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GPS good/bad ?

Bottom line...GPS device is a good investment...even the $150 TOM-TOM 140S...small screen, street names, easy to use and transfer from vehicle to vehicle, even if you "pack" it and only consult at rest stops/gas stops. Having a trip planner (from AAA) is also a nice thing, IF you are into rigid planned schedule type guy...they are VERY handy, store easily and just flip to the next page on your route, can't be any easier than that.
 
I use a TomTom Rider on my '07 UC. I don't use it much at all in my local area, but on my 3,000 mile round-trip ride this summer it was great for helping me find my hotel, guiding me through major city's interchanges to stay on the right path and the like. I agree you shouldn't be fussing with it while riding, but with the Bluetooth receiver in my ear hearing the voice instructions I really didn't look at the maps that much. I think its a useful tool.
 
I have the Nuvi 855 and it comes in real handy. Although if you like to take back roads like I do I have found it to be useless for routes unless you take your time and plan the route very carefully or create a route using mapquest and downloading it.

I bought a RAM mount and it is very sturdy and well made. I never found a map that had back roads on it so I invested in the GPS. What's nice about it is you can drive with no particular route in mind then when you come to a fork in the road take a peak at it and see where you want to go next.

As previously stated it is nice to located gas, restaurants and the such while you are out in never never land. When I cross paths with a place I want to return to I save it.
 
Well, I've drove truck for over 25 years, coast to coast, border to border. I have acquired a pretty good sense of direction. Granted their good for road construction, closed roads etc. But that's the best part of the adventure. Not really being sure what you will come across. If you stick to the the Interstates your safe. I will point my scoot in a direction and go, and take it as it comes. Yes I have had to turn around because of construction I could of avoided with a GPS, but that's half the fun.
 
I think I'm the only one in Italy who doesn't own a GPS! :25:
Many have two or more...

Maybe I'm dumb, refusing to change my mind to innovations...
But nothing beats a good detailed map where you can have in a single glance your position, how far are other places, the type of road you can expect and choose "wisely" alternatives or detours!

IMO a GPS is normally a waste of money unless you're a professional driver always needing to find quickly many destinations daily: let's say... less than 1% of population?? It's not my case anyway.

But, since everyone is free to use his money the way he likes... go with the GPS: I'll probably (you never know...) never have one in my life!
:)
Ciao
Ugo
 
I bought a Garmin 2730 from a member of this forum about a year ago, and it sits on the bike all the time, mounted on the handlebars.
At first, I was looking at it constantly, but soon figured out that it isn't very helpful if you're laying on the ground bleeding and/or dead. So mostly, it's turned off.

The most useful thing, for me, is the display of upcoming streets along your route. Looking for side streets, especially in residential areas when trying to find someone's house or some address you're not familiar with, can be a real pain, especially at night, when many street signs aren't lit up. Being able to see the street name on the GPS as it comes up is a real plus for my tired old eyes.
 
I'm afraid I don't understand the opposition.. a GPS is simply an electronic map.. which allows it to be vastly more detailed than a paper one. Don't like the cost? Stick to paper.
 
I like having mine on all the time. I have it almost covering the gas gauge (a little above it). It is easier to read the speed than looking at the bikes. I loved having it up in Tenn last week. I could glance at it to see what kind of curve was coming up. Here in Florida we don't have too many of them. If I am using it to get somewhere I can pick up when it changes for a turn up ahead. After that I will look to see how far ahead the next turn is & which way I have to turn. I have the old fashion one in the saddlebag (no batteries needed).
 
I have had one for a few years and usually take it with me on trips. I like to research a new area for good roads and possibly attractions. Preplanning trips like that will many times result in some great/interesting roads I would have never found otherwise. Avoid cities when I can but if I end up going through them, it helps get it done with a minimum of stress.

It's nice to have some warning of upcoming turns and to be able to find gas and lodging.
 
Some of my best times on road trips were when I was lost. Stop in a small town and get out a map and within a few minutes people will stop to give directions or to talk about their bikes and road trips. You get to meet a lot a interesting people that way and get told about a neat things to see in the area. You don't get that looking at a min computer.
 
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