Motorcycle GPS Systems
Unfortunately for bikers there are not many
motorcycle GPS systems available on the market. As far as I know there are
only TomTom Rider and Garmin Zumo. They are two to four times more
expensive than any car GPS system. The main reason is that they have to be
waterproof and somehow more rigid. Well, is this a reason or is it a total rip
off. I don’t know.
Good thing with TomTom Rider is that it’s got a selection of biker friendly winding routes which generally are more fun to ride. You can set the degree of 'windingness' so the higher it gets the more bends you end up doing which means your time of travel extends. I generally have it set it up for medium. Unfortunately, Garmin lacks this feature but you really manage without it.
Do you need the best motorcycle GPS systems?
I always have a standard route map with me to see at a glance the big picture of my tour during longer breaks. Most of the maps have the scenic routes highlighted so you can plan your journey on your GPS along them if you wish by adding itinerary. Also if you pick up any physical map you would be more or less able to figure out which routes are picturesque. Therefore, I think the branded motorcycle gps systems are a bit pricey.
Truth is that if you happy with your car GPS you should be happy with it on your bike. You just need to protect it from rain and you'll be fine. Speaking of which, check out the motorcycle GPS mount with waterproof case. You will find there the GPS system I like and used in a car as well as on my bike. By GPS I mean any car TomTom, Garmin or your iPod or mobile phone on which you’ve got a navigation system.
Whatever you've got, you would need to connect it to your intercom. Good news is that any GPS can be connected to your intercom via either Bluetooth or a cable. No matter what you're connecting to your headset you will succeed one way or the other.
Bear
in mind that the branded navigation systems such as TomTom will allow you to
connect your intercom via Bluetooth only to
the specific motorcycle GPS such as TomTom Rider and although others TomTom
devices have Bluetooth connectivity they will not allow connection with a
headset. This is to ensure motorcyclists use the expensive stuff. That’s kind
of a shame but don’t worry, you can use the extendable cable which will do the
job. And you will not notice the cable during your rides.
This is where smart phones or iPhones come
handy as they connect via Bluetooth to any headsets with no trouble, of course
providing the headset has got the Bluetooth connectivity. I believe nowadays
any motorcycle intercom will have. The downside of using mobile phones may be a
small screen size but some smart phones or iPhones are just fine.
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