go here Be warned there is a LOT of info there! associated threads etc abound

[Gremlin]

so you don't think the Montana will work with a Mapsource created gpx file? That might be a problem as I've got loads of them

You can create stuff in Mapsource, save, then drag into Basecamp and send to the GPS, it's just with a 660 and Mapsource you connect, send files direct etc. You can't send direct from Mapsource to a 590.

I like Mapsource being basic. I have a folder for every ride/event, save all documents, pictures, video and GPS files together while Basecamp wants to create a library of everything in one place. Instead I still create everything in Mapsource and then copy what I need into Basecamp to send to the 590, but then I'm using both the 590 and 660 on the BMW... dual GPS has it's uses

[vegeman]

a dedicated gps phone is a great idea. One burning question....do they have the same coverage as a GPS? I'm with Vodafone and sometimes find reception a little hard to come by. GPS systems use satellites as opposed to cell towers so coverage is way better. Or do the GPS apps fix that?

Yes, they have full GPS coverage (American's version), as well as the newer phones support GLOSNASS (Russians GPS) and the Chinese BieDou at the same time. So They probably have more support than a Garmin. I run several GPS apps and one of them on my Android is GPS status. This shows the number of satellites it see's as well as who are the providers.