It's probably been asked before but here goes: I'm looking for suggestions for a GPS that I can switch back and forth between bike and car. I'm verry good with directions but I'm looking for something that can help me out with rural roads for those long weekend runs. Price is a factor so I'm looking for a unit that offers basic mapping. I don't need bells & whistles.

Thanks

 

Why carry a gps and a phone? Buy a droid. Problem solved.

 

Not trying to be a smart a$$, but if price is a factor, save up until you can afford a Garmin Zumo 550 or 660.

They are made to take vibration and are pretty much waterproof. Using it is intuitive compared to a Megellan I used and the POS navigation unit in my Subaru. You can use "avoidances" to stay off interstates and major highways if you want. The controls are easy to use when on the bike.

Both come with a cradle for mounting in a vehicle that has a speaker to get audible directions. To get the cradle, buy from Garmin rather than purchasing the HD unit. This GPS is perfect for what you are looking for (except for the price).

The Zumo 550 is pricey but I have been very pleased with the setup both on the bike and in the truck.

 

+ 1 for the Zumo. I have the 550. I didn't think I needed all the bells and whistles either. I only decided to pay the extra dollars for the vibration and rain resistance, but I use more and more of it's features as time goes buy. Other than the price, it is GREAT.

Dennis

 

+1 for the Zumo 550. Very good unit and has a ton of features plus it's PC based.

 

Take a look at
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?...SERIES_NUVI500 it is waterproof, touch screen works with gloves on, reasonable price and a pretty good unit. I have had mine for about a year and no problems at all.

 

I use a Tomtom XL330 with a Ram Mount holder and it works real good. Seen a few on Ebay going for around $110. Like the Garmin, the Tomtom is very user friendly. Ran a smaller version for years without problem then I switch to this only only because I wanted the wide screen. It has a big speaker on the back and I can hear instruction clearly over my Monster Ovals if the radio is not playing too loud. Since Ram Mount didn't make the cradle for this gps model at the time of purchase, I bought the Tomtom ONE XL cradle instead. I only need to mout the cradle upside-down and it works perfectly. It hold the gps tight. If I encounter rain, I put a clear Ziploc bag over it. I will make a leather and clear vinyl cover for it someday. Sure, it's not made for motorcycles but for the money...

 

I have the Zumo 450 (older - no bluetooth) and use it for GPS and as my accessory MP3 player - only issue I have is that when the GPS recalculates, it interrupts the tunes. Waterproof (yup, I tested it) and works just fine.

 

I use a Garmin 265wt with no issues so far.

 

I got the Zumo 550, great unit, got caught in many rainstorms and held up very good unit. Like the route planing, use that feature alot