Garmin 2610 and general GPS questions

[brianbmw]

After reading favorable reviews on the 2610 and the inexpensive price i'm thinking this is the one for me. My questions are.

Can you plan a route on the computer and then download it to the 2610? Is it easy?

If you find a great road can you somehow mark it on the GPS so you can find it later?

If i ride all day can i come home and print out a map and route of where i was?

Are ther any specific maps i should make sure i get or does it come with the right maps?

I know some people have mentioned buying a 2GB card, which really isn't a big deal.

Well i think if you guys can answer these questions i will be a much more informed buyer.

Thanks,

Brian

[ElevenFifty]

I have and use a 2610. Its the second auto routing GPS I've owned and it is a great buy on the market. It is well suited to motorcycle use and I recommend it.

 

- Use Garmins Mapsource and the extended mapping software (usually costs over 100.00) that comes with the 2610, and you can plan very complex routes on your PC then download them to your GPS ... there are some 'tricks of the routing trade' that are well worth knowing and I'll be happy to show those to you ... best done in a phone call. When you get the GPS in hand, and the software loaded, PM me and we'll do some on line training ... my pleasure -

 

- You can create a waypoint at the 'current location'. This waypoint can then be uploaded, along with the track you have ridden, to your PC for later use.

 

- You can upload your track, and then print a map that displays the track overlay.

 

- If you are buying a Garmin package, new or refurbed, it comes with the maps you need. The refurb units carry a full 1 year Garmin guarantee and Garmin service is superb.

 

- I will get the 2 GB card before my next BIG adventure, but the standard card is fine for rides of 1000 miles or so (in most localities, anyway)

 

IMHO the 2610 is a real bargain. The screen is a little bit hard to see if the sun is over your shoulder, it doesn't have XM services for audio or weather images, but it serves me well for 20K miles a year and more.

 

David Hunt

[hopz]

brian, I know you will not appreciate hearing this, but my suggestion is that you look at the Zumo.

 

It will do everything on your "want" list and a whole lot more, and better too.

 

The main thing is, well there are two main things... one, is that the zumo has the entire North America loaded. You do not have to load different map segments to plan a longer trip. The zumo kit comes with the computer program called Mapsource- this is where you plan your trips (but you can do it on the zumo unit as well). Mapsource has the entire continent already loaded.

 

second the zumo has the current GPS chip set. It finds the satellites quicker, has better accuracy and all around is the latest technology.

 

Yes it will cost more. But thousands of customers say it is worth it.

[rshipp]

I agree. I have the 2610 as well. It's a real bargain and you get the basics that you need without having to pay a lot for features that you may not even use. I bought mine from Amazon for $200.00. With this series there are also many more mounting options than with the other models and brands.

[malcolmblalock]

I think it boils down to cost vs latest technology. I've used a 2610 for almost 4 years (over 100k miles) and love it. For about 200 bucks, the 2610 can do all the routing, (I think easier) you'll ever need to do. It comes with all the maps and other things necessary to use on the bike (except cradle and lead). Buy a 2 GB memory chip (about 30 bucks) and load all North American maps if you want.

 

If you want other features (mp3, XM radio, etc), the Zumo is what you'll need.

 

I'll stick with the 2610 until it croaks, then decide what works best to suit my needs.

[MattP]

Brian,

 

Your specific questions have been answered, but I am your position + 6 months with a 2610, so I thought I would chime in, FWIW... I wanted a no-frills, M/C capable GPS unit (my first). After a lot of research I purchased a factory refirbished 2610 on eBay for $170. I love it. Here are my thoughts:

- Just because it doesn't have XM/weather radar/espresso capabilities does NOT mean it's bottom of the barrel- it can do a LOT

- Price is fantastic for what you get, which is to say, I would have paid about 2-3x what I did and still be happy today

- Being that it's waterproof and vibration proof, it's totally at home on the M/C (R1150RT in my case)

- The factory accessories are very generous. You get 2 vehicle mounting options, software, etc. My job entails going to rural areas that I'm not familiar with, and having it in the truck is about as cool as on the bike (ok, it's cooler on the bike )

- Factor into your budget at least a 1GB card for longer rides ($12, eBay) and a Garmin M/C mounting kit ($40, same place). With the kit you'll get a sweet little locking cradle and the hardwire power cable. The only caveat on the cradle is that it has to have a way to mount to the bike... I made mine ($0), or you can go a variety of routes from RAM mounting (~$25) to touratech-fancy-pants couple 'o hundred bucks.

- If you had been riding with a Zumo, yeah, it'd probably be hard to ride with the 2610, but come on- what are we using these things for anyway? Do I need to pay in excess of $700 to get a <1 second refresh rate instead of the 1 second rate on the 2610? Give me a break. I've got about $240 in my whole setup. Compared to sinking 2-3x that on a Zumo, I'd rather have the extra dough to buy more gas and tires.

 

Good luck! I don't think you'll be disappointed!

[brianbmw]

Thanks for the input guys, very helpful.

Brian

[hopz]

For what it is worth, I do not disagree with all the 2610 comments. It is a good unit and a great price.

 

I did not even consider the bluetooth capability nor the XM when I got my unit. After I had the unit and was enjoying it I went with the bluetooth phone connection and loved it. Actually the bluetooth phone connection in the car cradle is great too. Built-in speaker and microphone on the car mount makes it easy.

 

That plus the ability to hear navigation prompts in my helmet made me a happy camper with the Zumo.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide.

[OoPEZoO]

Brian,

 

Your specific questions have been answered, but I am your position + 6 months with a 2610, so I thought I would chime in, FWIW... I wanted a no-frills, M/C capable GPS unit (my first). After a lot of research I purchased a factory refirbished 2610 on eBay for $170. I love it. Here are my thoughts:

- Just because it doesn't have XM/weather radar/espresso capabilities does NOT mean it's bottom of the barrel- it can do a LOT

- Price is fantastic for what you get, which is to say, I would have paid about 2-3x what I did and still be happy today

- Being that it's waterproof and vibration proof, it's totally at home on the M/C (R1150RT in my case)

- The factory accessories are very generous. You get 2 vehicle mounting options, software, etc. My job entails going to rural areas that I'm not familiar with, and having it in the truck is about as cool as on the bike (ok, it's cooler on the bike )

- Factor into your budget at least a 1GB card for longer rides ($12, eBay) and a Garmin M/C mounting kit ($40, same place). With the kit you'll get a sweet little locking cradle and the hardwire power cable. The only caveat on the cradle is that it has to have a way to mount to the bike... I made mine ($0), or you can go a variety of routes from RAM mounting (~$25) to touratech-fancy-pants couple 'o hundred bucks.

- If you had been riding with a Zumo, yeah, it'd probably be hard to ride with the 2610, but come on- what are we using these things for anyway? Do I need to pay in excess of $700 to get a <1 second refresh rate instead of the 1 second rate on the 2610? Give me a break. I've got about $240 in my whole setup. Compared to sinking 2-3x that on a Zumo, I'd rather have the extra dough to buy more gas and tires.

 

Good luck! I don't think you'll be disappointed!

 

That was my thoughts exactly .......I just ordered a factory refurbed 2610 for myself last night from getfeetwet.com for $209. As of last night they still had about 70 units in stock. Early christmas present for myself.

[drzep]

The grass is always greener, especially when you have disposable money!

 

I've been using a 2610 for 4 or 5 years now and thinks its a great GPS. As folks have remarked on in this thread, it doesn't have the newer features but it does do what a GPS is designed to do - get you from A to B. And it does it at a great price.

 

I may upgrade to to a newer, smaller unit someday, but not until my 2610 breaks or falls off the bike and gets run over by a trailing vehicle.

 

[shameless plug] I have a Touratech mount for the 2610 if your interested. Great price. [/shameless plug]

[DavidEBSmith]

Factor into your budget at least a 1GB card

 

I wouldn't bother with anything smaller than a 2GB card, especially when you can get them as low as $18 shipped. You load all the maps for the U.S. once and you won't ever again find yourself with the wrong maps loaded, or sitting there watching the hourglass spin as you load new maps onto the GPS, or getting weird routes that want you to go 50 miles out of the way because you overlooked loading one county, or even thinking about which way the card goes when you re-insert it because you never have to open that door again. (Until you update the maps in a couple of years).

[brianbmw]

Does the 2610 come with all the latest maps, and you just need the 2GB card to have them all in the GPS at once. If i understand this correctly then with out the 2GB card you can only download certain areas at a time, like you could have the northeast US loaded, and then you would have to delete that to put the southwest on or something like that?

[Jerry Johnston]

You can get at least eight states on a 512mb chip if you stay away from California. The more cites a state has the more info and the more space it takes. I have two 512mb chips that cover farther than I'll ever travel and can just switch the chips if I go farther than the main chip will hold. I believe the gps can find info quicker on a smaller chip.

[JR356]

Hi,

 

You are correct.

City maps eat up the most memory,so be selective in your map downloads.

I have a great deal of the western US on a 512 card,have a 2Gb card ready to go in case I need more.

With the falling prices of memory and the holiday sales you should be able to pick up a 2Gb card locally for under $25.May be as cheap as buying on line.

 

JR356

[daveinatlanta]

Does the 2610 come with all the latest maps, and you just need the 2GB card to have them all in the GPS at once.

The 2610 comes with a 'base map' of the US. The base map is basically interstates and major highways - no streets. That detail has to loaded onto a memory card from the MapSource DVD you'll also get with the purchase. Just buy a 2 Gb card, load the entire US street detail from MapSource and forget it. You'll only need to connect the 2610 to your computer again for downloading routes that you plan using MapSource, loading waypoints, tracks, etc.

As others have said the 2610 is a nice GPS and a good bargain. There are only two short comings I've found with mine: 1) the screen is hard to see in direct sunlight but you can shield it with your hand -- 2) it has a touch screen (and is a reason for the dim screen) and the 'touching' is sometimes difficult with gloves on. The icons are small too and you'll need to learn just where to touch them to activate the feature. That is often difficult is you are moving!

 

Buy it. You'll like it. Unless you have the $ for a Zumo...