What GPS do you use and why?

[JRE]

Another thread made me think of this. What are you using? Does it have the functionality to be able to input tracks/waypoints etc composed in an external application. I'll likely be buying one this year so I'm thinking about it now.

 

[Andylaser]

I have a ZUmo 590 LM and a Montana. Both are good in different ways. Really like the topo mapping and trip computer on the Montana, where as the big screen is nice on the Zumo.

 

[Tyke]

Garmin Zumo 660 for me, it has all I require and more.

Easy to use clear instructions and music too ::012::

I have it mounted on the screen bar in a Touratech locking mount

 

[CaptShaq]

I'm using a Garmin nüvi 2595LMT ($109 on ebay) in a waterproof GPS mounted case ($29 on ebay). Not as good as a Zumo, but has BT and for daily commute it does fine.

 

[trikepilot]

Montana... Why, you ask?

Bombproof indestructibility
Waterproofness
Affordabale, streamlined, and durable mounting system (no touratech needed here!)
Garmin resources
Slim size in cockpit

And then when you take all this and load on the Garmin 24K Topos ($99 on time purchase on CD) along with the BirdsEye Satellite Subscription ($30 per year) - you have the most amazing layered system of backcountry data you have ever seen before. I have WAY TOO MANY times been way the hell out in the boonies on a "road" that no road-going vehicle of any kind could ever dream of going on and that "track in the woods" is on my Montana map. I am consistently dumbfounded by just what exactly Garmin knows is out there. And all that info is layered on top of zoomable satellite pictures. It makes connecting backcountry dots so much more efficient and fun. My only gripe is the relatively small screen.

 

[Bushyar15]

::026::

Montana... Why, you ask?

Bombproof indestructibility
Waterproofness
Affordabale, streamlined, and durable mounting system (no touratech needed here!)
Garmin resources
Slim size in cockpit

And then when you take all this and load on the Garmin 24K Topos ($99 on time purchase on CD) along with the BirdsEye Satellite Subscription ($30 per year) - you have the most amazing layered system of backcountry data you have ever seen before. I have WAY TOO MANY times been way the hell out in the boonies on a "road" that no road-going vehicle of any kind could ever dream of going on and that "track in the woods" is on my Montana map. I am consistently dumbfounded by just what exactly Garmin knows is out there. And all that info is layered on top of zoomable satellite pictures. It makes connecting backcountry dots so much more efficient and fun. My only gripe is the relatively small screen.

 

[Micktom]

Montana 650, perfect for my needs.

 

[arjayes]

Zumo 660LM. Weatherproof, lifetime maps, nice big screen, bluetooth, expandable storage for music, and most importantly - I got a good deal on it.

 

[fredz43]

Zumo 660LM. Weatherproof, lifetime maps, nice big screen, bluetooth, expandable storage for music, and most importantly - I got a good deal on it.

+1 ::008::

 

[AVGeek]

Another Montana user here...it's made its way onto the bike, quad and into the truck. I've found I prefer the portrait view and leave it locked that way. I also tend to leave it in trip computer mode.

 

[sail2xxs]

Garmin Nuvi 550 LMT. It's waterproof, comparatively inexpensive, and it is simple enough that I can use it.

Best,

Chris

 

[Roge]

Zumo 550 still works so why change and I've had it for ever, I use it in the 4x4 with Topo Maps loaded as well.

 

[Dirt_Dad]

Zumo 665 with weather activated. Very worthwhile. I once rode from VA to NY during the passing of a weather front and managed to stay dry the entire time. With the weather displayed I could see how to stay just on the backside of the rain for 300 miles. I'm not afraid to ride in the rain, but if moving 10 miles to the west can keep me out of it...why not stay perfectly dry (except for the wet roads).

Also love that I can see where the thunderstorms are when I hear the thunder moving in during that last stop. So easy to avoid blundering into the storm. I do hate riding in lightening. Done it too many times, and been lucky. I don't like trusting in luck. Also nice to know how big the cell is that you're currently stuck in.

I tried using the smart phone, but that left me on the side of the road waiting for the radar to paint on the screen. It could take 10 minutes or more just to get a currently picture. Smart phone was a terrible option most of the time.

The 665 also allowed me to find new roads while playing, "see how close you can get to the weather and not get wet" game. I've ended up in places I never knew about.

The 665 is not cheap, but it has made more of an impact on my riding than any other GPS upgrade I've ever done.

 

[pnelson]

For about $110, I bought a Garmin Nuvi 2595LMT. I also bought a Garmin 78sc with marine maps for another $275. Add about $100 for two Ram mounts and a Glare Stomper and I'm still walking around with $200 dollars in my pocket because I didn't buy a Zumo 660.

I followed the instructions in this Youtube video to waterproof my Nuvi and can tell you (after I hosed it down when washing the bike and forgot it was there...) that the waterproofing works well. I ride in the rain often here in Oregon and the Nuvi does just fine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2UvIoL78Cg


Whatever you decide to do, learn how to use your GPS. On longer trips, a GPS loaded with way points and pre-selected locations (like gas stations) will help you understand your options and make good decisions based on access to accurate information. Some features I use more often are one button to find close gas stations, one button to find a McDonalds (with free wi-fi), and quick access to all the saved locations and way points added before the trip. It's also nice to use Garmin's routing features to put together a string of cities, roads and way points for a planned ride. It's also nice to be able to talk to my GPS and quickly get through the menus without having to touch it. Of course, this doesn't work when riding your bike but it does work perfectly in the car.

The Montana and some of the other motorcycle specific GPS models will do what both of mine do but I'd rather have two units and find that each does its tasks more easily than one unit trying to do everything.

 

[XtreemLee]

I use the tom tom rider. It does a great job, but I wish when selecting a destination it didn't ask me a bunch of questions like "do you really want to do what the button you just pressed did?" I'm riding and would rather keep my eyes on the road, than do a quiz, every time I select a destination, so that's my beef...

 

[Guls]

Garmin Nuvi 2597 LMT it has Bluetooth, with Locking Ram mount.
Works just fine, total investment is just shy of $200

 

[The Ferret]

I used a Zumo 550 for many years, but was not happy when a battery failure caused me to spend a further £150 for Garmin to do an exchange. Sort of lost rrust with it along with the cost of maps at the time. I now use a Peaklife 4.3" weatherproof GPS running IGO, a fifth of the price of the Zummo. The maps appear more accurate than the Garmin and the cursor actually keeps up with my position. I use the phone as a standby. The Zumo sits in the house.

 

[JRE]

Zumo 665 with weather activated. Very worthwhile. I once rode from VA to NY during the passing of a weather front and managed to stay dry the entire time. With the weather displayed I could see how to stay just on the backside of the rain for 300 miles. I'm not afraid to ride in the rain, but if moving 10 miles to the west can keep me out of it...why not stay perfectly dry (except for the wet roads).

I didn't even know such a feature existed. Is is subscription based and does it depend on service areas where you might lose communication (like cell phones)?

 

[pnelson]

Here's an interesting article from Garmin on using the weather radar feature. It looks like it's a $4.99/year add-on cost to their basic smartphone link app. The smartphone link feature requires you to have a phone with data access linked to the GPS unit via Bluetooth.

http://garmin.blogs.com/my_weblog/2014/08/how-to-receive-weather-information-on-your-n%C3%BCvi-device.html

I've used MyRadar a weather radar app for my smartphone for a few years and it does the same thing for free. It would be nice having a radar overlay on the Garmin. At some point though I worry about the GPS and all the stuff on the screen being a distraction.

MyRadar has apps for android and iOS. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.acmeaom.android.myradar&hl=en

 

[Hungry Tiger]

Another 665 user here. Weather data is a subscription like $7/mo. It is XM aviation weather at ground level. Can be a 5-8 min delay from actual location if you are splitting hairs. Last June I took a 100 mi detour to skirt severe thunderstorm in Southern NM-West TX. Orange w/ red center on radar map. That night in motel the news showed big rigs that got blown over at I-10/I-20 junction. "Alone but not afraid" as F-35 pilots say.