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GPS For Under 600$

Zumo 550 questions

I have some questions about the Zumo 550 with the MP3 player and XM radio. It seems that one must spend an additional $250 for an antenna plus the monthly fee ($15 or thereabout) for the XM subscription for that feature to work. Is this correct?

Does one need to use some special software (or other proprietary program / format) to put mp3 music onto an SD card for the music to be playable?

If one wishes to listen to either the radio or mp3 player, can one use a 3.5 mm plug such as comes with most earbud headphones? Or is it necessary to use one of the bluetooth type helmets (or some other wireless configuration)?

Can the maps be updated in the unit?

I have a DeLorme GPS that I use with my laptop computer in a car. I don't care for the helpful voice feature. Does the Zume 550 unit have a voice feature that will interrupt the music / radio constantly with messages? And most importantly, can one turn off the voice without affecting the music / radio?

And as for being waterproof - is there positive experience with this feature? I.e., is the device really waterproof? I can never go on a multi-day ride without some riding in rain. The unit greatly loses its value if it has to be put away when it begins to rain.

If one uses a RAM mount (or similar), is it relatively quick and easy to detach the Zumo unit from the bike? And is it easy to reconnect and re-mount the unit to get going again?

Thanks!
 
robsmoto said:
I have some questions about the Zumo 550 with the MP3 player and XM radio. It seems that one must spend an additional $250 for an antenna plus the monthly fee ($15 or thereabout) for the XM subscription for that feature to work. Is this correct?

True.

Does one need to use some special software (or other proprietary program / format) to put mp3 music onto an SD card for the music to be playable?

No. Just copy to the disk like it is another drive.

If one wishes to listen to either the radio or mp3 player, can one use a 3.5 mm plug such as comes with most earbud headphones? Or is it necessary to use one of the bluetooth type helmets (or some other wireless configuration)?

Yes, you can use headphones if you like.

Can the maps be updated in the unit?

Yes
I have a DeLorme GPS that I use with my laptop computer in a car. I don't care for the helpful voice feature. Does the Zume 550 unit have a voice feature that will interrupt the music / radio constantly with messages? And most importantly, can one turn off the voice without affecting the music / radio?

Yes, you can turn off the voice feature

And as for being waterproof - is there positive experience with this feature? I.e., is the device really waterproof? I can never go on a multi-day ride without some riding in rain. The unit greatly loses its value if it has to be put away when it begins to rain.

I have used mine in the rain for several days now. They claim it can be submerged for thirty minutes.

If one uses a RAM mount (or similar), is it relatively quick and easy to detach the Zumo unit from the bike? And is it easy to reconnect and re-mount the unit to get going again?

A snap.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Anytime.
 
dvandkq said:
+1 on the Garmin 60Cx. You don't need the 60CSx - the altimeter is stupid when GPS calculates your altitude for you anyways - and much more accurately than a barometric altimeter.

The 60Cx has lots of internal flash memory and a slot for SD cards, so memory is almost unlimited. You can plan trips and routes on your computer and upload routes and the appropriate maps to your GPS device. It works on your bike, in your car, on the strap of your backpack, on the deck of your kayak, on the bridge of your yacht, on the handlebars of your bicycle - everywhere.

You can pick one up for around $400.
Click to expand...

what he said!
I've got one and have it on two motorcycles, two cars, 3 bikes, and hiking. The batteries are changeable and last more than a day.

Tourance has a mount for a GS Adventure that powers it off the bike.
 
Just bought the 60csx

so far I love it, versitile and does everything I need it to do.
 
This is from a riding friend's post on another list, which was an answer to a novice's question: "Which GPS do I buy?" It is very well written.

I would add that Garmin is factory refurbishing units with full warranty and standard accessories for a lot less. Look for retailers through Froogle or eBay and add "refurbished" to your search inquiry.

Fred
___________________________

Probably the most important thing to do is as much research as your brain
can handle, some small details are where the happiness is. Things I find
important others could care less about, the real problem as a first time
buyer is you don't even know what you want yet, no matter how much research
you do. Best bet I think is to find like minded riders, and see who LOVES
them, and who thinks they are ok. I'm a technogeek for sure, I don't mind
spending time making the gadget do what I want it to, once you learn how to
work with it, it becomes easier, and does what you want. Fight it, and
you'll get no where and sell it on ebay.

There are a number of on line purchase locations like www.gpscity.com
www.gpsdiscount.com www.gpsnow.com and they go on and on. Some of them have
some very nice shopping tools in the form of comparison charts, as does
Garmin. Look at the different units that people on bikes have talked about,
and compare them, you'll be surprised at the differences between even
identical looking units. My old GPS V looks identical to Chris's GPS III+,
but they are worlds apart. My 276C and my fathers 176C look identical, but
share far less than even I thought (even the power cord and battery are
different).

There's no substitute for hands on. Anyone who will let you take a hands on
look at a GPS is worth the time to see how it looks, how it feels, search
the menus and see what's in there. When I'm considering a unit, I download
the user manual from www.garmin.com and browse it, not to memorize it, but
to catch those minor features, or lack there of, that matter to me. You
don't have to remember how to do stuff, only that it can be done. Seeing
where is there is easy, catching what's missing is harder, take your time.

Features I think you'd NEED:
+ Auto routing. It's on most of them now, but some are still without, so
make sure it's included.
+ Uploadable routes. This is a must, or you can't create your route on a PC
and upload it. Look for how many routes the unit will hold, if it's one,
it's not what you want.
+ Color display, as large as your eyes want. Bigger is usually easier to
read, you can help small displays by putting them up high in front of your
eyes. I have my gps mirror level, making it easy to read quickly.
+ Battery power - some units, specifically the 26xx, 27xx, and 28xx are 12v
only and do not operate without being plugged in. Don't depend on battery
power, but when you blow the fuse on the unit and don't have a spare, you'll
be VERY glad you have limited use via a power cell.
+ Memory, this one is tough because different map sets require different
amount of space, but generally more is better. Preloaded maps are ok, but
as has been reported it slows the Quest 2 calculation time, an annoyance,
but not a deal breaker. Loading your own maps also makes updating maps
easier, since you just spend the dough and load in new maps. Quest 1 has
enough memory for a week of travel if you're staying out of the metro areas.
Units with data cards have effectively unlimited map memory, assuming you
have unlimited funds to purchase data cards. Garmin proprietary data cards
are very pricey, where after market data cards are cheap.

Some nice features to have....
I don't see the need for the XM radio, Bluetooth, and such, but some people
do like it. Consider how you'll use it off the bike, and maybe you'll be
getting some of the extras. It's easy to spend $500 on a unit, and $1,000
isn't out of the question.
+ I like customizable fields, so you can put the data you want (ETA,
distance to destination, elevation, speed, etc) on the screen where you want
it. Some units like the Quest let you change what you see, where others
don't. Many of the newer units designed for soccer moms have "simplified"
interfaces, which are well set up, but not customizable, so you are stuck
with what they have. For instance, my wife's Street Pilot c320 has no where
to find your actually coordinates or elevation.

Garmin lists a group of units for motorcycle use, it's a very good starting
point.

Zumo 450
Zumo 500 (Europe maps I think)
Zumo 550
Street Pilot 2720
Street Pilot 2820
Quest
Quest 2
GPSMAP 276C
GPSMAP 376C
GPSMAP 378C
GPSMAP 478C

I would look hardest at the Zumos (motorcycle specific), the Quests (very
versatile and cost effective), or the GPSMAP line (large bright screen)

And you'll find some older units available that might work too, like the
2610, or other 26xx or 27xx units. Garmin turns the units over in just a
few years these days, and some of the outdated models can be a bargain, not
a bad idea for a first unit, so you buy on the cheap for the first one, and
figure out what you want before you drop the bigger money on a new one in a
few years. Why spend $750 on a new Zumo only to discover you never use it
while riding anyway.

If by chance you only want a moving map, then auto routing isn't required,
and you can keep it real cheap. It becomes a record keeper (tracks of your
journey), and a map that you're always at the center of. My fathers 176C is
a good example of a non routing unit with a big screen. If you don't want
the GPS to tell you which way to go (except for "as the crow flies"
pointers) then you have other options, but honestly, the routing is what
makes it magic.

Some of my favorite advantages is that after you create a route on the PC
and upload it, you can follow it without too much worry, and the gps will
know how much farther to your destination, how long it should take you
(assuming no breaks or traffic), which allows you to know how much time
you're playing with. I'm sure we've all been on trips, with a mid point
destination, and at mid day, you had no idea you were 4 hours behind in your
estimated arrival time, pulling in at midnight. The preplanned route will
have a very good estimate of travel time and miles, allowing you to plan
realistically. It also projects your arrival time from the moment you leave
the door, allow for gas stops, meals, and some breaks, and it gives you a
very good idea if you'll be pulling in at 5 pm, or 11 pm, allowing you to
manage your time wisely, and make that ferry crossing.

Of course the GPS is a tool, not a end all to riding. Over time, you learn
to ignore certain things, wonder why other things didn't happen, and use it
when the mood or need suits, and not let it rule your ride, but it's a
fantastic tool.

How about you tell us what you think you want it to do for you, and we can
help point you to a few units. Trying to sift through them all WILL make
your head hurt.
 
Mudbug said:
Garmin will be releasing the zumo 450, which is a 550 without the mp3 player or XM radio capability. When it is released in a month or two, wait and the price should drop, hopefully to around $600 if the discount price of the 550 is any indication.
Click to expand...

The 450 does have a mp3 player. What it doesn't have is bluetooth, XM or text to speech. I bought my 550 for $680 with free shipping from PCNation a couple of weeks ago and am pretty happy with it. The SirF chip really picks up sats fast!
 
The 2720 is $374 at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000A5T7AO/103-3796080-3162205

Not a bad price for an $800 unit. I just picked on up to supplement/replace my GPSMap 60C, which is a fine unit, but it does not hold the whole map set for North America at one time and has no card slot (which is ok for anything but really long trips) and does not have any spoken directions audio, so you have to keep looking down at the unit if you are on a route with many turns. Not as much of a problem in a car, but not so great on a bike.
 
Cheaper than cheap

I always stop at the Visitor's Center and get those Graphic paper systems for free! If "God" didn't want use to use the old fashioned paper system he would have never invented the clear map pouch on my Wolfman. . .:clap
 
The_Veg said:
I use the Graphic Paper System. :thumb
Click to expand...

always my thought on GPS, wanted one, but what they did wasn't worth 600-1000 dollars for me

but i recently found a 2720 for $309 refurbished

i like data, and 309 bucks for all that info is a good deal.
 
Here's Mine

I recently purchased this low cost position sensor set up for my brown K-bike.
It works pretty well, except when in the vicinity of large metallic masses such as 18 wheel trucks.
It runs on magnetic waves and requires no batteries or other external power source.
It can easily be transferred to my other bikes if desired.
 

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276C Gets my vote

I have two of these units and they work great. Their water proof in 3-ft of water for 1-hr. I have a mount for them in each car, 6 different bikes and on my snowmobile. They have never let me down even at -35 degree's. The best prices on GPS's I found was from www.buyeretail.com The 276c is 443.00 right now.:thumb
 
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