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Hi all, I need to get a sat nav for the motorbike that will send the voice directions to my sharktooth headset. Will any sat nav that has Bluetooth for handsfree calling do this or do they literally just do calling?

I don't want to spend £300 on a bike one when I can buy a cheap couple of year old car one and use that (if the Bluetooth will send directions to my headset).

Mobile phone and google maps has always been good enough for me.

Obviously, most smart phones have bluetooth too.

Also with the added face that google maps are always being updated so no out of date roads.

I wouldn't pay for a specific satnav unit when most smartphones can do what you want.

Dalemac wrote:Mobile phone and google maps has always been good enough for me.

Obviously, most smart phones have bluetooth too.

Also with the added face that google maps are always being updated so no out of date roads.

I wouldn't pay for a specific satnav unit when most smartphones can do what you want.

I don't want to have the mobile data turned on for a long weekend in france, it'll much up the data and cost me a fortune, plus I don't want to forget my phone and leave it on the bike, I don't mind doing that with a cheap sat nav.

If it was for a short hop over here somewhere then I would use my phone, but not for all that way.

I rate the garmin zumo 660

Expensive - but worth it imho

£400 for a "bike specific" sat nav is just rampant profiteering. It is a standard sat nav that has a Bluetooth transmitter in it (pennies) and a tougher case. The sad thing about it is that for that price I could buy a second helmet for £200, go to halfrauds and buy 2 "car" sat navs for under £100 each. Cut a hole in the lid and gaffer tape one of the sat navs into the side by my ear and invent the new "nav lid" (plus still have a spare sat nav in case that one got wet and stopped working.

Ok chaps who's with me for a trip to dragons den, I reckon we could get backing.

On a more sensible note, if I can't find a normal sat nav that I can push the directions to a Bluetooth headset, I will probably end up buying the Zumo 220, £200 is slightly more financial bearable.

Hi all,

Yes, the zuma 660 is bike specific and good bit of kit. Expensive as well, but, all you need is a cheap car one with bluetooth and buy a waterproof bag with a mount. Some have a sun shade which is handy on the continent for sunny days

Don't the car ones with Bluetooth only allow the Bluetooth to be used for making calls, no for sending directions to the headset? I want to be able to pair a sat nav with my sharktooth headset so I can hear the directions.

If you know of any that will send directions to a headset can you post the model up.

ta

Loads of info/discussions about satnavs on the RBR forum - I think you'd need to register to see it though...

http://z4.invisionfree.com/RBR/index.php?showforum=10

The 660 - and 550 for that matter come with full car mounting kits

They also come with full maps of Europe

They also have SD card readers - I use mine for listening to music

They fully integrate with Bluetooth mobile phones so the screen shows who is calling (not something I use often but helps when I am on call)

They can also be wired - mine is connected to my starcom system - I don't trust Bluetooth and battery power for long trips!

Fwiw I used to have the garmin 350 - the original cheap option.... I wished I had spent the extra with in a month of buying it....

The navigation system I've been using for several years is a very basic old Nuvi ..... well one good one I made from 2 broken ones for about 20 quid.
Not waterproof but generally fine shoved up under the double bubble.
I have run it with headphones plugged in but that is a bit of a PITA.

More recently I've moved over to use my phone - bought a waterproof case for it. One of the reasons for this was to be able to listen to the audio over bluetooth.
I'm still trying to find a good navigation app that can function offline. Google maps is OK as you can save maps to be used offline - but you can't save a specific route and you can't plan a route without a data connection .... which isn't great.

When I find one that does exactly what I want it to do, I'll let people know.

PS I've used the Zumos and they are very good - saving routes you've planned or taken is a breeze. They are just so stupidly expensive (and a bit bulky)

NavFree is a crackin app (if you have an iPhone) not sure if they do any other platform...

Re: Garmins etc - look for a good lifetime Maps offer, some good offers on Ebay at the moment.

Oh Yes - look up 'Tyre' software and website for Garmin etc - better than their own mapping s/w

I've always used headphones from my old MIO sat nav on the bike, but the battery is knackered now, and it hasn't been updated for about 7 years (still never takes me to the wrong place though). I always find the wires to be a pain, thus the wireless route.

I'm not too keen on having to keep my mobile data and GPS turned on for a full days riding as it will drain the battery in about an hour, and having a phone on charge with that level of vibrations isn't ideal (I wouldn't mind if I was using and old phone with offline navigation). Keep us informed D-rider.

I've read about that tyre software, it looks quite handy.

I think it looks like I'm going to be stuck buying the zumo 220, sorry Aladinsane, I can't afford the 660 version, especially after spending a couple of hundred quid on my new seat mmmmmmm

http://s599.photobucket.com/user/waynef ... sort=3&o=0

wayno wrote:............ especially after spending a couple of hundred quid on my new seat mmmmmmm

http://s599.photobucket.com/user/waynef ... sort=3&o=0

So in the spending balance between navigation and seating, you opted for the "get lost in comfort" scenario ............

Hell yeah, worst case scenario I take a map book to France and sit in comfort reading it. If I get really lost I'll ride north till my front wheel gets wet, back up a few feet and take it from there :)

d-rider, I have just found out that the tom tom app will run without having the mobile data turned one. Obviously the GPS signal and Bluetooth will still sap the battery, but at least there will be no massive mobile data costs involved.

http://www.tomtom.com/en_gb/products/yo ... /index.jsp