A Global Positioning System (GPS)... or, my search for “the answer.”by Jeff Dean
Above photo: A Garmin StreetPilot III mounted on my R1150RT.
Perhaps my interest was piqued by seeing one of the fancy, new K1200LTE motorcycles at Iron Horse Motorcycles. It had the BMW Navigator GPS System. Then there was the regular bulletin-board chatter about how wonderful GPS is for motorcyclists. On the bulletin board, all roads seemed to point toward Garmin GPS products, so I restricted my search to these. A little investigation and discussion narrowed my search to three Garmins:
The GPS unit on the BMW K1200LTE is actually a more expensive version of the StreetPilot III, so that unit started out with a lead. The StreetPilot III has a large, color screen, and is designed specifically for automobile/motorcycle use. It is waterproof, which is very good for you and me, and it can take Garmin proprietary memory cards that you can load with maps downloaded from your computer. It even offers verbal turn-by-turn navigation to help you through unfamiliar places. On the other hand, it is a large unit, and is not WAAS compatible. The GPS V has both advantages and disadvantages compared to the StreetPilot III. On the positive side, it is smaller, good for hiking or bicycling, and is WAAS compatible. It can also provide turn-by-turn navigation, but is nonverbal, and is much less expensive than the StreetPilot III. On the other hand, the screen is small and black-and-white and the unit is limited in memory because it cannot accept memory cards. The GPSMAP 176/176C has the largest display screen, which is very good. The 176 is black-and-white, while the 176C has a color screen. Like the StreetPilot, it accepts memory cards for downloading maps, but it cannot provide turn-by-turn navigation. Like the GPS V, it is WAAS compatible. It is priced between the GPS V and the StreetPilot III, and is intended primarily as a marine unit. After a lot of research, discussion, and thinking I decided on the StreetPilot III (SP3). The only downside to it in my opinion was its lack of WAAS compatibility. This unit comes as a kit including a 12-volt connector, 32MB memory card, USB computer connection, and a MapSource City Navigator CD, which are extra costs with the other models. That helps reduce the actual comparative cost of this unit. I also acquired Metroguide map software, a remote antenna for use on my truck, a training video, a carrying case, a speakerless 12-volt power cord for motorcycle use, and a hood for the unit, so the display does not wash out in bright sunshine. The SP3 comes with base maps built in. You get more detail if you download detailed maps from Metroguide. You do that by 1) installing the CD software on to your computer, and then 2) downloading desired portions to the Garmin memory card and installing that into your SP3. To use the USB reader included with the SP3, I bought an inexpensive USB hub because I am getting so many USB connections. You can only download maps to the memory card. You need to hook up the SP3 itself to your computer with a serial connection to download other info, such as waypoints. Or you can create waypoints directly on the SP3. The City Navigator software is only for major metro areas. This is the one you "unlock" with special Garmin codes. You get one code with the SP3 to unlock one City Navigator area of the U.S. or all of Canada. You can download one or metro areas from City Navigator to the memory card and also download portions of the nation to the card from Metroguide. Obviously, purchasing a larger proprietary Garmin memory card, which I have not done, allows more map data to be downloaded. Inasmuch as I hope to avoid major metropolitan areas, I chose neither to acquire a larger memory card nor more unlock codes. It does get confusing. If you look into Garmin GPS pricing, you will run into something called the MAP, or Minimum Advertised Price. The actual sale price on most internet sites is less than the MAP, but you may have to phone or e-mail the site for find out the real price. Compared to the MSRP, or suggested retail price, these units sell for a lot less. I bought my Garmin unit from Total Video Navigation Devices (TVNAV), a site recommended to me by several members of the BMW RT bulletin board. Its price was very good, and it also discounted accessories and mapping programs. The hood or sunvisor on the SP3 in the photo above is sold by TVNAV as well. For information on the sunvisor, click here. For those on a budget, the less expensive black-and-white screen Street Pilot still is available either new or used from TVNAV. Once you have a GPS, whichever model you buy, you have to figure out how to mount it on your motorcycle. Again following the recommendations of fellow BMW RT riders, I contacted Cycle Gadgets, a BMW-oriented internet site well know to BMW riders. There, Laurene Franklin was very helpful in advising me what to use to mount the StreetPilot III on my various motorcycles. Her recommended StreetPilot III mount is shown here.
Just choose your destination using StreetPilot’s touch screen or remote control to be automatically guided with turn-by-turn directions and voice prompts. Both the 2610 and 2650 feature color displays, built-in maps, and everything needed to download additional map detail and look up points of interest and addresses in seconds. Select maps and transfer data directly to the unit through a USB connection and onto a standard CompactFlash® memory card. These products are powered using the external speaker with 12/24-volt adapter cable or A/C power adapter. A special motorcycle mounting package (Garmin part no. 010-10495-00) for the 2610 is also available.
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