[MAddog77]

I'm looking at cheap second hand gps. mostly tomtom and garmin 60$ range.
original prices 120-160 there about.

obviously I'm not looking for anything with lots of bells and whistles.Non water resistant: plan on a sandwitch bag and throw it in my tank bag.
1. looking for basics, like non hwy (scenic) routes.
2. one i'm able to put in gas stations that aren't listed already.
3. and some back road info.(this may be an extra sd card $$)
4. MUST have Western Canada: BC Alberta/ North West Territories.
*thanks to grinnin who's given me some info. looking for any other cheapsters out there with ideas.

I'm headed to yellowknife NWT not much listed after Edmonton AB. by april 26th: yes i know it'll be cold either brave or stupid! I'll keep u posted on which it turns out to be.

Q: will the lifetime map update keep working if it's a discontinue model?
b: if they haven't registered it i'd be "first owner" i'm guessing.
Q: What unit do u find is user friendliest? tomtom/garmin/ other?
Q: which unit has best info for route: gas stops/ camping/ ect

non technical guy here. I will hard wire cigaret lighter to battery with inline fuse. it will also let me power my ipod

Thanks to all those cheap bastardos out there like me: any option above 100$ is automatically disqualified from giving an opinion in the future

thanks
Mike


Thanks to all in advanced

 

[MAddog77]

examples

these are the ones for sale in my area. all around 50$ anyone used them have comments?
garmin nuvi 1350
garmin nuvi 40LM
garmin nuvi 225W
Tomtom XL

thanks
Mike

 

[klr4evr]

I've only used Garmin units so can't comment on which is better. Seems to me that Garmin has a large chunk of the market so I stick with them.

My advice would be to look for a used Garmin GPSmap 60Cx or something along that line. You'll probably pay a little more for it though.

The Nuvi units you listed probably are not water resistant.

Not sure if Lifetime Maps is transferrable. You would have to check. For map updates with Lifetime you have to register with Garmin.

My first GPS was a Garmin i5 with a 2" screen. That was 5+ years ago. I was surprised at the number of BC back roads it showed back then. Every where we rode was on the maps.

 

[Grinnin]

The Nuvi units you listed probably are not water resistant.

Not sure if Lifetime Maps is transferrable.

Worse than not water resistant, the nuvi GPSs use mini USB connectors for power. It's not intended as a rugged connection; it was designed for your desktop. Worse, Garmin uses the 5th wire in the (normally 4--wire) connection to signal that it's a power cord and not a data cord.

One day I rode from Maine to PA in occasional showers. The next day, about mid-day my nuvi 1300LM went dark. That evening I tried to charge and get it to work, but nothing. Then at the end of a week, it started working again. That was several years ago and it worked fine until just above Anchorage in dry weather (although only a day or two after some rain). I tried for a day to revive it then bought the Montana.

So you COULD say that my nuvi has performed fine for many many miles and had only 2 failures. But . . .

--------------------
Lifetime maps are NOT transferable.
---------------------
As for those gas bars, you can add "waypoints" to any GPS, right on the GPS. The exact method differs, but you'll zoom and pan around until you see where you think the gas bar is. Then tap the spot or a button to add that point as a waypoint and edit the label to say "gas bar".

You don't have to be exact. If you make marks for gas bars in Ft. Liard or Ft. Simpson, you can put them in the wrong place as long as you ride down the main street once you get there. Distance to the waypoint won't be off that far. Or you could just navigate to the towns since there's no way to miss the gas. Same for Ft. Prov.

After Ft. Prov, you may have to do more work with Google maps to place gas bar waypoints. The gas may be down behind the general store and the pumps may not look like what we're used to.

My point is that you don't have to make a map of gas bars in a different program then transfer the map in. That may work fine if you have the time to learn it all.

EDIT:

I just looked at a 2012 Milepost guide to those roads. It says "no services between Ft. Providence and Yellowknife". That's 340 km. When I was there that would be well within a tank for the speeds I rode on the firm roads with the state of tune of my KLR. YMMV or something. I MAY have been able to make the 444 km from Ft. Liard to Ft. Providence without the side trip to Ft. Simpson for gas. I would have been on reserve. I know this thread is about GPS, but you may want to buy a small gas can in Ft. Nelson or Ft. Liard.

 

[Grinnin]

I don't think you need the latest maps. If you're buying a used GPS that covers the area then the maps on it will show the few roads up there. There are no gas stations between towns up there and the distances mean that you'll stop in every town anyway. I.e. the latest maps won't show new gas bars or new roads. (The ferry at Ft. Providence is now beached beside a new bridge. No change to your route.)

I could be wrong. I think old maps will work fine. You may want to phone the gas bars in each town along your route in NWT to make sure they are still in operation (4 phone calls).

 

[MAddog77]

Thanks Grinnin,
Seems like ur the only one whose been up in that area, i've composed a list of towns with gas. google maped them. will print out. if i get a gps will way point them. and have a back up map for BC/ ALB/ NWT/

I'm probably gonna go to calgary and see my dad, then head north from there.
there are backroad map books that list logging roads and such but they are huge.
I was hopping the gps would help out for those off the track areas , but not at my budget. one day when i go to S. america!(5 year plan)
alread got in touch with a riding club in yellowknife so looking forward to learning the backroads from the locals.
thanks for all the info
MIke

 

[klr4evr]

If you are coming up through Edmonton let me know. Maybe I can meet you for a quick coffee.

For map books I like the back road maps from MapArt. Even with the GPS I always take those with me.

 

[MAddog77]

think i found one for 60$ guy says he updated it 4 days ago and has lots of POI's and can load 1000 waypoints. sweet, now to find a backroads map to download... free is good.

 

[Grinnin]

And you don't mention what it is? :tapfoot: Different manufacturers use different formats.

For the area I live in, Open Street Maps shows a few more roads than Garmin's City Navigator North America. Better yet is Garmin's 24k topo. But the difference isn't huge.

You can browse Open Street Maps online to see how much detail they have at http://www.openstreetmap.org/ For Garmin-routable for free, take a look at http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/ The "cycling" version will show more trails, but that may include trails that are not legal for motorcycles.

But are you sure you need it? If it has been updated recently it should have the latest maps. Some Garmin units display one map based on a priority list. I think my nuvi would combine 2 maps and show additional detail. But I have fallen off the edge of my competency here.

 

[MAddog77]

my bad,
its the garmin nuvi 260W. gonna go look at it see whats what. i'm a hands on guy reading the websites and features list doesn't mean much to me.

 

[larry31]

Cheap maps

think i found one for 60$ guy says he updated it 4 days ago and has lots of POI's and can load 1000 waypoints. sweet, now to find a backroads map to download... free is good.

There's a link to maps... http://www.klrforum.com/showthread.php?t=17426

I've downloaded a few for my area. Installed in my Nuvi 750 & 755.
You can have more than one map in the Nuvi's. Just select which one to display.
I have City Nav. No. America, and a New England Topo maps in my Nuvi's from the site above.

 

[whisperquiet]

I am using a Garmin 450 Oregon on my KLR and a Garmin 2555LMT on my Super Tenere. Both work well.