Gadget : GPS device on bikes

[rideral]

I can fully understand how frustrating it is to wait donkey years for any GPSr to lock onto the satellites. Also, it would be pointless to have all the superb features if there is no good map to go along. I'm a newbie in this area and I'm currently using a basic Etrex Vista HCX handheld mounted on my bike using ram-mount. I've tried it in Malaysia and locally many times since and I simply love it. All thanks to MSM, MFM, Jerome and many more who contributed so much to the mapping community and allowing us newbies to enjoy this luxury of having some free maps. I kowtow to them for their time spent on ever refining their maps etc.

 

Cheers to GPSr users!!

[rideral]

I can fully understand how frustrating it is to wait donkey years for any GPSr to lock onto the satellites. Also, it would be pointless to have all the superb features if there is no good map to go along. I'm a newbie in this area and I'm currently using a basic Etrex Vista HCX handheld mounted on my bike using ram-mount. I've tried it in Malaysia and locally many times since and I simply love it. All thanks to MSM, MFM, Jerome and many more who contributed so much to the mapping community and allowing us newbies to enjoy this luxury of having some free maps. I kowtow to them for their time spent on ever refining their maps etc.

 

Cheers to all GPSr users!!

[lacrimosae]

hey LACRIMOSAE,

tested ur Oregon 300 so far? how is it?

need reviews man haha!!

 

Oops, yeah I think a review is overdue, so here goes.

 

Calculation of routes is a hit and miss thing. Mostly its spot on, but occasionally, the route calculated isn't the shortest, nor fastest.

 

I still gets me from Pt A to Pt B, but sometimes, it directs me to really long routes via unnecessary detours.

 

Tracking is sketchy at times, but generally acceptable. Comparing to my friend's Nuvi, the automotive mode of the Oregon seems to struggle to keep up with its tracking. Sometimes, when I've stopped at a junction, the track shows a lot of squiggles around where I've stopped, as if I wasn't stationary and was doing the the jiggy on the spot. Tracking is fine when on foot though.

 

Not sure if the Oregon 300 has Hotfix function, but getting a fix on my location takes about 1-2min if I turn it on from my last location, and about 2-4min if I turn in on while on the move or away from my last location.

 

Have tried it in Australia, Switzerland, New Zealand, and Germany so far. Takes about 4-5min to get a fix on new country. Routing is good, the tracking function, despite being occasionally sketchy when driving, is great for sightseeing.

 

I also like the compass, altimeter, and sunrise/moonrise calendar, which allows me to find and shoot sunrise/sunsets in different countries without having to ask the concierge all the time.

 

Works well in -3 degrees Celsius, waterproof, so it was fine when dropped in snow. Touch screen works great with winter gloves too.

 

Oh, minor glitch 2 days ago. I touched a location near the Braddell Flyover, and it shutdown by itself. Was fine after I turned it on again. First time its happened and hope it doesnt happen again. Will keep u guys posted.

 

Don't know what else you guys wanna know about.

[Kazky]

Sometimes, when I've stopped at a junction, the track shows a lot of squiggles around where I've stopped, as if I wasn't stationary and was doing the the jiggy on the spot. Tracking is fine when on foot though.

so means when u have stop at a junction for e.g, the arrow still showing that ur still moving?

another thing, batt life so far good?

[lacrimosae]

so means when u have stop at a junction for e.g, the arrow still showing that ur still moving?

another thing, batt life so far good?

 

Yeah, when I stop at a junction, the arrow is turning around, and moving very slightly. I don't know if this can be attributed to the movement of the earth and satellites, haha...

 

Batt life is still awesome so far. In snow conditions it drops a little though. I think about 12hrs. Can't confirm it cos I didn't have it on during my meals and it was over a period of 2 full days of walking around before it died.

 

In SG it lasts about 16-17hrs on the Energizer Ultra long life lithium ion batteries thereabouts. Haven't tried out NiMH rechargeables yet. But its a bit inaccurate because I keep changing the background illumination level due to the screen being a little on the dim side.

[Kazky]

16-17 hrs is really super good lah bro..at $790 for the Oregon300 as u mention,does the price also means u buy together wif the M'sia and S'pore map?

is thai map diff price is it?

[Demon]

Yeah, when I stop at a junction, the arrow is turning around, and moving very slightly. I don't know if this can be attributed to the movement of the earth and satellites, haha...

 

This is known as drifting and if you trawl the GPS forums on the Garmin Oregon, it seems like a common complaint.

 

I haven't had the opportunity to play with an Oregon yet but from experience this drifting should not occur when it is used with a street level map as the GPS is programmed to "lock on road", compensating for variances in map position accuracy thereby minimize drifting.

[jonkuek]

Do streetdirectory.com offer SG/Mal maps for Garmin devices?

[lao uncle]

Do streetdirectory.com offer SG/Mal maps for Garmin devices?

 

No, they dont.

 

Let me explain, Garmin uses it own proprietory operating system for its device.

 

Same as microsoft using window or Apple using its own operating system, they are not interchangable.

 

Beside streetdirectory.com only using its software to show its street directory and not using it to do routing.

[Don Didie]

Do streetdirectory.com offer SG/Mal maps for Garmin devices?

 

 

Bro for Garmin just try here... http://www.malsingmaps.com/portal/

[jonkuek]

Bro for Garmin just try here... http://www.malsingmaps.com/portal/

 

Hi bro, thanks for advice.

I am currently using a Zumo and i had tried MalSing, MalFree, Jerome Wee and even Garmin's City Navigator maps on my device. But to me, i still felt streetdirectory.com's map suits my perference, as in the map detail, accuracy and very updated, though they are no POI....

[Don Didie]

Hi bro, thanks for advice.

I am currently using a Zumo and i had tried MalSing, MalFree, Jerome Wee and even Garmin's City Navigator maps on my device. But to me, i still felt streetdirectory.com's map suits my perference, as in the map detail, accuracy and very updated, though they are no POI....

 

Oh Malsingmap(MSM) not accurate? and not detail? well for me it does e job. U may contribute e POI's if it's not update, that is how MSM does... Great to know U r using a ZUMO..

[vara]

Hi folks,

 

Hope to get some of your attention in this thread. I'm selling off my 8mths old zumo550. It comes with garmin original Thai map & also Malaysia-Singapore downloaded map. Item comes complete in a box with all accessories included in mint condition & ready to go.

 

To top it off, also giving away SengKwang customized bracket for free.

 

Shoot me with your price & we'll see who gets lucky ya....

 

 

vara

97352454

[jonkuek]

Hi folks,

 

Hope to get some of your attention in this thread. I'm selling off my 8mths old zumo550. It comes with garmin original Thai map & also Malaysia-Singapore downloaded map. Item comes complete in a box with all accessories included in mint condition & ready to go.

 

To top it off, also giving away SengKwang customized bracket for free.

 

Shoot me with your price & we'll see who gets lucky ya....

 

 

vara

97352454

 

 

bro, why didn't you offer it earlier? I could had buy from you... too bad i just bought my Zumo 1 month ago...

[vara]

bro, why didn't you offer it earlier? I could had buy from you... too bad i just bought my Zumo 1 month ago...

 

hmmmm....bad timing i guess. how do u find ur new zumo? awesome right?

[jonkuek]

hmmmm....bad timing i guess. how do u find ur new zumo? awesome right?

 

Awesome right? OF COURSE! IT'S VERY AWESOME! and i am still wondering why you want to sell this awesome toy....

[vara]

Awesome right? OF COURSE! IT'S VERY AWESOME! and i am still wondering why you want to sell this awesome toy....

 

hmmm...no more trips this yr....so i guess it'll be collecting dust for now.

 

i think the best part of this zumo that i like is that its capability to pair with other bluetooth enabled devices. I hv a pair of BlueAnt rider-to-rider/pillion intercoms which i used it during my last north thai trip. Able to ans my hp calls with it & listen to mp3 while on the move...but limited up to 120km/h. anything beyond that, it went sandy on the audio quality.

[Kazky]

regarding Zumo GPS,how,does the unit get its batt life from?

by tapping direct to the bike's batt or like using the ciggy socket?

[jonkuek]

regarding Zumo GPS,how,does the unit get its batt life from?

by tapping direct to the bike's batt or like using the ciggy socket?

 

Zumo have a rechargeable ION battery which last around 4 hours, along with it is a motorcycle power cable which allow Zumo to tap from bike's batt, looks like this:

[Kazky]

but to tap it to the bike's batt directly won't it cause the bike's batt itself to drain even faster?

What i mean is that even when the bike is Ignition OFF there will still be power to the GPS wire cable.. Unless for e.g the ciggy socket where current is automatically shut off when ignition is off.

Well, this is wat i know lah but i might be wrong also.

 

Any good wiring experts here? hehehe

[Demon]

but to tap it to the bike's batt directly won't it cause the bike's batt itself to drain even faster?

 

Don't worry, the GPS draws very little power.

 

What i mean is that even when the bike is Ignition OFF there will still be power to the GPS wire cable.. Unless for e.g the ciggy socket where current is automatically shut off when ignition is off.

Well, this is wat i know lah but i might be wrong also.

 

Whether the power to the socket is rigged to be controlled by ignition is not really important because if the GPS detected the loss of external power, it will still prompt you whether you want to continue usage by it's internal battery.

 

What is really important is that the power line to the GPS must be fused.

 

[vara]

Don't worry, the GPS draws very little power.

 

 

 

Whether the power to the socket is rigged to be controlled by ignition is not really important because if the GPS detected the loss of external power, it will still prompt you whether you want to continue usage by it's internal battery.

 

What is really important is that the power line to the GPS must be fused.

 

 

spot on...well said. dont worry abt ur bike batt being drained out....this zumo is well built for bike being totally weather proof. just look at the craddle to mount the gps, its really well designed. no prob riding thru heavy downpour.

[Don Didie]

but to tap it to the bike's batt directly won't it cause the bike's batt itself to drain even faster?

What i mean is that even when the bike is Ignition OFF there will still be power to the GPS wire cable.. Unless for e.g the ciggy socket where current is automatically shut off when ignition is off.

Well, this is wat i know lah but i might be wrong also.

 

Any good wiring experts here? hehehe

 

If U dun wire the Zumo to the Bike Batt..U wont get any sound/Direction via the GPS Holder, thru e 2.3mm or 3.5mm joint as the side......It will of cos draw small amt of pwr... If u keen on the unit...no porb can drop me a PM i can Let U see mine when in Use

[Kazky]

so u saying u wanna give me urs is it

 

btw to all thanks for clearing my doubt,need to calculate my finances whether to get this Zumo or also another choice the Garmin Vista HCX.

[jonkuek]

so u saying u wanna give me urs is it

 

btw to all thanks for clearing my doubt,need to calculate my finances whether to get this Zumo or also another choice the Garmin Vista HCX.

 

Vara is selling his zumo, you could PM him your budget and also if you don't mind 2nd hand device. Else, a brand new Zumo 500 which i bought at Perfect Watch is $950, Zumo 550 should cost around $1150 (have to check). Vista HCX would of course be way cheaper than Zumo, this all will ultimately depend on which device suits you. Earlier discussion from page 27 to here should give you a better understanding, happy shopping!

 

from your earlier posts, you are using a Quest and you wanna change already? Also seems like you prefer a handheld over a bike gps because you like the long battery life and more features. If i am to choose a handheld, i would choose a Oregon 300.