ok, just got my Halfords card and am looking at sat navs... the 42 and the 400 are both £299 ( don't know what discount card will give) anyone have knowledge of the difference in spec/ usability? Did the compare thing but it's not real helpfull. Are there better options?
You need a Truck one... https://www.tomtom.com/en_gb/sat-nav/truck-sat-nav/products/trucker-6000-lifetime-services/
This is only personal chiz so I'm probably gonna get a kicking, but I have had tomtom and garmin and find Garmin the better, but like I said, only a personal opinion. Garmin 390LM has never let me down.
You should go for the 450 as it comes with world maps, lifetime everything and a security cage and car/van mount. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TomTom-RI...363174&hash=item5699542627:g:q9EAAOSwR29ZGsMs I think the numbers also denote if you have to use your phones data or it has a built in Sim.
Since he (sort of) quoted Bike Nav's I thought he wanted one of them, but with Chiz one is never actually sure what he's on about!
the rider 42 and 400 have European maps and lifetime updates/ traffic/ speed camera sites. Halfords don't do a discount with the card on sat navs I have just found out. Basically I want on for my Italy trip. Money is tight. Would a car one do if in my tank bag ? Pros/cons? Bike ones twice the price!
I've tried a car satnav in the clear pocket of my Ducati tank bag. Not terribly helpful as in order to see the map clearly, I needed to take my eyes off the road for too long to be safe. My own suspicion is that it either takes a proper bike satnav, or some fabrication skills to adapt a car satnav for a bike. I can afford the former but the latter seems beyond me. Watching the thread for useful ideas ...
I have the Garmin 590Lm. Its a good unit that you can see in the bright sunlight outside on a bike. Excellent maps, great interface. Comes complete with a fitting mount for handlebars, charging unit cables etc. Easy to install in twenty mins max. Apparently it will work with bluetooth helmets for audio but I haven't used that option. Its completely waterproof too. Clips on and off the bike in seconds. With lifetime maps including Europe I definitely recommend it. My TomTom is Via is OK inside the car, crap in sunshine, good maps. OK interface though this might not be at all similar to the one you are looking at.
In the past I have used a car one either mounted on the bars,in a tank bag,or even in my jacket pocket.I used in ear earphones connected to the jack on the sat nav,and found it quite satisfactory.I suppose newer sat navs use something I believe is called Bluetooth,but that is way beyond my ability.
I have Bluetooth in my helmet so was thinking if I can hear the directions I shouldn't have to look at the thing too much but I'm probably dreaming.. Seeing the map will help..
I used a car TomTom One XL for the last 5 years. This year I treated myself to a new TomTom Rider with lifetime maps, etc. I immediately found that TomTom have completely changed the operating system and the way it works. For the first month or so it drove me up the wall but I have now got used to it and worked out ways round it's deficiencies. On the old TomTom I could plan routes on My-Route with waypoints for planned stops etc. then import the file into the satnav as a .itn with all the information in place. With the new models it simply imports the file as a track with no waypoints. Absolutely useless if you are trying to navigate to a point which is not a street or a city centre. I found the way to get round this was to add these points to "My Places" in the TomTom. They will then at least show up on the screen as you approach them although the device won't tell you that you have arrived.
@chizel - I have got spare, and no longer need, one of those zip-up boxes with a transparent window at the front which is designed to let you use a non-waterproof (car-type) SatNav on a bike. It has an attachment for a RAM ball at the back. Takes SatNav units up to 6 inches diagonal size. You are welcome to it free of charge if you want it - let me know.
Did you see this thread, Derek? It describes how you can continue to use .itn files, as long as you have a FAT32-formatted MicroSD card that you can use.
They are twice the price for their waterproof capability, but a few years back, I loaned one out and didnt get it back in time for a trip, so I bought one of ebay for 37 quid (The cheapest one I could fine that had maps of france in it) and velcro attached it my bar clamps, the bike screen protected it from the majority of rain, and it kept charged for a day at a time. I did take a portable power pack with me, in case it died in the day, but was fine for the week I used it.
