Garmin Quest GPS functions?

[Podo]

Hi.

I am looking at purchasing a Garmin Quest GPS and hoping existing Quest users can help with the following information:

1. Can an ear piece be fitted for audio.

2. Can you pre-progam your route?

3. If you switch the device off between stops (to save power) will the pre-program be still there to resume?

I am doing the Grand Challenge (a 1,000 mile motorcycle endurance ride in 24 hours), a lot of it is during the night, and our route is not disclosed to us until the start day in October.

Some of the route will be over secondary rural roads which are not so easy to find. We have to stick to the prescribed route and there can be no short cuts, so I need a device which I can program the route into at the start and rely on the device to guide me via the ear-piece, and the screen sometimes.

Can the Quest do all this?

Thanks in advance

[Pogo2]

Hi.

I am looking at purchasing a Garmin Quest GPS and hoping existing Quest users can help with the following information:

1. Can an ear piece be fitted for audio.

2. Can you pre-progam your route?

3. If you switch the device off between stops (to save power) will the pre-program be still there to resume?

I am doing the Grand Challenge (a 1,000 mile motorcycle endurance ride in 24 hours), a lot of it is during the night, and our route is not disclosed to us until the start day in October.

Some of the route will be over secondary rural roads which are not so easy to find. We have to stick to the prescribed route and there can be no short cuts, so I need a device which I can program the route into at the start and rely on the device to guide me via the ear-piece, and the screen sometimes.

Can the Quest do all this?

Thanks in advance

I have a Garmin 96C (for aviation use) and I imagine that alot of the Garmin functionality is the same. In relation to question 3 when the route is saved it is stored in the memory and does not disappear into the ether! So turning off the power will not lose the route. It may however take awhile to start each time, which could be frustrating. Some GPS's allow the user to alter the update rate which in turn permits extra battery life. What battery life do you get out of the Quest. Mine does 30-40 hours (with no backlit) with a set of 2 x AA's.

Cheers

Pogo2

[Hitcher]

There's a wealth of useful information at www.garmin.com.

And you'll need a laptop and Topo map software to do the job you want as well as the GPS.

The "secondary" roads chosen for the Grand Challenge aren't that hard to find and full instructions are provided by the organisers. Very few people get lost and this year's event will be the 21st such. If you can read a map and have a reasonable knowledge of the North Island and/or follow another bike that looks like it knows where it's going, you shouldn't go too far wrong!

[Blackbird]

I'm with Hitcher on this one. I have a Garmin 76CX and it has all the functions you describe. However, I've always used a marked-up large scale map for the Grand Challenge and if I ever used my GPS in future, I'd still want a map back-up; especially for those poorly-marked back lanes at 3am!

[Zapf]

I have a Garmin 60c.... something. I was the only one at the GC last year with a laptop plotting all the points and then uploading onto the GPS.

It worked really well, and I used 2 set of AA's for the trip. It can be setup to give a slower update rate. But the problem as I have found is coming around some twisties and into an intesection u'll have to stop and wait for the GPS to update. It was one of those incidents that caused me to lead a few ppl on detours.

some of the GPS can also be setup with external 12V or 5v power supply. So you can think about that too.

[Hitcher]

I have a Garmin 60c... It worked really well...

Apart from turning right instead of left at Porongahau...

[Podo]

Thanks team, the deeper I look into GPS the dearer it gets! I have always got by with maps, so I will stick with that strategy.

[FLUB]

Hi Podo,

I have a Garmin Quest 1 and use it on my FJR1300 with a RAM mount. I have the basic mount that relies on the Quest internal battery and I get at least 8 hours continuous use. If you only turn it on occasionally it will last a veryyyy........ long time. This mount also means I don't have sound. However, I believe that if you buy the powered motorcycle mount from either RAM or Garmin, there is a jack socket allowing the connection of headphones.

The route can be pre-programmed directly into the unit and it stays in the memory until you delete it. However, it takes time as you basically scroll around the map and add waypoints. The Quest then takes you from point to point in the order you tell it. As you want to follow a precise route you will have to use plenty of waypoints to stop it trying to take shortcuts.

Great little unit, especially if you just put in an address and let it take care of routing 'on the go'. It always gets you there.

Cheers.

[johnnyflash]

Darned if I know about the Garmin, I have a Navman ICN520 which I use in the van for work, and goes on the bike (Ram Mount) weekends, plugs into an Aux cigar lighter I have on my Accessories fuse, and a speaker in my helmet.. works sweet, though like others have mentioned re Garmin, you do need to be specific on the route programming so it takes the route YOU want and not the quickest or shortest route.. so a bit of preplanning for long rides..