hi everybody i was wondering could anybody recommend a good sat nav system for a bike im on a tight budget so something not to steep on price but functional thanks caitlin
But, if you really really want one that is fully useable on a bike then be prepared to spend £££s on a weatherproof one that clips to your handlbars etc. Garmin and Tomtom both do them but they ain't cheap. If all you want to go is have a quick glance to confirm where you are, then get an under-£100 one that will sit in your tankbag, or you can mount on the bars and keep a plastic bag over it to keep out the rain.
Road atlas from a discount bookshop £1.99. Bog-standard satnav £75. Bike satnav £300+
I agree with JPH and Wills,,,,even thinking about taking up Wills advice and getting a cheap car nav for bike,,, more so to find last mile or two of destination.......
i use my tom tom
its my car one i just added a socket under the seat and put the unit in a tankbag map pocket
but i do use google earth first just to check the best way these sat navs have a mind of there own and take you som strainge ways on the route
sat nav on ebay as little as 25 quid but insist on checking it first
The Sony PSP has a sat nav on it - my sister used hers once when we were in the car and it was pretty good to say you don't have to pay any subs (or perhaps you do to get the latest updates - but she didn't).
Anyway if you are familiar with a PSP then they are pretty portable, so guess it wouldn't take much to velcro it to a fuel tank with rubber cushioning, or even strapped to a thigh ?
By the way this was the older PSP too, as there is a newer one out which costs more money
Hi
First thing to say is bike specific sat navs are very expensive!
I have a zumo 550 and it's great I got to the Alps and back no problem but if I were on a budget I would consider getting a car type unit which are cheapish and add a waterproof case to mount on the bike which are available for 20/25 quid plus the cost of the mount or stick it in a tank bag with clear pocket difficult to help further without knowing what bike/ screen etc
HTH post again or pm me if you want more info
Twin
i tried one just before getting a cruiser back, didnt like it at all, took my concentration off the road, if anyone is gonns get one , splash out on one thats talks inside your skid lid so you dont need to look at it all the time....but i wont be buying one now !! stick to a map
sorry to re post something that has already been talked about but i guess i wasnt on the site then and was just trying to get info from people in know caitlin
Another option is to get a smartphone when your phone contract is up! Most people, Vodafone, 3 etc offer a smartphone for free with contracts of about £30 a month or more.
Although I only tend to use my Zumo (waterproof, can hear it through the Autocom, mp3 player etc), the sat nav apps available for smartphones are pretty good nowadays and other than the cost of data (and the phone of course) are free.
And with the addition of a bluetooth headset (may not be comfortable though and you won't be able to wear earplugs .. which you should) or a bluetooth helmet you'd be able to hear it as well.
I got to admit the SAT NAV for a bike is excellent, I know my way around most of the UK's main road network but it is always that last few miles....and those that say 'nope it's too distracting I'll stick to a map'..????????????? looking at your route instructions and map on your tank bag is an accident waiting to happen.....at least that blue tooth telling you in your ear it quick, safe and a lot less hassle... a normal blue tooth headset works well enough to hear..
....if you can keep an eye on E-bay I picked up a Tom Tom Rider 2 (US) for £125 download and pay for new UK maps change maps via laptop and it is a lot cheaper than buying the UK one which is ridiculous prices like most things here..
as an amendment to above re bluetooth helmets,
i use normal helmet but with moulded ear pulgs (injection moulded silicon) which are like normal music/phone ear plugs, but bike specific, so give maximum noise protection (yes you can hear road trafic AND conversation level noise, but non of the damaging levels)
more expensive, but you can plug directly to your smart phone and/or your sat nav, and easier thab blue tooth (i think)
cost about £150-180 depending on type, but last pair lasted me 5 years which is considerably less cost than the equivelent throw away plugs would have? and infinate better level of protection /hearing ability.
Im looking at this problem right now, if you are, or know someone who is half handy at diy stuff, google 'diy sat nav mounts for bikes' there are some pretty good and inexpensive solutions out there, but by far the most straight forward if you have a tank bag is to stick a car sat nav in the clear cover, not necessarily an ideal position as you have to take your eye off the road ahead, but as a quick simple fix ideal. for a handlebar mounted option try the google thing, I saw one on there by a guy in the US cost about $5 to make. Yes I am also on a budget not just being a tight a**e
I've got a zumo 660 designed to be used on a bike it's waterproof but it aint cheap. yea you can buy a £1.99 map etc etc blah blah but well think i'd best keep my opinions about those opinions to myself. Not a bad option to buy a car sat nav and stick it in tank bag top instead of a paper (yawn) map but tank bag map pockets aint waterproof. GIVI do a sat nav waterproof (apparently) bag that clips on handlebars behind clocks of course lottsa bikes these days you dont get that bit of proper handlebar above top yoke behind clocks. Have due to necessity bought a newer phone old one died NOKIA 5800 just over £100 on GIFFGAFF PAYG with ovi maps no subs works fine headphones that come with it i guess would fit in lid ok but aint tried as have STARCOM intercom. Have found mostly pointless buying cheap as usually have to buy it twice when first one fails. Just go for the best you can on your budget. Garmin or TOM TOM
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