Well, that's it I finally opted out of the pricey options "especially designed for motorcycles" - even though I really liked the new TomTom rider (version2)
see my previous thread
http://www.1130cc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=75819

I just bought a TomTom1 for $189 + tax (new)
+ corresponding RAM mount $41 (no tax)
I tested it today - works great and I am very happy with it. Thanks LUX for showing the way!
http://www.1130cc.com/forums/showpost.php?p=899921&postcount=2

I am not entirely happy with the big ugly mount but I can live with it - it is better than many I've seen and I can take (most of) it off in seconds.

What is still missing = a cable to hook it up to my battery. Suggestions welcome!

Will post more pix later...

Great stuff. Do you know if the software is just as good as the Rider or Zumo? Does it talk? Do you think it'll work with gloves on? Where'd you get the Ram mount? I guess you could just put a ziplock bag over it when it rains.

Great stuff. Do you know if the software is just as good as the Rider or Zumo? Does it talk? Do you think it'll work with gloves on? Where'd you get the Ram mount? I guess you could just put a ziplock bag over it when it rains.
Not sure if the software is "as good", but it seems good enough - very user friendly etc.
Yes it talks - it's OK in town (with my stock exhausts!) when you are looking for your destination - Obviously useless at freeway speeds.

Seems to work fine with gloves on - I will post more later if I have any issues - I've only used it for a day or so. Lux on the other hand has had his for a few months.

PS I made the padding for the handlebars in the pix below (to protect from scratches) - does not really show once installed

Looks great to me. Where did you purchase the unit and the mount?

Looks great to me. Where did you purchase the unit and the mount?


Got the GPS from Staples at a time where they were still $299 - asked them if they could price match an ad from Fry's electronic that day for $199 - they not only matched it but gave me an extra 10% on the difference (ie $189).

Now you find them easily for $199
Radio Shack has them on sale this week
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2462093&cp=&sr=1&origkw=tomtom&kw=tomtom&parentPage=search


I got the mount from :
http://www.CustomMounts.com/

RAM-B-149 / RAM U-BOLT MOUNT W/ SS HARDWARE

http://www.custommounts.com/RAM_B_149_RAM_U_BOLT_MOUNT_W_SS_HARDWARE_p/ram-b-149.htm


RAM-HOL-TO4U / RAM TomTom ONE holder

http://www.custommounts.com/RAM_HOL_TO4U_RAM_TomTom_ONE_holder_p/ram-hol-to4u.htm


see final result below - does not look too bad I think

Is there is a chance that the unit will come off from the holder due to vibration?

Head down and get some Krylon chrome paint.... disassemble everything and shoot it. Let it cure for 24 hours. It looks a lot better than the the black. If you have the budget, the ram mounts are available in chrome.

Is there is a chance that the unit will come off from the holder due to vibration?
Vibrations - what vibrations???
Looks pretty sturdy to me - the mount is specifically designed for the TomTom one.
http://www.ram-mount.com/tomtom/tomtom_one_mounts.htm

Just as good as the (also RAM) mount they give you with the $699 TomTom rider!

I guess time will tell:D

What is still missing = a cable to hook it up to my battery. Suggestions welcome!

I'm afraid that the other thing that is missing is water-proofing. Be careful in the rain. Rule of thumb for GPS: any unit with a speaker grill isn't water proof. That's the main advantage of the Tom-Tom rider and the Garmin Zumo (I use the latter).

I'm afraid that the other thing that is missing is water-proofing. Be careful in the rain. Rule of thumb for GPS: any unit with a speaker grill isn't water proof. That's the main advantage of the Tom-Tom rider and the Garmin Zumo (I use the latter).

very true - this gps will not do well in the rain (kind of goes without saying I thought). I still think it is a minor inconvenience for the huge price difference - I tend to avoid riding in the rain and am lucky that it does not rain much in So Cal!
Guess if you get caugt in a storm you can always throw a plastic bag over it ... or put it in your bag.

The Garmins are either rated for outdoor use or not. It shouldn't be ambiguous at all. I have a RINO 530 and it's been through some nasty water on the ATV.

Pascal, that's the same set up I ride with. I really like my TomTom1, and as a bonus, the handlebar mount fits my digital camera perfectly for some great rolling videos. Do you have a blue tooth speaker system for your helmet? I'd like to be able to hear the TomTom too...

As with all motorcycle mounted devices, vibration will take its toll. So far, I've lost the headphone jack on both my Pod and my old XMradio. Finally the mount vibrated to death with the old XM device. I bought the cheapest one I could find to replace it. Trust me, they are disposable.

As with all motorcycle mounted devices, vibration will take its toll. So far, I've lost the headphone jack on both my Pod and my old XMradio. Finally the mount vibrated to death with the old XM device. I bought the cheapest one I could find to replace it. Trust me, they are disposable.
Jeezus you had Vibration installed on that thing too? Look Daniii isnt it time you just bought a Road King and where done with it? Time for an Intervention before you put Bags & a Fairing on a DX and think its a good idea. I hope the intervention will be in KC if so I will fly out for it cause I care that much.

As with all motorcycle mounted devices, vibration will take its toll. So far, I've lost the headphone jack on both my Pod and my old XMradio. Finally the mount vibrated to death with the old XM device. I bought the cheapest one I could find to replace it. Trust me, they are disposable.

Daniii it was the music you play that killed the headphone jack. :rofl:

Pascal, that's the same set up I ride with. I really like my TomTom1, and as a bonus, the handlebar mount fits my digital camera perfectly for some great rolling videos. Do you have a blue tooth speaker system for your helmet? I'd like to be able to hear the TomTom too...

I wish I had known someone had this already because I researched it forever before I decided to go for it - not really knowing if the mount will fit etc.
That's why I posted pictures - if others are interested.
However, as I said in a previous thread, I am not completely done as it is not hooked to the battery yet.
How did you do it??
oh and no I do not have a blue tooth system in my helmet!

Good question, I'm not hooked up to the ignition system, just recharge it from a wall outlet each night. I'm thinking real hard about installing a power port/cig lighter on the 'rod, but haven't found the right set up yet either.

Daniii it was the music you play that killed the headphone jack. :rofl: Hey, I resemble that remark.

I wish I had known someone had this already because I researched it forever before I decided to go for it - not really knowing if the mount will fit etc.
That's why I posted pictures - if others are interested.
However, as I said in a previous thread, I am not completely done as it is not hooked to the battery yet.
How did you do it??
oh and no I do not have a blue tooth system in my helmet!
I have shown 2 ways of doing it, with the Lighter Jack set up like mine or the Trickle Charger jack really no other way, both have fuses to protect the bike and the unit. You will have to connect off the battery something I know you don't want to do.

I have shown 2 ways of doing it, with the Lighter Jack set up like mine or the Trickle Charger jack really no other way, both have fuses to protect the bike and the unit. You will have to connect off the battery something I know you don't want to do.

I cant do the lighter jack way - no room to hide it (not running topless).

The trickle charger : I have one already (see pix) but how do I connect this (safely) to the TomTom?? + is the 7.5amp fuse good enough?
I hate electrical stuff.:banghead:
Also, I read somewhere about another way to connect accessories to some extra available port on the 02s and 03s (which is apparently there to power a light only found on "international" models or something) but I cant find the post + I'd need someone to explain it to me!

I cant do the lighter jack way - no room to hide it (not running topless).

The trickle charger : I have one already (see pix) but how do I connect this (safely) to the TomTom?? + is the 7.5amp fuse good enough?
I hate electrical stuff.:banghead:
Also, I read somewhere about another way to connect accessories to some extra available port on the 02s and 03s (which is apparently there to power a light only found on "international" models or something) but I cant find the post + I'd need someone to explain it to me!
I am surprised all your BAgger Friends arent coming to your rescue here and you have to rely on me of all people the Anti Bagger. Maybe cuz you haventt put on one of those 2 headlamp fairings yet to really (Spruce it up)
Anything you do is going to require you use the cigarette adapter that came with the unit, The Trickle Chrager way takes away some of the Bulk I have because I have both charging systems.
http://www.1130cc.com/forums/showpost.php?p=293749&postcount=7

http://www.1130cc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25908&highlight=electrical+outlet

I am surprised all your BAgger Friends arent coming to your rescue here and you have to rely on me of all people the Anti Bagger. Maybe cuz you haventt put on one of those 2 headlamp fairings yet to really (Spruce it up)
Anything you do is going to require you use the cigarette adapter that came with the unit, The Trickle Chrager way takes away some of the Bulk I have because I have both charging systems.
http://www.1130cc.com/forums/showpost.php?p=293749&postcount=7

http://www.1130cc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25908&highlight=electrical+outlet
I appreciate your efforts to help - this is why we tolerate you in the V-Rod Bagger section.
Yes I am thinking about the 2 headlamp fairing - maybe for Christmas when I get the flames painted over the anodized airbox.
Guess my bagger friends are all on their way to Basswood - this is not really an excuse as most of them have a laptop integrated in their fairing to do email while they are riding:stilpoke:

That would be unsafe, my friend. We pull into rest stops to email our progress since the last post (43 miles prior at the last rest stop). I sorta remember the post about the available circuit. Frankly, it was easier (and safer) to patch into the fuse box to access the accy circuit.

That would be unsafe, my friend. We pull into rest stops to email our progress since the last post (43 miles prior at the last rest stop). I sorta remember the post about the available circuit. Frankly, it was easier (and safer) to patch into the fuse box to access the accy circuit.

What????? You mean you do not have the automatic pilot option on your bike!

That would be unsafe, my friend. We pull into rest stops to email our progress since the last post (43 miles prior at the last rest stop). I sorta remember the post about the available circuit. Frankly, it was easier (and safer) to patch into the fuse box to access the accy circuit.

excuse my ignorance - I would really need someone to explain this (why is it safer) and also walk me through what to do - no matter how "easy" that may sound to you.
I liked the idea to have the gps integrated with the rest, presumably protected by fuse. + power would switch off when you turn off the ignition etc. Cant think of safer than that.

The fuse box is just in front of the seat. It was a snap to tap into the aux circuit there, as a opposed to taping into a bundle up in the neck (where I believe the 'unused' circuit was located). There may have been a plug you could use (I believe the part number was 'unobatinium') to avoid tapping into anything. The aux circuit is fused. Its a snap to do it there, and then route a wire beside the airbox up to the handlebars. It is then switched.

The fuse box is just in front of the seat. It was a snap to tap into the aux circuit there, as a opposed to taping into a bundle up in the neck (where I believe the 'unused' circuit was located). There may have been a plug you could use (I believe the part number was 'unobatinium') to avoid tapping into anything. The aux circuit is fused. Its a snap to do it there, and then route a wire beside the airbox up to the handlebars. It is then switched.
OK thanks I'll look into this!

The Zumos are expensive by comparison, but you're paying for having a weatherproof, vibration resistant design.

If you're just going to putt around town with it, you'll be OK with what you have, but if you plan to go on a long trip where the weather could turn on you, you'd better pull over and put it away somewhere.

I was on a 9-day, 2,820 mile trip and went through VERY HEAVY RAIN leaving Yellowstone NP towards Grand Teton and Jackson, Wyoming and the Zumo was perfectly content to show me the way. I never gave it a second thought that is was getting wet.

I paid a premium for that Zumo, but I got peace-of-mind along with it, along with a cradle that keeps it powered to the bike along with the fused wiring harness...

DMZX11

The Zumos are expensive by comparison, but you're paying for having a weatherproof, vibration resistant design.

If you're just going to putt around town with it, you'll be OK with what you have, but if you plan to go on a long trip where the weather could turn on you, you'd better pull over and put it away somewhere.

I was on a 9-day, 2,820 mile trip and went through VERY HEAVY RAIN leaving Yellowstone NP towards Grand Teton and Jackson, Wyoming and the Zumo was perfectly content to show me the way. I never gave it a second thought that is was getting wet.

I paid a premium for that Zumo, but I got peace-of-mind along with it, along with a cradle that keeps it powered to the bike along with the fused wiring harness...

DMZX11

Yep, and now add the Scala Rider bluetooth headset and you have a sweet set up with turn-turn voice guidance.

Please tell me about your mount, though. Very interested.

$199 at Amazon right now free ship and no tax.
http://www.amazon.com/TomTom-Portable-Vehicle-Navigation-System/dp/B000H866BM/ref=pd_ts_c_th_2/105-8092950-9830801?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=right-5&pf_rd_r=1PRH4CZKM1X7BC1RAV04&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=308355501&pf_rd_i=507846

Please tell me about your mount, though. Very interested.

The mount is a Techmount. I borrowed someone's GPS last year and needed a mount for it. After buying the Garmin, the chrome Techmount just looked better against all the chrome of the V-Rod than the one that came with the Garmin, so I used that instead.

I believe this is it:
http://www.techmounts.com/products/index.php?page_function=detail&product_id=61

DMZX11

All nice and well with the TomTom One, but how can you listen to it? I guess you'll have to "look" at it to know your way... Also, as some people mentioned, you'd better watch out for rain, those things are quite "fragile".

I've instead opted for the TomTom GO 510, which has bluetooth connectivity. The TomTom is in my tankbag (water-proof and no vibration issues), connected also to my iPod (I can control the ipod directly from the TomTom). I've then installed a $30 bluetooth hi-fi headset receiver into my helmet, and I can listen to both the directions and the music through my helmet without any dangling cables (I could also use the mobile if I'd wanted but I've never liked talking on the phone while riding my bike).
Only piece I am missing is to connect it to the power - battery holds only about 4h - but that shouldn't be that hard... I'll worry about it when I plan a major trip...

All nice and well with the TomTom One, but how can you listen to it? I guess you'll have to "look" at it to know your way... Also, as some people mentioned, you'd better watch out for rain, those things are quite "fragile".

I've instead opted for the TomTom GO 510, which has bluetooth connectivity. The TomTom is in my tankbag (water-proof and no vibration issues), connected also to my iPod (I can control the ipod directly from the TomTom). I've then installed a $30 bluetooth hi-fi headset receiver into my helmet, and I can listen to both the directions and the music through my helmet without any dangling cables (I could also use the mobile if I'd wanted but I've never liked talking on the phone while riding my bike).
Only piece I am missing is to connect it to the power - battery holds only about 4h - but that shouldn't be that hard... I'll worry about it when I plan a major trip...
The Tom Tom One is Definately NOT for you people that ride in the rain and at the same time cannot remember where to turn while the unit is in your pocket, Its for us people that are going somewhere and we know its going to be fine weather. It doesnt need to talk to us, Can see the screen, look at the route as a "List" before we leave to have a good idea of where we are going, and the screen is fine to look at and see how many miles until the next turn (I am not doing anything else anyways but riding) and if it Vibrates broken a year from now or what ever I can buy 6 of these before I get to the price of the $1000+ models and since I have had mine for almost a year now and the TEchnology on ALL GPS units has sky rocketed and prices dropping by this time next year I will get something that beats everything out there now for $300. The unit I have now is a MILLION time better than the unit that came in my 2005 Mercedes and that unit costs $3000

The Tom Tom One is Definately NOT for you people that ride in the rain and at the same time cannot remember where to turn while the unit is in your pocket, Its for us people that are going somewhere and we know its going to be fine weather. It doesnt need to talk to us, Can see the screen, look at the route as a "List" before we leave to have a good idea of where we are going, and the screen is fine to look at and see how many miles until the next turn (I am not doing anything else anyways but riding) and if it Vibrates broken a year from now or what ever I can buy 6 of these before I get to the price of the $1000+ models and since I have had mine for almost a year now and the TEchnology on ALL GPS units has sky rocketed and prices dropping by this time next year I will get something that beats everything out there now for $300. The unit I have now is a MILLION time better than the unit that came in my 2005 Mercedes and that unit costs $3000


:them: just one more thing on the "vibration" issue - any unit with a flash memory (such as the TOMTOM ONE) should be fine. Make sure you avoid using anything with a hard drive (such as the TOmTOm GO 910) - this for sure will run into problems sooner or later as it will be sensitive to the higher level of vibrations on a motorcycle.

Just got same system off ebay new. Only $150 total.

I suspect there is a reason you can get a TomTom cheap on E-Bay.


JMHO

I use an original Garmin Quest, also mounted with a ram mount.
Tis waterproof to 1 metre and fits ion the car and on the bike.
I have not bothere wiring it up for power or voice. Battery lasts for 20 hours.

The next one I buy will be the Tomtom Rider 2.
It uses the same mapping software as the Garmin and as mentioned comes with the Scala bluetooth headset.
They are about $600 for the whole kit over here, including European maps and car and bike kit.
I just can not justify the cost at the mo.

http://www.1130cc.com/gallery/files/1/5/9/2/3/DSC_0420.JPG

if anyone is interested - just received this offer from Staples for TomTom ONE (3rd edition - not exactly the same as the one I referred to previously - looks exactly the same but slightly more limited : no memory card slot).
Anyhow for $125 sounds like a good deal to me (only Friday morning early shoppers from 6 to 10 am or something) - I am sure there will be other offers but this is the cheapest I have seen for this model (which was $299 just a few months ago!)

I finally got a GPS and went in a different direction than I had been planning. I got the Mio Digiwalker C520 after talking to a guy who'd tried them all.

It's got everything I wanted except for waterproofness but for $600 cheaper than the Garmin Zumo 550 and the Tom Tom Rider I ain't complaining! I'd borrowed a TomTom Rider and although cool, you needed bluetooth speakers to hear it and the navigation wasn't as intuitive as I wanted...and a 3.5" screen. The Mio has text to speech, bluetooth, built in speaker, 4.3" screen, easy to navigate on the maps, just for starters. Text to speech means it got much more detail in calling out your route...so instead of saying 'Turn right in 300 metres' it says 'Turn right in 300 metres at King Street' This is really good if you're in a congested area with streets that are close together. It's also an Mp3 / video/ jpg player/ calculator/ conversion calculator. I love this thing. You can shove the very handy console on the right side of the screen out of the way for a much wider view of the map...and it doesn't just stretch the map. If you don't want to listen to it, the visuals are enough to prompt you to turn etc if you've given it a route to follow. It automatically goes to night mode when the sunsets so it isn't too bright. It's nice and thin too so it slips in your pocket. I couldn't do that very well with the Tom Tom Rider. You can quickly tell it to go to pedestrian mode too so that it'll program your route intuitively and your cursor will come off the roads. There's a lot of configuration changes you can make to suit yourself. It has a smart autozoom while following a programmed route that will zoom in when turns are ahead and then pan way out when there's a long stretch ahead...and you can configure the amount to auto zoom in/out.
You can buy bluetooth helmet speakers pretty cheaply if you really need to be guided without having to look at the screen, or you can answer bluetooth cellphone calls via the touchscreen GPS.

http://www.mio-tech.be/en/gps-navigation-device-Mio-C520-overview.htm

Check out the slideshow in this article...
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2704,2142073,00.asp

Here's some more...
http://www.gpscentral.ca/products/mio/c520.html

I got a Ram mount from ebay as shown in my attached pic. Impressive design and quality...very easy to work with and even better than the stock one for the car.

http://cgi.ebay.com/RAM-Motorcycle-Mount-for-MIO-C520-GPS_W0QQitemZ170144964839QQihZ007QQcategoryZ73353QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

I finally got a GPS and went in a different direction than I had been planning. I got the Mio Digiwalker C520 after talking to a guy who'd tried them all.

It's got everything I wanted except for waterproofness but for $600 cheaper than the Garmin Zumo 550 and the Tom Tom Rider I ain't complaining! I'd borrowed a TomTom Rider and although cool, you needed bluetooth speakers to hear it and the navigation wasn't as intuitive as I wanted...and a 3.5" screen. The Mio has text to speech, bluetooth, built in speaker, 4.3" screen, easy to navigate on the maps, just for starters. Text to speech means it got much more detail in calling out your route...so instead of saying 'Turn right in 300 metres' it says 'Turn right in 300 metres at King Street' This is really good if you're in a congested area with streets that are close together. It's also an Mp3 / video/ jpg player/ calculator/ conversion calculator. I love this thing. You can shove the very handy console on the right side of the screen out of the way for a much wider view of the map...and it doesn't just stretch the map. If you don't want to listen to it, the visuals are enough to prompt you to turn etc if you've given it a route to follow. It automatically goes to night mode when the sunsets so it isn't too bright. It's nice and thin too so it slips in your pocket. I couldn't do that very well with the Tom Tom Rider. You can quickly tell it to go to pedestrian mode too so that it'll program your route intuitively and your cursor will come off the roads. There's a lot of configuration changes you can make to suit yourself. It has a smart autozoom while following a programmed route that will zoom in when turns are ahead and then pan way out when there's a long stretch ahead...and you can configure the amount to auto zoom in/out.
You can buy bluetooth helmet speakers pretty cheaply if you really need to be guided without having to look at the screen, or you can answer bluetooth cellphone calls via the touchscreen GPS.

http://www.mio-tech.be/en/gps-navigation-device-Mio-C520-overview.htm

Check out the slideshow in this article...
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2704,2142073,00.asp

Here's some more...
http://www.gpscentral.ca/products/mio/c520.html

I got a Ram mount from ebay as shown in my attached pic. Impressive design and quality...very easy to work with and even better than the stock one for the car.

http://cgi.ebay.com/RAM-Motorcycle-Mount-for-MIO-C520-GPS_W0QQitemZ170144964839QQihZ007QQcategoryZ73353QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem


looks pretty cool but still twice the price of the TomTom ONE and still not waterproof. How is the battery life ?(or did you kook it up to the bike - if so how?).
Good that they have a RAM mount for it. Can you post more pix from different angles - might give other people some ideas too. Thanks for sharing.

I was considering the Garmin Zumo, but I actually enjoy getting lost.

But, I do have a nuvi 360 for my car, and hardly use it on my bike. But for those trips where I really don't want to get lost, I usually type in my destination, lock the device, plug in some earphones and throw the device in my jacket pocket. I don't have a visual but have a turn by turn voiced navi. It works fine, when i get to my destination, i can then change for my next destination.

Can you post more pix from different angles - might give other people some ideas too. Thanks for sharing.


:them:

garmin zumo 500

....... I usually type in my destination, lock the device, plug in some earphones and throw the device in my jacket pocket. I don't have a visual but have a turn by turn voiced navi. It works fine, when i get to my destination, i can then change for my next destination.

What a bloody good idea. Nice bit of lateral thinking :)

I took advantage of the sales and picked up a Mio C320 for my Father-In-Law to use on his dresser and a TomTom One V3 for me to use on the V-Rod. I already have a TomTom 910 I use in the car and when I travel so having the TomTom One will allow me to travel with an even smaller unit in my suitcase and be able to leave one at home for the wife when I'm gone.

The Mio C320 has a voice / music out jack that my father-in-law can use to plug into his aux port in the Harley radio. With an SD card he can take along music and have his navigation. I prefer the TomTom's interface but the Mio has a large screen and some interesting features. TomTom's software and internet support is still some of the best in the business so Mio has a long way to go before they get into the main stream here in the US.

Considering I bough BOTH for a total of less than $300 it was a no brainer. Merry Christmas to me :D

:deal: :deal: :deal: Anyone with a garmin zumo 550 and a black bike PM me.
I have a deal for you.

I can't speak to the Zumo or Tom Tom Rider specifically, but I did a lot of research on GPS units before I bought (for the truck) just before my trip to Sturgis. Garmin has the most detailed and "current" maps as well as the most complete list of Places of Interest (restaurants, gas stations, shopping, motels, etc.) And - not only does Garmin have the best listings of POIs, they also have the phone numbers listed. AND, if you have a bluetooth compatable phone, and headset, all you have to do is tap the screen and automatically have your cell phone call that motel 100 miles ahead and you can make a reservation over your helmet headset. Also, incoming calls show up on the screen so you know who is calling and if you want to answer - again with just a screen tap. There's a REAL COOL FACTOR there. The Garmin maps are pretty consistant across their units, so I would expect they would be on the Zumo.

To put the term "current" in perspective: Roads, gas stations, motels built within the last 1-2 years might or might not show up on Garmin. They flat WON'T be on Tom Tom.

I think you can connect on line with the Tom TOm and it will update the info in the software.

Has anyone with a non bike specific gps unit had problems with the screen being in direct sunlight. I was told that even if the unit is off, direct sunlight can distort the lcd screen. I was under the impression that the zumo and tomtom rider had something diffrent done to the screens to combat this....

Has anyone with a non bike specific gps unit had problems with the screen being in direct sunlight. I was told that even if the unit is off, direct sunlight can distort the lcd screen. I was under the impression that the zumo and tomtom rider had something diffrent done to the screens to combat this....

I have only had the TomTom ONE for a couple of months but Lux has had his for a year or so and it seems fine. Even if it did melt in the sun after a while (?!) you can still buy 5 of these for the price of a Zumo!

Has anyone with a non bike specific gps unit had problems with the screen being in direct sunlight. I was told that even if the unit is off, direct sunlight can distort the lcd screen. I was under the impression that the zumo and tomtom rider had something diffrent done to the screens to combat this....

I mounted a 'regular' Garmin Street pilot in the Speedo/Tach housing on my Road Glide and couldn't see it in direct sunlight even with a shield around it. The Zumo I use on my Vrod never has a sunlight problem.

The Street Pilot in my wife's car seems to have been bothered by heat of the car not direct sunlight - the display can barly be read.

Do these things give you the same problem you get with digital cameras? If I'm wearing sunglasses, I can barely read the screen on the back of my Sony camera, but if I take my sunglasses off it reads fine!? I think I recall that it has something to do with wearing polarized lenses...

polarized lenses don't mix well with LCD screens......

I was happily using a Garmin Nuvi 200 for a month, just using the rubber suction mount on the top of the airbox. One day went to the local mall, decide it was not advisable to leave it on display, so removed it and put it in the HD Nylon Hard Touring bags. Whilst in the mall, there was a tropical storm outside for about 20 minutes, came out to find my 2 month old GPS floating in 4 inches of water in the bottom of the bag! Next time I will be buying a waterproof one!

polarized lenses don't mix well with LCD screens......
Funny I have that problem at the gas pump ! Not so often now due to A certain group buy:angeldev:

Saw a TomTom1 at Staples with rebate/discount for final price of $70. They were out of stock but offering rain checks. I passed -- can't see much benefit for a GPS on a motorcyle. Half the fun is getting lost.

Rob M.

The wife got me the tom tom 1 for christmas. Got the ram mount for the bike of e-bay and tried it today...no issues with glare and goes back and forth between work truck and bike no problem.


100471

100472

The wife got me the tom tom 1 for christmas. Got the ram mount for the bike of e-bay and tried it today...no issues with glare and goes back and forth between work truck and bike no problem.


100471

100472

congratulations, I think this is the Tom Tom ONE XL no less - with the bigger screen!
looks good

looks good


Thank you :D

Just installed this cigarette lighter on my wife's bike and it works well. Have yet to connect a GPS to it, thinking of getting the TomTom One. Got the idea for the Power Pod from a forum member. Here is the link to Formotion , who sells the PowerPod:
http://www.formotionproducts.com/powerpod.htm

Nice , whats that trinket cost ?

I was happily using a Garmin Nuvi 200 for a month, just using the rubber suction mount on the top of the airbox. One day went to the local mall, decide it was not advisable to leave it on display, so removed it and put it in the HD Nylon Hard Touring bags. Whilst in the mall, there was a tropical storm outside for about 20 minutes, came out to find my 2 month old GPS floating in 4 inches of water in the bottom of the bag! Next time I will be buying a waterproof one!
Maybe you should Buy Water proof Bags 1st. Whats the point of bags that aint water proof? I figured HD would Make Quality Bags at least.

congratulations, I think this is the Tom Tom ONE XL no less - with the bigger screen!
looks good
Bought a Tom Tom XL for my wife for Christmas - I like it better than the factory unit in my Acura, which has a larger screen...

Bought a Tom Tom XL for my wife for Christmas - I like it better than the factory unit in my Acura, which has a larger screen...
Oh the Tom TOm is Much better than the one in my Mercedes which is slow and DVD based so No Upgrades. And not touch screen.

Maybe you should Buy Water proof Bags 1st. Whats the point of bags that aint water proof? I figured HD would Make Quality Bags at least.

Hi Lux,

HD don't give any warranty for their bags being waterproof it seems! You should have seen the look on my face when I opened them, 4 inches of water, with the new Nuvi bobbing around face up, screen flashing all the colours of the rainbow, before finally expiring!

To be honest with you the Bags are a POS, the lids have never fitted properly despite 4 attempts to line them up and the apparently redundant rubber seal is just held in place with staples! Should have bought Corbin , but living here in Indonesia it is not always easy to get things ordered from the States or for that matter anywhere else!

Bought a Tom Tom XL for my wife for Christmas - I like it better than the factory unit in my Acura, which has a larger screen...
I finally saw the XL in person, that screen looks Huge compared to my older TomTom. Now I might have to upgrade!
http://www.1130cc.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=102999&stc=1&d=1201371198http://regmedia.co.uk/2007/03/20/tomtom_one_big.png

Got the tomtom rider 2 for just over $500 it syncs up with my camos headset great and I can still listen directions if needed plus listen to a bluetooth MP3 or FM radio and answer the phone if it rings.

got some buddies (who owe me dearly) doing a little recon.. going to see about mounting one of those aluminum fuel bottles with fire extingiusher type mount in front of radiator. (of course custom paint) it will look like a NOS bottle, and have my always needed extra get home fuel. what do you think.


http://www.gearforadventure.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=1140&click=1421




polarized lenses don't mix well with LCD screens......

got some buddies (who owe me dearly) doing a little recon.. going to see about mounting one of those aluminum fuel bottles with fire extingiusher type mount in front of radiator. (of course custom paint) it will look like a NOS bottle, and have my always needed extra get home fuel. what do you think.


http://www.gearforadventure.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=1140&click=1421


??? :offtopic: did I miss something? - what has that got to do with finding the best GPS system ?

got some buddies (who owe me dearly) doing a little recon.. going to see about mounting one of those aluminum fuel bottles with fire extingiusher type mount in front of radiator. (of course custom paint) it will look like a NOS bottle, and have my always needed extra get home fuel. what do you think.


http://www.gearforadventure.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=1140&click=1421

That post was just toooooooo random.

I have a Kenwood in dash 7" screen stereo system in my truck that has navigation provided by Garmin in a memory card upgradable external hard drive. I'm in love with this thing. The custom POIs and alerts are awesome on this thing with audible and visual alerts when approaching red light and speed cameras and very detailed maps that show a lot of the dirt trails that some of the natural gas rigs I go to are on. So I give Garmin a huge thumbs up, I think the Kenwood system is a Nuvi 660 that's made to be integral with Kenwood's audio system.

I want to mount a very small GPS to my X, with drag bars. I will probably go with something similar in size to what Lux is using, I want it as small as possible. What I need help with is a mounting system. The RAM style stuff is good stuff, but it's just too huge and articulated like Irobot or something for my tastes. Does anyone make anything tiny, that doesn't stretch and reach out with elbows and stuff on it. Something where the portion that has to be left behind when the GPS is off of the bike is very nondescript and even chromed would be the cat's meow.

Any advice for what I'm looking for here?

Garmin Zumo 550 is a great GPS unit. It has big buttons on the touch screen, comes with brackets that mount right up on the handle bars and guided me perfectly for many trips. It's waterproof as well.

I have a Kenwood in dash 7" screen stereo system in my truck that has navigation provided by Garmin in a memory card upgradable external hard drive. I'm in love with this thing. The custom POIs and alerts are awesome on this thing with audible and visual alerts when approaching red light and speed cameras and very detailed maps that show a lot of the dirt trails that some of the natural gas rigs I go to are on. So I give Garmin a huge thumbs up, I think the Kenwood system is a Nuvi 660 that's made to be integral with Kenwood's audio system.Any advice for what I'm looking for here?
MWD, tell me more about this thing! So it makes the stereo system a GPS? How cool is that? Thanks, Joe

Garmin Zumo 550 is a great GPS unit. It has big buttons on the touch screen, comes with brackets that mount right up on the handle bars and guided me perfectly for many trips. It's waterproof as well.
I just purchased the Zumo and love it. Bought the XM antenna and now instead of two bulky ad ons on the bars I have just the one unit. Very happy with the purchase. :D

I have a Kenwood in dash 7" screen stereo system in my truck that has navigation provided by Garmin in a memory card upgradable external hard drive. I'm in love with this thing. The custom POIs and alerts are awesome on this thing with audible and visual alerts when approaching red light and speed cameras and very detailed maps that show a lot of the dirt trails that some of the natural gas rigs I go to are on. So I give Garmin a huge thumbs up, I think the Kenwood system is a Nuvi 660 that's made to be integral with Kenwood's audio system.

I want to mount a very small GPS to my X, with drag bars. I will probably go with something similar in size to what Lux is using, I want it as small as possible. What I need help with is a mounting system. The RAM style stuff is good stuff, but it's just too huge and articulated like Irobot or something for my tastes. Does anyone make anything tiny, that doesn't stretch and reach out with elbows and stuff on it. Something where the portion that has to be left behind when the GPS is off of the bike is very nondescript and even chromed would be the cat's meow.

Any advice for what I'm looking for here?
If you go with the same as mine I can have the Fella who made mine make one for you, you just need to connect the Bracket that came with the unit to it.

Sorry, I've been away from this particular thread for a while. Lux, when I get one I'll shoot you a PM, thanks.

The Kenwood in dash is a direct replacement for the factory double din size stereos, it's a 7 inch touch screen with most of the stereo controls on the screen as well as DVD, navigation, bluetooth, Ipod (Kenwoods ipod controls are dogshite compared to Pioneer or Alpine, but I think the navigation and stereo controls are top notch). I bought all of the stuff online from various places and have under 2K in my entire stereo with new speakers, subwoofer, sirius, navigation, bluetooth, ipod interface, rear view camera and integration with my factory steering wheel audio controls.

http://www.1130cc.com/gallery/files/1/5/6/1/0/100_0385.jpg
http://www.1130cc.com/gallery/files/1/5/6/1/0/100_0386.jpg

All of the software and map updates come from Garmin's website, they provide the navigation for Kenwood.

Rain proofing: head down to your local boat shop and pick up a marine bag. Throw it over the top w/opening at the bottom and it's water proof. These marine bags are 10x as clear as a household zip lock and alot thicker. As far as power, you can wire in a cigar lighter to your battery. Easy enough to do, and there's lots of nooks and cranies on the Rod to hide it.

The Garmin 60C just did my 2800 mile Ft Lauderdale/Daytona run, with two rain 'incidents". No plastic required.

This is a video comparing a few gps units I have Tom Tom 3rd wife has Garmin Not sure of the model but I can say Tom Tom Is much better and half the cost of her Gamin. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/23460293#23460293

This is a video comparing a few gps units I have Tom Tom 3rd wife has Garmin Not sure of the model but I can say Tom Tom Is much better and half the cost of her Gamin. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/23460293#23460293


Right up to when you call them for customer service........

Gotta agree with Dan....Garmin's cust serv is top notch... and My Garmin has been soaked so many times, I can't count.... still works fine

I never needed customer service with Tom Tom but any waiting on the phone for service longer than 20 minutes I would throw Tom Tom right in the trash and buy 2 more.

I do believe that the Point here is being lost on many of you "Non Desert" living folks. The Bike Specific GPS systems with their Water resistance etc....and Hefty $700+ price tags are fine for Most of the people in that They will ride in rain, sleet whatever and that unit will survive. Most people Here do NOT ride in such conditions in that we get 20 days out of 365 that are wet or undesirable (and most of those are in a row, no scattered showers crap) so Here a Tom Tom 1 at $150 is more than we need, more than I need at least in that I know I will lose it or break it eventually and losing a $150 item doesnt sting as much as a $700+ item. It tells me where I am going, I usually have a pretty good Idea where I am going anyways. The need for Bluetooth and all that nonesense is for the Nerds etc.., your on a Bike not a Air force Carrier in the Atlantic doing covert operations, what else are you doing while riding that you need booming voice to tell you to exit in 2 miles? The newest TomTom software and Interface is equally excellent and the best part is that it Updates and works on All of their GPs Systems even mine that is close to 2 years old and they could have very easily Not included my unit to try and get me to upgrade and it works Excellently on a Mac.

I want one, and will take your advice. I am still mopping up the coffee that shot out of my nose when I read of an Air Force Carrier doing covert ops! Must be that secret weapon we have heard about!

Luxlamf exactly the map share works great on Tom Tom. updates every time I hook it up on my computer wifes has no way to update, [at least not as easily as TT]plus it was a 3rd of the cost I don't care what every body gets I just thought the video was cool.

Luxlamf exactly the map share works great on Tom Tom. updates every time I hook it up on my computer wifes has no way to update, [at least not as easily as TT]plus it was a 3rd of the cost I don't care what every body gets I just thought the video was cool.
I agree.Tom Tom is the way to go.

more on RAM MOUNTS (for Tom TOM1) big vs short (courtesy of Lux)

short is a little less ugly IMHO

Hey Guys.. New here... Have the Night Rod Special... Love it.. I was chatting with some of my friends about the GPS systems.. and like a douchebag I thought I had to go with the $799/$699 Garmin/TomTom but, you all make some good points about the cheaper car one.. geez.. I guess you could buy the cheaper one.. and if it gets you through a year or two.. it would be worth it.

Thanx for the great links and info!

Welcome, Resq!

Hey, if you have the means to buy it, then more power to you! You're not going to regret your purchase, I'm sure.

Thanx TexasV-Rod.. all the best!

Yea if I could afford the Tom Tom rider I would own one nice not to have to worry about the rain. And welcome to this great forum

TomTom ONE "3rd edition" on sale at Staples (in SoCal - offers may vary) this week for $139.99 - no mail-in rebate or anything. Never seen it so low. Great deal.

Price still dropping like a lead baloon.
Tom Tom One is $119 this week at Office Depot (with $50 mail in rebate)

http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/462035/TomTom-ONE-Portable-GPS-System/

Price still dropping like a lead baloon.
Tom Tom One is $119 this week at Office Depot (with $50 mail in rebate)

http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/462035/TomTom-ONE-Portable-GPS-System/

For that price you could buy 2 just in case one gets stuck in a rain and gets ruined. ;)

I think their price point is changing as their market is shifting. Many of the new PDA phones have on-board GPS. Garmin and Tom-Tom are the only ones offering decent resident software. Both companies are loosing revenue due to free pocket PC applications from Google and Microsoft.

Positives:
They are free.
They offer more up-to-date maps and live databases.
With RAM's new cases, the PPCs can be made waterproof, even with the touch screens.
With a little creativity, you can have your phone combined with GPS and MP3 player. (see new headsets from Scala and Chatterbox's xbi)


Negatives:
They lack voice guidance and
They require the presence of a data connection for full functionality.
Additional housing required for weather resistant environment


If the data connection thing is a problem, you can always use the PPC software from Tom-tom and Garmin.

The quest for convergence continues!

I like to be able to can a route on the PC and download it. And the Garmin is definitely waterproof.

Went to Office Depot - got one! $119.95 after rebate. Thanks for the tip, and the thread. Joe

I use this and think it is useful it would be to plan and share favorite routes

http://www.janboersma.nl/gett/help/


my TomTom 1 came with a power cable and powers up as soon as the bike is turned on.

Went to Office Depot - got one! $119.95 after rebate. Thanks for the tip, and the thread. Joe
You're welcome. Glad it worked for you.
They'll probably be $99 next week or next month but hey, you got to jump in at some stage.
I still think, after many months and in spite of the new, fancier, models etc that this is a great GPS system. Still "the best for the money"!

:angeldev: Kinda like the guys who paid 30K for a VROD? I look forward to playing with this. Joe

Hey guys, Have you looked into the Magellan roadmate 2200t?
It's Got text to speech navigation, touchscreen, most of the features you like and most of all it's WATERPROOF!
Check it out:
http://www.autonavdirect.com/request-1-413.htmlhttp://

I just bought one from ebay, after doing my research, I narrowed it down to the Garmin nuvi 350, 360 and the roadmate 2200t, I opted for the 2200t bec. of the waterproof/ rainproof design. I'll post further comments once I receive it. Price is way better than the zumo and tomtom rider, $129-140 for a refurbished unit.:)

Ok, like I said above, I will post comments once I got the Magellan 2200t GPS. I've only had it for a few days. I had it mounted on the bike using an optional RAM mount. First impressions, It worked right out of the box, no need to download detailed maps, or connect to your PC. I was amazed at how quickly it was able to acquire a signal (within 30 secs-cold start) indoors. It's so easy to use, and has a built in SD card reader, MP3 player, pic viewer, POI"s etc. It's supposed to be Waterproof to IPX4 standards. The weather here has been warm and humid, but the GPS functioned well, and this picture I took was around noon, in direct sunlight, as you can see daylight readability is great. Overall, it's the best $140 bucks I've ever spent.:)
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e8/knightenforcer/magellangps.jpg

Ok, like I said above, I will post comments once I got the Magellan 2200t GPS. I've only had it for a few days. I had it mounted on the bike using an optional RAM mount. First impressions, It worked right out of the box, no need to download detailed maps, or connect to your PC. I was amazed at how quickly it was able to acquire a signal (within 30 secs-cold start) indoors. It's so easy to use, and has a built in SD card reader, MP3 player, pic viewer, POI"s etc. It's supposed to be Waterproof to IPX4 standards. The weather here has been warm and humid, but the GPS functioned well, and this picture I took was around noon, in direct sunlight, as you can see daylight readability is great. Overall, it's the best $140 bucks I've ever spent.:)
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e8/knightenforcer/magellangps.jpg

still holding up?

Yes, definitely!, I have the extra mount for the car, so I use it back and forth on both. I like the fact that it announces the street / road names. Money well spent for me.:)

I'm liking this setup. It has a chip for music, XM radio for traffic, weather and bluesville (channel 74), and the full Garmin panoplay of functions. Comes with a car kit as well. A bit expensive, but it eliminated all the other gadgets I had bolted on. I'll be trying to link it to the bluetooth on my iPod touch when it comes in.

http://daniii.smugmug.com/photos/392295096_K3jgZ-S.jpg

This may be a little late, but, I took the charger cable from my trickle charger and cut the alligator clips off, and placed ring end connectors to each. Then, attached to battery posts and placed the charging attachment ends to placed easy to hook up for charge. Be sure to keep Postive to Positive. No big deal, used on my fatboy and vrsese

I wired in a Roadmate 2200, it worked great, just in bright sunlight, I couldn't see the screen. So, I bought and installed a Garmin Nuvi 270 which is supposed to have a really bright screen. I rode once with it, it was evening time but the screen was far brighter and easier to see, IMHO.

http://i361.photobucket.com/albums/oo58/Robs-Rod/DSC02045.jpg

The Magellan above.

http://i361.photobucket.com/albums/oo58/Robs-Rod/DSC02154.jpg

Poor picture of the Garmin.

Steve

The Nuvi is quite visible in full sunlight. I'm liking it.

I connect one of these to the tender for multipurpose use.
http://www.1130cc.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=48895&catid=member&imageuser=17430

I connect one of these to the tender for multipurpose use.
http://www.1130cc.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=48895&catid=member&imageuser=17430


I didn't want to have wires and plugs exposed so I mounted the same thing inside the airbox and installed a power switch on the horn cover. It's hard-wired to the battery with an in-line fuse.

http://i361.photobucket.com/albums/oo58/Robs-Rod/DSC02033.jpg

http://i361.photobucket.com/albums/oo58/Robs-Rod/DSC02150.jpg

Steve

The in line fuse is a must, forgot to mention. Under the seat is agreat idea, new to v rod, my fatboy is under the seat with easy pullout. Don't like to exposed portion either. Will Modify to under the seat, great idea

The power cord that came with the GPS unit has a fuse in it, That's sufficient

Steve

Update: My Garmin C60 once again (third time) had the rubber power switch fail to operte as intended -UV light seems to degrade the rubber. I complained to Customer Service, and they said my warranty is finally out of date. But for $75, they would refurbish it like new. So after my last run with it (on a rental out of San Diego), I sent it back as directed.

Received a completely new unit (with my old batteries!) in the mail yesterday. Manual, accessories, etc.

The C60 uses a $12 handlebar clip (which works on the Ultra I rented, although the angle was bad, but visible in most light). It has lots of great features, but detailed maps for the intended route need to be downloaded for each 1200 mile (or so ) segment. It runs on batteries, which are easily replaced, so it can be installed on a rental (unlike the Zumo).

So I give it a thumbs up.

(I'll keep the power switch out of direct sunlight in the future, when possible).

Daniii, Hijacking this thread for a moment. What with all your stuff you have installed I am looking for a small Voltage meter I can use to monitor my Sonar Fuel gauge sensor. You know of any I can mount on the handle bars or some other obvious place. 0-12/14 volts should be sufficient.

Kuryakyn makes an inexpensive LED voltage gauge. I used one for a while before I got the V-Gauge. I'd send it to you if I could find it....

Kuryakyn makes an inexpensive LED voltage gauge. I used one for a while before I got the V-Gauge. I'd send it to you if I could find it....
Thanks, I will look into that.

I was thinking about using one to monitor the voltage output of my Sonar Gas Gauge sending unit. (2007 VRSCX)
My Dakota Digital gauges do not support Sonar output from the sending unit, just the old ball and stick style.

I'm liking this setup. It has a chip for music, XM radio for traffic, weather and bluesville (channel 74), and the full Garmin panoplay of functions. Comes with a car kit as well. A bit expensive, but it eliminated all the other gadgets I had bolted on. I'll be trying to link it to the bluetooth on my iPod touch when it comes in.

http://daniii.smugmug.com/photos/392295096_K3jgZ-S.jpg

Does the car kit have an additional antenna that is more compact that will also allow me to use XM radio from vehicle to vehicle? I tend to move from one vehicle to another quite often and it becomes quite troublesome having so many electronic devices.

Thanks,
Dan

Does the car kit have an additional antenna that is more compact that will also allow me to use XM radio from vehicle to vehicle? I tend to move from one vehicle to another quite often and it becomes quite troublesome having so many electronic devices.

Thanks,
Dan

The XM antenna/receiver is actually magnetic, and they provide a steel plate for mounting it on the bike. Seems solid enough that I don't need to screw it down (also an option). There is an extension cord for the XM antenna as part of the kit, so putting it on the car would be easy (assuming its not a Corvette).

Since that picture was taken, I moved the GPS to the other side, near the handlebar, for easier access. I also covered the antenna with black tape so it wasn't quite as obvious.

Thanks for the info. I could only get so much info from the Garmin website.

I made my own stainless steel mount for my Garmin on my "F", and I also used a Garmin for my last bike, this is the car version and I never had any problems with either. Here's the link http://www.1130cc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=111947

Kuryakyn makes an inexpensive LED voltage gauge. I used one for a while before I got the V-Gauge. I'd send it to you if I could find it....

Danii,
I just looked at the Kuryakyn gauge. It only monitors for 8-12 volts. I need one that will monitor for 0-12 volts since the Sonar units puts out something like 3 - 10 volts? or some where in that range. I will need to look that up.

I was considering the Garmin Zumo, but I actually enjoy getting lost.

But, I do have a nuvi 360 for my car, and hardly use it on my bike. But for those trips where I really don't want to get lost, I usually type in my destination, lock the device, plug in some earphones and throw the device in my jacket pocket. I don't have a visual but have a turn by turn voiced navi. It works fine, when i get to my destination, i can then change for my next destination.

Lavrod,
Are you still using your Nuvi 360 the same way? I'm thinking of doing the same as you. What do you mean when you say locking the device? Does your earphone have a cord going to the nuvi in your pocket or do you have something that's cordless? Thanks
0992

Magellan 2200, no problem with bright sunlight.(brightness can be adjusted "wink") But I do think that it's the way you mounted it. Looking at your pics, it's almost like it's facing the sky?, mine is mounted/ tilted towards my view. Also the roadmate is rated for waterproof. Dont get me wrong I do love my other Garmin gps.:)

I wired in a Roadmate 2200, it worked great, just in bright sunlight, I couldn't see the screen. So, I bought and installed a Garmin Nuvi 270 which is supposed to have a really bright screen. I rode once with it, it was evening time but the screen was far brighter and easier to see, IMHO.

http://i361.photobucket.com/albums/oo58/Robs-Rod/DSC02045.jpg

The Magellan above.

http://i361.photobucket.com/albums/oo58/Robs-Rod/DSC02154.jpg

Poor picture of the Garmin.

Steve