GPS units

I don't use one , my -bro-law gave me one & it's under the back seat of my truck ,I use the point & go method ole cardboard know the best ones to use

If I had to have one then either the Garmen like CB has or the Harley one but then I don't have to have one and won't. I'm sure either CB or HRK will give you some good pointers.

I would only use one around a city , don't try to use one out on the road /hwy they put you in places you never thought about & send you the long way there , or have a map to go with it

A cell phone gps helps but can't really use it on the bike while riding. We did find that on several occasions on the trip I did back east that in the city the gps helped but on several occasions out in the country it would route us wrong. Got to be carful with em as there have been people where the darn gps told them to go a certain route only to wind up stranded in the snow. Wanted to take em the shortest route. A few that happened to here in Oregon some died. They are just a tool and you really need to know not only how to use them but also their limitations.
I use a 105.00 Garmen in my vehicle for doing home inspections in certain neighborhoods finding some homes but I also print a map of the area from google maps just in case, yea I've needed to use those maps on more than one occasion.

There are some distinct advantages to a GPS, specifically one mounted to and designed for motorcycles. The HD Roadtech is basically the Garmin Zumo Line and it has features that you will like, Buttons that can be depressed with a glove on, large Icons, all the dealer locations loaded (handy for a stop or if you need help)

The mounts from HD for these have wires that interface to the Radio, using HD's NIM (Nav Interface Module) the Road Techs have signals setup they send when they need to give you directions, the NIM sees this, cuts into your music, cb chatter, Ipod or Radio playing, gives the instructions and then allows the radio to return to normal function.

Off the shelf Garmins cannot do this NIM interface including the Zumo's it has to be a Road tech.

This is important if you like XM, or Radio or have an Ipod module hooked up to the Aux input for music in order to hear the GPS commands through your radio speakers or headset.

If you go non HD GPS then you need to hook it up to the Aux input and at this point you loose, CB, XM, Ipod, Radio use, so if you go this route you want a GPS that has
the ability to play MP3 files if you like your tunes. Then the GPS will act like the HD and interrupt music play to give you a route change.

You still won't have the other radio features at the same time, and you will loose GPS
routing by voice if you switch input to say CB to chat with someone you are riding with, and will have to convert back to AUX for the GPS.

If you don't care about prompts then any GPS will mount, just get a ram mount for the bars a 1 inch arm and the correct mount for your model, BTW Droid GPS routing smokes Iphones, and is free, if you have an Iphone you have to pay for true GPS routing. And even though CB uses the Mapping software that gives directions it's no
where near a real GPS units functions. It doesn't signal turns, it won't tell you it's recalculating routes, its like having the google map page up on the phone and you
have to read the instructions. JMO not safe or user friendly on a bike...

If you are budget minded find a zumo 550, older models sell for much less,
the new 665 has XM, mp3, gps and weather built in along with blue tooth so you
could run off it and have a J&M bluetooth headset in your helmet, and if you have a
bluetooth phone, connect it together, take calls, listen to XM, get prompts so it's more than just GPS.

The other advantage is like my last trip, we used it to route, turned off highways, dirt roads etc, and it found some fantastic back roads that we'd never have taken, and it kept us on track to our destination...

Especially when it rains


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Why it's work for many years & a map is easy to read while your stopped for gas or pee , & that why you can look around at the great sites on roads sides

Not at all JB like cowboy said it's worked for years and it can give you a broader picture many times. The maps you get through HOG are an excellent choice to carry with you even if you have a Gps.

there are a bunch of old schoolers on here...........and a bunch of techies.........ya gonna get answers from both.........just like the helmet issues............."let those that ride decide"................

Amen to that, just don't leave home without your map:roflmao:

Maps are fine, and you can haul them around,
make notes, when and where to ride and turn
and use them to plan routes.

GPS (expensive or cheapo) are good too,
advantages are they remember your route (ya old farts
know what I mean about remembering stuff LOL) turn where, shidt
now I gotta go 20 miles back.... LOL

GPS helps you stay on route, and if you deviate, it will
still help you get where you want to go, you don't have to stay
on the route selected, just ride anywhere you want and it will
still get you home/hotel/party.

GPS has gas stations, choke and pukes, HD dealers
and one of my favorites, Known Enforcement, Speed Traps
and camera light intersections, got a free POI (Point of INterest) file
from Trapster dot com and input in the GPS.

Now when I roll up on one of these areas I get a popup on the screen and
a verbal warning of the impending ticket zone...

Or it will tell me there's a DQ coming up for a quick snack...

I guess CB could put in Redneck Budweiser stops.....

All good and fine HRK, however in Virginia when we were trying to get up to the Blue Ridge Parkway the darn GPS on my friends bike it kept taking us in the wrong direction. I finally got him to pull over to discover that we were way off tack. He said yea but this what the GPS said how to get there. We told him to shut it off. Got directions from a local minister who said "you boys done took a wrong turn, somewhere". Three hours later we arrived on the Parkway, where my sister in NC had told us about and how to get there. We simply used maps after that. Worked fine. We did use the GPS again trying to manuver our way through the road contraction in Salt Lake City.