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Weather radar on your GPS?

cjack

K Bikes Complex by Choice
Does anyone do weather radar on their GPS. I see that the 376 or now 478 garmin has that capability, but also has some screen issues with durability on a motorcycle. Are there any other motorcycle compatible choices? The Zumo seems to have a simple weather forcast, no real time radar.
Thanks.
 
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I have a zumo and I have the weather service subscription. We get NWS warnings and information like that. Last summer in the midwest we were warned of severe thunderstorms, flash flooding, etc. The warnings come as an icon on your route screen and you touch them for more details about where exactly the warning is for.
 
When travelling, I get local forcasts and weather radar on my iPhone, as long as I have service. Just a thought.
 
I have a zumo and I have the weather service subscription. We get NWS warnings and information like that. Last summer in the midwest we were warned of severe thunderstorms, flash flooding, etc. The warnings come as an icon on your route screen and you touch them for more details about where exactly the warning is for.

Does it show active radar too? HOw much is the service?
 
From what I've read, the Zumo doesn't offer real-time doppler like some of the car ones do. To be honest, that is part of the reason I just got a refurbished Quest 2 from Ebay. If they ever start to offer real-time doppler (and also real-time doppler for both the US and Canada - not one or the other :mad ), I would upgrade and pay for the service. Without it, it's mostly useless for me. I can pull the weather and doppler on my T-Mobile G1, and while I ride I can look at the sky. If I could get doppler while riding it might help me avoid getting hailed on ever again.
 
Currently, I use my Blackberry to check weather...
 
Yes, I use the weather radar available through XM, with my 376c. I find it is very useful. Assuming the Sirius merger hasn't changed the policy:

You pay a one-time activation fee ($50, I think) and then about $30 a month, separate from any music XM subscription you might have. Once a year you can put the service on "End of Season." I only use it during the travel months, typically April through September, although this year I've not activated yet, since all my travel's been out and back to Big Ben. Last year out in the Texas panhandle and in New Mexico we were able to avoid some big storms and/or notice that the storm ahead was just a shower, and kept going. I'm talking about the live weather radar, not weather bulletins.

Regarding screen issues, I've had none, although I'm on my third 376c unit. The first one died (nothing to do with radar) and was replaced under Garmin's exchange policy for a couple hundred bucks, after two years; the second one lasted six months, and they sent me a new one, no charge, just a few weeks ago.

The only thing I don't particularly like about the series is the buttons are real small, but it's not a deal killer.

I use plastic screen protectors on the units now, as the screens have a tendency to, not exactly get scratched, but get marks on them.
Got mine here: http://stores.ebay.com/TelevateStore

Put the puck on top of the unit with dual lock and it shades the screen.

 
Weather Radar

I use the weather radar on my 478. I have a 478 for three reasons, the capability of doppler radar, and the fact the screen is brighter or as bright as any GPS, and the resolution is much higher than a Zumo. It sort of looks like high def vs regular tv. I am on the LDRider List and have never heard of a 276 376 378 or 478 with a screen problem. The 2610 has certainly had this problem. One of the big advantages of the weather radar is to avoid severe weather. Look out for the red and yellow!
The disadvantage of the 478 etc is there is no screen touch capability. Another advantage is that as you drive on the interstate it know which way you are going and shows the exits ahead and has all the service at each exit.
Every GPS is a comprmise. Different things are important to different people.
 
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