Satnavs - with sound or not?

[Swim41]

I'm on the lookout for a new satnav after my Tomtom equipped Navigo (?45 pda from ebuyer) finally packed in after nearly three years use. It will only get used occasionally so I can't justify the cost of a bike satnav (for example the TomTom Rider with European coverage plus the essential car mount comes to just shy of ?400).

Unfortunately I notice that practically all of the satnavs from Tomtom and Garmin save a few in the ?300+ range now exclude an earphone socket (something that the Navigo had). It wouldn't surprise me if one of the reasons for this is to push riders towards a dedicated bike system.

For general use the Nuvi 255w at ?99 with full European coverage looks like a good buy and gets good reviews. I had thought of teaming it with one of these mini tank bag/GPS holders at ?40 (below) or something similar strapped to the bars and just checking the screen occasionally to make sure I'm on course. I never use the satnav much anyway, usually when touring just to start me off in the right direction and to find campsites etc.

Just wondered if anyone else uses a satnav without sound and how you cope?

https://www.dmd.co.za/UploadedImages/us1_GIVI-S850.jpg
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Yamaha XJ600N

[Dr. DaveJPS]

i have a zumo 550, and have always run it without sound. tis easy you just keep half an eye on it (mount it on the handlebars so you can see it and the clocks in one smooth view)
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"intelligent inattention is preferable to unintelligent tinkering"
www.davejps.com

[kawakid]

I have a TomTom One which i've rigged up to my Z using a Ram mount. I fitted a under seat cigarette socket via a relay, where it plugs in to.

What I do is have the volume on full and I can hear it when I am at a junction.

I don't know about your sat nav, but the TomTom, shows the next turn ahead in the bottom left hand corner, so by glancing I can see in 200 yards to turn left for example.

To be honest I don't use it too much, sometimes just to get to a major road or get out of a town I don't know.

But yeahh, no problems, if I can cope anyone can. Only thing its not waterproof, but a freezer bag solves that.
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I've a twin and a 4.

[c-m]

Thats interesting that most don't use sound, as when touring or travelling to around the uk I mainly use sound(with my music too of course), I hardly ever look at the screen.

Probably why i still use a 2.4" nokia n80

[G]

I really liked my Zumo 660 for reasonable directions and music. Not perfect, but the best solution I've had so far.

[Swim41]

Have researched the Zumo 660 and like the sound of it but I have to justify the cost against the amount of use it'd get. I usually get one two week European bike tour in each year and apart from that very rarely touch the satnav. Having said that when abroad I find it invaluable for finding campsites etc.

This year I'll be going abroad twice - once on the bike and once on a road trip with my daughter in the car. It's the latter that's driving the satnav purchase in that I can deduct navigation from the long list of stresses I'm going to encounter! But I want something that's useable on the bike too.

If I do without sound I'll just have to be ever so careful checking the display, would be so easy to glance down and - crunch!! Probably best to pull over and check position.
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Yamaha XJ600N

[G]

For my two week solo Europe tour I found it worth the money personally - it meant I never had to look at a map once and had very little worry with (mostly) getting to where I wanted as easily as possible.
I especially like the 'lane assist' function.

It does work well in the car too.

[27cows]

Surely using satnav takes all the fun out of touring. The world's gone mad. When I were a lad you were considered a shandy drinking bender if you had a colour A-Z
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The RXS100: vehicle of choice for Chuck Norris

[c-m]

[G]

It means you can spend more time on the bike riding and less time off pouring over foreign place names. Or more time exploring, or the many other things that you could do.
I can read maps ok, but it's more relaxing not to have to worry when you do have a target in mind.
Personally 'all the fun' of touring for me isn't purely from reading maps with foreign names - be good if it was, because I could just sit at hone and do that which would be a lot cheaper .

[Swim41]

[Paivi]

It's also very handy when you're low on petrol, as you can just tell your satnav to take you to the nearest petrol station.

A few years ago, I lost my bluetooth thingie for my TomTom Rider so now have to use just the screen. It is a bit of a pain when you come into a roundabout, as you need to look at the screen, not just listen to the directions. Also, the sun often obscures the screen, so I have to shade it with my hand to see where I'm supposed to go to; not that recommended when you're coming into a junction... My next one will have sound.
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My other bike's a Monster...

[SonicTheHedge...]

I work the other way round - TomTom software on a PDA, route set up, paired with BT headset, then dumped into a pocket.
Once you've worked out the way they specify directions (and have a rough idea what 300 yards is) it's pretty easy just working on the voiceprompts alone.
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