Any recommendations on a good GPS for on and off road riding? I like the features on the Zumo 390lm and 590lm but heard they dont have off road capabilities. Was considering the Zumo 665....
Best GPS for On and Off Road Riding
- Thread starter VgnSTRider87
- Start date
The Montana is good for both when you ad Topo and City Navigator maps.
I'm also running the Montana. I tend to use it more for the trip computer mode, and only switch to the map screen for tricky sections (usually getting in and out of cities I'm not familiar with!).
Add the BirdsEye satellite photo subscription ($30 a year) and it becomes a fantastic device. Only wish the screen were bigger.
Berg_Donk
Active Member
I've had a Montana for 2.5 years now, used it to navigate maybe 40,000 kms of off road tracks and backroads on the S10, DR and 4wd. Great device ::008::0,
The Garmin Rugged Mount is also excellent and recommended with the Montana.
Not ideal for street navigation only, but good enough. The topo maps for Oz are excellent.
The Garmin Rugged Mount is also excellent and recommended with the Montana.
Not ideal for street navigation only, but good enough. The topo maps for Oz are excellent.
FWIW, the City Navigator maps will do you good on 99% of what you'll probably ride on the Tenere. Even the smallest "roads" are typically included. You can also fool around with openstreetmaps, which I've heard good things about as well as being FREE. In my experience, the Topo line was useless as all it did was clutter the screen with contour lines.
What the Zumo 550/660/665 lacks is proper track usage. But a little bit of reading and you'll find it's not hard to turn a bunch of tracks into a route in Basecamp and upload that to your device. It routes beautifully if you input an address, or have a predefined custom route uploaded from basecamp. If I find a gpx file on Advrider, I typically just keep the route I just created from the track(s) and waypoints, deleting everything else before uploading to my device.
The Montana lacks bluetooth if you're into using a headset. The updated Monterra solves that. I don't think either work well with normal gloves like the Zumo line.
IMO the shortcomings of any device are only really discovered once you understand the GPS and start using it. I always have a series of color photocopies in my tankbag from a DeLorme Gazeteer showing the area I'm at to get a broader horizon instead of fooling around with zooming out all the time. Really helps orient yourself at a stop.
But, I could be off base on all of the above if by offroad you mean gnarly single track (that I've admittedly not ridden on the S10) ::005:: The term "offroad" is often used with a broad stroke of the definition ::008::
Ride safe and good luck!
What the Zumo 550/660/665 lacks is proper track usage. But a little bit of reading and you'll find it's not hard to turn a bunch of tracks into a route in Basecamp and upload that to your device. It routes beautifully if you input an address, or have a predefined custom route uploaded from basecamp. If I find a gpx file on Advrider, I typically just keep the route I just created from the track(s) and waypoints, deleting everything else before uploading to my device.
The Montana lacks bluetooth if you're into using a headset. The updated Monterra solves that. I don't think either work well with normal gloves like the Zumo line.
IMO the shortcomings of any device are only really discovered once you understand the GPS and start using it. I always have a series of color photocopies in my tankbag from a DeLorme Gazeteer showing the area I'm at to get a broader horizon instead of fooling around with zooming out all the time. Really helps orient yourself at a stop.
But, I could be off base on all of the above if by offroad you mean gnarly single track (that I've admittedly not ridden on the S10) ::005:: The term "offroad" is often used with a broad stroke of the definition ::008::
Ride safe and good luck!
Berg_Donk
Active Member
FYI the Montana works fine with gloves on.
Thanks all. So many conflicting reviews and opinions. Still can't choose between the Montana and the Zumo 665. Hmmm. Will have to think through this a bit more.
Until the gloves make your fingers so fat that you cannot accurately use the tiny touch screen. The ONLY thing I would change about my Montana is about a 100% screen size increase. Other than that ... it is the shit for finding backcountry adventure routes. With the 24k Topo maps loaded along with the BirdsEye satellite pics - it is dumbfounding what Garmin knows to exist out there in terms of dirt tracks through the Appalachian woods.Berg_Donk said:
Andylaser
Member
Another vote for the Montana. It can use road and topo mapping.
Keep in mind the Montana does not have Bluetooth so if you want turn by turn directions announced into your helmet you will need a 3rd party bluetooth device like a Sena SR10.
I bought a Zumo 590 for the S10 and truck on the long road trips. For my KLR, hiking and marine Nav I use the Montana
I bought a Zumo 590 for the S10 and truck on the long road trips. For my KLR, hiking and marine Nav I use the Montana
BarkSlayer
New Member
I sure like my old Zumo 550. I know it's outdated now, but there just isn'y any compelling reason to update for my needs.
I too have a Montana and it works all over the globe. I was an early adopter and they replaced my first two on warranty. I've had the current one for almost 2 years.
It's physically bulky to really use for hiking and I'll download offline maps to my android phone for that.
I can not STAND that Garmin won't update the interface from the 1990s. It's like they have never seen Google or Apple maps. You also NEED to check the routing to any destination, just like with any nav device. It's tried to send me miles out of the way when something is close by.
I regularly use OpenStreetMaps, especially in foreign countries, but it takes planning beforehand. I have had maps conflict and lock it up, meaning pull the batteries, pull the chip, open the directory on a computer, and see what the problem was.
Montana is a stand-alone device, so it does not get traffic or weather, which the Zumo can for an additional monthly fee. Dirt Dad has the Zumo and to have those features would be wonderful!
To use the Montana with gloves I have a stylus with Velcro wrapped around it, and a piece of Velcro next to the cradle. Otherwise, I never hit the right place on the touch screen.
I bought a cradle for each of the bikes, which is convenient. Using a common torx fastener for a anti-theft lock hits me as total Band-Aid 1980s KLR engineering again on the part of Garmin. For an expensive device.
I do know of one guy who lost his Montana from a factory cradle. While he swears it was fully engaged, I've had mine pop out and believe it was my own fault early on. Never happened since I learned that you need to make sure the GPS eject button is TOTALLY in the right position before moving, as sometimes it only comes out part way.
It's physically bulky to really use for hiking and I'll download offline maps to my android phone for that.
I can not STAND that Garmin won't update the interface from the 1990s. It's like they have never seen Google or Apple maps. You also NEED to check the routing to any destination, just like with any nav device. It's tried to send me miles out of the way when something is close by.
I regularly use OpenStreetMaps, especially in foreign countries, but it takes planning beforehand. I have had maps conflict and lock it up, meaning pull the batteries, pull the chip, open the directory on a computer, and see what the problem was.
Montana is a stand-alone device, so it does not get traffic or weather, which the Zumo can for an additional monthly fee. Dirt Dad has the Zumo and to have those features would be wonderful!
To use the Montana with gloves I have a stylus with Velcro wrapped around it, and a piece of Velcro next to the cradle. Otherwise, I never hit the right place on the touch screen.
I bought a cradle for each of the bikes, which is convenient. Using a common torx fastener for a anti-theft lock hits me as total Band-Aid 1980s KLR engineering again on the part of Garmin. For an expensive device.
I do know of one guy who lost his Montana from a factory cradle. While he swears it was fully engaged, I've had mine pop out and believe it was my own fault early on. Never happened since I learned that you need to make sure the GPS eject button is TOTALLY in the right position before moving, as sometimes it only comes out part way.
I too have the rugged mount on both bikes - super nice. But I have flogged the crap out of the Montana on both the WRR and Tenere. Never had the Montana flinch a bit - even through some epic yard sale wrecks.Checkswrecks said:
The screen brightness could be much better but I vote Montana.
Berg_Donk
Active Member
I've yet to see a device in bright sunlight that couldn't be brighter >Gee-Tee said:
Montana is great!!
Garmin 478 is still my preference for off road riding.
Garmin 478 is still my preference for off road riding.
Northernstar
Work in Progress
johnpitts01 said:
::026:: for the Garmin 478 - may be dated but still a great and reliable unit that has proven itself year after year ::012::