sat nav ?

[paul.chucky]

Hi all can anyone recomend a good sat-nav  forgenral use and use abroad long trips etc
ps  i`m a bit of a numpty with techno gizzromitry  so something pretty easy to use thanks Paul

[Art]

TomTom Rider

If I want to go on tour by a specific set of way points I plan my daily routes on my PC using ITN Convertor. Save the routes to the PC as GPS eXchange files and load them onto the TomTom Rider via TomToms "MyDrive"

[paul.chucky]

Thanks Art i`ll keep me eye out for 1 

[spinspin]

I use my phone on a mount and load up Google maps or Waze or one of the many other apps you can download.

Works in every country, maps and updates are free and regular, you can download maps to keep offline to save data if you want, otherwise traffic updates are pretty accurate and included. You can also link to any Bluetooth headset or helmet. Cost including USB charger can be as low as £20 + cost of smartphone.

I've never personally seen the point in splashing out on a bespoke sat nav, its an expensive item you have to secure every time you're away from the bike and only serves 1 purpose. Of course there may be something I'm missing!

[Art]

Most of us now have a mobile phone that is capable of being used as a SatNav and they are OK up to a point and for occasional use why not. I've never used mine as a SatNav but friends who have complain of flat battery, out of memory, data shortage, poor screen resolution in sunlight, phone failure due to handle bar vibration, phones grabbed off mounts in traffic and more. I haven't experienced any of that with the TomTom Rider and its key lockable anti theft mount.

[knapdog]

Well I've tried both and my Garmin satnav wins hands down every time.
Prior to any touring I either download routes from Ride  magazine or make up my own with specific way points using Basecamp and then upload to Garmin. Mine also has free Lifetime maps.
It is also totally waterproof!
If I stop at a filling station I just unclip it and put it in my jacket pocket.
My phones have never been waterproof. If I use one of those waterproof phone holders attached to my handlebars I lose all the ability to use it as a touchscreen.
On a six or seven hour riding day in Spain I would have incurred enormous data bills unless I had a phone with unlimited data, over the 20 days I was away last year.
Sat navs are not cheap but way outscore phone maps for me.

[Art]

Garmin vs TomTom vs mobile phone in the SatNav Stakes is a two horse race that ends in a photo finish between Garmin and TomTom, I give it to TomTom on price but each to their own special offers may sway the pricing either way. If you read the specifications they (Garmin & TomTom) mostly do the same, both doing what the other does albeit Garmin uses Garmin's BaseCamp and TomTom uses TomTom's MyDrive, both can make use of third party mapping software such as ITNConvertor etc.

A very good point knapdog makes on the touch screen, both the TomTom and Garmin have gloved hand friendly touch screens and they don't need a rain coat when it rains. I have the TomTom Rider anti theft device so when filling up at a petrol station I just leave it locked in its mount, if I'm in a greasy spoon for breakfast or lunch I remove it to my waterproof pocket where my mobile phone resides to protect it from rain, vibration and sticky fingers.

One feature of the TomTom Rider I especially like is the 'route sidebar' that shows estimated time of arrival at destination, distance to the next two stops, distance to petrol stations on route and location of speed cameras on route. Garmin probably has the same or a similar feature.

[phild]

Before my Garmin 660 went bust, I’d have said Garmin.......but then I got a 590LM, absolutely pants. Besides not following my routes, you couldn’t see the screen in sunlight.

Following one tour to Spain, it went back.

Now have a TomTom 550, brilliant. Even better than my car Sat Nav. Plan my routes on my iPad and transfer them via WiFi to Unit, computer and phone.

However, I don’t do phone calls, text or music through it, so can not comment.

[paul.chucky]

Thanks guys some good reads here
I`m just old school and always used OS maps and enjoyed the adventure of sometimes getting lost and asking a postman /old lady etc
 

[greybeard 2]

Take a look at the new Garmin XT,A lot better than the 590 series.