What motorbike Sat Nav?

[Scootabout]

GPS quirks. Oh yes. And not content with the quirks they already have, manufacturers (Garmin, at least) introduce new ones with new models. So, for my Garmin 396 (I've previously owned a Quest and a Zumo 220), here are my notes for quirks in it:

1. Route planning on PC
'Here' maps to plan route. V careful where locate points.
Connector?
Use track when saving .gpx.
Change navigation setting &/or turn off recalc to avoid straight lines (then change back).
Keep start & end points apart.
Choose 'go to start' [unless doing reverse route (????)]
(Consider turn off avoidances.)
(Consider use car mode.)
(Consider set navigation to fastest.)
Plug into charger when converting track to route.

2. Route planning on device
Trip planner:
Choosing skip town centre can result in new route!

3. Speed
Consider deleting contents of archive folder, using PC/Chromebook, or Where I've Been/history.

For all that, I still use it. It's rugged, waterproof and wired into the bike. And it may have quirks, but they are 'my' quirks

[Trinity765]

GPS quirks. Oh yes. And not content with the quirks they already have, manufacturers (Garmin, at least) introduce new ones with new models. So, for my Garmin 396 (I've previously owned a Quest and a Zumo 220), here are my notes for quirks in it:

1. Route planning on PC
'Here' maps to plan route. V careful where locate points.
Connector?
Use track when saving .gpx.
Change navigation setting &/or turn off recalc to avoid straight lines (then change back).
Keep start & end points apart.
Choose 'go to start' [unless doing reverse route (????)]
(Consider turn off avoidances.)
(Consider use car mode.)
(Consider set navigation to fastest.)
Plug into charger when converting track to route.

2. Route planning on device
Trip planner:
Choosing skip town centre can result in new route!

3. Speed
Consider deleting contents of archive folder, using PC/Chromebook, or Where I've Been/history.

For all that, I still use it. It's rugged, waterproof and wired into the bike. And it may have quirks, but they are 'my' quirks

I have my Garmin set to "Auto-recalculate Prompted" as I prefer to get myself back on route. If I use the method below for importing routes it doesn't matter what route preferences the satnav is set to, it will keep the route as I planned it.

I plan the route on myrouteapp and upload to the Garmin.
When I turn the Garmin on it asks me if I want to import it - I say "no".
I go to the TRACK and click "Show route on map" (so I can see both the route and the track when navigating) and then "Convert to trip", "Start to finish" and then "rename". It is then in the Trip Planner exactly as intended and if it isn't, I could tell because the route line and the track line will be different (but that's never happened).

I only use Basecamp for looking at my history and as above, I delete it regularly.

[Scootabout]

I have my Garmin set to "Auto-recalculate Prompted" as I prefer to get myself back on route. If I use the method below for importing routes it doesn't matter what route preferences the satnav is set to, it will keep the route as I planned it.

I plan the route on myrouteapp and upload to the Garmin.
When I turn the Garmin on it asks me if I want to import it - I say "no".
I go to the TRACK and click "Show route on map" (so I can see both the route and the track when navigating) and then "Convert to trip", "Start to finish" and then "rename". It is then in the Trip Planner exactly as intended and if it isn't, I could tell because the route line and the track line will be different (but that's never happened).

I only use Basecamp for looking at my history and as above, I delete it regularly.

I think I do something similar, although I'm not sure the steps are quite the same. I forgot to mention the point about starting with a track, then converting it to a route. Otherwise the device will recalculate it and you don't necessarily get the exact route you specified.

But I think my point stands: there is a hell of a lot of stuff you need to work out to be able to use these things effectively - unless you're happy to just set a destination then blindly follow it.

[Cousin Jack]

Most useful thing about sat nav is that it tells you where you are.
You (should) know were you want to go.
After that it is easy.

Seriously, the trip that convinced me that I really needed a sat nav was when I was lost (in the Black Forest) and didn't have a clue where I was within about 50 miles. When I did find where I was I was the wrong side of Switzerland.

[asmethurst99]

I have Beeline as well -I’m waiting to try it out on a circular sort of trip through Essex - in town it seemed a bit slow but I was on my route to work so it wasn’t
a fair test .
Was slightly fiddly to set up and pair (pairs all the time it’s on it seems)
I was meaning to do a write up - just haven’t used it yet
All part of my plan to ride more

Used it properly for the first time yesterday - short route through the Essex badlands (out on the a127 then head north final destination North Weald so i sort of knew where i was going)
Needs to be mounted so its in your vision as it quite small and this can make it hard to read.
I set the mount up with cable ties to the screen brace on the CBR -
But it used hardly any power either the device or the iphone it was paired to- so useful if you don't have a power take off .
A map is useful though as CJ says - you need to get your phone out for that.
I'll have another crack at it soon- but i'll read the instructions first .

[Bigyin]

I bought a second hand Garmin Zumo 590LM off the Bay of E as my bike was already fitted with a mount but previous owner kept the Nav Unit for his new bike. Mine is on a fairly neat mount and easily accessible and easy to use with gloves on in any weather. I use basecamp for route planning but am still not proficient with it and need more practise to get used to the Garmin quirks. I have it mounted on long trips but i mostly know where i am going to most places and use the satnav to take me off the regular routes and often end up on single track roads with gravel and grass down the middle



This post reminded me i need to plug it in and update it as a message flagged up when i was out playing yesterday

[scottyuk]

My Zumo 595 replacement has arrived: Zumo XT

I'll prob install it tomorrow but I've been playing with it the last couple of evenings. It's not a 595 with more. It's got some key improvements (speed, pinch to zoom, bright screen, screen size, pics from road side traffic cams, etc, etc) but there are many things which have gone. The adventurous routing is not a single slider where before you could break it down into curves, elevation, etc and there's some other weird nuances.

When the side pop ups are on screen they're so big you actually have less map displayed than the 595. I think I'll be happy with it just on performance but I need to relearn bits after having a 590/595 for so long.

p.s. Anyone after a 595 with mounting for two bikes and a Zumo lock?

[GuzziPaul]

I use TYRE for planning routes on my Garmin, it uses Google maps which is nice, however the biggest problem I have is when I upload the route to my Garmin. I've planned a 100 mile route for a ride tomorrow and it has about 10 waypoints on the PC screen, but when I load it onto the Garmin and review the map there will be 100s of waypoints obscuring the route. This seems to be totally random and I've not yet sussed what causes this. Sometimes it works out fine with only the waypoints I have plotted, other times 110s of flags.
The route for tomorrow is actually and edited version of one I've already used. The original was to Hunstanston and back as one file, but I broke it up to Home to Hunstanton and then a new route Hunstanton to Home. The original file was fine with about 20 waypoints. The two new file have about 2000 waypoints.

[weeksy]

p.s. Anyone after a 595 with mounting for two bikes and a Zumo lock?

Tentative maybe.... tell me more big fella.

[scottyuk]

I've removed the cradle from the 1290GT but not yet from the Blackbird.
Have one weather cap for a cradle
Have a genuine Garmin case which is hardly used
Also have a Zumolock - whilst I wouldn't leave the unit on the bike all day as it's a temptation, the Zumolock stops people lifting it off at the work car park or whilst fueling etc etc.
The unit was bought as a 590 and updated to a 595 three years ago. It gets all the map updates, etc via Garmin Express.
Have a couple of batteries as I thought the first was failing. Turns out these units have a small cable issue which can be fixed (web pages on it) to avoid the short time on battery but mine has always lived on the bike so never an issue for me.
It works fine and gets traffic, weather, etc via a BT connection to your phone.
Never dropped so looks like new.

I fancied the XT despite the 595 working fine just for the performance increase, pinch to zoom and screen quality.

[Scootabout]

My Zumo 595 replacement has arrived: Zumo XT

... It's not a 595 with more. It's got some key improvements (speed, pinch to zoom, bright screen, screen size, pics from road side traffic cams, etc, etc) but there are many things which have gone. The adventurous routing is not a single slider where before you could break it down into curves, elevation, etc and there's some other weird nuances.

When the side pop ups are on screen they're so big you actually have less map displayed than the 595. I think I'll be happy with it just on performance but I need to relearn bits after having a 590/595 for so long.

Sadly I think that's fairly typical of what Garmin have been up to with new models for some time. Maybe a few improvements, but also a fair bit of dumbing-down, and unnecessary changes.

[scottyuk]

Getting used to the quirks now. When I go back to the 595 for comparison, it does feel like a previous generation particularly with the processing speed. I guess it's all down to what you're used to