Author Topic: Recommend a decent Sat Nav? (Read 9840 times)

Bracechenko · « **on:** 05 January 2012, 08:03:24 pm »

Looking for a bike sat nav for a trip to Europe in June. I can see that they're £200+ new but will be keeping an eye out on Fleabay for 2nd's.

Anyone got any recommendations for models/brands etc? Are they all battery or do they generally hook up to the bike? I've not got a 12v socket and don't really want to fit one if I can help it but if the sat nav can hook straight to the battery then happy days.

Ta
Brace

dickturpin · « **Reply #1 on:** 05 January 2012, 08:09:34 pm »

Being a cheapskate I use an old car satnav on the bike. I have a 12v socket under the seat so that a satnav can run from that with an extension wire to the handlebars. Can also be used to charge your phone etc.

dickturpin · « **Reply #2 on:** 05 January 2012, 08:21:38 pm »

Something like this..
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12v-Car-Motorbike-Cigarette-Lighter-Adaptor-Socket-NEW-/320610157076?pt=UK_In_Car_Technology&hash=item4aa5dac214
There are cheaper ones if you look around but wired direct to the battery with an inline fuse has done the job for me. I have also fitted a socket onto the fairing inner now ready for the next trip!!

Bracechenko · « **Reply #3 on:** 05 January 2012, 08:25:25 pm »

So do you just connect straight to the battery and job done? Don't really fancy cutting holes into the fairing for it to be honest, probably wont ever use it again as it's for my FZ1 which is mainly a single day blast kind of bike, use my FZS600 for commuting.

What about weather proofing for a car sat nav though, sounds like it could cause problems? Planning a 8 day Euro trip in June so would be relying on the sat nav, maybe I should splash out to ensure reliability?

On 2nd thoughts, could go thirds with the other 2 mates coming along

dickturpin · « **Reply #4 on:** 05 January 2012, 08:34:14 pm »

Yes, mines connected straight to battery with in-line fuse.
My touring is done in good weather so waterproofing hasn't been a problem so far. If the weather
is that bad I would take the sat nav off but mounted on the handlebars it does get some protection.
I use Garmin mounted on one of these...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Garmin-Nuvi-1200-1300-Motor-Bike-Cycle-Handlebar-Sat-Nav-Mounting-/110785771556?pt=UK_CE_GPS_Accessories_Software_ET&hash=item19cb58b824

martynR · « **Reply #5 on:** 05 January 2012, 08:43:30 pm »

Quote from: dickturpin on 05 January 2012, 08:09:34 pm

Being a cheapskate I use an old car satnav on the bike. I have a 12v socket under the seat so that a satnav can run from that with an extension wire to the handlebars. Can also be used to charge your phone etc.

And where do you keep it? In your pocket?

You gonna need a mount for it, but car sat navs are cheaper than motorcycle ones.

I bought TomTom Rider v1 2nd hand of fleabay last year. The keys are small, even without gloves, so I use ignition key for postcodes.

And get some maps, in case the sat nav packs up.

Bracechenko · « **Reply #6 on:** 05 January 2012, 08:49:13 pm »

Yeah think i'll keep floating about Ebay on the prowl for a bargain.

Will deffo take maps anyway as a backup too

peejay · « **Reply #7 on:** 05 January 2012, 10:26:09 pm »

Brace, you have pm.

Hamos · « **Reply #8 on:** 05 January 2012, 11:28:26 pm »

I use tomtom iphone app. Mouth phone in waterproof case on bars and hook up to 12V under seat, or you could go straight to battery. This is a cheap option only if you already have an iphone

MEM62 · « **Reply #9 on:** 05 January 2012, 11:43:07 pm »

Garmin - great kit! I have the Zumo 550 and wouldn't go touring without it.

Robbie8666 · « **Reply #10 on:** 06 January 2012, 09:20:31 am »

I was given a Garmin for my car last year. only used it once but it seems good n haven't heard bad reports from Garmin kit.

GringoRojo · « **Reply #11 on:** 06 January 2012, 07:31:48 pm »

garmin zumo 660 if you can afford it. prices dropping below £400 at the mo.
comes with a car kit as well as all you need to fit to the bike. I've wired mine straight to the battery. if you have an intercom (eg autocom) you can hear the distractions, I mean instructions; you can connect your phone by bluetooth; the unit takes a 16gb microsd card which you can fill with music.

other garmin zumos are available too - IIRC 220 new, 500 & 550 second hand.

bwizz · « **Reply #12 on:** 07 January 2012, 06:03:48 pm »

I use a very cheepo navigo 3.5 I have fitted TT 7.9 europe I bought a standard motor bike mount clamp and a home made charger ,Walkman headpones for sound.This is permanently connected to the battery and a loose lead, cable tied around the steering head. Used this set up quite a lot over the last 3 years , Overhead sun can be a problem ,but apart from that great !

limax2 · « **Reply #13 on:** 07 January 2012, 08:26:24 pm »

This is how I mounted a cheap car type sat nav to my Mk1 FZS600 with a simple home made bracket from the mirror mounting studs. Although I do have the Mk2 mirrors on with slightly longer studs.

Details

I can't hear the sound but I tend only to use it for navigating minor roads in unfamiliar places, where a quick glance saves having to stop and check out the map. The fairing shields it from light rain, but if it is really wet I stick it in the tank bag out of the way.
I'm not recommending this particular sat nav, which I got from Aldi, as although it has major roads of Europe in it, on a trip into Europe I found it sadly lacking.

Strifae · « **Reply #14 on:** 07 January 2012, 09:50:32 pm »

I have a tomtom rider v1 and it's awesome - has withstood being thrown down the road once (oops) and is waterproof etc

Bit of a brick though!

expatmanxman · « **Reply #15 on:** 07 January 2012, 11:24:03 pm »

Garmin sometimes have reconditioned units for sale but you have to ring them to find out.
I traded in my 550 which was quite battered for a recon 600 series with lots of extra bits that I never had for the older unit (car mount, adaptor etc) for £111, I had to send them the unit only (so sold the other bits I had on ebay to get some money back) and they sent me the spangly newer one with all the extra kit. The units they take in in p ex such as my 550 get reconditioned and put back for sale.

Gingernutz · « **Reply #16 on:** 08 January 2012, 12:18:37 am »

I have a cheap waterproof case from amazon like this one (you can use the screen through it)

and a cheap satnav from ebuyer like this one

I connect the sat nav headphone socket to my autocom
For power I bought a setup to connect direct to the bike battery like this one without the ciggie adapters

Satnav = £40 + case £13 + power £10 + extension for headphones £3 = bargain.
I run tomtom maps but the ones on it were fine

Lonewolf · « **Reply #17 on:** 08 January 2012, 11:35:03 am »

Garmin Zumo 220.........waterproof as it's bike dedicated.
Had mine wired direct from battery which was fine when touring daily, but when bike was laid up for a couple of weeks I found it was draining the battery even with the sat nav removed from the bike.
Now I've had it wired in to a switched circuit (not by me I'm pleased to say as I probably would have caused electrical meltdown

), everything is fine.
A word of warning; when I got the wiring done the guys had to find a circuit which wasn't related to the ABS system (Gen 2 FZ1S Fazer abs).
I can only assume it could affect the ABS system if you splice in other kit ???
Now coupled with an Interphone headset so I can hear the instructions too, very handy piece of kit.

Bracechenko · « **Reply #18 on:** 08 January 2012, 02:34:29 pm »

Lots of ideas so thanks everyone. Basically going to decide this week whether we go cheap and cheerful or pay out a little bit more. Will speak to my buddies who are coming along and decide then.

Cheers for the heads up Lonewolf, mine is a gen 2 FZ1-S with ABS

peejay · « **Reply #19 on:** 08 January 2012, 08:36:29 pm »

Quote

I found it was draining the battery even with the sat nav removed from the bike.

Are you sure?? If you have a cable attached to the battery, with nothing attached on the other end, how does that drain the battery?

GringoRojo · « **Reply #20 on:** 08 January 2012, 11:58:47 pm »

my garmin zumo 660 comes with a cover for the mount - the electrodes might short out if wet & also start to corrode.

Lonewolf · « **Reply #21 on:** 09 January 2012, 12:55:15 pm »

For Peejay.........
That's what I thought, but apparently it was draining the battery. As part of the sat nav wiring there is a little black box attached and this was deemed to be the cause of the problem, albeit draining slowly. On a daily basis you don't notice as the battery charges up under use but leave it a while, say 2 weeks, and it flattens.
Now the same wire is controlled by a switched circuit, problem sorted

peejay · « **Reply #22 on:** 09 January 2012, 03:55:21 pm »

That's interesting. My Zumo 550 wiring has a plug on one end to fit in to the sat nav mount, an inline fuse and two wires to connect to the battery.

Bracechenko · « **Reply #23 on:** 15 January 2012, 03:08:25 pm »

Well all sorted now, hooked up and ready to go with a Garmin Zumo 550

Peejay - Nice meeting you today mate and thanks again for fitting it for me whilst I stood around gawping and doing bugger all! Top man

Europe is 1 step closer

pitternator · « **Reply #24 on:** 17 January 2012, 07:34:14 am »

Brace
I bought a 550 zumo 2 yrs ago, new , but from a cheap e bay seller. My history is one of pure sat nav luddism, brought on by several yrs of riding with idiots who couldnt use sat nav properly.I dismissed sat navs as pretty useless then, because of the mistakes their users were making. Today I wont go touring without it, its not 100% foolproof, but has proven itself so many times over on the continent. In particular -
1.finding fuel, lodgings. its great. Just watch out for petrol stations which have gone out of business.They will still be on the database.
2. navigating to a specific point in a big city- something its almost imposs to do with a map.
3. You can program a touring route from your PC and the unit will follow it , rather than just getting the sat nav to decide the route- invaluable on " biking roads" , as sat nav always try to avoid such slow meandring roads ! so if you are following a bike friendly route, you just concentrate on reading the road, the sat nav keeps you on track.Invaluable in mountain areas.

problems I have had are few. There does seem to be some " dead" areas , particularly in germany. In saarbrucken the unit just froze up going through the city. Inexplicable, as it worked fine outside the city ! It also went dead going through a village in central germany. Yet at all other times its never done this. Its possible its a glitch in the mapping database.I also now have a small amount of corrosion on the gold terminals at the base of the unit after several very wet days on last yrs tour.Its caused a couple of loss of power moments.I have tried to clean them up, and so far its been OK.I think if I had used a car type in such conditions it would have died completely .
I am not fully convinced of using car type navs in bags on bikes. Last yr lads on my tour had them, but found them really awkward to use, often couldnt see the screen, had to stop to do anything with them...and generally left me to navigate with my trusty zumo. Bike specific nav units are made for the job, I would get one rather than a cheap car unit.If its in ones budget.