GPS Question

[vdoman]

I'm a newbie and was told my first Spyder arrived at the dealership today (F3 Limited Special Addition). Not knowing anything about anything on a Spyder and not mechanically inclined, when I do receive my bike I wanted to add LAMONT'S F3 GPS MOUNT KIT. My Questions are: Is this something I should be able to do (wire) myself or have it installed and wired by dealer? And, when ordering the Garmin 590, is there any other Garmin part not included w/ the unit that I would still have to purchase?

[Lamonster]

What I sell is just the top clamp and swivel mount. You'll need this too.
Here's one link but there are cheaper ones on ebay http://www.gpscity.com/garmin-zumo-5...cle-mount.html

[Bruce B]

I'm a newbie and was told my first Spyder arrived at the dealership today (F3 Limited Special Addition). Not knowing anything about anything on a Spyder and not mechanically inclined, when I do receive my bike I wanted to add LAMONT'S F3 GPS MOUNT KIT. My Questions are: Is this something I should be able to do (wire) myself or have it installed and wired by dealer? And, when ordering the Garmin 590, is there any other Garmin part not included w/ the unit that I would still have to purchase?

Garmin Zumo 660 and 590 come complete with every thing you need to mount it on your bike plus they also have the car mounting and wiring with it. As for wiring it you might need help there as there are 2 accessory points on the F3 where to wire it in to one on the left side under card panel the other in the front lower left side of battery that one is a bit hard to find info on these points is in your manual.

[stebrock]

If you look closely you can see the main wire from the GPS is being fed into the housing under the handlebars. From here you can run it into the frunk area. I added lugs to the power leads and wired directly to the battery. This way as soon as you turn the key the GPS starts up. All of the included BRP power leads for accessories are only powered when the motor is running. To get to the battery you have to remove the frunk which is easy:
1. Open the trunk lid
2. Lift off the service cover - see page 44 of owners manual
3. Locate and "pop up" the 4 plastic rivets holding in the liner and remove them. The frunk liner will now lift out and there's your battery. (This would have to be done anyway to get to the BRP installed accessory connection hidden behind the frunk liner)
These steps also give you access to the fuses. This would also be a good time to connect leads for a battery tender if you are going to use one.
Rick

[Bruce B]

The only problem with wiring it direct to the battery is the GPS is draining power from the battery all the time it is in the cradle.

[stebrock]

True but if its in the cradle I'm on the F3. It's too easy for someone to walk off with. Also you can power off the GPS and leave it in the cradle if you choose.
Rick

[vdoman]

If you look closely you can see the main wire from the GPS is being fed into the housing under the handlebars. From here you can run it into the frunk area. I added lugs to the power leads and wired directly to the battery. This way as soon as you turn the key the GPS starts up. All of the included BRP power leads for accessories are only powered when the motor is running. To get to the battery you have to remove the frunk which is easy:
1. Open the trunk lid
2. Lift off the service cover - see page 44 of owners manual
3. Locate and "pop up" the 4 plastic rivets holding in the liner and remove them. The frunk liner will now lift out and there's your battery. (This would have to be done anyway to get to the BRP installed accessory connection hidden behind the frunk liner)
These steps also give you access to the fuses. This would also be a good time to connect leads for a battery tender if you are going to use one.
Rick

These are good instructions. I'll have to save these posts till the bike gets un-crated in mid- March. THX again!

[vdoman]

stebrock, since you already have the bike, do you know if BRP offers (or is it even needed) to also install their Bluetooth Dongle so that the installed radio will work with GPS (Garmin), and a cellphone, so that everything will broadcast via Bluetooth to my helmet?

[stebrock]

stebrock, since you already have the bike, do you know if BRP offers (or is it even needed) to also install their Bluetooth Dongle so that the installed radio will work with GPS (Garmin), and a cellphone, so that everything will broadcast via Bluetooth to my helmet?

I'm using the Garmin 665 that comes with an XM receiver. The Garmin has Bluetooth built in. It also has a slot for a memory card. The main wire you see in the pic above contains the power leads, XM connection, and 2 different size female audio out connectors which I used to connect to my amplifier.
The new F3 T/L radio has 2 connectors located in the glove box. One is a usb (which will allow you to control some ipods) and one is a headphone type connector. My Garmin model would connect to the audio connector. It's usb connection is internal and can't be used. If your GPS usb connection is located on the outside then you could use it.
I'm using Lamont's GPS connector attached to the handlebars which is what's being used in pic above.
Rick

[Dennis in Lodi]

Sorry to upset the apple cart, but their are other good less expensive true motorcycle GPS options.
http://www.aliexpress.com/snapshot/6...69488723115762
I currently use this GPS and it has ALL the features of the expensive garmin.
But Honestly, with todays smart phones and Google Maps the world of travel is in your phone.
Just mount your phone where the Garmin would go. get the pre made cable that is available here on this site to connect you phone to your Bike's audio system or to a SENA wireless headset helmet system. Then get Google Play music app. I have seamless Google Maps GPS voice instructions for navigation that PUASES Google Play music. The music comes back on right where it left off. Makes no sense to pay for Sirus either. New music apps like Google Play cost $15 per month for a six member family plan with 3,000,000 current and older songs available.
I have both the above GPS and my smart phone mounted on my RT touring. The advantages of the GPS is areas where phone signal is weak, more of the road ahead is on a larger screen, and better sunlight viewing. But since I am listening to music and GPS voice prompts, seeing the phone screen is not overly important.
AND, with the money saved by not getting a GPS and using your smart phone you can get the latest SENA equipment and answer the phone calls while on the road.
When I ride in areas I am familiar with, I don't even turn the GPS on.
Snow bound and not riding
Dennis near Chicago

[JayBros]

True but if its in the cradle I'm on the F3. It's too easy for someone to walk off with. Also you can power off the GPS and leave it in the cradle if you choose.
Rick

http://www.kradellock.com/

[Gray Ghost]

But Honestly, with todays smart phones and Google Maps the world of travel is in your phone.

There are a lot of places out in the west where phone service is not available. Even where I live there are a lot of dead spots, and if you don't have an unlimited data plan, streaming music will eat your lunch. For short trips in the car I do use my phone for GPS, and I have used it on a bike with an MP3 app for sounds so I am glad to have them. But if I am on a long trip especially in areas where having accurate directions to a gas station might keep me from walking I'll stick with a GPS.

[Brentc]

I've done. A little research and found that the TomTom app for iPhone does not use data as most apps do. The big difference being that tha TomTom app downloads all of the maps to your device, which is a hefty chuck of downloading best done on wifi. This downloading of maps is what uses your data plan. Most plans download the maps as you move about and consumes a lot of data. By having all the necessary maps locally this downloading is eliminated and you get no data usage. I've had this setup for the past year and taken a few decent length trips with no issues. For me it was a very inexpensive alternative to a full blown GPS, cost was $19.99 as I already had an iPhone. Bonus to this is that I also have my music and turn by turn broadcast to my Sena Bluetooth.

[ravseren]

You can buy a gadget called a "KRADELOCK" that locks the GPS to the bike and makes it impossible to steael, unless they take the whole machine. It is machined metal with a special lock

[Dennis in Lodi]

Just wanted to correct the message about data usage and music streaming. My family of three, with one bieng a teenage daughter, together have never exceded 4 gigs of data FAMILY total. However, one teenager streaming video can gig ANY plan to death. Video streaming is a gig killer, one NFL football game can be 1.5 gigs for three hours.

I agree about the need for both Satellite GPS and a smart phone, BUT there is apps that make your smart phone a full blown satellite GPS. I ive in an area with in and out coverage but my music streaming never stops even when I don't have enough reception for a phone call. When I select a song group from the menue it is uasually about 3 to 4 hours of now stop music. The whole selection of music temporarly downloads 50 songs or so to the phone in just seconds for just that purpose of mixed cell coverage.

The real information I was trying to get across is there is musch less expensive, BETTER alteratives satlellight GPSs. The link I provided is a GPS I have used for two years on two different touring machines. At $135 I consider it a disposable GPS should it fail. Warranty work through the mail on any failed electronic device is a JOKE. Until I recently retired, my business was GPS dependant. I have gone through many GPS brands , usually 2 units per year just to get the latest and best. Of my GPS brands you could not give me another Garmin even if it was free.
From my many GPS experiences I discovered "IGO Primo" navigation software. Simply put, as of 2015, "IGO Primo" is the number one rated, most used GPS software in the WORLD. Garmin and Tom Tom do not use this software. Most high end vehicles use this software in their in dash navigation, so a lot of us might have this now?
Everyone considering a true cycle GPS should check the link in my post above. It has IGO Primo software, full 5 inch screen, visable in full daylight with the sun on the screen, waterproof, and touch screen which is more finger friendly that the GROSSLY OVER PRICED GARMIN!

There are a lot of places out in the west where phone service is not available. Even where I live there are a lot of dead spots, and if you don't have an unlimited data plan, streaming music will eat your lunch. For short trips in the car I do use my phone for GPS, and I have used it on a bike with an MP3 app for sounds so I am glad to have them. But if I am on a long trip especially in areas where having accurate directions to a gas station might keep me from walking I'll stick with a GPS.