Car Sat Nav For A Bike.

Still wanting a sat-nav but not a dedicated bike one at £4/5/600.

I'm thinking why not a half decent £150 car unit in a waterproof case? Don't care about blue-tooth, ear pieces, phone syncing blah blah blah. Wouldn't know how to do any of that anyway, I haven't got a smart phone and I don't miss the sound when it's got annoying in the car and I've turned it off so I can't see the need for it on my bike.
My current car Garmin is pretty ancient and I haven't kept up with updates so I'm not sure it is updating properly anymore. So a new one for car as well as bike wouldn't go amiss.
I've found I prefer to plot my own pleasure riding routes from a paper map and follow my own directions. I've got used to doing that and it works well. But for battling through congested urban roads, busy motorway junctions, heavy traffic etc to get to the good stuff where the paper map comes out, a follow-your-nose sat-nav would be really useful.

Anyone else gone this way and can anyone recommend a decent £150-ish car sat-nav and a some sort of mounting/case option. I've got a 12v socket on the bike.

 

I use an old Garmin car sat nav in a Givi holder. I have to remove the unit from the holder to turn it on, but can operate it while in the case. I'm the same as you that I begrudge paying £400 for a motorcycle unit. For how much I use it, it was the best option for me.



However, when I bought my sat nav holder, I did end up buying a Panigale R because I called in the dealer for it, so maybe not that cost effective.

Givi Sat Nav

 

Cheers Rob. That looks ideal. Got the dimensions on it too which is handy.

You'd think when you call in to a dealer to buy a cheap sat-nav case and leave with a Panigale R they'd throw in the case and the sat-nav to go inside it for nothing.

Was that that lot down in Plymouth? Tight feckers.

 

Nah, my local dealer. Their bike was sold, so I had to head to Plymouth. My local dealer did give me a free mug when I bought my Streetfighter.

There are 3 different sizes of the Givi sat nav holder. I initially got a snug fit for my sat nav, but couldn't operate the touch screen round the edges, so went for the slightly larger one. I'd suggest getting a slightly oversize one, like me.

 

I got a free Harley Davidson rucksack to carry the owners doc wallet home in when I bought mine. And I get a glossy flyer every year with a nice covering letter inviting me to come and have it serviced for £93 an hour, which is jolly decent of them..

 

I was thinking of a phone. Don't have a smartphone at present but it would be an unlocked handset bought outright, I don't want a contract, and the phone I want would cost as much or more than a dedicated bike sat-nav. That will have to wait a while.
A waterproof case and car sat-nav looks like the answer. Does the touch screen work still work through the plastic window for zooming in and out and swiping?

 

I can operate my touch screen through the plastic membrane. Like I said, the only time I have to open the case is to turn the unit on / off.

 

Bought a western Europe Garmin Drive Smart 50 ex-display from Halfords for £100 and Helmet City do the Givi cases. Should be all-in, sat-nav, case and leads for £150. Bargain.

Means a trip to West Bay now to pick up case. That'll make a change...