GPS Options...

[Baz]

Hi Everyone:
 
Here is my dilema. I obtained gift cards for a local dealer of GPS units only to find out that their gift cards are useless on their website. Their local stores carry no waterproof units such as the Garmin 2720 or Tom Tom Rider etc.
 
It looks as though I will have to purchase a car type unit (none are waterproof) and rig up a tank bag to keep it from the wet weather.
 
Here are the choices I have. I would appreciate comments from anyone who uses any of the units on their rides. Bluetooth or MP3 etc is of no use to me.
 

Model

TomTom One GPS Navigation System - Bluetooth Ready

Garmin StreetPilot i5 Navigation System

Prima Portable GPS Navigation System (GP-51P) - Future Shop Exclusive

Pioneer GPS Navigation System (AVIC-S1) - Bluetooth Ready

Pharos Traveller GPS Navigation System with Wifi and Bluetooth (525)

Sony Navigation System (NVU70)

Clarion N.I.C.E. GPS Navigation System (P200)

Garmin StreetPilot Navigation System (C330

[Mrs. DantesDame]

Didn't you ask this same question before STN went down? What is taking you so long???

[Baz]

Because I did not get the "Future Shop" suprise until recently. Otherwise it was a garmin 2720!

[rocketbunny]

They aren't able to special order?
 
I used to ride with a pda-based GPS. I had to stop at any hint of rain to cover it up. It made the screen all but impossible to read just when I needed it most. I won't buy another non-waterproof GPS for motorcycle use.
 
Do they have anything else there that you need? Can you sell the cards to someone else to get the equivalent cash for a more appropriate unit?

[rodm850g]

Baz,
There is the Quest or Quest2 models that work extremely well. I have one of those and it is not only water proof but has built in ni-cad battery usuallygood for 20 hours or more.....I did come into a 2610 recently that I just got programmed up for the Southeast. No it doesnt have cell phone ,music but was resonably priced from E-Bayand boy does it work good and the screen is automatic dim for night or backlit for day.........Good luck...
                                       Rodm850g

[basco]

I would work on your dealer to get the one you want. If they rep a line or brand, chances are they can get what you want just maybe not at the exact price you want.

[wotblake]

You could ebay the giftcards and get 90% or so of the value back from them. Take that money in your paypal account and buy from a online vendor or ebay. Thats what I would do.

[TheRedOnesAreFaster]

You could ebay the giftcards and get 90% or so of the value back from them. Take that money in your paypal account and buy from a online vendor or ebay. Thats what I would do.

 
Or can you just cash them in?  Buy something and return it for a full refund?

[Baz]

I am a little upset with these people let me tell you. I wrote their head office and received a F.U. response, then I went to one of their stores and requested they bring in a Garmin for me and the snotty nosed 20 year old manager said not a chance he could do that. (I had some new ideas of where to insert my gift cards after our conversation. I then requested that I somehow pay for the unit at a store and they could ship it to me, no such luck here either!
 
I do like the idea of a purchase & return. I think I will explore that one!
 
Actually, this has been a realization that I have been a collector of things. I never would of imagined I could walk into an electronics superstore and find I didn't really need anything!
 
Just as I suspected though, a non waterproof unit would not be a wise choice on a bike.

[Geezer]

So tell us who these people are so we don't get screwed by them.

As to the choice of GPS, you not only want waterproof, but you also want to make sure you don't use one that has a hard drive on a bike.

[Against The Wind]

I've got a 2720 and it's fantastic but plenty of folks have the 2610 which is a hard drive unit but it has a reputation for being very robust and it's not too expensive since it's now an antique.

[MadMax96]

I've got a 2720 and it's fantastic but plenty of folks have the 2610 which is a hard drive unit but it has a reputation for being very robust and it's not too expensive since it's now an antique.

The 2610 uses compact flash memory cards, the 2620 is the one with the hard drive.

[xcsp]

On another site, there was mention of fogging problems of the screen on the Garmin 26xx & 27xx models. Anyone here experience it?
 
I'm looking for a gps as well, no hurry as my riding season is done for a few months.
 
The Garmin Quest 2 looks like a good possibility if you don't want/need mp3/bluetooth.

[RickC1957]

On another site, there was mention of fogging problems of the screen on the Garmin 26xx & 27xx models. Anyone here experience it?
 
I'm looking for a gps as well, no hurry as my riding season is done for a few months.
 
The Garmin Quest 2 looks like a good possibility if you don't want/need mp3/bluetooth.

I have ridden thru a number of "build an ark" type storms...Garmin 2610...no problem with fogging of any sort. No GPS is waterproof...waterproof means it has the ability to function under water...at just about any depth...most GPSs I know...are water resistant to the depth of 1 meter for a period of 30 minutes. Do a search of the garmin website...it will tell you all the tech BS. I've been insanely happy with the 2610, bought a 1 GB card for it, I can load half of North America on it:D As for music, traffic updates, sat radio, weather radar...yadayada....you can keep all the trinkets...plain jane works awesome foe me:)

[fhaze]

I started with a PDA/CF based GPS w/ TomTom, it was very good..I could load up a bunch of places on the SD card and have Mp3. But the PDA bit the dust, so I bought a Garmin c550. Loved it, but not waterproof in any way shape or form..I rode 3800 miles with it and had to pull over a lot.(Lots of rain).. I returned to BestBuy and to a 15% restocking fee hit. Ouch.

I was able to get a Zumo for 750ish and am satisfied with it right now.

[MadMax96]

On another site, there was mention of fogging problems of the screen on the Garmin 26xx & 27xx models. Anyone here experience it?

Hmm - that could be what I've seen.  On occassion, the screen develops this slightly cloudy mark right in the center - I thinks it's more of a horizontal smudge.  The first time it happened it was a warm, sunny day.  It doesn't seem to have anything to do with dampness or anything.  I first thought it was a scratch on the screen (unit was a week old, although it's a refurb).  I popped the unit out of my RAM mount and stored it in my Givi trunk when I parked to get lunch.  When I came back the display was normal.  
 
I have been in horrible rain with it, in fact I think the only way it could have been exposed to more water was to submurse it entirely!  It's definitely water resistant!

[RBEmerson]

I've got a 2720 and it's fantastic but plenty of folks have the 2610 which is a hard drive unit but it has a reputation for being very robust and it's not too expensive since it's now an antique.

Er, the 27xx series joins the 2610 in the list of discontinued GPSR's in favor of the Bluetooth-capable 28xx series.

The 2610 uses CF (compact flash), as does the 2650 (adds NMEA serial out and speedo data in).  The 2620 is the only one in the 26xx series to use an internal HDD.

[Against The Wind]

I stand corrected on the 2610. And that horiz smudge....me too. But it's no big deal and I've ridden in horrendous rains.

[basco]

On another site, there was mention of fogging problems of the screen on the Garmin 26xx & 27xx models. Anyone here experience it?
 
I'm looking for a gps as well, no hurry as my riding season is done for a few months.
 
The Garmin Quest 2 looks like a good possibility if you don't want/need mp3/bluetooth.

What site were you looking at? The fogging is rare but it happens. Send it back to Garmin and they will fix it (for free if its under warranty). Some info is found at www.gpspassion.com.

[xcsp]

It was on the FJR Forum site. Yep, the people sent them in and covered under warranty.

[Baz]

So tell us who these people are so we don't get screwed by them.
 
As to the choice of GPS, you not only want waterproof, but you also want to make sure you don't use one that has a hard drive on a bike.

The people in question here is Future shop (Canada only I believe)
 
Anyway, they did come good on me. I spoke to a very typical nice young electronics salesman (pierced everywhere) who came up with the idea that helped me out. (It's always amazing how comission motivates people) I will use my visa for an in store purchase off their website, he will the arrange for their customer service person to credit my gift cards back to my visa. So it looks like I will go with the Garmin 2720. I think I will wait until the real sales begin after Christmas though.
 
I guess I can't badmouth Future Shop too badly now.