Traveling with GPS,PDA assistance.

[Alex-Corsa]

Hallo, all of us have travelled some small or big trips with the bike.

I a last big tour I did last year,over 6000Km in20 days I did schedule quite a few destinations.Most of them unknown and there were also a couple I had to add in the way.I cannot really count how many time I had to stop for checking if I am going the right way before higway intersections, or in small country roads.

I saw very few people having these little devices looking like pcket PCs (or they were actually PDAs) having showing them ways and other infos when traveling along the road.

As I am thinking if a divice like this shows you where you are along it's screen map and where you are going (along that pre scheduled route) this can save a conciderable time and money and both are needed when traveling

Does anyone uses any of thet stuff and which ones are recomended.Are there any - (minuses) in these devises?(i.e. which one to get)I think seriously to get one of these before I hit the road this summer.

Below I have some links from ebay auctions.(German-good market here in Europe for buying elect.devices)

Most of them have an intergrated GPS antenna,and even software with maps or even "Blitz warnung" warning about radars so you don't get overspeed tickets.

Is it finnally the software to be used more in importance of the device??

Cause It seems that the options are as many as the software allows you to do so and there are good prices for that stuff as well.

POCKET PC MIT NAVIGATION

PDA POCKET PC & GPS NAVIGATION

YAKUMO delta Navigator + 512MB

HP IPAQ h5550 TOP-NaviSet

I notice , some of them have an extra memmory card, but dunno what is that usefull for in these new PCs(OK I estimate-the bigger memmory the better)

Any usefull input will be appreciated.

[jrt]

We have a GPS/map combo in our car. It has voice navigation and tells you where to turn, and what roads are one-way, etc. It's great in big cities, but not very useful in the countryside. On a bike, I would think the countryside aspect would be more important, because it could show you some smaller, more interesting roads.

I can't really say about software, because I don't have any comparison.

One limitation is that the screens are generally small- you can only see a limited number of miles on the road.

If it's cheap enough, it may be worth looking into. Good luck!

Jason

[Alex-Corsa]

Just about what I think of the screen limitation, though the most important is to know where you are every time, so you target where to go.Finnally a journey companion like "turn left", "go straight"....slow down. (if these things "speak")is also O.K. since you can respond " Ohh..SHUT UP" and don't get missunderstood.

Thanks

[Guzzirider]

If I had a computer riding with me it would say things like:

 

"Slow down you mad twat!"

 

"You just missed your turning, d***head!"

 

"Shit, we are nearly out of fuel, I told you to fill up back there but you just ignored me!"

 

"You should have had a piss before you put your leathers on!"

 

"Lemme off! Lemme off!"

 

Do Garmin make such technology?

 

[Guest bshpilot]

when necessary i travel w/ a garmin gps 3+

 

admittedly i havent had to do this on the V11sport.

I have it attached to the dash of my K1200lt (bmw)

and i bought an alumi. mount to hold it on my other bikes.

 

there are lots of gps options these days (the gps3+ is OLD

now...the gps5 replaces it...same case just more features).

 

youll find equal numbers of mounting options (triple clamp,

saneng.com, ram, velcro...google 'em and investegate 'em all)

 

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as an aside...

 

now that i have a blackberry phone i can get directions via

web browers (on the fly & on the road)

-----------------------------------------------------

 

all of this said & done more often than not i write directions

in an extreamly simple & minium form (route numbers and right

or left turn) on the BACK of a business card or post it note and

gently tape this to the tank of my bikes...

 

remember too that 1/2 the fun in getting some place is the RIDE

and excuse to get out...getting lost makes it more interesting &

it gives you the chance to discover new roads or places...so not

knowing where you are might not be all that practical but at the

same time its not necessarily ALL bad either

[Alex-Corsa]

LMAO Guzzirider. That's what I meant too

Well actually Garmin is a company related to GPS and aviation stuff and is a big industry provider

Here is a short company profile

Garmin Company Profile

 

 

 

 

remember too that 1/2 the fun in getting some place is the RIDE

and excuse to get out...getting lost makes it more interesting &

it gives you the chance to discover new roads or places...so not

knowing where you are might not be all that practical but at the

same time its not necessarily ALL bad either

I agree with all the above , the excitment of the ride and the journey I ussually ride without so many info or directions, except a map that I may have.

So being a ride passing through "unknown" territory is one of journeys "exciting"aspects. As I said I ussualy don't have any directions where I go ,except a map that I'll look on gas station stops and or when I'm not sure where to turn.And that's where I need this GPS thing I want to go where I aim (or where before 20 min. desided to pass through).But not getting unwanted routes and spent more gas.

 

And there are some moments where the time is due and there isn't much of it to ride around.

Hehe the last thing usualy I try to look for is a motel-hotel because I enjoy the riding or some stops most time passes outside on the street , would be great to have something there to point me out at last minute (before it gets to dark...lol)to a hotel or something.And I mean just about where it is not directly to the door. .

Or if I take a decline route to see what else is there I would like sth to give me info i.e. about any gas stations in the near so that I can estimate when or if I need one.

 

So just having the opportunity to know what about is in the near is a great safety feat in journeys. I am not a tech freak (that's why I ride a Guzzi.... )so I ain't gonna spend all the time taking the GPS as only guide but only as a usefull street advisor when I think I need to.I don't like depending on tech devices but I think I can use them a little to save time

 

I am glad that it is can be used (mounted) somewhere , anywhere on the motorcycle and as I see it is about as I imagine it.

[jrt]

Well, the nice lady in my dashboard would never use profanity....but damn, she won't shut up once she starts.

I'm still not used to it....

[big J]

Isn't getting lost part of the fun?Hit the back roads and follow your nose

[Alex-Corsa]

Isn't getting lost part of the fun?

 

Nope.Though it's hard to get lost nowdays days you can always stop ,ask and go(at least), and it's cool to have in a spot hotels ,gas stations,whatever near you in case you need any of these, even if it is a radar near you for avoiding perhaps a speed ticket.All these (and more) in one package I think is worth trying especially when you're 2000miles or so, away from home

[DVH]

I presently use a Hp ipaq 2210 with tomtom3 software, It has speed camera databases, garages fuel stations etc, etc. and can navigate to street level. IN General use I don't use it on the bike, just navigate by the sun. It is presently in the works van for daily use ( haven't used a paper map for 9 months.)

january I used it in the car to navigate to Austria from the UK using back roads. Never got lost or missplaced once.

 

One for the bike you need to look into one that is water proof Garmin springs to mind, Mine sits in my tank top bag,

[st. augustine]

Never used a GPS for the road but have used one extensively while sailing. It is amazing what the contraption can tell you. In a foreign port, you know where the closest loo is, where the post office is, where the laundry mat is, where to fuel up....the list just goes on. This is the age of information integration (i^3).

[Alex-Corsa]

I presently use a Hp  ipaq 2210 with tomtom3 software, It has speed camera databases, garages fuel stations etc, etc. and can navigate to street level.

 

  january I used it in the car to navigate to Austria from the UK using back roads. Never got lost or missplaced once.

 

Thanks everyone for your input, a couple of questions DVH, does this Hp ipaq 2210 use a "blue tooth" antenna for the GPS or is it intergrated?Cause I have heared that it is better having an intergrated GPS thing than blue tooth, for better

funtionality (connectability,and or less cables ,ect.ect.) Though sometimes these PCs without any intergrated antenna seem more capable, then again I don't know.

 

2.Yeah I have heared these Garmins but it seems they require their own software maps only (ooops not so much compatibility)and they are too expencive (hardware-software wise)I think I'll stick to the PDA thing,and when it's rainy I'll have to hide it,or make a "custom" waterproof suit for it.

 

I have also heared of the tomtom program and as well as the Navigon 4.2 that has all Europe. I have also heared that this (tomtom I think) gan give you warnings of radar ahead of you so you can avoid a possible speed ticket, is it so? Is it an "extra" feature" or is it another program? Which on is better I don't know.

 

Thanks

[DVH]

Alex my PDA is blue tooth compatible, but I use an external ariel which plugs into the PDA cradle, this cradle also connects it to the 12v external supply should you require. I have found thsi more reliable than bluetooth.

 

I cover mine with a small clear plastic bag sealed at the bottom when on the bike, If there is room I just put it in the map window of the tank bag

 

points of interest can be downloaded from variuos sites, this includes the location of speed cameras, this is additional to the programme. see checkpoint site

It give visual and verbal warnings of cameras

 

routes can be planned using itinary, or just let it self plot from departure to arrival, any deviation from route and it will automatically re-route back onto course.

the europe maps come on 6 cds so budget for a 1gb compact flash card if you wish to install them all at ounce

 

www.totalPDA.co.uk

 

www.checkpoint.oabsoftware.nl

 

www.tomtom.com

[Alex-Corsa]

Alex my PDA is blue tooth compatible, but I use an external ariel which plugs into the PDA cradle, this cradle also connects it to the 12v external supply should you require. I have found thsi more reliable than bluetooth.

 

I cover mine with a small clear plastic bag sealed at the bottom when on the bike, If there is room I just put it in the map window of the tank bag

 

points of interest can be downloaded from variuos sites, this includes the location of speed cameras, this is additional to the programme. see checkpoint site

It give visual and verbal warnings of cameras

 

Thanks again for all the info I seem to clear the subject, I have one question more, so far I have checked many sites and found various softwares. Though I didn't look at the central sites of the software publishers if all (or which) of these programms have the options of downloading locations of speed cammeras (Only tomtom does has this option so far I have searched.)

 

Well the little problem for me is the interface and how the maps of this tomtom look actually(I have only seen close ups of the maps in pics-but how is it the look from a "unzoom" ratio?) here i.e. in Michelins map there is a more "map familiar" interface of the street card. This helps.

 

Other example is Microsoft's Auto route , in there you can even choose between political or regional...map look.Are there any options like these in these GPS's softwares?

 

Then there is also this Navigon program with nice interface But for all this I dunno if there is any speed cammera option at all (will check out though) Yes these pics show map with greater ratio. Does tomtom look about like this when out of zoom? (big ratio map)

 

 

Thanks

[DVH]

I have taken a quick photo of my present location, you can see how the scale view changes. tom tom will navigate with a wide view, but will automatically zoom in when a change of direction is required

the green yellow spot is BP petrol station

white circle red border with number in is a speed camera

Have a look at www.pocketgps.co.uk

go to doenloads and you will find a large database of files for different systems

the one I use with tomtom is checkpoint for speed camera databases

 

find a shop that has a wide variety of the type you are interested in and have a good play with them