Anyone use a car GPS mounted to your bike ? If so , What make and model held up to the vibration and outdoor conditions ? Not looking to use one in the rain or everyday , but only as a cheap alternative to the more expensive motorcycle GPS.
I use a very similar Nuvi 2555. Bought it used on Ebay 5-6 years ago for $80 with lifetime maps. I'm familar with the YT waterproofing but have never done it. It's seen lots of rain but nestled directly behind my windshield it hardly gets wet unless I stop moving. Then I pop it out of the RAM cradle and into my pocket or tankbag.I've been using the same Garmin Nuvi LM2455 for years now, in all kinds of weather, and to navigate all over the US. I did weatherproof it using a tutorial I found on Youtube...
This was my solution to the connectivity and vibration issues on the car based units....Used a Nuvi 1390 and 1300 on a couple of bikes and had connectivity issues from vibration with both.
The powered cradles on the Zumos don't have this problem as far as I know.
I have come to the same conclusion... Going cheap is not always the best option if it doesn't do what you want. There are used or refurbished Zumo's out there. There is no way in hell I'm pulling over every time it rains to put a sandwich bag over my gps, or take it down when it rains.. I wanted it to navigate, not be in my pocket when it rains. When I'm on a trip or and area I don't know and its raining that's when I need it the most. Good luck using a car gps or cell phone in the rain with a gortex gloves on. I tried the other alternatives, the only one that accually did what I needed was the Zumo.It was no good at all because the screen was pretty much unreadable out in sunlight or even out in cloud cover. It wasn't made to be used out in the sunlight. This was not a very expensive model though. I took it off right away, as it was not going to cut it.
I buy things anymore and look at purchase price over time and even $1000 is really nothing. Say it lasts you 10years, that is $100 a year or a little over a quarter a day. For a quarter a day I just buy the motorcycle unit that works much better. They are less than $1000 even for the best ones. Just get the right unit, worth the expense.