First long ride from Dallas - "To GPS" or "to not GPS?" [Archive]

RTRandy

02-15-2004, 05:59 PM

I'll be making my first long trip coming from Dallas. How bad do I need a GPS? I already have an Autocom on the bike and an RCU shelf. I've used GPS in rental cars and love them. I'm concerned about the distraction of something visual, though it has to beat pulling over to read the map. Any favorites out there ? I assume they all have audible queues to the helmet. Perhaps it's stuff like memory, color screen, image detail, and programing ease. Any recommended mounting solutions for a 1150 RT ?

JimKane

02-15-2004, 06:40 PM

I just went through the same thought process as you .... should I use a GPS, GPS and PDA, GPS and laptop......... the choices were mind boggling. Finally much discussion with others, the decision has been reached. NO laptop, no PDA, no GPS. Where is the fun in riding? Following the instructions of an electrical device or striking out on your own. From here (Massachusetts) to Spokane is about 3000 miles, give or take a few and both ends of the trip are on I90, but where is the fun in that. I have concluded that Spokane is west of here and that is what I have decided to do. Wake up each morning, look at the rising sun and go the other way. How lost can I get...we are in the U.S.
See you in Spokane.
Jim Kane

cruisin

02-15-2004, 07:11 PM

I have to agree with jentine, forget all the fancy-smancy stuff. Take a few good long looks at your maps in the few days before you go. Form a rough plan, remember a few major roads and towns, then hit the road and enjoy the ride. If you get lost or decide you really don't like the route you've picked, stop, drink a soda and study your map for a bit and continue onward through the fog.

knary

02-15-2004, 07:12 PM

I have come to the conclusion that the only rider than might need a GPS is one that gets off paved roads. If you're always on pavement, I agree with Jentine, you really can't get that lost.

If I had the money for a GPS burning a hole in my pocket, I'd drop it on a radar detector long before I bought a harder to use map.

RTRandy

02-15-2004, 09:10 PM

Wow! That's 3 out of 3 saying go with the map.
You guys just saved me about 1,200 bucks. I feel like I should hand you guys money when I get to Spokane. Like I said, I'm new at this though I realize it's more about the journey than the destination. I'll not only be riding on paved roads, but some beautiful ones at that. Nothing wrong with stopping and smelling pine trees while reading a map. My thinking was it might be nice to know when the next town is coming up if the bladder is getting full or the tank is getting low. Who says you can't take a leak behind the bushes in the Rockies if you can't pinpoint a mens room on the GPS. My first day will most likely be 10+ hours from Dallas to Taos. After that, it will be on to either Aspen or Crawford, Colorado depending on which friend is home. Each day after that will be where ever I might end up. Right now it's looking like Jackson Hole and then north west through Idaho. What's also great is . . I've never been to most of these places.
Motorcycle touring is like buying a shovel in that a shovel doesn't come with instructions.

kbasa

02-15-2004, 09:40 PM

What they said. Buy yourself a nice atlas, read some tour guides, ask some questions and mark your maps up. When I tour, I set a destination for the end of the day and build a general route to get there.

One of the nice things about GPS is that you can record your trips and remember where you went. That strikes me as a pretty cool thing to have.

But, I still don't have a GPS and still manage to get all over the place just fine. If I was going to do some major off road riding (like you can do in lots of the Big West), I'd definitely want to have a GPS. But in this country, signage is great and maps are pretty accurate, cheap and easy to replace in any gas station.

Give us the $1200? How 'bout a beer at the beer tent in Spokane?

knary

02-15-2004, 09:42 PM

Originally posted by RT RANDY
Wow! That's 3 out of 3 saying go with the map.
You guys just saved me about 1,200 bucks. I feel like I should hand you guys money when I get to Spokane. Like I said, I'm new at this though I realize it's more about the journey than the destination. I'll not only be riding on paved roads, but some beautiful ones at that. Nothing wrong with stopping and smelling pine trees while reading a map. My thinking was it might be nice to know when the next town is coming up if the bladder is getting full or the tank is getting low. Who says you can't take a leak behind the bushes in the Rockies if you can't pinpoint a mens room on the GPS. My first day will most likely be 10+ hours from Dallas to Taos. After that, it will be on to either Aspen or Crawford, Colorado depending on which friend is home. Each day after that will be where ever I might end up. Right now it's looking like Jackson Hole and then north west through Idaho. What's also great is . . I've never been to most of these places.
Motorcycle touring is like buying a shovel in that a shovel doesn't come with instructions.

:D

I love pouring over an old torn map, trying to figure out how many miles to the next dot and if that dot is a town or just a spot on the road someone named in some other century. I love sitting under an old tree on the side of the road, with an unknown mountain range behind me, doing the math, adding up the little mileage numbers. I love asking a local about the road ahead and getting them to help me choose a route.

The GPS just seems like another thing to babysit, another reason to never get off the bike. And I want off the bike when I'm on a long trip. Hmmm....I suppose I'm a bit of a luddite when it comes to routing. Rubbercow offered me the use of an old GPS for my upcoming trip to Tahoe. I said no. I didn't want one more thing to keep an eye on.

BradfordBenn

02-15-2004, 10:14 PM

but not for the typical stuff.

I sit down and plan out my route on a good ole fashion paper map. Then I ask the list, forum, and friends for comments and things to see along the way. Add those on the paper map.

I then take that route and plug it into my GPS V. Put the GPS V on my RCU shelf, and the map/notes in the tank bag map window. Off I go, not using the routing but the stat window, which was am I headed,how far, how fast... yada yada.

Usually just look at the map, but every so often something unplanned happens and I am really glad I have the GPS. The biggest example was when I got caught in a really bad thunderstorm. Asked the GPS V where the closest hotel was, went there quickly. Literally just got done bringing in the stuff off the bike before the tornado sirens went off.

To me, the GPS V is a reference tool, not the guide.

Make sense?

Also really great when I travel for work and need to find my way around.

swaanimal

02-16-2004, 03:01 AM

RT Randy, what time are you planning to leave DFW? I'll be making the same journey for the first time and we may cross paths. Currently I'm planning a July 8th blastoff and stopping at the Top O'the Rockies Ralley before heading to Spokane. I'll be doing this without GPS.

riderR1150GSAdv

02-16-2004, 07:07 AM

I will be using a GPS since I can get a brand new streetpilot III at West Marine for about 500,= (Port supply account)
I like paper charts/maps as they are great for planning/backup but it is convenient to have the GPS when looking for remote gas stations etc.
Besides I like gadgets too:brow

1flyer

02-16-2004, 08:59 AM

I think that a lot of people have different conceptions of just what a GPS does for you, especially on a Bike. For me (Garmin/BMW), I never seem to use it for getting from one city to another but I will use it to get through cities along the way. Bitch’in Betty’s voice directions make it a lot easier to keep my eyes on the road and not on a map through places I don’t usually pass through. It paid for it’s self twice in one night in Atlanta at Spaghetti Junction. There have been several times I’ve used it to find alternate routes around traffic blockage due to accidents or bottlenecks.

Locally, if I’m heading to an address or place I’m not familiar with or have never been to before, the detailed instructions as to where to turn and how far till the next turn and “arriving” at my destination have worked well.

For trips I use the corresponding GPS mapping program on the PC for route planning and mapping out the way I think I want to go, then load it and interesting waypoints I might want to stop at into the “box” before I leave. I may not always “pull up” the route and follow it exactly but when I might want to detour to one of those interesting waypoints I can get to it and back on course without much trouble.

One more feature I’m finding I like is the database of what is available at what exit along the way. Late at night with the reserve light about to come on or a bad case of the “droopy eyes” it’s nice to be able to find out the next gas station is 19.5 miles up the road and there is a bed right next door.

wlorenz

02-16-2004, 03:40 PM

Originally posted by RT RANDY
I'll be making my first long trip coming from Dallas. ..... Any recommended mounting solutions for a 1150 RT ?

I use a Garmin SPIII with a Touratech mount and I am in the GPS-YES camp.

I put 16k miles on my bike last fall and I did not use it for getting from here to there as we did not know or care where we ended up.

I did use it often to find alt routes, gas, food, etc. I used it to get out of the desert, the woods as well as inner city locations. I also used it to know where I had been that day/week. I used it to find specific addresses and i always knew it could find the nearest 911 location if i needed one. I also used it to check my speed as the spedo on my GS is hugely inaccurate.

There are drawbacks like connecting to a computer to download maps, inaccurate readings, loosing signal in canyons… but if you choose to afford one, the positives out weigh the neg.

mollyharve

02-16-2004, 06:10 PM

RT Randy, I noticed you mentioned that you have an Autocom. I'm tryinging to decide what type of communication device to get. My wife and I are shipping bikes down from Alaska, tooling around for for 5 weeks, hitting the rally, then driving back up the Alcan. I had been leaning toward a chatterbox CB, so we could talk to each other in what will be mostly unfamilar roads. Plus alot of our friends up here have CB's. Are you happy with your system?

RTRandy

02-16-2004, 08:13 PM

This GPS topic stirs up a lot of strong arguments from both sides. You'd think I just asked if i should get extended forks and Ape Hangers on my RT. We're just talkin navigation here. It's kind of like when you've been cruising a great road at high speed for a while and you glance at your RPM and what gear your in. I alway enjoy pouring over a map before I make what few trips I've been taking. My thinking is that it might be nice to know that I have another 43.5 miles to Tucumcari even though I'm on the right road. Finding a hotel or gas is a big plus or making a deviation could take less stopping time to check a map in order to get back on course. Well , I've made up my mind. I'm going to ride to Spokane without a GPS and if there happens to be something terribly attractive ( we're talkin GPS here) at the Rally, I could be convinced to mount one for the ride home. No question a good tool and no question it could be a distraction. One thing for sure I can be in less of a hurry to buy one hearing good arguments about keeping it simple and enjoying the ride. Hopefully I can ride a different route heading home to see more
great sights.

Gnome

02-18-2004, 02:53 PM

I agree with Jentine! It's the ride remember,not a bunch of gadgets stuck all over your bike telling you how to get there. Have we forgotten how to read maps see the names of towns on it like "Burnt Church,Tn",and "Paridise,Mi". Leave that electronic gizmo behind and really see America. That's my humble opinion.
;)

RTRandy

02-18-2004, 03:58 PM

No argument about enjoying the ride and leaving all the gizmos behind. Here's the question that came up with a group of friends: Do you think there's some kind of generational difference of opinions going on here? Younger folks opting for the newest technology and older folks wanting to keep it simple? I'm no spring chicken at 55 years old and I'm old enough to know simpler times for sure.

knary

02-18-2004, 04:21 PM

Originally posted by RT RANDY
No argument about enjoying the ride and leaving all the gizmos behind. Here's the question that came up with a group of friends: Do you think there's some kind of generational difference of opinions going on here? Younger folks opting for the newest technology and older folks wanting to keep it simple? I'm no spring chicken at 55 years old and I'm old enough to know simpler times for sure.

Three groups in my opinion:

Group 1: middle aged rider with disposable income that like gadgets.
Group 2: younger rider that likes gadgets but no disposable income.
Group 3: luddites - they come in all ages, though are often older riders ("BMW peaked into 1974!") or folks from Group 2 rationalizing why they don't need a GPS. :)

Some folks, of course, don't fit into these tight definitions. Gross generalization, etc.

Gnome

02-18-2004, 04:24 PM

I'm 38, is that young? Maybe I'm just old timey,but I still love looking at the old road map.
I know someone who could give a REAL answer to all this, Mark "Tiger" Edmonds. It would be poetic verse!
I think I'll ask him,and if you want to read a good book about motoring on a BMW across this fruited plain, you should really find one of Tiger's books.

RTRandy

02-18-2004, 05:21 PM

Gnome,
Thanks for the good reading tip and I'm going to take you up on it. I've read both David Hough's books about Proficient Motorcycling and would recommend them to anyone who rides. Which book do you recommend from Tiger Edmonds? The one called Just passing Through?

lorazepam

02-18-2004, 05:45 PM

Gnome,
You forgot Utopia, OH and Rabbit Hash, KY in your names of places.

swaanimal

02-18-2004, 05:46 PM

I picked up some maps from Barnes & Noble, they're topographic recreational maps of New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah and Western Montana by GTR Mapping (www.gtrmapping.com). I spent a couple of evenings planning our route and putting in the info onto an Excell spreadsheet. The wife thinks I'm crazy, but what's new! At the suggestion of some friends, we picked up a 3 ring binder that zips closed and have put our info that we've researched on the internet into it. It also contains our reservation information for each night as well as our National Parks Pass (I recommend this to anyone planning a trip through or to any of our national parks). Currently, we are planning on renting a RV which the wife will follow me in and the kids will take turns riding pillion or keeping the wife company. This trip will be the biggest trip my family and I will have ever been on and a GPS would certainly cut into our fun budget. :D

kbasa

02-18-2004, 05:53 PM

Jason,

That's awesome! I went on a tour like that (no bike, though) when I was about 12 and it made an impression on me that still feeds my desire to explore every corner of this country.

Unregistered

02-18-2004, 06:49 PM

Our current plan is to spend the first night near Eagles Nest, NM. Then on to The Top O'the Rockies Ralley for two nights, one night at Flaming Gorge near Manila, UT and on to Yellowstone for three nights. From there we'll head up to Spokane for a couple of nights. The trip back will be one night in Twin Falls, ID, two nights in Bryce Canyon, UT, two nights in Arches NP, UT, one night in Durango, CO and one night in Sante Fe, NM. The trip home from Sante Fe may be broken up with a stay in Lubbock, TX, it will depend on how we feel and if we really want to make the 660 mile trip. Our digital cameras will certainly get a workout but what a trip it'll be. Anyone wanting to tag along with or without GPS will be welcome (safety in numbers, ya know)!

swaanimal

02-18-2004, 06:57 PM

Sorry about my unregistered post, I didn't relize that I had not signed in.

Mr. Frank

02-27-2004, 10:31 PM

Originally posted by RT RANDY
I'm concerned about the distraction of something visual, though it has to beat pulling over to read the map.

You would also do well to pull over to read a GPS. Too many folks have rear ended somebody or drifted over the center line while reading a tank bag map or GPS. After about the third horror story involving well known riders, I quit trying to read a map while rolling.

I've been very pleased to hear people point out the virtues of maps, especially young guys like Scott. When I tour with GPS guys they often look at my tank bag map to get the big picture.

RTRandy

02-27-2004, 10:54 PM

Thanks for the good advise. Maybe the GPS for bikes is unlike the car versions, but in a car, I've always worked off of audio queues and relied very little on the screen map itself. My thinking was that the GPS would be plugged into the Autocom and the audio would be played through the helmet. This way I'm watching the road while a voice says "right turn in one mile".

I also have a tank bag and find the idea of reading the map while riding pretty scary. I'm not sure if it's the pot belly or the need for reading glasses, but the position and distance makes it way to dangerous for me to be reading and riding. Yikes!

Rob Nye

02-28-2004, 04:54 PM

Greetings,

Regarding the original question I would say that no one needs to have a GPS to go anywhere (on pavement) by motorcycle. Paper maps will do just fine.

Having said this I like to use a GPS, it is another toy and it provides very useful information such as time remaining, average speed, total distance etc. As K-Basa pointed out it is also very nice for having a record later of where you went, especially if you discover a new road you want to ride again.

For true navigation it is only an ok device because of limited memory as well as a small screen. The SPIII and 2610 are better in this regard but I can't justify spending the $$$ for a larger screen. I will load the detail level for the area around my destinations and set waypoints for my planned stops. The benefit here is that if you arrive in a strange urban area (Spokane) and you don't want to futz with maps or perpared cheat sheets you can easily find the site with the GPS.

For regular stop and smell the flowers riding I like to keep the detailed maps for about 200 miles around my home. Sure I know where I am going but when the mood strikes I can "just hang a left" and know that I will not get so lost that I wind up late. I have discovered some hidden gems this way plus I have the route data so I can find them again or experiment further. This is very difficult to do because the roads I am finding are not on state maps.

For the Iron Butt Rally I had two GPS's and a waterproof mil-spec touch screen computer on the tankbag. One GPS was connected to the tablet and I never reset the log. The other GPS (Garmin V) was used for additional mapping and data display as mentioned above. They were both mounted up high and I had a method of using a counting chant whenever I was touching the buttons, i.e. I would count, saying "one onethousand look up, two onethousand, look up etc. Where the tablet proved to be so effective was the ability to look at any scale without stopping, or when stopped being able to pull over into a rest stop and look at virtually any map in any scale without getting off the bike or handling paper. Plus I could do distance calculations in seconds, again without getting off the bike. Over the 11 days this saved me hours which I was able to use for sleep.

The bottom line is that to me the bike is a toy and everything on it is an extension of the playset.

Best,

Rob Nye

Here is a photo of my bike in the IBR.

JimKane

02-28-2004, 06:50 PM

The only thing that cames to my mind when I saw that picture was.............WOW!!!!!!!!WOW :wow :wow :wow

RTRandy

02-28-2004, 07:58 PM

Holy Moly! Jentine took the words right out of my mouth. WOW is right ! That bike either belongs on Ripleys Believe It Or Not or you should be the poster boy for Gadgets.com. All this from a guy that lives on an island off the coast of Rhode island. I shouldn't poke fun since I can see myself going in that direction. I already have a cell phone mounted and I'm trying to figure out how to hook up a Freetalk radio so I can talk bike to bike.

Rob Nye

02-28-2004, 08:30 PM

Well there was a lot going on but bear in mind I was going tank to tank (300-325) for consecutive days.

Having a cell phone in the helmet is great for long rides but for general use I wear a helmet with no speakers. I also had CB but no music for the Iron Butt.

I use earbuds which only give me the radar detector.

Best,

Rob Nye

gcsitts

02-29-2004, 02:57 PM

This is a little off-topic but where do you find radar detectors with audio headset output? And what other considerations go into selecting a radar detector for a bike as opposed to a car?

kbasa

02-29-2004, 03:56 PM

I've got a Valentine 1. I bought a little headphone adapter from them when I bought the detector. It connects to the detector and gives you remote volume control and a place to plug your headphone into.

RTRandy

02-29-2004, 04:49 PM

Kbasa, Since we're off the topic, how did you mount your V1? You have a shelf ? Does it have remote antennas? Valentine recommends a clear view to the rear so if it's in front of the rider, the rear view is blocked. Yes? Forgive me, but I've never owned a radar detector so that's why I'm asking.

gcsitts

03-01-2004, 10:08 AM

I have the same questions concerning mounting and rearward scanning. I ride a R1200C with an Aeroflow windscreen.

Also, who sells the Valentine unit?

kbasa

03-01-2004, 10:34 AM

I just stick the Valentine in the top of my tankbag. I still seem to get ample warning from radar sources from behind me. I've run a power line up from the battery and have enough extra cable to run up to the tank bag. The headphone adapter and radar unit go in there. I have a cheapo Radio Shack earpiece that plugs in and give me plenty of audio warning. I took the pointy part of the ear piece off, so I just have a flat thing I slide up inside my helmet. It sits in the ear hole of my helmet and is both loud and comfortable.

I think they like the clear view to the rear for laser more than anything else. I assume that I'm transparent to radio waves, but not laser.

You can only buy a Valentine from these guys. (http://www.valentine1.com/home.asp)

RTRandy

03-01-2004, 10:49 AM

GSITTS,

Here's about 2¢ worth of info from a guy that knows nothing about Radar detectors.

Valentine seems to be the Be All End All detector for BMW riders and evidentally their price reflects it at $399 just for the "brain". Then you can add the small auxiliary display box which will allow you to hide the "brain" somewhere out of sight and keep a small display on the bike . Then you can also get a small box that allows you to have the audio play through earphones or most likely your helmet. Those two add on are about $80 more. Pretty pricey, but considered a top contender when you want the best.

The only place you can buy a Valentine is through Valentine.
http://www.valentine1.com/home.asp

gcsitts

03-01-2004, 12:20 PM

Thanks. I'm checking out the site next. Then I'll have to find a way to mount it. (I do like the idea of the tank bag, for security.)

kbasa

03-01-2004, 12:39 PM

Originally posted by gsitts
Thanks. I'm checking out the site next. Then I'll have to find a way to mount it. (I do like the idea of the tank bag, for security.)

Same here. I had it mounted on a Martin Fabrication shelf on both my S and the RS, but the tankbag thing was easier to remove at the end of the day and all. When I go in to eat somewhere, I just slide a map over the top of it and it's pretty much invisible.

RTRandy

03-01-2004, 01:33 PM

Tank bag sounds good for sure.

Have you looked at Cyclegadgets.com ? A lot of the mounted gadgets can be removed easily and stored away when you're off the bike. The owner of Cyclegadgets has a R1100RT and often answers the phone. Sean? Super nice people with tons of mounting solutions. RAM mounts are high quality with rubber coated swivals dampening vibration.
http://www.cyclegadgets.com/Products/?cat=MOUNT
They should be in Spokane as well.

BmurrBoi

03-07-2004, 07:39 PM

Wow, looking at Rob's bike makes me drool. Now I've discovered a new use for this tablet PC that the boys in I.T. gave me! But as I will use my GPS on the way to Spokane, I want to take the back routes and have a bit of fun. My inspiration is KBasa's account of his ride to Charleston last year. While I couldn't make the rally, I followed his trip with interest and decided that the super slab isn't the only way to get to the rally. The GPS is a great tool to have in case one gets lost, I plan to use the map to plan and will definitely smell the roses!

kbasa

03-08-2004, 09:16 AM

Trust me. This year you're going to see a very, very backroad intensive ride to the rally from me....

:evil

BmurrBoi

03-08-2004, 07:24 PM

That sounds great. I take it you are going to post them like last year. It makes good reading for those who can't attend. I'm going to try the same process on my little journey. :brow

RTRandy

03-08-2004, 09:01 PM

I plan on stopping in Paonia on the way from Dallas and I'm still trying to figure out a good route from Paonia on to Spokane. Right now I'm thinking about riding towards Jackson, WY. On the other hand I'm looking at Twin Falls Idaho to Missoula along 75 and 93. I guess the answer is ride up one way and take the other way home. It's just hard figuring out how far I'm going to want to ride each day. Paonia to Jackson might be a stretch in one day so perhaps Kennerer might be more realistic first day out of Paonia. I'm packing a tent and sleeping bag for my first time as well and now I hear you need reservations ? I thought camping was similar to birds landing on a wire with other birds. Heck, we're talkin a small tent and a motorcycle. Unless you've camped at a particular site in the past there's no way to know whether it's decent. Not exactaly like choosing a Holiday Inn here. I could sure use any words of wisdom on the topic of planning to camp. For that matter, trying to find a motel could also turn out to be a challenge.

kbasa

03-08-2004, 09:02 PM

Sure am. I'm going to try and be better about putting pictures up during the rally as well.

I'm glad you enjoyed them. Ain't the innernet wunnerful?

:D

kbasa

03-08-2004, 09:04 PM

Originally posted by RT RANDY
I could sure use any words of wisdom on the topic of planning to camp. For that matter, trying to find a motel could also turn out to be a challenge.

I've used KOAs for a few years with some success. If you get there late, they almost always have an overflow area. If you have an idea of how far you want to ride on a day, you can call ahead and make a reservation. Bear in mind that some of the ones in the west can be kind of a dustbowl.

Do you have a sleeping pad or air mattress? We travel with an air mattress and a full size pillow and it's almost as comfy as our bed at home.

RTRandy

03-08-2004, 09:34 PM

KOA's make real good sense being they are almost like a national motel chain so there should be some kind of standard across them plus they probably have a nation 800 number. I've seen them over the years and always thought of them as an RV park. Didn't realize you could simply pitch a tent there.

The guy at REI told me about a self inflating pad for under the sleeping bag as well as a tent "foot print" for under the tent so hopefully that can work. They have these small pillows that compress which seemed ok, but having a pillow from home sounds pretty darn good. I'm trying to take as little as possible so as to not overload the bike. I like the full size pillow idea for sure. KOA's have showers? Those giant RV's just need a water hook up.

Thanks for the good tips.

HANKB

03-08-2004, 09:36 PM

50, and I have a GPS but I rarely use it on the bike. I like Rob Nye's answer. I also note that the IBR guys are extreme riders and do things that won't make as much sense to a 300-500 mile/day rider like me.

I see two things that a GPS are really nice for:

1) If you really want to know how fast you're going, you need to use a GPS. I check the GPS against my speedo so that I avoid surprises.

2) Set a mark (waypoint) at base camp when exploring the surrounding countryside. Then if you get lost while riding around, at least you know in what direction and how far you are from where you started.

My GPS is a much simpler one. It has maps but does not do routing. I usually plan a route out and write a queue sheet that I put in the clear thing in my tank bag. I also stop and pull out the map from time to time.

I would advise that you give the GPS a try and see if you like it or prefer to go with the map. And some times it is just fun to follow the most interesting looking road.

knary

03-08-2004, 09:38 PM

RT Randy,
Pillows are good things! I could never do the rolled-up-clothing thing and bring an old nasty pillow. It stuffs neatly into the center of one of my Helen 2 Wheels bags.

For some other ideas on camping, don't forget out own web-site. There's some good information to be found in there.

http://www.bmwmoa.org/camping/

RTRandy

03-08-2004, 10:39 PM

Knary, Great stuff! I've been all over the BOA website but never saw the section on camping. Very helpful !

If you see some guy at the rally walking around with a robe, pillow, and slippers at the camp ground, you'll know it's me.

:D

cruisin

03-09-2004, 05:21 AM

Originally posted by RT RANDY
I plan on stopping in Paonia on the way from Dallas and I'm still trying to figure out a good route from Paonia on to Spokane. . . .

Have you considered joining the BMW Sport Touring group in Cody, WY. for their Unrally III? It is set to start the day after Paonia ends. Cody is approx. 570 miles from Paonia. You can check out all the details at this URL.

http://bmwsporttouring.com/ubbthreads/postlist.php?Cat=&Board=unrally04

Good luck

Unregistered

04-03-2004, 04:29 PM

I found this thread while researching GPS. I didn't read EVERY post, but most. So far, I haven't found anyone using the GPS for what I want to use it for.

First, last summer, I did X-country and back...10K miles in 30 days. It was awesome, and we used the Michelin Atlas for NA. Best atlas I have ever seen for finding nice roads. Every morning or night we would map out where we wanted to go the next day, and a route...it was perfect, and I never even thought of needing a GPS. I agree, it's the journey.

And I have been a staunch resister of GPS, until very recently. You see, almost ALL my other riding is weekend twisties, with a group. I bought some mapping software so I could lay out nice routes that found and led me through the nice twisties, some I know, some I am exploring for the first time. And this is where the GPS is going to work for me.

I will take my routes, download them, and then have the GPS do the figuring about where to turn next, and how far. When you have 8 guys behind you, and you really want to explore a certain set of roads, or find twisties, but still make a certain town for lunch, it would be great to have a GPS tell you "Here's your turn" rather than 2 u-turns and some head scratching. Having done it enough times, I think the GPS would be great. Keep in mind that some of these routes have 75+ instructions. I think it will allow me to enjoy the roads more, be safer because I am not scrolling down a route sheet on a map pocket, and also, have it be about the journey, not whether I am heading down a dead end.

That's my take on it...

Dan B
'98 Honda VFR

56216

04-10-2004, 12:37 AM

On my trip 48 states plus Alaska 8300miles in 8 days I used only
my Garmin 176C GPS ,never even once look on map,.
I have all BMW dealers in my 3000 waypoints,speedtraps- I don't
use radar detector.
My GPS show me my bike charging voltage, altimeter- very important and this model don't have automap and I like it,this is the best investment I did .
To improve enjoyment in riding and you have to look only at one spot on gps screen not all over the map to find where you are now on page.
Today if I will buy GPS Garmin 276C model be my choice.

http://www.garmin.com/products/gpsmap276c/
:dunno

56216

04-10-2004, 09:19 AM

I just received email from friend and he will easy your decision to purchase good tool and with one.
Quote:

Howdy

" I've been meaning to drop you line ever since we picked up our GPS. We did end up getting the 2610. What a nice unit! I also bought an external antenna and a Touratec mount for the GS. We used it in the truck all the way to Edmonton from Yuma and it only made one little mistake. It said to turn right where there was no need to turn and there was no road there anyway! At Dillon, MT, we usually take an alternate route which take us around the big hill north of Butte instead of over it o
n the interstate. Well, we were off the road only about 100 metres and it said "off route - recalculating". All on its own, it came up with the exact alternate route. Very impressive! I was planning on buying it from one of the online companies in the States. But then GPS Central bundled it with Metroguide Canada. I'd also read several of the reviews for the online outfits and found all of them had several very negative reviews. For the few dollars extra to deal with Calgary, I didn't think it was wo rth the risk of getting ripped off like some who'd written those negative reviews. Anyway, thats my story and I'm sticking to it!!

How are things going with you folks? I suppose you are planning on attending the International in Spokane. We are too. We will probably take a leisurely 2 days to get there, stopping overnight at or near Nakusp, BC. This takes us thru some of our favourite regions of SE BC.

ps.Jeff Dean recomend this GPS Dealer:
http://jeffdean2.home.att.net/gps.htm

:dunno

gcsitts

04-10-2004, 12:52 PM

Damn! That 726c unit is sooo cool! I don't even need a GPS for where I ride. I don't care where I am or if I'm lost. but I'm going to have to get one because... well, just because it's so cool.

It looks like one more of those left brain-right brain conflicts is going to be developing.

dlearl476

05-05-2004, 11:05 PM

>The bottom line is that to me the bike is a toy and everything on it is an extension of the playset.

Can't really add much to what Rob said but I'll try.

I've been totally into navigation since I was a kid. I have a BIG box of maps, dating back to the sixties when SERVICE stations gave them away FREE (remember that?) I used to pass the time on family vactions doing TSD calculations so that I do them involuntarily now! I use paper maps extensively when I plan trips with the GPS, and always take them with me when I travel.
Now I have a GPS (well, two actually) and I never go anywhere without them. Here's why.
My first trip to Nova Scotia, I was coming up on my stop for the night (at a Provincal Park I had waypointed). It was getting dark, fog was rolling in off the sea, and a storm was brewing. As soon as I PASSED the turn off to the park, I KNEW it. Turned around, found the park, set up camp and crawled into my tent just as a TORRENTIAL rain commmenced. Were it not for the GPS, I would have been looking for and setting up camp in that downpour, and spending a lovely night trying to sleep while soaking wet and freezing!

While traveling, I have my Garmin set to display a huge arrow with my heading, and a large field that displays my speed and distance to next turn. If that arrow changes direction and points behind me, I know I've missed a turn. I can read this and use the GPS while riding without any safety issues. Takes as much time as a glance at the speedo or fuel gauge.
Part of the fun of a trip in to sit down and plan the route (or several. I just did 5 rides for the locale around Panguitch Utah for a trip this weekend that I can share with the riders I'm meeting there).

So I guess my answer is yes, you can find your way to Spokane without a GPS, but it CAN add to the enjoyment of getting there, can be beneficial in your journey, and MAY just save you a miserable night, or a long back track.

thartman

04-21-2008, 07:56 AM

I agree with almost everyone else. A GPS is a distraction and if you stay on the main roads you won't get lost. But I like getting lost I leave the GPS off on the way out of town and just ride along any new road I find. When I am good & lost and in Burnt Church,Tennessee, I hit the home button.

I also get three fun things out of my GPS I tell it to avoid Major Roads and that I prefer Medium and minor roads. ( I do end up on dirt but if you never ride dirt you will miss a lot of America. )

The other trick is that my wife will only ride with me if we stop for lunch at a Chinese place so I ride in the general direction that I want go that day and when she slaps me on the back of the helmet I push "Find Restaurant, Chinese" and we're both happy.

The last thing I do is map in roads from http://www.motorcycleroads.us/ I put a little pin for the start and the finish so that I don't ride right past some great road like FM Route 4.

RJM2096

04-21-2008, 09:23 AM

I enjoy traveling with both.

While the GPS device may show the quickest route, often I am more intertested in "MY WAY" so I use the map to plot my trip. I enjoy just putting the GPS device on "MAP". That way I can see how the roads around me come into play. Sometime a lake come up on my left and I decide to turn left for a look. The GPS device is also great for finding the closest restaurants, hotels, etc.

kbasa

04-21-2008, 11:07 AM