gps type and mount

[WEDGE]

I'm a new owner of a K1200GT and I would like to mount and buy a simple small gps. Anyone's help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Wedge

[Aluminum_Butt]

Be careful my son, for you have asked this question in a place where you will be led to empty your wallet in the name of "farkleization".

 

Seriously, though, we might need a little more info. What exactly do you want to get from your "simple" and "small" GPS? I will tell you that possibly one of the greatest deals (steals?) in history is at Costco.com right now. See this link. It's the Garmin 2730. At $500, it's an incredible deal on a GPS that will do just about anything a motorcyclist could ask for. If you don't care about it's XM radio capability, you can even sell the GXM antenna in the kit for $150+ on Ebay (or even here), making your total cost in the mid-$300's.

 

Otherwise, to get good answers, we'll need to know more about how you want to use the GPS. Do you just want to know where you are? Do you want it to provide you routing information? Are you going to mount it in such a way that it needs to be waterproof? Do you want to be able to share routes with other riders?

 

As for mounts, there are lots of options, including but not limited to:

 

The Gadget Guy

 

RAM Mounts

 

ZTechnik

 

I'm sure you'll get links to others.

[ashleybiker]

Here is my variation......simple RAM mount to small gps.

 

 

 

[WEDGE]

It appears that I need more practice with my posting. You are right I left a great deal unsaid. I don't need point to point directions , I'm more interested in going off and being able to see location and general directions for returns. We make several long trips a year and like to wander alot. Waterproof is an absolute must. I don't like to take chances but won't hesitate to ride in the rain.

[WEDGE]

U You amy have hit the nail on the head because I alredy own a rino 530 and thought it was out of the question to mount on a bike but your pictures seem to prove me wrong. I'm going to look closely at the bars and body work to see if something like you've done will work for me. Thanks

[Lets_Play_Two]

"Waterproof is an absolute must"

 

I may be wrong but I think you just reduced the options greatly. The Garmin Zumo is waterproof and there may be others in another brand.

[Davis]

You only limit your options for automotive units, the handhelds and marine units are mostly waterproof. That includes the Etrexs, Rinos, GPSMap60s, GPSMap76s, GPSMap276,376,478 etc.

[Geraldh]

Waterproof is an absolute must. I don't like to take chances but won't hesitate to ride in the rain.

 

Zumo's the way to go!!

[Ken H.]

The Zumo is a great product, but not inexpensive by any means. In addition to those already mentioned, the Quest and Quest II are water resistant. (Nothing is truly water proof.)

[BFish]

ram mount like the pics above. garmin 2610 gps.

[Charles Elms]

RAM Mount like the above and a Garmin III+.

[Eschelon1]

BMW Navigator III $1399 ($1500 with CA Tax) made by Garmin. Comes with Motorcycle mount and all cables, a portable kit so you can use it in your cage as well. A nice well lit screen, has all of North America maps loaded in alread (Even has all the BMW Motorad Dealers in it).

 

The voice direction even pronounces the street name to turn on (Turn right on Main St in 400 ft) versus "Turn right in 400 ft".

 

Nice package, all inclusive but doesn't do XM Radio, or MP3. It will interface with Bluetooth devices however.

 

Expensive, but hey, we don't get rich for nothing eh?

 

[RichEdwards]

If it's the new GT you have, you can use the BMW mount seen here:

 

 

There are four holes in the central handlebar bracket and this mounts there directly. It's the most seamless and neatest mount for this bike, but expensive ($125). Part #71607676868

[CraigT]

I spent a bit of time considering GPS options and I shortened my list to the Garmin Quest V2 or the newer Zumo. The latter being easier to use with larger screen and teh former having a claimed battery life of 20hrs v's 3 for the zumo.

 

Whichever I end up with they'll be hard wired into Autocom system and bike powered so the battery life is academic.

 

Between these two, does anyone else have anything they wish to add?

 

My requirements were much the same, water repellent and easy to use.

[MG37221]

If it's the new GT you have, you can use the BMW mount seen here:

 

 

There are four holes in the central handlebar bracket and this mounts there directly. It's the most seamless and neatest mount for this bike, but expensive ($125). Part #71607676868

Rich: If, when using this mount and a tank bag, can you still see the GPS? Will both even fit?

Thanks

 

Oh yeah, I found a great price on the 2730 here.

[Bonkorama]

Zumo 550 and XM antenna. If you ride in traffic with alot of meetings to go to like i do, the XM NAVTRAFFIC is indespensible. 3 or 4 bucks a month. And of course the 175 channels of XM dont hurt either. The blues and jazz are worth it to me alone!

 

The Zumo comes with a ram mount to attach the easy on / easy off zumo mount.

 

I paid 800 ( or thereabouts ) for both devices as a packaged bundle on the internet.

 

Best money ive spent in a great long while.

 

I also have a marine handheld garmin, which i thought was pretty cool. Untill i got the Zumo!

 

 

oh! and I hardwired mine straight to the battery, as i didnt want to tap into any wires on the harnesses. The power cable ( in line fused) that comes with it is long enough to snake to anywhere on the bike, tho I opted to go straight to the battery.

[gtunches]

What ZUMO is the best medium priced one. And are all Zumos waterproof?

 

Gerald T.

[RichEdwards]

Rich: If, when using this mount and a tank bag, can you still see the GPS? Will both even fit?

Thanks

 

Mike---No. I use just the one inch thick BigMak mapcase on the tank. For me it is more important that I can see everything on the dash. This mount tucks the GPS neatly into the u-shaped center part of the handlebars.

[boatzo]

"What ZUMO is the best medium priced one. And are all Zumos waterproof?"

 

Zumo by Garmin comes in 2 models the 450 and 550. They are made for motorcycles and are vibration and water resistant. The 450 costs about $100 less than the 550 and has less features. You can get all the details at www.garmin.com.

 

Good luck,

[drambie]

Can you still see the GPS screen with a tank bag installed?

I am also at the point of deciding how to mount my 2720 on a 2006 GT I just acquired this week. The alternative I am considering is a bracket from Z-Technik that mounts in the hole for the mirror in either grip assembly.

Cheers,

[MG37221]

Rich: If, when using this mount and a tank bag, can you still see the GPS? Will both even fit?

Thanks

 

Mike---No. I use just the one inch thick BigMak mapcase on the tank. For me it is more important that I can see everything on the dash. This mount tucks the GPS neatly into the u-shaped center part of the handlebars.

Thanks Rich. I've been wondering about that.

[MG37221]

Can you still see the GPS screen with a tank bag installed?

I am also at the point of deciding how to mount my 2720 on a 2006 GT I just acquired this week. The alternative I am considering is a bracket from Z-Technik that mounts in the hole for the mirror in either grip assembly.

Cheers,

 

This Looks to be near perfect! They don't appear to have any US Distributors however.

[Frisky]

Motorrad will ship to the USA, email Dutchman the boss there and he will sort you.

I have one of the 1200RT mounts and it is very good.

Dave

[gtunches]

Thanks for the information. Think I will go with the 550 on my R1100RT

[boatzo]

Thanks for the information. Think I will go with the 550 on my R1100RT

 

Best choice I think.

[Urban Surfer]

What about the 276c?. It has a 15 hour battery. With city navigator included for $459. I think sat radios are dirt cheap now.

[MG37221]

Motorrad will ship to the USA, email Dutchman the boss there and he will sort you.

I have one of the 1200RT mounts and it is very good.

Dave

I thought I edited this. I ordered right after I posted the above. Prolly should have waited & kept an eye on the exchange rate.

[boatzo]

What about the 276c?. It has a 15 hour battery. With city navigator included for $459. I think sat radios are dirt cheap now.

 

I brought a 276c home to try to see how it would mount.(a customer brought it back and didn't like it) I think it is too bulky for the R1100RT. The battery makes it very heavy. To get audio directions, the speaker is installed in the power cable and that is bulky as well on a bike. It is good value for the $, especially if you want to use it for a car and a boat as it does both Marine & Road. I also think it is a bit cumbersome to program.

 

My next try will be a 330c, but I think I am going to have to bite the bullet and spend the $ for the Zumo 550. Compact, easy to operate and made for a bike.

My 2 cents worth.

[MG37221]

My next try will be a 330c...

 

Is the 330c waterproof (or even resistant)?

[roydog007]

I'm getting the 2730 from costco 499.00 for my 1150 RT I'm curious as to what the best option from me would be.

I'll probably get a big mac tank bag also so I have to be able to see it.

[boatzo]

My next try will be a 330c...

 

Is the 330c waterproof (or even resistant)?

 

Good question. I just checked the specs on Garmin's web site and the 330 IS NOT water resistant or proof. I must admit that I was looking at the price.

 

I still think the Zumo 550 is the best way to go. No compromises. Just the big $$. Guess you get what you pay for.

[Urban Surfer]

What about the 276c?. It has a 15 hour battery. With city navigator included for $459. I think sat radios are dirt cheap now.

 

I brought a 276c home to try to see how it would mount.(a customer brought it back and didn't like it) I think it is too bulky for the R1100RT. The battery makes it very heavy. To get audio directions, the speaker is installed in the power cable and that is bulky as well on a bike. It is good value for the $, especially if you want to use it for a car and a boat as it does both Marine & Road. I also think it is a bit cumbersome to program.

 

My next try will be a 330c, but I think I am going to have to bite the bullet and spend the $ for the Zumo 550. Compact, easy to operate and made for a bike.

My 2 cents worth.

 

Is the battery seperate to the unit? Could I mount the speaker where the stock speaker normally goes

[Silver Surfer/AKAButters]

I just received and mounted a Zumo 550 on my 1150RT. This is my first GPS so I really can't comment on how it compares to others. I can say that I like the Zumo. It is compact, easy to use, glove friendly, bright clear screen, even in direct sunlight. I paid 717 online delivered without XM. I was able to mount it on the left handlebar with the mount provided plus a slighly longer U-bolt. This is actually working pretty well, but I will probably be ordering the Motorrad mount in the near future.

[boatzo]

quote " Is the battery seperate to the unit? Could I mount the speaker where the stock speaker normally goes "

 

The battery is integral to the unit, kind od like a laptop. I assume that it needs to be in there for it to work.

 

I am not sure what you mean by where the stock speaker goes

 

The power cord has a cigar lighter plug molded in with the speaker assembly. Then a long cord with Garmin's molded plug that plugs into the back of the 276. You would need an adapter to connect the cig. plug to the BMW electrical plug.

 

The marine cable that comes with the unit has all wire ends opposite the molded plug. You could hard wire power on this cable. I do not have the wiring diagram for this cable as the people returned the unit with out the book. I do not know if audio appears on any of the wires or not. Some of the wires are used for NMEA data transfer. That is as much as I can determine.

[boatzo]

I just received and mounted a Zumo 550 on my 1150RT. This is my first GPS so I really can't comment on how it compares to others. I can say that I like the Zumo. It is compact, easy to use, glove friendly, bright clear screen, even in direct sunlight. I paid 717 online delivered without XM. I was able to mount it on the left handlebar with the mount provided plus a slighly longer U-bolt. This is actually working pretty well, but I will probably be ordering the Motorrad mount in the near future.

 

My son and I just finished a long phone conversation discussing the merits of the 550 and we both feel it is the best unit for a bike.

 

Good choice and thanks for passing on your comments.

[marcopolo]

I just received and mounted a Zumo 550 on my 1150RT. This is my first GPS so I really can't comment on how it compares to others. I can say that I like the Zumo. It is compact, easy to use, glove friendly, bright clear screen, even in direct sunlight. I paid 717 online delivered without XM. I was able to mount it on the left handlebar with the mount provided plus a slighly longer U-bolt. This is actually working pretty well, but I will probably be ordering the Motorrad mount in the near future.

 

My son and I just finished a long phone conversation discussing the merits of the 550 and we both feel it is the best unit for a bike.

 

Good choice and thanks for passing on your comments.

 

I have used a GPS on the bike for three seasons now (Garmin 276C). In my view the Zumo has a significant drawback, which would keep me from recommending it to ant prospective purchaser: you cannot turn off auto-recalculation (like you can on many other Garmin GPS); that means if you spend a lot of time on your PC studiously plotting a route along your favourite roads, the first time you deviate from that route while on the bike (gas stop, pee break etc.), the Zumo will automatically recalculate your route. This is a "feature" that mnay riders turn off on those units that give you the choice, because it can be very annoying. For whatever resaon, Garmin did not give Zumo users the option of disabling auto-recalculation. Many Zumo owners thought this would be "fixed" in one of the early firware upgrades, but this has not happened. This may be a case where this issue is somewhat meaningless to someone who has never used a GPS on a bike before. For those who have, I would suggest you'd never tolerate it. For example, I might spend quite a bit of time plotting a route along back roads from Point A to Point B. If my GPS were to automatically recalculate that route while on the fly, it could very well end up routing me down roads I'm not the least bit interested in travelling on.

 

This is an issue anyone thinking of buying a Zumo should be aware of, so they can make up their own minds as to whether they'd be able to live with this "anomaly".

[boatzo]

Marc,

 

Do you use the power/audio unit with your 276? It looks very cumbersom to me.

[Urban Surfer]

Mark where did you mount the speaker for the 276c? Do you think this unit is too bulky for the bike?

[marcopolo]

Marc,

 

Do you use the power/audio unit with your 276? It looks very cumbersom to me.

 

Not sure I know what you mean by "power/audio unit". You may be thinking of the optional automobile kit, which has a cigarette lighter-type power plug with a small speaker integrated into the cord. If that's what you're thinking of, that is not/not for use on the bike. I have my 276C hard-wired to the bike, with no audio at the moment. However, I have an Autocom on its way to me from Fernando Belair's dealership. I will replace my current Garmin power/data cable with Garmin's power/audio cable -- still hard-wired to bike power, but with a female audio out plug on the cable. I'll run alead from there to my Autocom (and hear it in my helmet speakers), or you could simply plug some sort of in-ear speakers into the audio out jack and hear the audio prompts that way.

 

That answer your question?

[marcopolo]

Mark where did you mount the speaker for the 276c? Do you think this unit is too bulky for the bike?

 

See my answer to Boatzo. I think you're also perhaps thinking of the optional car kit, which for sure is not at all suitable for a bike. You'd never hear the sound.

 

Did you mean something else?

[boatzo]

Yes you are correct, I am thinking of the mobile audio unit. Thanks for clearing that up. As I said, I do not have the wiring diagram to see what out-puts/ inputs are available on the data cable, but I think I understand you correctly, that the power /audio cable will allow you to connect to the autocom.

 

In my understanding of "auto locate", that is a function that is used in initialization of the GPS so that you do not have to input your lat/lon to get the unit to initialize in a new location. Otherwise the unit takes longer to "find itself" as it were. This should not have any bearing on the "re-routing" function.

 

Now, I have not had an opportunity to try a Zumo 550 so I cannot attrest to its operational characteristics. I am going to try to get my hands on one to test. I can only say that the specs look great and having tested the 276, I do not like that unit for the bike due to its size and weight.

 

To qualify all this, I work in Marine Electronics and am fairly new to land based navigation. However, I am very familiar with GPS operational technology.

 

Thanks for your comments on the "Auto-Locate" That is very interesting and I will look into it.

[marcopolo]

Yes you are correct, I am thinking of the mobile audio unit. Thanks for clearing that up. As I said, I do not have the wiring diagram to see what out-puts/ inputs are available on the data cable, but I think I understand you correctly, that the power /audio cable will allow you to connect to the autocom.

 

In my understanding of "auto locate", that is a function that is used in initialization of the GPS so that you do not have to input your lat/lon to get the unit to initialize in a new location. Otherwise the unit takes longer to "find itself" as it were. This should not have any bearing on the "re-routing" function.

 

Now, I have not had an opportunity to try a Zumo 550 so I cannot attrest to its operational characteristics. I am going to try to get my hands on one to test. I can only say that the specs look great and having tested the 276, I do not like that unit for the bike due to its size and weight.

 

To qualify all this, I work in Marine Electronics and am fairly new to land based navigation. However, I am very familiar with GPS operational technology.

 

Thanks for your comments on the "Auto-Locate" That is very interesting and I will look into it.

 

I wasn't talking about auto locate, but rather "auto-recalculate" (entirely different beast). You're quite correct about what auto locate does, but auto-recalculate is when the GPS unit will automatically recalculate the route to your destination, and you may have spent a lot of time/effort on your PC coming up with that route. The hard core navigators, e.g., Garmin's marine units, give you several choices on how to handle auto-recalculation of routes, including turning it off completely. The Zumo gives you no choice in the matter.

 

BTW, lots of riders use the 276/376/378/478 units on their bikes. I don't think most think it's too big, or heavy, but that's a personal choice. The weight isn't really an issue, and the bigger the GPS, the easier it is to see on the fly.

[Davis]

While the Zumo doesn't give you the option to turn off auto-recalculate, which is a major oversight. There are several easy ways to work around the limitation. If you put enough waypoints in your route, it will recalculate back to the same route anyway. If you know you are deviating from the route (say a gas stop) you can suspend navigation and then resume navigation when back on your route without it recalculating. And finally, if you simply reload the route from memory after your stop, it will reload the original route. This isn't to say that Garmin ought not come out with an upgrade to allow control of recalculation, but there are work arounds.

[Bill J]

How do you plan to use it? I use mine in the car, on my bicycle, ATV and for hiking. I also take mine when I fly to other cities. Obviously I need a versatile GPS.

 

I have a Garmin 60CX handheld and I'm very happy with it.

[Urban Surfer]

Mark where did you mount the speaker for the 276c? Do you think this unit is too bulky for the bike?

 

See my answer to Boatzo. I think you're also perhaps thinking of the optional car kit, which for sure is not at all suitable for a bike. You'd never hear the sound.

 

Did you mean something else?

 

Thank you that did answer my question

[boatzo]

Mark, I went back and re-read your post. My error, read to fast and was thinking auto locate. Thanks for clearing that up.

 

I am going to try to contact Garmin today and address the AUTO RE-CALCULATE issue. I work at a marine electronics business and we are a Garmin dealer, among other things. We don't do much in the road nav. units, mostly Marine, but we do have some tech contacts.

 

If I have any joy with them I'll post it.

[boatzo]

I talked to Garmin today and they are aware of the problem and I was told that software is working on a fix so that Auto Recalculation can be turned off. They couldn't tell me when, "CHECK IS IN THE MAIL". Hopefully it won't be too long in coming.

 

In the mean time, Davis' solution will work except I think you lose trip data.