I have a 2730 and its fine. I wouldn't have a Apple if it were free. I have a Android smart phone, but I only use for calls.
Why would you use a "motorcycle gps" instead of a smartphone?
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I use a Zumo 390, and also have an iPhone. I prefer the Zumo for the motorcycle for a few reasons. 1) it always has map info because the map is local. Lack of cell service doesn't affect the GPS. 2) the GPS always shows the map. The phone can get cluttered with distractions like email and text message notifications. Also, the phone prioritizes phone calls over all else, because it's a phone, which means that when a phone call comes in the map disappears in favor of the caller ID information. I simply prefer the lack of clutter. 3) the dedicated GPS is rugged. The iPhone is delicate even with a case. 4) the GPS is waterproof. The phone would require something to make it waterproof. 5) the aesthetics of the GPS are good compared with a phone in a cradle.
I pair the GPS over Bluetooth to my Sena. And my iPhone is paired to the GPS -and- the Sena at the same time. This gives the GPS the ability to send audio to the head set and allows me to make and receive calls if I want. But generally I don't want calls while riding so I disable that more often than not. The Sena can directly control the phone for music playback, and voice dialing. It's really the best of everything.
So of course you could use a smartphone but I like the incremental improvement made possible by a dedicated GPS. I'm not at all sorry about the purchase.
Joel
I pair the GPS over Bluetooth to my Sena. And my iPhone is paired to the GPS -and- the Sena at the same time. This gives the GPS the ability to send audio to the head set and allows me to make and receive calls if I want. But generally I don't want calls while riding so I disable that more often than not. The Sena can directly control the phone for music playback, and voice dialing. It's really the best of everything.
So of course you could use a smartphone but I like the incremental improvement made possible by a dedicated GPS. I'm not at all sorry about the purchase.
Joel
Yes, I called Garmin support to see if I could get the 2720 repaired and they said no and told me they would give me the 20% off on another GPS. I picked the 390LM. I did do the deal directly with Garmin, but I don't recall now 5-6 months later if I did it all on the phone or if I did part of it online. I think it was all on the phone, though.
Oooo! Excellent point! I haven't even considered how old my 2730 is and honestly, don't have any experience with recent motorcycle GPSs.
That really does sound like a great compromise, but man that's some dough to drop on a zumo!
A few people here have talked about riding styles. I've been through some areas of TN and GA where the service is non-existant so I can definitely understand. But maybe it's just I don't have that problem often enough or ride for touring often enough.
Well this discussion definitely has some great points back and forth. I'm surprised more smartphone apps haven't really hit all the marks that motorcycle riders want (easy custom routing, downloadable maps, easy multiple VIAs on a route, etc.)
I do like the idea of a standalone GPS for a lot of battery issues, and what others brought up about the phone and text messages interrupting the GPS output. I'm gonna do some more thinking on this, but regardless, my 2730 is no longer officially supported by Garmin and my 2013 maps are apparently the latest maps I'll ever get unless I look at other options.
I'm gonna do some more research on Windows Phone and Android mapping solutions as I can get older versions cheap on ebay and replace batteries or upgrade memory, and I can use them JUST as an "ipod touch" w/ GPS, without paying "ipod prices". Maybe in 2015 some apps will change for the better and become closer to a good streetpilot replacement.
Alexi
The Zumo 390 is way better than my old 2720 that died. Lots more features, bigger screen and the unit is much less bulky, just to name a few. I do agree that it's a lot of money to drop, but in my case it was worth it. I'm not saying it's the right choice for you or anyone else, though. ;-) BTW, I also always carry a complete USA Atlas, but I think I only got it out one time somewhere in the middle of nowhere in KY (or was it Mississippi?) to double-check my Garmin. The Garmin was correct. LOL
Bill F
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When I'm going on a trip I build some routes either from studying the area on Mapsource or from local knowledge acquired from others familiar with good roads in the area. In the 10 years I've used a Garmin I've built a library of maybe 2,200 waypoints and many of these are bread crumbs scattered along nice little roads that won't show on any map that won't scale down to less than .3 miles. Along with files of waypoints I have a library of routes and tracks I've saved across twenty something states. If I want to show you where Lead Mine Road follows a mountain ridge in West Virginia over to a really nice cafe in Parsons, WV I can send it to you in a gpx or gdb file that you could immediately use in your Garmin. My 2730 would hold 2000 waypoints but the Zumo 550 only holds 500 so I've sorted waypoints into regional or state files I keep on a thumb drive and in my laptop.
When out on a ride I'm following a route on a really nice little road in a far away state and on the GPS I see another interesting road that is close by. I see it because I've scaled the Zumo down to show the local roads. Some of the best road memories I have is of finding serendipitious roads like this and I might be a 1000 miles from home and find something just because it was close by to where I happened by. I use my iPhone via Sena for music and phone calls/text tones but for navigation it really isn't very good except for basic A to B on the boring roads Apple thinks I want to travel.
When out on a ride I'm following a route on a really nice little road in a far away state and on the GPS I see another interesting road that is close by. I see it because I've scaled the Zumo down to show the local roads. Some of the best road memories I have is of finding serendipitious roads like this and I might be a 1000 miles from home and find something just because it was close by to where I happened by. I use my iPhone via Sena for music and phone calls/text tones but for navigation it really isn't very good except for basic A to B on the boring roads Apple thinks I want to travel.
My cell phone didn't have a signal for 3/4 of the Alaska trip last year. It doesn't have a signal half the time traveling around here in New Mexico. I use a cheap nuvi just to keep me headed where I usually already know I'm going. I bought the Nuvi 50LM just last year because it had the Canada maps. It works far better then the 2 year old it replaced.
If you've had a GPS in the hot glove pocket for a year it may not even work. Don't keep any electrics in the ST glove boxes, they will die.
If you've had a GPS in the hot glove pocket for a year it may not even work. Don't keep any electrics in the ST glove boxes, they will die.
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For most of my trip across the USA and back last year I kept my iPhone in the right hand fairing pocket. It was just fine even in 100+ F ambient air temps but I do not fasten the lid shut. Having the lid ajar allows cool air to circulate in the pocket.
I've tried using both fairly extensively, with the phone being used in my work van a lot. here are my thoughts:
General downsides of a phone:
-Not waterproof. Before someone mentions all the waterproof cases, most aren't all THAT waterproof, and any case I've tried which covers the screen makes it more difficult to use. A bit of a band aid, nothing more.
-Poor reception, especially in rural area. Sure, you can download full maps to get around this, but that just made my Samsung S4 mini very slow and sluggish, wading through all those files. My tablet worked a bit better like this, but not great. In New England, my phone works less than 50% of the miles I drive in a typical day.
-Screen is very hard to read in sunlight.
-Screen doesn't work with gloves, except in certain cases (special gloves, special thread sewn in, etc.)
Downside of a dedicated GPS:
None that I can think of.
In general even in the van where weather isn't a factor and I can shield the sunlight, I still carry my GPS with me most of the time, and only use the phone in a pinch...and really miss the GPS every time I have to try to live without it.
General downsides of a phone:
-Not waterproof. Before someone mentions all the waterproof cases, most aren't all THAT waterproof, and any case I've tried which covers the screen makes it more difficult to use. A bit of a band aid, nothing more.
-Poor reception, especially in rural area. Sure, you can download full maps to get around this, but that just made my Samsung S4 mini very slow and sluggish, wading through all those files. My tablet worked a bit better like this, but not great. In New England, my phone works less than 50% of the miles I drive in a typical day.
-Screen is very hard to read in sunlight.
-Screen doesn't work with gloves, except in certain cases (special gloves, special thread sewn in, etc.)
Downside of a dedicated GPS:
None that I can think of.
In general even in the van where weather isn't a factor and I can shield the sunlight, I still carry my GPS with me most of the time, and only use the phone in a pinch...and really miss the GPS every time I have to try to live without it.
All I know from my experience, I put a GPS in the locking left side while I went into Mcd's for an ice cream cone and diet coke on a 107 degree day. 10-15 minutes later it wouldn't fire back up. It was the start of a 2 week trip so another one had to be purchased....which is why I have the cheap Nuvi from Walmart.
Dave,
1. iPhone in the right fairing pocket in 100+F. I didn't realize what a risk taker you are!! ;-))))
2. Looking at your ride map--how did you manage to miss Oklahoma?? LOLOL
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On the mentioned trip I put my iPhone one morning in the map pocket of my Cortec tank bag. I was expecting a text from my wife and thought I would be able to see the text notification banner when it popped up. The phone got hot enough from the sun against black textile just sitting in the map pocket it turned itself off and would not power up until it cooled off. That's when I went back to putting it in the fairing pocket with the lid ajar to circulate air while riding.
Locking it in the pocket, hot engine, hot day, no movement of air..... that is extreme.
I always keep my iPhone in a protected inner jacket pocket, just in case I should get thrown from the bike and not be able to make it back to the bike to call for help--of course that is dependent upon: 1) I'm able to talk, 2) the iPhone wasn't destroyed and 3) I have a signal. Call me an optimist!! LOL I know, I should get a Spot thing.
I have mounted an aquabox on the ST and use an older Nuvi model GPS in it (one I replaced with a newer unit that I switch between cars). I also fabricated a sheet aluminum hood to make the GPS more visible in bright light. I actually bolt the aqua box closed and the power cord is routed through the aquabox such that it is a process to remove it. The GPS lives on the bike and I find that I treat it as an extension of the instrument panel. It is great to have a moving map display, traffic information and an accurate speedometer at all times. It is also great to be able to set it up and forget about it other than occasionally unbolting the box to hook the GPS to a computer for a map update. So in answer to the original question, a GPS serves different functions than a cell phone and, if you have an older auto unit on a shelf, can do so relatively inexpensively.
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At the least get one of those first responder ID personal and medical info holders and tag all your riding jackets or suits with one. That's what I did, the ones Tree Muncher was selling a while back. The phone is in my clothes sometimes, tank bag sometimes, fairing pocket, etc.
Well first off, being a bit of a luddite and retired, I don't have a smart phone. Even if I did, I think I'd stick with a GPS because of screen size. My 5", 1450LMT Nuvi is mounted in such a way that it is right in my line of sight so it's easy to read while still facing down the road. Although I also have a paper map mounted in a tank bag, it's there primarily for the regional view. Until a year or two ago, I only used paper maps but I find using the 5" Garmin is much safer because I don't have to look down at the map (with my eyes off the road) to figure out where the next turn is. I would think that a smaller smart phone screen would be more difficult to read.
Another thing I like about a GPS is the ability to plan my routes in detail ahead of time using routing software, converting it to a gpx file, then transferring it to the Garmin. Don't know if that can be done with a smart phone or not but it is definitely a feature I find indispensable.
As for water protection, I just carry along pint size ziplocks and put it over the unit if I'm expecting rain.
The best thing that can be said for using a car GPS is that they are MUCH cheaper than a dedicated motorcycle GPS but they do the same job. You can get a 5" Garmin for around $150 or cheaper during holiday sales.
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BamaRider
Guy
Just curious if you can 'preload' routes down to a cell phone? If I am on an extended trip, I have all my suggested routes (could be 15-20) already loaded on my GPS. It doesn't mean I don't change them, but I usually am going long distances in a limited time frame and like to prepare as much as possible. On a trip to Alaska, you'd be in deep trouble depending on a cell signal. In fact, there's plenty of places in Tennessee where you are out of luck. ;-) BTW, I am currently testing PRIMO 2.4 software on my inexpensive Rage GPS, which is waterproof and fairly 'drop proof' and works well with gloves (including Gerbing heated ones). I bought North America maps, New Zealand Maps, and Europe maps pretty inexpensively. Some folks across the pond have modified the software to be more 'motorcycle' usable and are working on a 'scenic' option as a routing possibility. These units are so cheap, you can afford to have a extra one in the saddlebag if you have problems. But then again, I still use an old flip phone for what little cell service I need.
I dunno why you even have a phone uncle phil, you ain't gonna answer it.
I would have to buy a smartphone and pay a monthly fee...