Garmin SP 2610 Remote use on Bike

Has anyone figured out a good way to mount this remote for use on the bike.

I have found that with gloves on that it is akward to adjust the zoom using just the touch screen. With the remote it's just press the + and - button. I like to keep the system zoomed in to about the 12 mile scale, just for situational awareness.

When I pass a turn the system always zooms out to the maximum and I have to zoom it back in where I like it. In the car I keep the remote handy and just press the + a few times and there I am.

Thanks
Rod

A testiment, perhaps, to the utility of those big left hand buttons on the BMW Navigator II mount for the 2610.

Only use my remote in the car.


BTW, have had several rental cars with the Nuvi......what a major improvement in functionality and performance over my 2610. Now, if it or that Sumo would only fit the Navigator II mount......

2820

hlothery said:

A testiment, perhaps, to the utility of those big left hand buttons on the BMW Navigator II mount for the 2610.

Only use my remote in the car.


BTW, have had several rental cars with the Nuvi......what a major improvement in functionality and performance over my 2610. Now, if it or that Sumo would only fit the Navigator II mount......

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My Nav II was going insane too often and I just got a Garmin 2820. It fits right in the Nav II holder, but doesn't use (or need) the side buttons. It's great. Much better graphics, and I associate my cell phone and my blue tooth helmet adapter to the unit. It gives verbal turn by turn instructions in my ear, and I can see who's calling or even make calls directly from the unit. It is too cool for school by the way, it was only $245 new, delivered in one day. If I remember correctly, the Nav II was $1200 or so.

theLuz said:

My Nav II was going insane too often and I just got a Garmin 2820. It fits right in the Nav II holder, but doesn't use (or need) the side buttons. It's great. Much better graphics, and I associate my cell phone and my blue tooth helmet adapter to the unit. It gives verbal turn by turn instructions in my ear, and I can see who's calling or even make calls directly from the unit. It is too cool for school by the way, it was only $245 new, delivered in one day. If I remember correctly, the Nav II was $1200 or so.

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Can you plan rides on your PC and download the routes to the Garmin 2820?

I'd second the mention of the BMW Navigator series. It's the reason my SP2820 now is relegated to car use only. It was dangerous to use on the bike - simply due to the zoom factor. I'd often try to zoom it and end up with it thinking I was trying to mark a waypoint. It would then require several more presses to get it backed out to display the map again - still not zoomed to where it was useful.

WAY too much distraction. I bought a Navigator-III (good deal on Ebay) and have never looked back. The simple addition of the +/- buttons makes all the difference. I also greatly like the BlueTooth capability since I'm no longer tethered to the bike by an earplug cord (which I always forgot to disconnect.. ouch!) I have a Jabra BlueTooth thingie - looks like a thick dog-tag, in the upper pocket of my 'stich, and my earplug (Etymotics) plugged into it. As soon as I get within about 20' of the bike - the pairing takes place and I can listen to Doofus (the lady in the box) tell me where to go. No need to even look at the GPS.

I have the remote for the 2820 (had one for my 2610, and have one for the Nav_III) - and I think it's basically not useable on the bike. Buttons are still a bit too small, and there are too many of them. It's also not waterproof which would be a big mark against it.

Watch Ebay - NAV-III's are dropping in price since the Zumo-660 has been announced.

Manfred said:

Can you plan rides on your PC and download the routes to the Garmin 2820?

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Yes - but the tool Garmin provides is several generations behind any map-routing program available. It's the one downside to Garmin products. I understand there are some tools allowing a reasonable program (like Google Maps) to plot a route - and then export it as a series of waypoints that can be uploaded to your Garmin. To me - that's a much better solution.

My #1 gripe about City Navigator.. if you do city to city routing, or a route made up from waypoints that are cities - it often will take you down dark alleys, dirt roads, whatever it needs to - to take you to what it "knows" as the city location. It's often something like the town dump or city jail. So I'll be headed down a highway going through a city, it tells me to turn here, turn there, go down this lane - then TURN AROUND and go back. I've been to the "city" as it knows it..