GPS on bikes

That is what I use a GPS unit for. After getting lost a few times in the Twin Cities trying to get to the staging point for PGR missions I picked one up. It beats the heck out of trying to read a mapquest map while I am riding.

looking for adventure

and whatever comes our way? . GPS?. to each there own I guess. But keeping it simple is what I think it is about too. Needing to be somewhere on time could be a good use for one, I guess that earpiece thing sounds helpful too. I am not close to retiremtent myself.
When I take off on a ride I ain't got nothing but time, sure I gotta get back to the family or the job but I always manage to find my way home. We are not all are in the same boat, but if starts getting to technical then it ain't fun to me anymore. Trying to get away from that as often as I can.
Later,
Voo1

Nice mounts , also the camera mounts are nice.

I have a Garmin ZUMO 550 on a detachable mount on my Deluxe. When I am in an area I am familair with I do not have it on the bike. What I enjoy about the Garmin is riding anywhere I wish without worry as to how I will get home. I just hit Home on the screen and it gives me the shortest or the fastest route home. You have to be careful if you choose the shortest route, for it will take you down a gravel road or send you down a road that crosses a creek without the aid of a bridge. The Garmin is waterproof and vibration proof and this model is designed for a motorcycle. It also will tell you all the lodging and food in the area you are in. It is a good feeling when you are in places you have never been to know you are going where you intended to go. Always remove the GPS and stick it in your pocket when you leave the bike or some S O B will have your toy. I recommend the Garmin website to see the features you want on your GPS. I looked at the Tom Tom and the quality is no where near the Garmin.
Jim

On yer bike you need to git a GPS made for it. That means shock proof and water proof. So if you want it to last consider shopin the internet and git something made good.'
I got the Zumo 550 with the handlebar mount and car kit. It works great. You can blue tooth yer cell phone into it and you will see on the screen when somebody calls and if its important you can pull over.
I also have the Nolan N102 Helment that is set for headphones so you can hear directions besides lookin at the red line showing you where to go.
Nolan has the best setup for puttin in the helments also

Nolan

They have a new N103 helment that is better.

Bought my wife 4 helments before I got her a Nolan N102. she likes it better than any helment she has ever had.
I can't always see the street names on the screen at my age and need my glassed for reading that.

Whatever you do make sure you keep yer eyes on the road and don't git too distracted.

Oh yea !

The Zumo 550 come with the car kit and the motorcycle kit which meant the handle bar mount. It also comes with a Cd for map plannin.

You can use the memory card and use it to put planned routed in it.

Amazon.com: Garmin Zumo 550 Portable GPS Vehicle/Motorcycle Navigation System w/ 3.5" LCD w/ Touchscreen (0100056700) 4GB SD / HC Secure Digital Memory Card + MORE! BigVALUEInc Accessory Saver Bundle: Electronics

Streetpilot III

HI All
Two things.
1. You can pick up a streetpilot III Garmin Marine and ram mounts on ebay for peanuts these days. Yes they are old but they do the job and a 100% water proof.

2. Set your home location as the nearest Cop Shop to your home that way if someone robs it, you know where they are going and its not your empty house and you can let your local cops know too expect them.

Aye Charlie

heard something today pretty cool about GPS

This was on a car. A co-worker was telling me today he was following his Bro- in-law over the weekend in his car. The Bro-inlaw had a new car. my co worker said all of a sudden the Bro in Law stopped. A dear came out of the woods/ditch, and onto the road. The Bro in law later said that his new GPS had red lights on the side of it coming on in a row telling him to stop. Never saw the dear coming onto the road (night time but something in all that GPS and stuff on his car detected the deer's mass. later on they(co-worker and his bro in law) were walking back and forth in front of the car's sensors and setting off the lights and alarms. Pretty cool. Not so much GPS as senors I suppose but that I might like on a bike.

You can still go whereever you want to ride, GPS reroute itself.
If you want to stay OLD SCHOOL forever then don't go with newer stuff that simply make life easier.
GPS gives you a bearing of where you are, It can always git you out, 1st thing you do is set a go home location
If you git low on gas you can have it to show you the closest gas station. If yer like me make sure you take yer reading glasses with you so you can read the smaller stuff on a screen.

GPS gives you the opportunity that you can git on yer computer and plan a route and load it on a memory chip or save it in the GPS and follow the route.
I've gone down dirt roads in the country with it.
It takes a little time to learn them but they are only a added tool for yer tool box with the capabilites.
Life is only as easy on you as you let it.
I've used GPS units in service trucks for about 10 yrs. They will take you to a location and you can tell it to take you home and don't worry about which way to turn, just follow its route to you fnd out where you are.

Another advantage to a GPS. How many times have been someplace and you liked to go back but have now idea where it was? With the GPS you can bookmark places that you have found.

finally remembered to ask

It is an 08 accord.

Too many times....I don`t have a GPS, but, with all the thoughts in this thread....I think I might need one...If they will run through the head set I wouldn`t have to take my eyes off the road.....don`t like to fiddle while driving (cage or bike)

Thats fine. For over twenty years I never had one and thought I would never need one. Still don't need one but thought I could use a toy to play with. I am actually finding new and more interesting ways to go to places without having to get on a beltway. Map or GPS doesn't really matter, one just fits more easily in the pocket.

Got a buddy that is a civilian with the military, he's in communications.
He got a Tom Tom Rider 2 yrs ago.
Its the one that will work in the car or motorcycle. He got it cause he got a deal on it and he didn't want to spend the money on a Zumo. His cradle mount on the motorcycle has quit charging the Tom Tom while on the motorcycle. He called Tom Tom and they don't sell just the cradle mount. So now he has a 2 yr old unit he can use as long as its charged.
He's checked the whole cradle unit out , there are no fuses and it has power coming to it.
Sometimes we try to save money but in the end wind up spending more money.

Oh yea we rode yesterday to college station and ate at FreeBirds. We stopped by the Harley dealer and they had a gps unit with their name on it.
It was the same unit as my Zumo 550.

Normally I don't use or want a GPS on my bike but every now and then I have a specific place to go that I need directions. I just use the suction cup that came with the GPS a stick it on my odometer glass. Easy on, easy off.

I am sorta leaning toward getting one for the bike, but, I have found some of the best rides was when I was lost and wanting to get back on the road to where I wanted to go.....And on the other hand would be nice when lost just to have something to put you back on the right road....Long rides we have maped out before we start and we still get lost....Great thing about this thread and the thing we all agree on is that as long as we are on the bike it is GREAT!!!! Lost or not!!

I have the Zumo 550 also. This is a web site you might like.

ZumoForums