Planning on a few longer trips next season, looking to pick up a GPS during the holiday sales. Tired of using the phone for directions. Currently looking at a couple different ones...

Garmin Zumo 665LM

Garmin Zumo 390LM

TomTom Rider 400

I want something easy to use (I already know the basics of Garmin GPS), need good visibility and a mounting system that doesn't require a huge effort to install or remove.

They're all similarly priced (a lot) and seem to share similar features except for the Garmin 665 which also has an XM radio. The radio itself brings up a couple questions...

How well does it work? Similar reception to a car? Where and how does the antenna mount?

Really just looking for any real world experience with any of these units.

Thanks!

 

On a related note, anyone using a regular car GPS in one of those water proof covers? I'm thinking the big problem with this is going to be visibility in sunlight. How bad is it? Sure would be helluva lot cheaper...

 

I have the 390lm and really like it.

 

Thanks guys. Seems Santa bought me a 660. We'll see

 

I have the previous generation TomTom Rider, which we use in the car! With some of the weather we've ridden in I wouldn't trust a car gps, much better the other way around. As for installation I don't like the stock mounting systems I've seen and bought a much better one from eglidegoodies, who have a wide range.

 

Here's what I did. Had a older Garmin Nuvi 255W that's been sitting on a bookshelf for almost 2 years since it was replaced with a larger Garmin that's used in the cages. Decided it would work perfectly on my newly purchased FLHX. When I purchased my windshield bag, I made sure it had Velcro closures. Applied a Velcro strip to the back of the old Garmin, updated the maps and stuck it on. Works perfectly for me, when not in use it fits in the windshield bag. Best part is that it didn't cost me much. Hope this helps your thought process.

 

The two Garmins I've tried that were used in my vehicle before, I had problems using in bright sunlight.

 

I used to use a Garmin LM50 that I have for the car. I now use my iphone with the Waze app. I have the Iron Aces Road Glide mount, but mostly I simply plug my destination in, plug the iphone into the CD port in the stereo and toss the iphone in the glovebox. I listen to the directions as well as road hazards through the stereo.

 

+1 for the WAZE app on my phone.
I use a large Ram Mount for my Iphone 6+.

 

i have the garmin 665 it works great except battery life to short as stand alone if you hard wire it fine but i do not have it hard wired . i am also not computer literate so all its bells and whistles are beyond my need and skill level. no problems in the sun directions always accurate having the pre set harley dealers great . i am looking to sell it and get a gps with less bells and whistles and one with longer battery life as stand alone. if you hard wire it and now how house all the bells in whistle then a good gps