Guidance on purchasing a GPS receiver

[casticus]

I am trying to determine what would be the best fitting GPS receiver for me.

 

What I would like a GPS receiver to allow me to do is the following:

 

1. Create custom routes to locations easily (i.e. on a PC and then transfer the data)

2. I would love for some software capability to create routes that avoid major highways.

3. Track log so I can tell where I have been.

4. Capacity for street level over a very large area.

 

I have never had or used a GPS receiver before so any guidance would be appreciated. I am not sure if what I want even exists or not.

[Stan Walker]

casticus

 

The problem isn't finding what you want, but picking from the wide array of units that will all do what you want and more. Garmin alone probably makes 10 or more units that meet your requirements. And there are other brands as well!!!

 

Could I be so bold as to suggest that you visit the following site.

 

http://gpsinformation.net/

 

After you have read some of the more general information come back and continue this thread.

 

I would read the topics marked for beginners, and the reviews of the 2610 and the 276C as a minimum. But feel free to poke around, they even have information there on how the whole GPS thing really works. That one will make your head hurt!!!!

 

Stan

[Mike O]

What Stan said...

 

I researched for weeks (months?) before I popped for a GPS. My (unscientific) observation on this site is the following are very popular models (all Garmin manufacturer)

 

- 2610

- 276c

- Quest

- 60c (seen these on several bikes)

 

I should also point out that Garmin has recently introduced several model upgrades (such as the Quest-2). They have LOTS of models to select from (as Stan pointed out) and the difficulty will be discernig the collection of features available on one model over another.

 

And as always, this site has several participants that have a wealth of information so, don't hesitate to use the search feature and post additional questions.

 

Regards,

 

Mike O

[Ken H.]

They'll almost all do those four things. Need more search criteria!

[steveknapp]

My biggest pet peeve is people NEVER put their budget!!!!

 

How much do you want to spend? How much *could* you spend?

[STL RT Rider]

I have not found one yet that will allow you to select "Avoid Interstate Highways".

 

When you find one, please let me know. I'll buy it no matter what the cost! I'm tired of spending hours plotting waypoints to avoid the slab.

[smiller]

I have not found one yet that will allow you to select "Avoid Interstate Highways".

 

Most of the high-end Garmin units can mimic this function by simply assigning a high preference for secondary roads and a low preference for highways.

[rdsmith3]

I have not found one yet that will allow you to select "Avoid Interstate Highways".

 

When you find one, please let me know. I'll buy it no matter what the cost! I'm tired of spending hours plotting waypoints to avoid the slab.

 

Well, it is not exactly the same thing, but Maps On Us

MapsOnUs

gives you the option of selecting a route type that will avoid major highways. Of course, this is just a web site and not much use on your bike. It is also about as accurate as MapQuest.

[marcopolo]

I've got a Garmin 276C. It is typically compared to the Garmin 2610. If you want a "track back" feature, I think you'll find the 2610 does not have that feature whereas the 276C does. Go to cycoactive.com for a comaprison of these two units. The other things I'd consider are battery power, memory and display quality. For example, the 276C comes with a rechargeable battery, very useful for off-bike use (restaurant, or hotel etc.), or even when the engine is off (I have mine hard-wired to bike power and it recharges the battery while riding along). Having had my GPS for several months now, I can't imagine not having battery power. As for memory capacity, you'll need this to store the detailed maps/routes on the GPS you say you want to create on your PC. The 2610 uses the readily available and realatively cheap compact flash cards. CF cards are also available in large sizes, e.g., 2 GB capacity. That means you could load detailed maps of all of North America on one card from Garmin Mapsource software on your computer. The 276C uses proprietary Garmin memory cards. They're more expensive and the largest is 256 MB, though that holds a fair bit. Another feature I'd suggest that you pay close attention to is the quality of the display, you will be looking at it a fair bit after all. They're not all the same by any means. The cycoactive website I mentioned will tell you all you need to know on that score for the 276C and 2610 models.

[taters]

the sales manager at my dealership told me that the bmw navigator has a feature that will put you on all secondary roads. i don't know if this is correct but thats what he told me. of course he also told me it costs $1200.

[smiller]

The cycoactive website I mentioned will tell you all you need to know on that score for the 276C and 2610 models.

 

Not by a long shot, actually it's a rather poor comparison where several important issues are overlooked. I would recommend searching this forum instead and getting a much more accurate picture of both these units.

[Ken H.]

The current version 6.7 of GARMIN MapSource for the PC allows you to input custom "Route Avoidances" when making a route that you can then download to any of the current units.

 

The current 3.50 firmware for the GARMIN Quest allows you to do the same thing right on the unit. I can't speak to the other models.

[steveknapp]

The BMW unit is a rebranded 2610.

 

And FWIW, my GPS276C has a option to avoid highways and I think tollways is on there too. You can also vary the routing preferences to make interstates less desireable. I fiddled with it once to get a good back road route, but forgot to turn it off. Ya, you get some pretty weird routes if you're not expecting it...

[BFish]

purchased a garmin 2610 3 weeks ago. been playing with it and using mostly on routes i know. have planned a trip to road atlanta on it and a side trip home. IMHO-it's great. don't know why i waited so long. have it hotwired and it actually works! set up a couple routes for my wife on a recent trip and she loved it. i'm still learning and run into snags every now and then, but still don't know why i waited so long!!!

[RussInParis]

I'm waiting to see the TomTom Rider before making a decision.

 

Russ

[casticus]

I wanted to thank everyone for there response(s) to date. I don't want to spend the 1K it costs for things like the BMW Navigator. I like the price of the 2610 on Amazon but I am wondering how much of an improvement the 2720 is over it (especially things like bright sunlight washing out the screen).

 

I tend to like simplicity when it comes to how things are connected to my bike. The easier it is to attach and run the better.

 

That Tom Tom device looks like it would be very nice. While going over Garmin's website for about the millionth time I noticed that the new version of the 276C has XM capability built into it. That seems like a very useful feature.

 

Those that have purchased the 2610 do you all feel that a sunshade was necessary? Also, is yours powered off of switched power or always on when connected to the bike?

 

Thanks again.

[BFish]

at first no gadget is simple. after a couple of weeks they are. you will like the 2610.

[marcopolo]

smiller, could you elaborate on your comment about the 276C/2610 comparison on the cycoactibe website ["...actually it's a rather poor comparison where several important issues are overlooked. I would recommend searching this forum instead and getting a much more accurate picture of both these units."] Curious as to what of significance you feel is missing?

[valeriek]

Quest2 allows you to avoid interstates!!

[smiller]

Curious as to what of significance you feel is missing?

 

One of the most significant differences between the 2610 and 276c is the user interface... touchscreen on the 2610 and buttons on the 276c. Some like one and some like the other and it's a pretty important consideration when buying and one of the standout differences between the units, yet Cycoactive doesn't even mention this factor. I also prefer comparisons that don't read like an advertisement for one specific unit. You know, just a few trivial things like that.

 

I don't think anyone will find this to be an interesting debate so this concludes my comments. There's a lot of great information on the forum that covers all of the motorcycle-suitable consumer GPS units which should provide a lot of assistance to anyone trying to home in on a choice that will suit their needs.

[marcopolo]

OK, fair ball, though I didn't think Cycoactive was trying to sell one over unit over the other. I wasn't either, though it may have come across that way since I have a 276C and you probably have a 2610. They'll both do the job quite well. Now if Garmin would somehow combine the two...

[Burnie M]

Limited feedback available on the SP2720 suggests that the physical size/layout is identical to the SP26xx series

The screen is sharper and similar to the SP c3xx series with a similiar 3D display

Apparently the interface is simplier, halfway between a SP26xx and SP c3xx - not an upgrade in my opinion

 

Technical navigation features such as; multiple map datums, multiple grid formats (including UTM), large tracklog, ability to backtrack are very useful and missing from the StreetPilot series.

If you only travel onroad and avoid secondary rural roads then this limited featureset is not an issue and simplifies operation of the unit.

 

The GPSmap 276C has all the above features as well as 'turn by turn' autorouting for onroad.

Its major limitation continues to be the proprietary, small, expensive, crap Garmin data cards.

Bias intentional

[Stan Walker]

How big would a card have to be to hold all of Australia?

 

Stan

[DavidEBSmith]

How big would a card have to be to hold all of Australia?

 

7,692,024 square kilometers.

 

Oh, did you mean all the maps of Australia? This says 132 MB.

[Stan Walker]

132 MB.

 

Then one can easily fit all of Australia on a 256 MByte Garmin card. And have lots of room left over in case they build another road or two.

 

 

Stan

[Burnie M]

How big would a card have to be to hold all of Australia?

 

Stan

City Navigator Australia v6 - 131.2 MB

MetroGuide Australia v4 - 48.0 MB

Tracks4Australia v1.1 - 52.4 MB

New Zealand Roads v3 - 18 MB

[casticus]

Burnie you lost me. Are you saying the Street Pilot series lacks the features you mentioned and that the 276C (and its ilk) has it? Also, by your comments, are you suggesting that the 2610 (and its ilk) aren't very good for secondary roads?

 

Dave

[Burnie M]

Onroad its fine

 

Offroad it (SP2610) is lacking

[hitch]

2610 is a safe bet. Just back from BRP using it as our only guide. Plus did Vermont in the car a week later! Land at the airport, get the rental car, plug in the GPS and as Jackie Gleason used to say, "awwaaay we go!"

[MattS]

Onroad its fine

 

Offroad it (SP2610) is lacking

Agreed. The 276/376 has a 10000-point log (versus 2000 for the 26x0/27x0) and 15 saved logs (the others have none). Also allows a route to be (a) inverted or (b) created from a track log (trackback).

 

And the 2610 always references the automotive basemap, even while off-road. Don't have a 376, but I assume in the offroad/marine modes the automotive basemap is not active.