Phone vs dedicated GPS

[Will Francis]

 

BMW friends,

 

I'm super happy with my 2002 1150 RT and in a couple of weeks will be leaving for a 12 day ride. The previous owner installed a shelf, a powered Magellan GPS holder and extra cigarette plug above the instruments. I also have a midland bluetooth setup in my helmet that I sync with my iphone 4.

 

The previous owner left the GPS holder but kept the GPS and I'm trying to weigh my options:

 

1) replace the GPS with the same older model he used (~$50). on the upside, this is relatively cheap, quick and easy. But it won't sync with my bluetooth gear and I'd only ever use this GPS on my bike.

 

2) Install a mount for my phone ($50-$100?) and get better GPS software than comes standard with the phone ($50+). This would sync with my bluetooth, be useful whenever I use my phone for directions, but have higher cost (not a big deal) and require me to wire it into the bike (probably not a big deal).

 

I'm leaning toward option 2, but I haven't yet found a mount that I think would work well. Which iphone mounts have people used and liked? What about the GPS apps (tom tom, magellan, etc)? I haven't yet looked closely where the other mount was wired in (and I would prefer a wired mount) so what's involved with that? note that I have the option of using the cigarette lighter already there which would save me digging into the bike.

 

I did a search and don't believe these questions have been answered, at least in aggregate for my situation so I very much appreciate your thoughts.

 

thanks,

 

Will

[RodB]

I use Ram mounts for most of my needs. Good product.

[James Clark]

Is your cell phone weather resistant?

[Will Francis]

Is your cell phone weather resistant?

 

It's not particularly weather resistant, however I think I'd be able to get it out of weather before it got really wet. I don't mind riding without it if I think it might rain.

[KDeline]

Is your cell phone weather resistant?

 

Also vibration proof, be seen in the glare of the sun, plot routes, etc?

[Stan Walker]

It's not particularly weather resistant, however I think I'd be able to get it out of weather before it got really wet. I don't mind riding without it if I think it might rain.

 

The ONE time I really NEED my GPS to work is in the middle of the night during a rain storm on a two lane back road in the middle of someplace I've never been before while running low on gas...... If you travel, this will happen.

 

On a sunny day on the interstate the GPS is just another toy.

 

Stan

[KCScott]

I've tried to use my IP 4 on my bike. I had it on my tank bag. It got too hot and shut down. It wasn't even that hot but very sunny. It came back to life once I had it inside and it cooled down.

[philbytx]

quote

The ONE time I really NEED my GPS to work is in the middle of the night during a rain storm on a two lane back road in the middle of someplace I've never been before while running low on gas......

unquote

 

Stan Walker, starring in the new video "Death Wish 2011"

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

If your phone can hold all the maps, then I say go for it. The problem with a lot of phones is that they rely on receiving the map data from the cellular network. Something you cannot do once you go out of range of the nearest tower.

[Stan Walker]

Stan Walker, starring in the new video "Death Wish 2011"

Stan

[Will Francis]

so, one vote for the RAM mounts but I haven't yet been able to figure out which one will work with the RT. It also looks like from the images if I use their holder I can simply use a cigarette lighter to dock connector for the power. I'll have to verify there is clearance.

 

@KCscott - I, too, used my iphone 4 in my tank bag on my last trip but it never did overheat, though it wasn't super warm. I mostly just listened to the bluetooth directions with the free Waze app which is pretty good and didn't look at it much though since looking down that far, trying to focus and then looking back up was very distracting.

 

@boney - yes I'm probably going to get one of the more professional apps like the tom tom or magellan one that has the maps pre-loaded that won't rely on the cellular network.

 

Keep 'em coming guys!

 

 

[wbrissette]

I have a GarminFone. It was Garmin's last foray into the phone market before they decided it wasn't something they wanted to get into. It has a mount for the car, which you might be able to modify for a bike, but it would take some work. It, like a dedicated GPS, has a row of power connectors, so you can simply slide it into the cradle and plug in the accessory end to have the phone run off an external source. Even with a unit more dedicated as a standalone GPS, I'm not sure I use it.

 

Maybe it's the way Garmin tied into the Android OS, maybe it's the OS itself, but boy oh boy is it flaky. It drops the GPS a lot, which means you have to go back into the settings and turn on the GPS again (you don't want it on 100% of the time normally or you would only get a couple of hours usage out of the internal battery). I've had the OS crash on me in the car, which required me to restart the phone, etc.

 

Just give me a dedicated GPS that I don't have to worry about. Get one that is waterproof out of the box, hook up the power and away you go.

 

And just so I don't give the wrong impression about my GarminFone. I like it, I bought one for my daughter and liked hers so much I got one myself as Garmin/Tmobile was blowing them out. Garmin claims to be providing free updates to the maps for life (how long "life" is however isn't defined), which means it already has more current maps than my old Quest II that I use on my Ulysses. But, unless I'm in a pinch, I don't try to rely on the GPS functions and I'm not sure I would want to try to use any phone as a GPS on a bike.

 

Wayne

[allikanbe]

As stated above:

1. I have needed my Zumo 550 plenty of times at night and in the rain. I can't rely on a don't-get-it-wet cell phone for that.

 

2. The screen on my Zumo is also twice the size of my Droid so it's much easier to see.

 

3. I can touch the Zumo screen with my gloved hands to change views, but on my Droid I need to touch the screen with my skin to make the screen change.

 

4. I've had my Zumo for (guessing) 5 years and it is still excellent as a gps. My Droid is almost 2 years old and has been "upgraded" about a dozen times. Pretty soon it will be obsolete.

 

5. I don't need a monthly data plan to run the Zumo - it's basically free once you buy it. The cell phone costs mucho for the data plan. I'm waiting for Verizon to increase the fee and reduce the data allowed.

 

6. My Zumo quit on me once during a trip and I could not restart it. I sent it to Garmin and for $75 I got a new Zumo and new maps. Try that with a cell phone.

 

[tazplas]

Garmin 1250,(cheap) RAM mounted. Cost $140 with life time maps

Don't use the sound, just look at screen as required.

It has been thought the rain and doesn't really get wet where it's mounted. Not interested in route planning, i just enter a destination and go with that.

Also, at the end of the day, you should always carry a map just in case it fails anyway.

Just My 2 cents worth

 

cheers

 

Steve

[KarlS]

I have used an IPhone 4 for the last two years. I use a ram mount and plug the phone into a dedicated outlet. Prior I used a Street Pilot by Garmin.

 

The IPhone GPS provides better map coverage, more and free updates, and allows me to find any destination that can be found on the net. (Everywhere). Maybe the modern Garmin units do that too.

 

I would like a bigger screen but the route is very visable under almost all lighting conditions. Riding into direct sunlight is a problem but would be with any screen.

 

The IPhone is not waterproof but on a R1200RT behind the windscreen moderate rain hasn't been a problem Heat has not been a problem either with the ram mount.

 

I like having one rather than two units and having the ability to plan routes off the bike. I cannot download a route from mapsorce or any other mapping progam. That is a disadvantage but I use paper to make a note of route changes and that works well.

 

 

[Will Francis]

For some reason I had missed the RAM motorcycle wizard that helped me pick which mount would work with my bike (the clutch reservoir cover one). If I decide I don't like it there the plate for it is generic enough I can easily mount it somewhere else, like my accessory shelf.

 

now I'm just trying to decide between the navigon and tomtom gps software from my phone. For that there appears to be no shortage of opinions on the internet, though.