Help with Gps motorcycle/geogaching

[+Jester4always]

Hi all,

I understand there are trade offs from a unit designated for travel use vs Geocaching, but I am looking for a little friendly advice.

I have been toying with the idea of mounting a Colorado 400T on the Bike instead of having two units that I will have to master. The small size of the screen is not a limiting factor.

 

 

I looked into City navigator software to "enhance " the base map ( replace?) and there are two options, preloaded cards and DVD. Which do I want? IS city navigator truly more detailed than the base map that comes with the unit? I previewed this site and was disappointed by the lack of detail, Very cartoon like.

 

preview city navigator

I must be honest compared to the base map installed in my Legend the detail level was not that much better, a bunch of POI but that was it.

 

also ,is it possible to set up a route from the Colorado itself without using your laptop if you purchase city navigator on the SD card?

 

If I buy the preloaded memory card what do I lose for functionality?

 

any and all suggestions welcomed.

[+tomahg]

I have been toying with the idea of mounting a Colorado 400T on the Bike instead of having two units that I will have to master. The small size of the screen is not a limiting factor.

 

Do you use gloved when riding your motorcycle?

 

I think the Colorado is pretty hard to operate using gloves...

[+victorymike]

I've got a Zumo 550 for my 2000 Victory V92SC...and in my Jeep Wrangler (it came with a RAM mount and power cord for the bike and a suction cup mount and cigarette lighter adapter for a vehicle). Powering the unit from your vehicle is a must if you intend to have it on the entire time you are traveling. For the trail I have a GPSMAP76C and a Colorado 400t. I have a mount and power for my 76C in my truck. So far my Colorado is just for the trails. But I do have an SD card loaded with City Select v7.00 in it and have auto-routed with it in my lap in my truck...just to see.

 

The Zumo 550 is awesome on my bike. I have it sync'd to my bluetooth phone and bought a Scala Rider bluetooth headset for my helmet(s). I have MP3s loaded into the Zumo and I listen to them on my headset wirelessly. It also interrupts the music for turn by turn prompts with the GPS. It has a touch screen meant to be usable with a gloved hand and all the buttons except for the power button are on the left side so you can use your left hand and not roll on/off the throttle when using the GPS.

Edited March 1, 2008 by victorymike

[+qlenfg]

If you are going to ride, with an occasional geocache, I would go with the Zumo models, especially if you ride with gloves. I've had various GPS models on my bikes for about 10 years, and they go from not easy to impossible to work with gloves. Add a multi-function control like the Colorado and you'll be plotting a course to Mars, when all you wanted to do was zoom in. Also, the power cord for the Colorado probably makes it quite a bit less waterproof than it already is, being right on topf of the unit.

 

The other issue is that Garmin had their head squarely up their... by not putting a true lanyard mount on the Colorado. Regardless of the bike mount you use, R.A.M. being my preference, you need to tether the GPS to the bars so if you crash or the mount breaks your GPS doesn't become street pizza. With about 50,000 miles on my eMap and a R.A.M. mount, I never had to rely on the tether, except when the GPS got away from my trying to reinstall it after changing batteries.

[+victorymike]

I, also, used to have an eMap mounted to my bike...but it was with the old Garmin bicycle mount and I never trusted that plastic thing about 45 mph. And I used to wrap the lanyard around the mirror mount in case it decided to come loose. I'd keep it in the pocket on the tank strap and sneak peeks at it when I had a free hand. It was a bit troublesome. It is great to hear of another eMap user. I LOVED mine and found over 1800 caches with it. Put thousands of miles on it. It survived snow storms, sub-zero temps, rain squalls, constant sprinkles...really good considering it is not waterproof at all. Great little unit.

 

I also had a cheap marine mount for my GPSMAP76C that I put on my bike, but it was problematic because it put pressure on the edges of my unit, which seemed to have an intermittant short and automatically turn off. The short seemed to be focused on...the upper left side edge. Most of the time I'd have to twist the GPS case to get it to come back to life so I'd have to unmount it, wring its neck, and put it back in...only to have it do it again.

 

In the end, the Zumo was the answer. Awesome!

[+rpminmn]

I ride my motorcycle with a Garmin 60Cx and a RAM mount. I love it! There's no question the Zumo is an excellent unit designed specifically for motorcyclists. A buddy of mine has it and I'm continually impressed with it. But for overall flexibility on and off the bike I have never regretted my 60Cx. I've used it extensively for the last two years on many road trips, covering over 30K miles with it. I have City Select V7 installed on it from a DVD. Gives me great flexibility. Works great.

 

I suspect you would be very pleased with the Colorado.

 

-bob

Edited March 1, 2008 by rpminmn

[+Jester4always]

I ride my motorcycle with a Garmin 60Cx and a RAM mount. I love it! There's no question the Zumo is an excellent unit designed specifically for motorcyclists. A buddy of mine has it and I'm continually impressed with it. But for overall flexibility on and off the bike I have never regretted my 60Cx. I've used it extensively for the last two years on many road trips, covering over 30K miles with it. I have City Select V7 installed on it from a DVD. Gives me great flexibility. Works great.

 

I suspect you would be very pleased with the Colorado.

 

-bob

[+Jester4always]

Sorry about the double post, still getting use to the forum.

Yes I have considered the zumo 500 for all the reasons listed, thanks Victorymike. I would love to know more about hoew you like the bluetooth setup as a intercom.

I run a baehr intercom ( wired) and can do the MP3 through that. I used my old Vista legend previously without auto routing capability, not to worried about making a mount, I can find a good way for that. I also understand that the colorado will update a lot slower than the zumo, I can live with that. also the clumsiness of gloved manipulation.

I cant really justify a Zumo and a dedicated Geocaching machine. The rest of the Farkles I added this spring have sort of blown the budget. ( laser Hot Cam, MRA windscreen, runin lights,Stebel air horn etc...)

 

What maps do I need to buy with the 400T to make it auto route? are they more detailed than in that preview?

The labels on the preview were LESS detailed than the basemap on my five year old legend. It seems like that can't be true. Do I need city navigator? what is NT.

I still cant figure out if I can do auto routing from the device or can I input a address?

Thanks again for the help

[+2scooters]

You just require City Navigator, the maps are very detailed, all streets are labeled (name, road types) and routing works well. I believe it has the same map detail, POIS's etc as the Zumo.

Using rechargeable is great if you do not have a power source to charge a GPS. I have used my 60CSX the past two years on my bike and it works great. I just "Upgraded" to a Colorado.

 

Couple things: The RAM mount is not out yet so you will have to wait on that, don't try and use a bicycle mount. Routing also does not work correctly with latest firmware, if you avoid highways it does not listen and tosses you down them.

 

Sorry about the double post, still getting use to the forum.

Yes I have considered the zumo 500 for all the reasons listed, thanks Victorymike. I would love to know more about hoew you like the bluetooth setup as a intercom.

I run a baehr intercom ( wired) and can do the MP3 through that. I used my old Vista legend previously without auto routing capability, not to worried about making a mount, I can find a good way for that. I also understand that the colorado will update a lot slower than the zumo, I can live with that. also the clumsiness of gloved manipulation.

I cant really justify a Zumo and a dedicated Geocaching machine. The rest of the Farkles I added this spring have sort of blown the budget. ( laser Hot Cam, MRA windscreen, runin lights,Stebel air horn etc...)

 

What maps do I need to buy with the 400T to make it auto route? are they more detailed than in that preview?

The labels on the preview were LESS detailed than the basemap on my five year old legend. It seems like that can't be true. Do I need city navigator? what is NT.

I still cant figure out if I can do auto routing from the device or can I input a address?

Thanks again for the help

[+hogrod]

get a Zumo for your bike and a cheap EtrexH for out hiking.

[+Harpo66]

I use the Nuvi 360 on my Touring motorcyle and have gone caching with it several times now. Each time out I learn a little more and it has worked great for me. I love the simplicity of the on and off from the mount. I lay find 3 or 4 caches in a direction I want to go and I'm off and away.

[+Dryphter]

I have a 60csx and went with the Garmin handlebar mount. Seems to be very sturdy and after many many miles I have had no problems with it. I have it mounted right in the center of the handlebar so it sits between the speedo and tach. I do use the wrist strap/landyard and loop that around the mount before 'clicking' the GPS in. I am pretty sure that if anything on the mount breaks, it won't be the mount itself coming off the handlebar.

 

City Nav maps get me there and back.