Tom Tom users

For those that chose the wrong satnav, there is a utility that lets you
convert your routes plotted in Google Maps to something your TomTom will
accept.

This has been recommended on UKGSer which is usually a reliable resource.
http://www.janboersma.nl/gett/index.php

I haven't tested it because I have a Garmin & Mapsource

 

Tyre? That's what I've been using to try and plug the Alpine routes into
my Rider 2.

As far as I can tell all it really allows you to do is plot waypoints on
Google Maps, then export those waypoints as a POI file that TomTom can
understand. You then have to create an itinerary on the TT using those
POIs, the TT will determine its own route which may not match the one on
GM, and you have to manually tell it to move on to the next POI in the
itinerary.

That said, it has been handy for creating POI files.

 

Sounds ghastly.

 

I was planning on being a bit old school about it all and write down
places I want to go to then take a map, have a look at how twisty the
roads are and just ride the bike.

I'll have the satnav with me but it'll probably only be used for the
last part of any days riding when I want to find the hotel.

 

OTOH the Tomtoms have far better route planning abilities for getting from A
to B.

 

that's sort of my approach, but I'm also adding a few towns near
interesting passes into it, then I can get to the good bits without
constantly checking my map.

 

I'll have loads of sad mates with me with SatNav rigged up on their
bikes. FFS.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Champ

We are Locator of Borg.

Prepare to be assimilated.

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - "He's hopeless, but he's honest"

I have already made the greatest contribution to the fight against climate
change that I can make: I have decided not to breed. Now quit bugging me and
go and talk to the Catholics.

 

You'll be glad of it when you come to actually try and find a hotel,
rather than find a preposterously twisty road leading nowhere useful.

 

At least you won't get lost.

 

I will. I might even buy the first round!

 

Of course, you'll have six people with satnavs all trying to take you a
different way to the hotel. Different hotels too, probably.

 

Exactly. And the various satnav owners will be variously flagging
each other down, to ask where the **** they think they're going.

Can't wait.

 

Haha. I tend not to ride in groups on this sort of trip for that reason and
others. The hotels are pre-booked so it will be a case of, "see you for
dinner." I can ride at my own pace, stop to take pictures where I want, not
spend 2 hours lunching, not stop every 100 miles for fuel & fags etc

 

I want to go via / avoid this bit of road. I was astonished when I was in a
colleague's car and his sat nav didn't have this feature - it seems such a
useful and obvious thing to have on a sat nav.

 

I recently borrowed a Sat Nav to find a series of specific locations in
London and East Anglia - it was jolly useful.

Useful to the extent I may buy one. I've previously ignored the SatNav
threads so don't really know what's what. The one I borrowed was a
Garmin Nuvi - seemed ok but don't have anything to compare it with.

What's the best type - for around £150 with Europe? It's for the car but
can you get dual use models?

 

Cheap http://www.ebuyer.com/product/159765 Chinese made, if you don't
like the supplied SW and don't mind hacked versions then Tomtom can be
loaded pretty easily.

 

You can get dual use models but they tend to be a little more expensive
because of the waterproofing you need for a bike.

In the spirit of recommending what you own, I really like my Garmin
2820. Its main downside is that it needs a power supply as it doesn't
have a built-in battery so I've got the BMW wired for it. It's got a
reasonably sized display, is waterproof to the extent that you need on a
bike and "just works". Its main advantage over its older siblings like
the 2610 that I had for quite a while (and I think wessie still has one)
is that it takes the newer Garmin maps so I could subscribe to the
updates for a one-off fee. With the older units you don't have that
option.

You can pick one up on ebay for around your budget or a little more
(depends if you're getting one from the US or not) and unless you need
tons of other bells and whistles.

If you want something cheap(ish) to you use in the car, I happen to have
a T-Mobile MDA Vario 3 cluttering up this place complete with a boxed
copy of TomTom and a car mount. As usual the TomTom maps are out of date
but as I CBA to stick this thing on fleabay I might be able to offer it
to you for a price that would allow you to get updated maps within the
above budget. Only downside with it is that it's not waterproof so it's
not that usable on a bike.

 

I still have a 2610, yes. It does everything I want it to, principally find
places once I've arrived in the general area. Works well in the car on a
bean bag or the bike on a handlebar mount. It needs an external power
source. Main thing you may not like, is the lack of full postcode search.
It will locate district i.e. HP2 4xx then you have to search by street
name. The accompanying software for use on PCs, Mapsource, is excellent.

Like Timo, many people are upgrading to more sophisticated devices so they
appear on Ebay and forums. You should get the complete gubbins with a
recent set of maps inside your budget.

Since I bought it I have paid Garmin for 2 new sets of maps. Last time I
used a crack at http://www.gpsunderground.com/forums/index.php

 

Indeed. I haven't tried the Mac one but that's supposed to be quite
decent as well.

At least the 2820 does full postcode search, not sure if the 27xx ones
do. It's a very useful feature in the UK, not so useful abroad.

Recent set of maps is a definite bonus. I'd also make sure that all the
unlock codes etc are there and communicate with the seller beforehand if
they have registered the device with Garmin and if the have, get them to
unregister it so you can register it in your name.