General topics » Cheap Satnav

Anybody have any experience of, or use some of the cheap satnav units now creeping onto the market? Or use a car one inside the map pocket on the tank bag to waterproof it? Elderly TomTom Rider is showing it's age, and loath to spend £300 to replace.

I used a $100 Nuvi for a couple years.
I could not read it when it was laying flat in a tank bag window.
No problems when it was in a mount during lite rains.
I removed it from the mount during down pours.

I have had a "TomTom start 25" from Tesco for 5 years, map of Europe and free updates.
I would certainly buy the current Start 52 (Currys have them for £89.99) but check it included free map updates.
Only thing I bought was a cheap waterproof cycle satnav holder around a tenner and that was fine over 10,000 mile across Europe.
I still take it now as my spare, in panniers, having had a wheel control failure north of the arctic circle and carrying no maps.
Also consider 'maps me' free download if you also take any ipad/kindle as a local use guide.

Zitat von Dave H im Beitrag #4

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Also consider 'maps me' free download if you also take any ipad/kindle as a local use guide.

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The GPS Store has a Garmin Zumo 396 LMT on sale for $235 shipped.
US members may be interested in this unit.

https://www.thegpsstore.com/Garmin-zumo-...QxoC6DsQAvD_BwE

The car satnavs are generally not able to have pre-planned routes loaded onto them, and are more suitable for simple A to B journeys. If you want to plan a route in any detail and pre-determine the roads you take for maximum motorcycling pleasure, then a dedicated motorcycle satnav would be better. Best of all in my opinion is using a phone based satnav app, though it's a little more effort to install as you will need a powerful charger to avoid a flat battery before the end of long ride, possibly a waterproof case if the phone is not waterproof, which can cause overheating issues, and a suitable mount - I use the Quadlock mount attached to a strong and tight fitting rear cover on my phone.

There are quite a few apps that are suitable, though they vary a lot in features. I have the latest TomTom for Android which can have routes transferred to it via the MyDrive feature, though it will normally involve several steps depending on what program you use to design your routes. However the app I prefer and use most of the time is the Myroute route planning app together with the MyRoute satnav app. I like this combination because the route planning and navigation is extremely well integrated and you can do route planning on a PC or on the phone which is handy for doing quick mods to a route while out and about. Routes are automatically made available to both PC and phone via the Myroute website where you do the PC based route planning, but like the maps, routes can be permanently downloaded to the phone so that you can be completely independent of phone signal coverage.

Zitat von fred_jb im Beitrag #7

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The car satnavs are generally not able to have pre-planned routes loaded onto them, and are more suitable for simple A to B journeys. .

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Was really thinking about either the very cheap ( rubbish?) ones you see advertised, or using a cheapo Garmin car unit, but sticking it in one of the waterproof covers that are advertised.
Anybody tried this?

Zitat von JimmyO im Beitrag #9

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Anybody tried this?

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I got a Navigator VI with my new bike 2 weeks ago, but before that I was using Google Maps on an Android phone (Samsung S8+) held with a RAM mount.
Navigator VI is near perfect, just wish it had the better traffic info from Google Maps. Gamin Link app is free for traffic, but not as good (accuracy or timeliness).

Pros of using Google Maps on a phone:
Live traffic is the best (accuracy and timeliness). Better than other services like that of Garmin, which are about 15 min outdated.
Route efficiency is highest, with easy re-routing when traffic changes by showing alternate routes graphically.
Free.
Easy to plan routes on Google maps on a desktop and then send to your phone.
Easy to share routes, like the ride I did yesterday.

Cons:
Phone may not respond to touches with gloves (list of solutions)
Must remove phone to prevent theft, when parked in public areas.
Phone not designed for vibration from motorcycle.
Phone may suffer from excessive rain.
Good idea to tether your phone. Glad I did after a pothole kicked it out of its holder.

Good rides.

Only thing I bought was a cheap waterproof cycle satnav holder around a tenner and that was fine over 10,000 mile across Europe.

Thanks Dave H. I'm going to go this way having previously put my car sat-nav in the map pocket of my Givi tankbag, but that sits too close to read on the move. Can you tell me where you mount yours?

Both my satnav and camera are mounted (at different times) on the mirror arm, just used some self-amalgamating tape to level up the taper on the arm.
I think the secondary action of a wad of tape is to reduce any vibration.
This was Norway last year.
P1000532.JPG - Bild entfernt (keine Rechte)

Although I have satnav V due to a failure on the rotary switch 2017 10 miles from Arctic circle I now carry the old satnav and case as back-up, losing satnav was not something to repeat.

Does anyone have direct experience with the Wonderlinq? Seems like an excellent option for cheap satnav through my phone/ googlemaps. Also if you do have experience, it is possible/reasonable to mount a RAM ball to the Wonderlinq, to use as a phone holder?


link to Wonderlinq: https://blackboxembedded.com/