Modern Buddy

Two part post:
1. What is a good, but inexpensive GPS for a scooter?
2. Does anyone have a working used one they want to get rid of?

I'm going to pre-emptively say that any responses to this that are essentially diatribes on the evils of GPS will be moderated out of existence.

I don't personally use one, but I know a lot of riders who love the Garmin Zumo systems. Those are made for motorcycles. Some of their less-expensive Nuvi systems will also work just fine.

I'd sell you my system, but I think you could probably do this yourself:

The zumo is probably the best MC scooter GPS out there, but it is expensive.

I use the GPS on my phone. I haven't created a mount for it on my scooter yet, but I know some people that have.

Best mounts: http://www.ram-mount.com/

And just to get us ahead of things...

SilverStreak: GPS's are BAD! They make people lazy.
Other people: No! They're good.

Carry on!

I just have this feedback, which is get one that is made for a motorcycle or mount it in a way that you can see it. We have a TomTom One and I love it in the car, but it is difficult to see in the bright light of the scooter. I do love the Ram Mount that I have, but I tend to use Eric's GPS system

We usually take the TomTom with us on long trips and then if we somehow get off track and don't know where we are we can use it to find our position on a more traditional map, and most of them would work for this.

I thought getting lost was half the fun of riding a scooter...?

It's lots of fun except when you are a substitute itinerant music teacher who has 30 minutes to find a school he's never seen before.

I got one of these from Staples. $5, water resistant, and fits nicely around the headset and easy to glance down on while moving. Use small index cards with it, when you're done with the card, move it to the back of the pile.

Just to build on Eric's solution, this works for me really well. Tiny bungies and Google maps:

We've got a Garmin Zumo but the screen is cracked and I haven't gotten around to having it repaird so I tend to use one of these http://www.amazon.com/Arkon-GPS032-Smar ... 772&sr=8-1 either with the Garmin we have for the car or my iPhone runing MotionX.

For most of my riding I don't bother but after a wrong turn cost me a 75 mile detour one time if I'm going someplace specific and I don't already know how to get there I'll use a GPS.

What I really like those is to go out take whatever road up in the woods that look good. Then when I'm ready to go home reach under the seat and grap the GPS, push the home button and smile.

cdwise wrote:We've got a Garmin Zumo but the screen is cracked and I haven't gotten around to having it repaird so I tend to use one of these http://www.amazon.com/Arkon-GPS032-Smar ... 772&sr=8-1 either with the Garmin we have for the car or my iPhone runing MotionX.

For most of my riding I don't bother but after a wrong turn cost me a 75 mile detour one time if I'm going someplace specific and I don't already know how to get there I'll use a GPS.

What I really like those is to go out take whatever road up in the woods that look good. Then when I'm ready to go home reach under the seat and grap the GPS, push the home button and smile.

Arkon is the one I am going to get for my Tom Tom One-S once I get my new windshield. Arkon is actually an old co. that use to make great car mounts for PDA's that some of us turned into GPS systems on the olden days

BootScootin'FireFighter wrote:I got one of these from Staples. $5, water resistant, and fits nicely around the headset and easy to glance down on while moving. Use small index cards with it, when you're done with the card, move it to the back of the pile.

Dang! I love that idea! Thanks!

babblefish wrote:I thought getting lost was half the fun of riding a scooter...?

I think that depends on how lost you get, and how good your natural sense of direction. I actually enjoy going out and finding new roads and sensing my way back, but sometimes not.

WOT! I think I hear banjo music!

jrsjr wrote:

BootScootin'FireFighter wrote:I got one of these from Staples. $5, water resistant, and fits nicely around the headset and easy to glance down on while moving. Use small index cards with it, when you're done with the card, move it to the back of the pile.

Dang! I love that idea! Thanks!

Seriously. I've taped directions to the headset only to have them flap in the wind, tried to hold the edge of them with my left hand against the grip, and this is the smartest thing I think I have ever seen.

You need to print BUDDY GPS on them and start a cottage industry.

jmazza wrote:

jrsjr wrote:

BootScootin'FireFighter wrote:I got one of these from Staples. $5, water resistant, and fits nicely around the headset and easy to glance down on while moving. Use small index cards with it, when you're done with the card, move it to the back of the pile.

Dang! I love that idea! Thanks!

Seriously. I've taped directions to the headset only to have them flap in the wind, tried to hold the edge of them with my left hand against the grip, and this is the smartest thing I think I have ever seen.

You need to print BUDDY GPS on them and start a cottage industry.

Three out of three moderators agree! Seriously brilliant.

I saw this analog GPS at the NY Scooter Block Party a few weeks ago:



...but I'm still partial to the BootScootin'FireFighter's idea.

I'll have to post a picture of it. I got it from staples, almost the exact same one. It'll have it's first practical test when we hit the road this weekend for our first camping trip.

This is the one we use for our long trips. Sometimes I have a paper with directions in there instead of the Garmin.

Besides the mount, what is the difference between an auto GPS and a motorcycle GPS?

The touchscreen menus are optimized for glove-wearing operators, and the display LCDs are the type that are visible in bright sunlight. They're also typically in a vibration-reducing mount and are hardwired for 12v rather than a USB charging cable.

Need quick answer. Can you hear the GPS on scooter without headphones?

robby wrote:Besides the mount, what is the difference between an auto GPS and a motorcycle GPS?

• Waterproof
  Designed to handle vibration
  Brighter with anti-glare coatings for direct sunlight
  Touchscreen designed to work with your gloves on
  Typically both M/C & car mounts

All except the Zumo 450 (wired headset connectors) have bluetooth to connect to a headset in your helmet. TomTom rider comes with a mono headset, the Garmins will pair with any bluetooth including cars or speakers if that's what you prefer. Newer Garmins have stereo bluetooth. Garmins also tend to have mp3/audible players built-in.
When you pair it with your phone and bluetooth head set you get caller ID and one touch to answer the phone.

stolley wrote:Need quick answer. Can you hear the GPS on scooter without headphones?

Depends on ambient noise. In an emergency I once clipped a handheld GPS to my jacket near my face (3/4 helmet) and let it tell me what to do, but in louder traffic and/or in a full-face helmet... maybe not.

We just got a Tomtom xl 340 s for the scooter. Found it for $65 so it's great. Using Homer Simpsons' voice for commands which makes it even more fun and nerdy. Now I need to know how to connect it.

A search will tell you how to add a 12v socket, into which your GPS will plug. Add a RAM Mount and you're off to the races.

stolley wrote:We just got a Tomtom xl 340 s for the scooter. Found it for $65 so it's great. Using Homer Simpsons' voice for commands which makes it even more fun and nerdy. Now I need to know how to connect it.

Doesn't your Buddy have a 12-volt outlet? That's how I connect mine...

stolley wrote:We just got a Tomtom xl 340 s for the scooter. Found it for $65 so it's great. Using Homer Simpsons' voice for commands which makes it even more fun and nerdy. Now I need to know how to connect it.

Would love to hear how you like it once you've had a chance to use it some!

I used to get an iPod touch armband case (the one w/o the plastic cover over the screen) and wear it around my forearm over the jacket. This way it kept the MP3 player handy and if I did finally get lost, I could finally just revert to tapping the GPS locator to finally tell me where the hell I am. Some of the scooter delivery drivers at the day job use their phones in the same way.

Although the kicker is paying out the ass for capacitive touchscreen compatible gloves

neotrotsky wrote:Although the kicker is paying out the ass for capacitive touchscreen compatible gloves

I wish someone would add this feature to motorcycle gloves.

You can DIY by sewing conductive thread/fabric over a fingertip. The only way this works (I think) is if the conductive material is on both sides & touches your finger.

I've also got some very cheap styluses… styli… stylii… whatever… that I've thought about attaching to the armband with some string.

This is all for convenience sake, of course, not using while riding.

BTW, iPhone users: Mapquest now has a GPS app with free turn-by-turn voice direction. I've used it a couple times in the car; it's okay, but not as good as some not free ones. Still: FREE.

ericalm wrote:

neotrotsky wrote:Although the kicker is paying out the ass for capacitive touchscreen compatible gloves

I wish someone would add this feature to motorcycle gloves.
[snip]

http://www.aerostich.com/aerostich-touc ... opers.html
$57 for high-quality elkskin capacitive gloves from a highly respected US moto-apparel manufacturing company.

siobhan wrote:

ericalm wrote:

neotrotsky wrote:Although the kicker is paying out the ass for capacitive touchscreen compatible gloves

I wish someone would add this feature to motorcycle gloves.
[snip]

http://www.aerostich.com/aerostich-touc ... opers.html
$57 for high-quality elkskin capacitive gloves from a highly respected US moto-apparel manufacturing company.

Sweeeeet! Thanks.

Now I wish for a billion dollars. And, uh, world peace and clean air and water and all that good stuff. No monkey's paws, please.

(Worth a shot.)

I have 2 sitting in my drawer that I got as a gift and have never used them but 1 time. I find that they are best used for calculating true speed but that's about it.

I have a Magellan Blazer12 and a Garmin Summit HC. PM me a super discounted offer using PP and Ill will send you the one you want USPS.

siobhan wrote:

ericalm wrote:

neotrotsky wrote:Although the kicker is paying out the ass for capacitive touchscreen compatible gloves

I wish someone would add this feature to motorcycle gloves.
[snip]

http://www.aerostich.com/aerostich-touc ... opers.html
$57 for high-quality elkskin capacitive gloves from a highly respected US moto-apparel manufacturing company.

Here are some cheaper alternatives: Capacitive Touchscreen Compatible Motorcycle Gloves

BlueMark wrote:

siobhan wrote:

ericalm wrote: I wish someone would add this feature to motorcycle gloves.
[snip]

http://www.aerostich.com/aerostich-touc ... opers.html
$57 for high-quality elkskin capacitive gloves from a highly respected US moto-apparel manufacturing company.

Here are some cheaper alternatives: Capacitive Touchscreen Compatible Motorcycle Gloves

(No thanks! A couple crashes have made me pretty thankful for full-fingered gloves! )

BootScootin'FireFighter wrote:I got one of these from Staples. $5, water resistant, and fits nicely around the headset and easy to glance down on while moving. Use small index cards with it, when you're done with the card, move it to the back of the pile.

Thank you for the excellent idea! I bought one tonight.

The only caveat I'd like to add, both with my and BootscootinFirefighter's idea, is that you need to be careful where you mount it. If you page back up and look at mine what you see behind it is a piece of a blue shop towel. Reason being that the plastic rubbed on the Buddy and started to mar the paint. The blue shop towel prevents that, though I need to be diligent in keeping it in place.

There's always something!

How do you attach yours, Bootscootin'?

polianarchy wrote:I saw this analog GPS at the NY Scooter Block Party a few weeks ago:

Wow, almost missed this! I posted a pic of one of these somewhere a year or so ago and promptly forgot where or what the hell they were called. I've seen them made of wood & other materials. I think it might be cool to do an old school one to go with a Stella, maybe colormatched or wrapped in matching leather/vinyl.

Thanks for posting!

ericalm wrote:

polianarchy wrote:I saw this analog GPS at the NY Scooter Block Party a few weeks ago:

Wow, almost missed this! I posted a pic of one of these somewhere a year or so ago and promptly forgot where or what the hell they were called. I've seen them made of wood & other materials. I think it might be cool to do an old school one to go with a Stella, maybe colormatched or wrapped in matching leather/vinyl.

Thanks for posting!

It's a rollchart or road book holder. They come in manual or powered. The Touratech holders are mucho dinero. You can get other brands much cheaper.
http://www.touratech-usa.com/Store/3177/Rallye-Parts
It's almost like, if you don't ride a BMW GS, you shouldn't have the TT version.

I use a map pocket for my "road books" or just tape them on the speedo on the Buddy. I use clear cello tape and cover the entire paper if it's raining.

Here's what a ride with my analog GPS looks like before it made its way into the map pocket. Did I get lost? Sure. Did I have fun? Sure did!

I may try to DIY a roadbook scroller sometime in the future. They are pricey for such a simple, little thing!

ericalm wrote:I may try to DIY a roadbook scroller sometime in the future. They are pricey for such a simple, little thing!

Ouch. $450 for that, or $.99 for one of these:

A commenter on the SkootinOldSkool blog suggested writing directions inside a windshield using a dry-erase marker.

You know my 26 year old daughter who's a software engineer uses the one that talks directions and I must admit that inside her car where is nice dry and quiet the thing can be helpful. But for me getting on my bike requires full concentration and absolutely NO distractions, so if I haven't already figured out how to get somewhere and get lost, I'm pulling over to take a brake and check out the map, talk to some yokel or make a call. No way Im staring down or listening to a GPS 2 wheels. In a car if your distracted and smack something you jerk forward and back, on a bike or scooter its "Hasta la vista, baby"!

CWO4GUNNER wrote:In a car if your distracted and smack something you jerk forward and back, on a bike or scooter its "Hasta la vista, baby"!

In a car, if you're distracted and smack a biker or scooterist, it could be manslaughter. Just sayin'…

I'm very unlikely to use turn-by-turn on a scooter or even have a display tempting me while I ride. I'm far too easily distracted. When I tape a map to my scoot, it's for referencing at stops and intersections. When we do group rides with unfamiliar routes, I'll pre-ride it first when I can.

But while I'm prone to distraction in the city, I'm also prone to zoning out, mind wandering, losing focus on the open road. That's how music actually helps me stay attentive on the rural rides, long trips, etc.

As I've said before, know yourself. Being able to handle something (like voice directions) doesn't mean it's a good idea. For some, "Take the next right" may not be much of a distraction.

I'm perfectly OK with turn-by-turn audible directions - I'd much prefer a reminder three-tenths of a mile before a turn than having to constantly do the odometer math in my head (no trip odometer on El Buddo) to know at what odometer reading I should start looking for the next turn. Odometer watching (and conversion from miles to BDUs) takes your eyes off the road as well.

No solution is perfect. GPS's electronics fail. Paper maps blow away and don't provide 'exception' reminders. They can be equally distracting. Whatever works best for each rider.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vurrrp691/5792942405/" title="CIMG0644 by Vurrrp691, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3551/579 ... f65035.jpg" width="500" height="374" alt="CIMG0644"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vurrrp691/5792941871/" title="CIMG0643 by Vurrrp691, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5025/579 ... 9eb1e3.jpg" width="500" height="374" alt="CIMG0643"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vurrrp691/5792941371/" title="CIMG0645 by Vurrrp691, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2219/579 ... 1cc72b.jpg" width="500" height="374" alt="CIMG0645"></a>

ericalm wrote:I may try to DIY a roadbook scroller sometime in the future. They are pricey for such a simple, little thing!

Yeah, $119.90 is a lot for such a simple device. I know the owner -- he goes on several long rides a year (as in, NYC to Montana & back again), so I bet he's gotten his money's worth. But as always, YMMV.

If all else fails

I just tape them to back of my windshield