Best GPS for M/C

I've been thinking.... I know, that can get expensive. But my old Garmin is well, old. I'm wondering which of the three: Garmin 2820, C550 or TomTom Rider would be best for riding? Anyone got an opinion on any of these or others? :8):

[The Bear]

Someone posted a few weeks ago that they had the Garmin Quest on their X and it worked out very well. I have the Garmin 2610 on my Goldwing and it has been an excellent GPS.

Thanks. I've kinda looking at the Lowrance iWay 500C for it's huge screen or the TomTom Rider with a smaller screen. The Garmin C550 and 2820 have good features, but the 20GB HDD and MP3 of the iWay looks tempting. I ride to get away from the phone, so I'll make and take my calls at rest stops. 8)

[RRT1]

I like my Iway, even though its the second one. First one was a dud.

Got the iWay. I'll compare notes with a cop I ride with. He's getting the TomTom Rider. Both look like good units, but this one is $300 less and that buys a lot of Wolfgang Puck Mocha. 8)

[my2sons]

I've got the Garmin Quest and it has worked out real well. I'm using a Ram mount which I have found to be extremely secure. The Garmin has its limitations in that the display is small and has limited memory of 115mgs, but I have found that for my use which is mostly local (within a few hundred miles) I can load all the maps I need. Battery life has been excellent also. You can find used ones on ebay foir unde $300 or you can go with the new Quest 2 which has the entire country pre-loaded. Lots of good choices out there, you just need to determine what is important to you. Good luck!

[in flagrante]

Can't say I know what's best, but there's an entire message board devoted to motorcycle gps...

Check out:
Adventure Riders: Ride the World
http://www.advrider.com/forums/forumdis ... order=desc (http://www.advrider.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=37&page=2&order=desc)

this unit looks spiffy, if spendy --
Garmin 2820
Bluetooth (works w/ cell), XM Radio, XM weather, XM traffic, MP3, Touchscreen, 3D navigation, weather proof...
see reviews at:
http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx ... MWEBV6.htm (http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/05032006102410MWEBV6.htm)
http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx ... MWEGKE.htm (http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/05022006142434MWEGKE.htm)

lots of bikers there liked the Garmin 276/376c units for the NEXRAD weather features, plus some XM features.

mind boggling...

if you see something interesting, come back and post it!!!

[James O'Sullivan]

I don't claim that this is the "Best" GPS, but I do think that it is one of the best choices currently available. I have the Garmin StreetPilot 2730. I really like its feature set, but the FM transmitter function is weak IMHO. And the FM transmitter was an important consideration for me, because that is how I intended to bring the audio into the stereo of my fairing. Now I have to change out the stereo in my fairing for one that has a line in feature, but I would have had to do that for the 2820 also. The 2820 wasn't available when I was making my purchase so it wasn't an option, but knowing what I now know (weak FM transmitter) I probably would have purchased the 2820 instead.

Jim

I've had the iWay 500C for a few days now and have some opinions on it. It's got bugs. You are supposed to be able to tell it to avoid toll roads and interstates. It's not working. I called Lowrance and was told the icons are backward. Tried selecting "preferred" and it worked a couple times, but reverts back to interstates most of the time.

Also I was out riding Sunday and purposely missed turned. It routed me down a "county" road that was in fact a private driveway. Two big black Labs didn't like my presence.

It's not easy to input a route with several stops or 'waypoints'. My old Garmin / laptop will be with my on my summer ride as a backup for planning purposes in the evenings. I'll take a 385 mile run around the central coast this Sat to further evaluate the iWay 500C. In the mean time, I've asked the seller for an RMA.

On the good side, the display is super bright even in direct sunlight. The MP3 player is great. (Need another 8.5GB of files to fill it up) 8)

[2002VTX]

I have a Garmin 2610 mounted in a Gadget Guy aluminum housing on my 2001 Concours. The audio is routed into my Autocom audio system and works flawlessly.

Also available in brushed aluminum, which looks killer in the sunlight!

http://www.gadgetguy.net/Catalog/12/HousingFor26xx27xx28xx.htm

http://community.webshots.com/photo/168312172/1168315424038931575cTswfe

http://image12.webshots.com/13/1/54/0/168315400QpmVNb_ph.jpg

http://image05.webshots.com/5/1/54/24/168315424cTswfe_ph.jpg

[pmn1]

Someone posted a few weeks ago that they had the Garmin Quest on their X and it worked out very well. I have the Garmin 2610 on my Goldwing and it has been an excellent GPS.

Ditto on the 2610....very nice on my X

[VTX RUDY]

I've had the iWay 500C for a few days now and have some opinions on it. It's got bugs. You are supposed to be able to tell it to avoid toll roads and interstates. It's not working. I called Lowrance and was told the icons are backward. Tried selecting "preferred" and it worked a couple times, but reverts back to interstates most of the time.

Also I was out riding Sunday and purposely missed turned. It routed me down a "county" road that was in fact a private driveway. Two big black Labs didn't like my presence.

It's not easy to input a route with several stops or 'waypoints'. My old Garmin / laptop will be with my on my summer ride as a backup for planning purposes in the evenings. I'll take a 385 mile run around the central coast this Sat to further evaluate the iWay 500C. In the mean time, I've asked the seller for an RMA.

On the good side, the display is super bright even in direct sunlight. The MP3 player is great. (Need another 8.5GB of files to fill it up) 8)
Let us know how it preformed.good luck and have a safe ride.

[monty]

I like my Iway, even though its the second one. First one was a dud.

Why was it a dud? Mine just started automatically switching from the 3D view to the other views, emailed Lowrance but have been on the road and have not checked home emails yet to see if the responded. IT also felt extremely "warm"

[monty]

I have a Garmin 2610 mounted in a Gadget Guy aluminum housing on my 2001 Concours. The audio is routed into my Autocom audio system and works flawlessly.

Also available in brushed aluminum, which looks killer in the sunlight!

http://image05.webshots.com/5/1/54/24/168315424cTswfe_ph.jpg

Nice set -up but, that looks like a F-16 cockpit!! :) :)

[2002VTX]

I have reduced some of the electronics on my Concours. The stereo remote control is much smaller, and I rarely use my CB anymore. Nobody around my area uses CB except Spanish speaking short haul truck drivers.

Tell you what, on a multi day 4000 mile trip, all those gadgets can help keep you on track and awake.

My Concours is set up for long distance riding, everything except for an auxiliary fuel tank, 7.5gallons is usually enough for me to find gas.

My VTX is mostly for around town commuting, etc. I just put on a Velorex 562 sidecar to take the kids to school in the mornings.

I have a Garmin 2610 mounted in a Gadget Guy aluminum housing on my 2001 Concours. The audio is routed into my Autocom audio system and works flawlessly.

Also available in brushed aluminum, which looks killer in the sunlight!

http://image05.webshots.com/5/1/54/24/168315424cTswfe_ph.jpg

Nice set -up but, that looks like a F-16 cockpit!! :) :)

See my latest post at: http://californiavtxriders.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17470

I'm generally satisified with the iWay 500C. I still think I need to take the laptop and Garmin GPS IIIPlus with my since I've not figured out a way to save tracks on the Lowrance and download them or save them to the laptop. I like to save tracks to see where I've been, and for future trips.

Mostly did this when off-roading so I could retrace my steps. Did 10 days in the outback of northern AZ, seeing not a living soul, but found my way out. I could retrace that with the track I saved from that trip. But I degress..... :)

The iWay can save 1000 addresses, but I've not found a way to file them in folders. I can't imagine scanning thru 1000 addresses to find an intersection I want to travel to. So many features, so little time to figure them out.

I guess I'll know more after my next 1100 mile 5-6 day trip from SoCal to Truckee (near Tahoe), south on 395 to Bishop and home. So far, so good. Getting old sucks. If you're still young, keep on truckin'. 8)

[BLURBN27]

anybody familiar with the Magellen 1212? I sure like the price but not sure if it is cycle friendly. Any input on this much appreciated. Ride safe!
BLURBN27:doorag:

[hackenfort]

Wow, this is a very old post revisited.

Today 2009 - there are more choice for GPS, almost any will work, but most are not waterproof. If you can live with that (keep it in dry pocket, small bag or something else).

In general the Zumo's (660 / 550 / and the now discontiued 450) are thought by many to be the best bike units today, all but the 450 are rather expensive. The Nuvi 500 & 550 are the only Nuvi unit's I know are waterproof. TomTom offers the rider2, I have not used one, but have read many mixed reviews. The TomTom one I have in the Car works fine, but I do prefer the Garmin units.

I not sure who else makes motorcycle specific units. Lowrance stopped making the IWAY's, which IMO is a good thing, as I had way too many bad units. But I do like the XOG - but so many units in it's price range these days that are as good or better.

One last thing to think about is mounting to your bike. RAM mounts are wonderful, I would check to see if the unit your considering has a decent mounting system.

[Johnny B]

I use a Garmin 255W pretty simple unit that even I understand. I know it's not waterproof but in Ram's aqua box it's just fine Also could not beat the price. Easy to use and screenis big enough for these old eyes
Ride safe
johnny b