Some people are easily amused.
Another thing to consider is that the motorcycle units, at least the Zumos, all support bluetooth and MP3 players which makes them much more useful if used with a motorcycle comm. system. They integrate nicely and allow easy and fast control and display of both the MP3 player and cell phone directly from the screen. Auto units are tending away from these functions and I do not think there are any current units that have both MP3 player and blue tooth capabilities.
The Garmin 765T has both bluetooth and built in mp3 that plays in stereo to your helmet speakers and can be picked up for less than $100...
It's not that hard to find units that have Bluetooth. The $130 unit I've ordered has that and also comes with "lifetime" maps. As far as having an MP3, I've got my iPhone.
The display brightness may be an issue, but I guess that's something I'll find out after I start really using it. I can always upgrade to the MUCH more expensive M/C units later if I find that I really need to.
This is my first foray into GPS on a M/C and I've never been "lost" badly enough that I didn't get where I was going, eventually.
But I believe that is a discontinuted unit. I do not think there are any current units (non motorcycle) that have MP3 and bluetooth on board.
Brian
It's not that hard to find units that have Bluetooth. The $130 unit I've ordered has that and also comes with "lifetime" maps. As far as having an MP3, I've got my iPhone.
The display brightness may be an issue, but I guess that's something I'll find out after I start really using it. I can always upgrade to the MUCH more expensive M/C units later if I find that I really need to.
This is my first foray into GPS on a M/C and I've never been "lost" badly enough that I didn't get where I was going, eventually.
There are different screen brightness levels depending on the type of power you are using. I know this sounds crazy but it is true. The battery option will be diminished, the usb cable option will also have a diminished level of brightness. The brightest screen on the 765T will be achieved using the cigarette lighter connection.The Nuvi 500 and 550 have brightness settings, 0% to 100%. I will set it at about 50% to save battery when not using the 12V connection. With the 12V hookup and 100% brightness setting I have never had a problem reading the screen.
But I believe that is a discontinuted unit. I do not think there are any current units (non motorcycle) that have MP3 and bluetooth on board.
Brian
There are different screen brightness levels depending on the type of power you are using. I know this sounds crazy but it is true. The battery option will be diminished, the usb cable option will also have a diminished level of brightness. The brightest screen on the 765T will be achieved using the cigarette lighter connection.
I'm tempted to just buy another one now to hoard in case anything ever happens to mine, can't beat the price value IMO...
Brian, did you mean BOTH features? There are still plenty of units that have bluetooth, but MP3 is a missing from the current lineup.
I will have to try that. I had a 12volt cable from another model that used the USB plug for connection and it worked so I used it. I have seen another plug that plugs in the the adapter that snaps on to the back of the 765........if that connector will make it brighter then I'll be ordering one.
I did just that! I bought a refurbished model from Newegg.com for $109.00. But I am tempted to start using it now becasue it has the newest 2012 map.
Brian, did you mean BOTH features? There are still plenty of units that have bluetooth, but MP3 is a missing from the current lineup.
I will have to try that. I had a 12volt cable from another model that used the USB plug for connection and it worked so I used it. I have seen another plug that plugs in the the adapter that snaps on to the back of the 765........if that connector will make it brighter then I'll be ordering one.
I did just that! I bought a refurbished model from Newegg.com for $109.00. But I am tempted to start using it now becasue it has the newest 2012 map.
Brian, did you mean BOTH features? There are still plenty of units that have bluetooth, but MP3 is a missing from the current lineup.
I will have to try that. I had a 12volt cable from another model that used the USB plug for connection and it worked so I used it. I have seen another plug that plugs in the the adapter that snaps on to the back of the 765........if that connector will make it brighter then I'll be ordering one.
I did just that! I bought a refurbished model from Newegg.com for $109.00. But I am tempted to start using it now becasue it has the newest 2012 map.
The Nuvi 500 and 550 have brightness settings, 0% to 100%. I will set it at about 50% to save battery when not using the 12V connection. With the 12V hookup and 100% brightness setting I have never had a problem reading the screen.
The only compalint I have with the NUvi screen is that secondary roads are drawn in light gray on a pale green background and are hard for me to see in any lighting conditions. This is not an issue for follwing a route as the magenta route line is very easy to see.
For all I know, the above may also appy to Zumos.
Good info, I really would love a Zumo but have to settle for the Nuvi until I find some funding.
I use this to plug my 765T into my powerlet plug on my Heli risers.
http://www.powerlet.com/product/mini-usb-short-powerlet-cable/259
Don't feel too left out; I have a Zumo and still think they are vastly overpriced. They also have a couple of quirks that are pretty annoying; the cradles tend to fail because (wait for it....) they are NOT WATERPROOF. Amazing but true- if you go to the start of a long distance rally and look in the parking lot the night before, you will see literally dozens of bikes with Zumo 550 mounts (empty mounts) covered with a plastic baggie! They are not waterproof when the unit is in the cradle either and the pins that make contact with the GPS itself eventually corrode away to nothing. Also, the electrical contacts on the bottom of a Zumo 550 are nothing more than an etched PC board- the discs that are the contacts are only about 0.002" thick. Eventually the pins on the cradle (before they rot away) dig holes through the copper discs on the Zumo and will no longer make contact. Garmin did replace a Zumo that did that on me at no charge but it was still inconvenient to have to do the mail exchange.
One thing that we do not seem to get with the very high priced Zumos, at least not the 450 and 550 version (the 660 and 665 have different electrical contact mechanisms so they may be better) is reliability. I have been through something like 7 or 8 Zumo 550s, all under an extended Best Buy warranty. But I have to say that I have little confidence the current one may will not fail at any moment. I like GPSs but I always carry two unless I am on a long trip when I carry three. The automotive units have the double advantage that they are much less expensive and they are carried by most local stores so the odds that one could be replace on a long trip are much better than a Zumo.
Funny and true story: a friend of mine used to go on about how reliable he has found Garmins to be and implied that the blame must be on me rather than the unit. He was doing a Saddlesore 1000 and was nearly back to the start point when his Zumo showed him the blue screen of death. He knew where he was going but he was counting on the trip log from the Zumo which of course was lost for all time. His confidence in the units is now a bit more ‘reality based’ than it was before IMO.
Brian