| Author | Message | ||
     Sifo |
So I have a Garmin NUVI 500. It works great most of the time, but only holds 10 routes. I would like to be able to plan routes on my laptop and load them to the GPS. Garmin offers Map Source as their solution. I've read that isn't very intuitive to use. It would also cost a fair amount of money because I would have to buy the software and new maps on CD to load the maps on the PC A free option is MapQuest on the internet. It can download routes directly to the GPS. I don't like the MapQuest interface at all though. It seems you have to type in start and end points instead of an easy point and click interface. I really like Yahoo Maps, but no download ability. Just pointing out that this is the sort of route planing ability I am hoping to find. The interface on the GPS works well, but it's a pain on the small screen. Anyone with other solutions? Preferably low cost.  | ||
| Steve_mackay |
Sifo... I use the HD ride planer. It will download directly(with the Garmin free plugin in your browser) to Garmin GPSs. But double check your route when it's in the GPS. Sometimes it's not 100% perfect. | ||
| Steve_mackay |
Another tool that will allowing Mapping and upload to Garmin is Tyre http://www.tyre.tk/ | ||
| Sifo |
Thanks Steve! I'll check those out. | ||
| Sifo |
A quick look shows the HD planner will do what I need better than other options I've seen so far. Good call! I haven't checked out the Tyre site yet.  | ||
| Americanmadexb |
I will have to learn this too... Got a deal on a Nuvi 760 yesterday on ebay for $116! | ||
| Steve_mackay |
HD Ride planner is much better at PLANNING rides than Tyre. I plan every ride with HD Ride planner. But like I said, it's not ALWAYS 100%. HD Ride planner has a habit of putting waypoints RIGHT in the intersection. So if it's off a little bit, compared to the Garmin Map data, it'll throw you off course a bit, and then have you u-turn. So be careful. | ||
| Sifo |
Ian, just be careful with that one on the bike, I don't think it's waterproof. I'm learning things. I can only have 10 saved routes. They get used up pretty quick planning a road trip. The downloads from products like the HD Planner, etc. load as a file that I can import into a route. Seems I can have more than 10 of these files, have no idea what the limit is. They are stored in the GPS though, so I can delete routes created that way and retrieve them again later. That effectively gives me more than a 10 route limit - sort of. The ability to manage these files seems pretty limited in the unit though. I can only find the ability to import into a route. I don't know how they are created or deleted in the unit. I can delete them from the PC file manager though. Still lots to learn, but I made great use of it last summer. This summer I will know it better! | ||
| Steve_mackay |
Garmin roadtrip on the Macintosh is WAY better than mapsource. Much easier to modify routes, move waypoints, etc... But it's a MAJOR resource hog. I often get the spinning beachball of death running it on my 2GHZ core duo iMac. | ||
| Americanmadexb |
Yeah Sifo i'm just going to throw a zip lock bag over it if i get caught in the rain. I want a Zumo 550 but i am not paying $500 for one. | ||
| Brumbear |
Use it its the only thing you'll get from those buggers free http://rideplanner.harley-davidson.com/rideplanner /ridePlanner.jsp?locale=en_US | ||
| Sifo |
I found mine on FleaBay for way less than retail, NIB! A couple of other things I've learned is wiring up a cigarette plug adapter failed from vibration pretty quickly on my XB. Found a Garmin motorcycle power cord on FleaBay cheap and it is doing well. And for God's sake don't let it take your attention from the road! It's easy to start playing with it and suddenly realize you are on auto pilot! | ||
| Steve_mackay |
I got lucky last year on mine... Garmin 2820 for $200 from tigergps. with 2009 maps thrown in. Waterproof... Bluetooth... Motorcycle friendly. So I've got mounts for the Ulybolt, the CR and the car now. It works awesome. I use a Scala Rider bluetooth headset, so I don't even have to look down at the thing if I don't want to. | ||
| Dynasport |
I bought a used Garmin 2720 very cheap off ebay last year and added the Garmin mount for my Uly. The thing is, I have no idea how to download routes to the unit or even if that is possible. Right now I just type the address of where I want to go and let it calculate how to get there. I would like to be able to make my own routes and download them, but like I said, I have no idea how to make that happen. I wonder if the HD ride planner will download to my unit. Does anyone know? Thanks, Dan. | ||
| Sifo |
Dan, I don't know for certain, but I would guess that your unit will work. It's free to try on the HD site so go for it. It was able to detect my unit no problem. I played some with the TYRE software last night. It has some nice features too. It also has some stuff I haven't figured out yet. Both TYRE and HD Planner seem to meet my basic needs at this point though. Time to play a bit and see which offers more stuff that I didn't know I needed! | ||
| Dynasport |
Thanks, I'm on the road this week, I'll see if I can figure it out this weekend. One thing I have been wondering is if the GPS needs power when it is connected to the computer. The 2720 does not have an internal battery. Maybe it can take power through the computer connection. | ||
| Trevd |
Dynasport, You'll need to buy an A/C power adapter for your 2720 in order to have it powered up while hooked up to your computer... I bought mine at GPScity.com | ||
| Satori |
Sifo you might consider Garmins Trip & waypoint Manager software, it will do the trip planning, and is basically a striped down version of Mapsource. Its only about 30 bucks, heck check amazon and fle bay may be able to pick one up for less, just make sure it n.i.b. I used it last year when I moved from Phoenix to Washington state. worked good. though I also have the city navigator software to, had to get that seprately since my unit is the 60Csx. You can archive the data to so you can reuse it also. I think mine came with a map, or maybe the unit when I bought it. My bad, just checked Garmin, and they say it doesnt upload maps, so you might call them and see if it will do what you need. Hope this helps (Message edited by Satori on June 01, 2010) (Message edited by Satori on June 01, 2010) | ||
| Sifo |
The Trip & Waypoint Manager doesn't do what I want. It doesn't have any detailed maps so it's useless for planning routes (I don't think it has that feature anyway). It sounds OK if all you want to do is save all your routes to your computer with the ability to reload that set of routes later. They say it has basic maps so you can recognize the basic routes, but no details. It looks like the HD Planner or Tyre do a better job for free. Dynasport, I'm not familiar with the model you have, but my NUVI does get power from the PC through the USB cable. When it's plugged in it just has a static screen that shows it's connected to the PC though, everything must be done from the PC. I have no idea how yours may vary from mine though. | ||
| Fordrox |
Any one interested in Garmin's Map point software, msg me and i will tell you how to download it off Garmin's web site for free. |
