The Best Current Sat Nav For The Mutli

Zumo 660 bought from these guys, who were cheapest at the time
Garmin zumo 660 and zumo 660LM and Q2 bundle motorcycle sat navs
and one of these on the handlebar clamp
RAM Mount UK
And one of these to link the mounting plate to the handlebar ball
RAM Mount UK

 

+1 for the Zumo 660, did a similar route last year through France, Millau-Cannes-Route Napoleon then home via Holland. Zumo performed superb, Life saver on some occasions.

 

+1 for the Zumo 660. A great piece of kit and the display is clear enough that I don't often bother with the audio - just use it as a map. Great for finding hotels/ pubs/fuel too.

 

Another satisfied Zumo 660 user here, unfortunately it is no longer in Garmin's current line up.

 

Very satisfied with Tomtom Rider 2 for about 3 yrs now. All over Europe without a problem.

Prefer the user interface of Tomtom VS Garmin. Scala headset was too distracting for me so use visual only in advance of junctions to know where I'm going. Glare can be a problem at times.

 

I have never bothered with audio, the visual information is sufficient, and even essential. Agree about the glare and have angled the screen so that it reflects my torso rather than the sky.

 

TOURATECH do a screen shade Sunshade for Garmin Zumo 660 - New accessories - GPS accessories - Navigation | Touratech Ltd for the 660 that helps a lot.

 

It is on their UK website.

 

So it is. I thought they had discontinued the Zumo 660 but it looks like it is now the Zumo 660LM which presumably is a Zumo 660 with Lifetime Maps.

 

New tom tom for me I've had a few sat nav s

 

Zumo 550 - handlebar mounted.

Garmin is better than TomTom (as any fule kno) in the same way red is the fastest colour for an MTS.

550 is better than 660 because it's way tougher and you don't have to take the battery out when you want to get at the SD card to share a route with your mate. (I'd love to meet the idiot that designed that feature. Probably the same one that made the Stelvio heated grips that can only be turned on/off when the bike is in neutral and stationary!!).

 

RAM do a ball mount that can replace one of the bolts holding down the handlebar clamp, then a short arm to a ball on the back of the GPS mount. Much neater than a U bolt clamped to the handlebars.

 

I've used one of those but went back to the handlebar mount. The good thing about the steering clamp mount is that it looks better. The bad things for me were that it 1) obscured the bottom of the dash; 2) interfered with and was hard to read with a tank bag on; 3) put the Zumo at an angle that meant it couldn't be read in bright sunlight; 4) put the Zumo in a place where it is hard and dangerous to use when moving.

So, in a triumph of function over form, I've gone back to the handlebar mount - less pretty but better (IMHO of course!)

:wink:

 

My vote goes for the Garmin Zumo 660, with a Telferizer ball mount on the handlebar clamp, an absolutely brilliant piece of kit. There's not a lot Bob @ Telferizer doesn't know about this stuff too!!

 

I had a telferizer mount on my FireBlade, it was a RAM mount that replaced one of the bolts holding down the handlebar clamp as johnv has said.

 

I use google maps for the iPhone and a waterproof case/mount/charger that I got on ebay, total cost about £30. it links easily to my bluetooth headset and mutes the music when it's giving instructions, it doesn't seem to use much in the way of data either which can be costly when abroad. I use it in London, the rest of the UK and have used it in Europe and its pretty good.

 

Interesting because my experience of using Google Maps in Europe is that it is just a brilliant as it is in the UK but it uses lots of data to download its maps.

 

any other route planner recommendations? Routeconverter seems broken

 

Am I the only person who has a garmin Montana, I think it's the best sat nav ever.

It had brilliant battery life, you can fit AA batteries also, the screen is bright and can be seen even in bright sun, you can use it off road if you buy the bundle with free ordnance survey maps (useful if you have a beta alp and live close to Salisbury plain), it's small and good for hiking etc.

Downside is no Bluetooth, so you only have audio with the hard wired connection on the bike mount and no music but I use my phone for music and can't stand voice instructions even in the car.

I have a 660 which I don't use any longer as the Montana does everything I need in a really nice package. (Might be appearing on a for sale thread soon)

 

From what I recall BDG uses a Montana too.
When my550 finally gives up I will probably get the Montana too, looks like a nice bit of kit.