GPS Syatem and Mounts

[NA1959]

Looking for some help on what GPS system to get an the best fitting kit for the 1100S.

I intend to use mainland UK and Ireland with some possible trips to Europe. Garmin are top of the list at present as they appear to have Ireland better mapped. However, I am told Tom Tom are catching up!

Any help or advise appreciated.

[tripe]

I have been using a garmin 2610 that transfers between car and bike easily. I use a noise isolating set of ear plugs and once i got used to using the route planner its been accurate both in UK and Europe.

The garmin cradle(extra, suprise, surprise!) mounts onto a RAM mount that I bought from GPS Warehouse http://www.gpsw.co.uk It was the clamp variety tht you attach round the ignition barrel.

If you look elsewhere on this site you will see lots of opinions as to which is best

[Blackal]

:D Looking for some help on what GPS system to get an the best fitting kit for the 1100S.

I intend to use mainland UK and Ireland with some possible trips to Europe. Garmin are top of the list at present as they appear to have Ireland better mapped. However, I am told Tom Tom are catching up!

Any help or advise appreciated.

I can't see past Garmin (and Quest in particular) for the 1100s, and use a Ram-mount that replaces the clutch fluid cover on the LH bar with one that has the Ram ball mount integrated. I find the shortest Ram arm is best (1"?) and that places the Quest closer than the instruments but is just a quick glance to the left. It is also possible to fiddle with the buttons on the move (aledgedly) with this location.

There are photos on the web somewhere of someone mounting a Garmin 2610 in a similar fashion and it appears to be just as good.

Garmin = Professional
Tom-Tom = Girlie.

Al

[Paul]

Garmin = Professional
Tom-Tom = Girlie.

Excellent concise analysis The biggest difference between the Garmin and the Tom-Tom IMHO is that Garmin provide software to run on your computer to create and store custom routes. On the Tom Tom, you have to do this sort of stuff directly on the unit, which is not so easy. If you were planning on a trip and just wanted to get from A to B in the fastest and most direct route, then either Tom-Tom or Gamin would suit you well. If you want to fine tune the route to go down particular roads, then this is much easier to do with the Garmin, using the planning software on your PC.

Cheers,

Paul

[Blackal]

Garmin = Professional
Tom-Tom = Girlie.

Excellent concise analysis The biggest difference between the Garmin and the Tom-Tom IMHO is that Garmin provide software to run on your computer to create and store custom routes. On the Tom Tom, you have to do this sort of stuff directly on the unit, which is not so easy. If you were planning on a trip and just wanted to get from A to B in the fastest and most direct route, then either Tom-Tom or Gamin would suit you well. If you want to fine tune the route to go down particular roads, then this is much easier to do with the Garmin, using the planning software on your PC.

Cheers,

Paul

Agree totally - if you are ever considering a planned trip - the Garmin is the way to go. That way, you can get the routes sorted the way you want them, not the way a GPS decides you should go once you set off.

You also get the facilty to upload your tracks back to your PC (the Quest stores around a week's worth on average) which allows you to find all the places that you couldn't pronounce or remember at the time.

Al

[NA1959]

Hi Chaps thanks for your advice. I was going to go down the Garmon road as NI and Irealnd appear to be fairly well mapped by them.

I have tried to find pictures of the mount with no success. Has anyone the link?

Tanks again!

[Blackal]

Good for you

There are good illustrations of the RAM mounts in operation at:

http://www.ram-mount-uk.com/bike-mount34.htm

As mentioned - I favour the mount on the clutch reservoir, but I'm sure the same orientation can be achieved with the mount on the top yoke.

A good (cheap) source of the pukka Garmen cradle is:

http://www.mncgroup.co.uk/products/details/garmin-quest-motorcycle-cradle-and-bare-wire-cable/2341/

(but have a search yourself - I seem to remember it being cheaper from somewhere else?)

It is the best cradle, in my opinion.

AL

[Paul]

I have the Garmin cradle, as it was the first solution to market and I was impatient! If I was buying one today, I think I'd go for the RAM cradle and power cord, since the mechanism for retaining the Quest in the mount is a little more confidence inspiring on the RAM mount. On the Garmin mount, you have a 3mm pin which locates into the back of the quest to keep it in place. on the RAM mount, you have a plastic bar that goes over the top of the unit.

If you do get a Quest and powered cradle, make sure you wire it in to a switched circuit (e.g. tail light), so that the pins on the cradle are not live when the bike's ignition is off.

Cheers,

Paul

[Blackal]

If you do get a Quest and powered cradle, make sure you wire it in to a switched circuit (e.g. tail light), so that the pins on the cradle are not live when the bike's ignition is off.

Cheers,

Paul

Good point - mine is plugged into a bulkhead power socket and I quite regularly take the Quest off, leaving the contacts at the mercy of the elements

I'll need to remember to unplug in the future.


Al

[thall]

I have been using a garmin 2610 that transfers between car and bike easily. I use a noise isolating set of ear plugs and once i got used to using the route planner its been accurate both in UK and Europe.

The garmin cradle(extra, suprise, surprise!) mounts onto a RAM mount that I bought from GPS Warehouse http://www.gpsw.co.uk It was the clamp variety tht you attach round the ignition barrel.

If you look elsewhere on this site you will see lots of opinions as to which is best

Did you find any problem with the ignition barrel mount as ram are now suggesting it may not fit later 1100s and Boxercup models - mines a 2004 Boxercup?? Tom

[tripe]

no problems at all. I did modify it slightly by wrapping some heavy duty tape quite thickly on the inside of the clamp bracket so it would not scratch the barrel and that also provided a good snug fit. It sits nicely to the right of the barrel just below the rev counter.
Incidentally using a pair if Shure E2c headphones means that as they have a variety of eaplug sleeves you can choose the ones that are most comfortable and as they are noise isolating rather than cancelling they act as regular ear plugs, though a Maplins adapter was needed to make the plug compatible with the garmin headphone socket.

Henry

[Rob B]

Tripe,

Can you post a pic please?

Rgds, Rob

[tripe]

[img][img]http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h314/tripe239/CIMG3707.jpg[/img]

hopefully this works[/img]

[julian]

I've got a cheapo Garmin I3

Sticks to the tacho glass & job's a good'n.

Only 129 quid to replace if it falls off.

[Paul]

Julian,

Is the I3 weatherproof, or or you not planning to venture out if it rains?

Paul