Gps

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GPS is for little girls...
Get a map.
(You can actually write on a map, y'know?)
Heheh...
You guys are all going to get lost in the middle of bloody nowhere, when your gadgets suddenly 'die' unexpectedly!
Only the young would place such blind faith in technology...
Yup, the big Solar Flare is coming - any bike with black boxes, plus gadgetry, will quietly roll to a stop.
Give me carburetors and maps, any day.
Of course I hope I'm wrong, but...
 
Gryphon said:
GPS is for little girls...
Get a map.
(You can actually write on a map, y'know?)
Heheh...
You guys are all going to get lost in the middle of bloody nowhere, when your gadgets suddenly 'die' unexpectedly!
Only the young would place such blind faith in technology...
Yup, the big Solar Flare is coming - any bike with black boxes, plus gadgetry, will quietly roll to a stop.
Give me carburetors and maps, any day.
Of course I hope I'm wrong, but...
Click to expand...

Gryphon... is this you?
tumblr_llsh7f9x7L1qkom5lo1_500.jpg
 
Gryphon said:
GPS is for little girls...
Get a map.
(You can actually write on a map, y'know?)
Heheh...
You guys are all going to get lost in the middle of bloody nowhere, when your gadgets suddenly 'die' unexpectedly!
Only the young would place such blind faith in technology...
Yup, the big Solar Flare is coming - any bike with black boxes, plus gadgetry, will quietly roll to a stop.
Give me carburetors and maps, any day.
Of course I hope I'm wrong, but...
Click to expand...

How many maps do you carry with you at a time?
 
Gryphon said:
GPS is for little girls...
Get a map.
(You can actually write on a map, y'know?)
Heheh...
You guys are all going to get lost in the middle of bloody nowhere, when your gadgets suddenly 'die' unexpectedly!
Only the young would place such blind faith in technology...
Yup, the big Solar Flare is coming - any bike with black boxes, plus gadgetry, will quietly roll to a stop.
Give me carburetors and maps, any day.
Of course I hope I'm wrong, but...
Click to expand...

maps are great, so are gps'

I use them both when I travel, each has it's pros and cons
 
I prefer maps for planning routes since I can glance at a map and find a route in a few seconds. I like having my Garmin 2720 for a speedometer, moving map (once I know where I'm going) and a clock. I loaded topographic maps onto the GPS and I nerd it up by looking at the terrain on the GPS vs what I actually see while riding.
 
ATTS said:
I am looking at getting it for out of province rides. Easier than using the piece of paper on the tank and having to stop and keep switching sheets.
Click to expand...

I have paper maps and have generally stayed away from GPS devices ever since I started riding. I used paper maps for my 10 state trip last year and it was serious pain. I had 6 paper maps and 10 laminated ones with detailed routes and good roads marked out. Especially frustrating was moving at speed and trying to figure out my location on the map or if I had missed an exit and so on, or like you mentioned, realizing that I had to switch sheets or change to the next state map. Then it got worse when I started exploring backroads and none of them were on my maps and I was relying on the position of the sun to direct me on cloudy days...

My next multi day trip I used paper maps with GPS and it was awesome. Being able to see the big picture with the paper maps plus having the advanced functionality of the GPS when I needed it made the trip seamless... I will never use just paper maps again - that's just stubborn talking. It took me a few rides to get the hang of it, but once I did, I realize that it is a really great addition to the trip experience. I especially like being able to just go off course for a while to explore an area and than anytime I need to get back on course I just pick my point on the GPS and it's send me there -which in itself often leads to riding on some awesome roads.

I'm using the Nuvi550 based on the recommendations of a few people here and it does the trick.

Price: $200 all in (mounts, cables, taxes shipping)

Pro's:
Waterproof
Very reliable and withstands heavy vibrations
Easy enough to read the screen in brighter sunlight
Easy to upload routes from computer to GPS
Can be used for riding, biking or hiking.
Long enough battery life - around 5-8hrs and quick to recharge.

Con's (for me):
Would prefer a bigger screen like some of the other nuvi's
no mp3
no fm transmitter
no bluetooth
 
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ReSTored said:
...as on the road someone always has a notebook.....
Click to expand...

Do you prefer a pen or pencil? I prefer a pencil for writing in the notebook as a pen often barely works in the colder temperatures.

Computer notebook on a mc road trip?! Now that sounds like excess baggage. Lol.
 
CruisnGrrl said:
hard to post ride reports wit a pen and paper
Click to expand...

Ikan said:
Do you prefer a pen or pencil? I prefer a pencil for writing in the notebook as a pen often barely works in the colder temperatures.

Computer notebook on a mc road trip?! Now that sounds like excess baggage. Lol.
Click to expand...

With 2 sidebags, a 52L Givi topcase and room for a backback strapped on the seat behind me I think I can squeeze in a notebook. If you're away for 4 or 5 days its good to be in touch with home via zero cost campground or motel/hotel wireless. Also, routes do get changed on the fly and being able to remap a ride and download it is a good option. BTW, to cover off some of the otehr comments I like hard copy maps too and carry one as well.
 
ReSTored said:
With 2 sidebags, a 52L Givi topcase and room for a backback strapped on the seat behind me I think I can squeeze in a notebook. If you're away for 4 or 5 days its good to be in touch with home via zero cost campground or motel/hotel wireless. Also, routes do get changed on the fly and being able to remap a ride and download it is a good option. BTW, to cover off some of the otehr comments I like hard copy maps too and carry one as well.
Click to expand...

my dad is selling his old lg sub notebook (he upgraded), perfect for taking on trips.
 
shanekingsley said:
I'm using the Nuvi550 based on the recommendations of a few people here and it does the trick.

Price: $200 all in (mounts, cables, taxes shipping)

Pro's:
Waterproof
Very reliable and withstands heavy vibrations
Easy enough to read the screen in brighter sunlight
Easy to upload routes from computer to GPS
Can be used for riding, biking or hiking.
Long enough battery life - around 5-8hrs and quick to recharge.

Con's (for me):
Would prefer a bigger screen like some of the other nuvi's
no mp3
no fm transmitter
no bluetooth
Click to expand...

Where did you get it from?

I never even used the paper maps, I planned the route out at home and then wrote them onto pieces of paper which I then taped to my gas tank and kept switching during the ride. Getting caught in the rain was always interesting.
 
ReSTored said:
... Also, routes do get changed on the fly and being able to remap a ride and download it is a good option. BTW, to cover off some of the otehr comments I like hard copy maps too and carry one as well.
Click to expand...


That sounds better than using a smartphone and the wifi which I have done, mostly to kill time in the hotel room at night.

I was basically just teasing with my previous comment (I think everyone knows that). However, I have always used a map(s) and considered getting lost for a while just part of the adventure but then again I usually do not care if I miss part of my planned route. I try to keep it a bit relaxed. I am not fond of too detailed of planned routes. That biking for me.

Now if I was crossing 15 states on one trip I could, possibly, maybe, might consider a GPS to cut down on the maps. Maybe, likely :rolleyes: and it would most likely be a Garmin 550 or the 620.
 
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ATTS said:
Where did you get it from?

I never even used the paper maps, I planned the route out at home and then wrote them onto pieces of paper which I then taped to my gas tank and kept switching during the ride. Getting caught in the rain was always interesting.
Click to expand...

I used to write out my directions too - turn by turn and sometimes the directions would be pages long for a full days ride. At least I had a tank bag with a clear pocket so they wouldn't get wet in a the rain...

I think I got the nuvi550 as a closeout deal from somewhere that had free shipping - but I can't recall for sure where. I did see that GPSCentral is carrying it for $225 including shipping and they may not be any tax because it's coming from Alberta. At any rate, it's an excellent price for what it offers http://www.gpscentral.ca/products/garmin/nuvi550.html

For a mount, I used a cheap plastic mount I bought off ebay for $1. Many people griped about how they wouldn't trust it and blah blah, but now I've used the mount for about 50,000km - on some pretty rough roads, and my gps has never fallen off or even moved. I see the mount listed on Craigslist and places for $8 (http://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/tor/mcd/2677648611.html). I used to use an Aquabox with a larger RAM mount that I bought for my 1st GPS, but it was clumsy at best.

edit: I found that I pad $220 all in for my Nuvi550 and included free shipping. Brand new and not refurbished.
 
I have the Nuvi550 and love it. Use it both on my motorcycle and my two cars as well. I got it from here and it includes motorcycle and car mounts. I also got a spare battery for it (it's removeable) so I don't even have to wire it to the bike.
And even though I use a GPS on my motorcycle I carry a map as well as a backup, maps don't need batteries or satellites to work.

http://www.gpscity.ca/garmin-nuvi-550-automoto-kit.html
 
The Dodes said:
I have the Nuvi550 and love it. Use it both on my motorcycle and my two cars as well. I got it from here and it includes motorcycle and car mounts. I also got a spare battery for it (it's removeable) so I don't even have to wire it to the bike.
And even though I use a GPS on my motorcycle I carry a map as well as a backup, maps don't need batteries or satellites to work.

http://www.gpscity.ca/garmin-nuvi-550-automoto-kit.html
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Definitely a good idea to keep a paper map handy in case of a technical problem with a gps, which can happen. Though I have yet to have one.

Its definitely worth wiring to your bike battery. I cant imagine being dependent on a battery for trips. Once your bike is wired, your done, set it and forget it.

How long does the battery last in your Nuvi 550? All the people I know who have them wired, so I am curious what battery life, with actual use it has.
 
Gryphon said:
GPS is for little girls...
Get a map.
(You can actually write on a map, y'know?)
Heheh...
You guys are all going to get lost in the middle of bloody nowhere, when your gadgets suddenly 'die' unexpectedly!
Only the young would place such blind faith in technology...
Yup, the big Solar Flare is coming - any bike with black boxes, plus gadgetry, will quietly roll to a stop.
Give me carburetors and maps, any day.
Of course I hope I'm wrong, but...
Click to expand...

If your paper can find the closest gas station when you are running low, I'll buy some.
 
wonderings said:
Definitely a good idea to keep a paper map handy in case of a technical problem with a gps, which can happen. Though I have yet to have one.

Its definitely worth wiring to your bike battery. I cant imagine being dependent on a battery for trips. Once your bike is wired, your done, set it and forget it.

How long does the battery last in your Nuvi 550? All the people I know who have them wired, so I am curious what battery life, with actual use it has.
Click to expand...

The battery lasts about 4 hours so that's why I got a spare. For me that's enough but next year I plan on doing longer rides so I will prob wire it in over the winter. It's nice in the car though as well then I don't have the wire going to the 12v outlet but I know if I need it then I can plug it in. Also the battery is nice to have even for hiking. It's a good all around GPS.
 
mikbusa said:
If your paper can find the closest gas station when you are running low, I'll buy some.
Click to expand...

Haha, GPS isn't necessarily better. When I was in Nova Scotia a few years ago, it told me the closest gas was 50km north of me, unfortunately that was more than 500 km by road as the Bay of Fundy was in the way.

After having a paper map disintegrate on me as I was riding up Highway 11 I decided GPS was a valuable addition. Normally I don't use a route, I just use the overhead view to look for interesting roads and keep me out of roads that quickly end. SPIII+ FTW. The damn thing just won't die and it has real buttons so you can adjust things with gloves on and without looking. At this point the maps are old and it is slow, but it still serves my purposes on a bike.
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