TOTALLY CLUELESS AND IN THE DARK TO BOOT

[GeoffCee]

The 550 has an upgrade able data base but I don't upgrade, so sometime I travel where there are no roads(According to my GPS) What ever you choose make sure you have a paper map back-up, my Zumo has routed me to some very strange places, which any GPS will do. :ani29: If you just want to find a restaurant or gas station go with the cheapie throw away in a plastic bag, your gonna want to do that anyway the first time it leads you astray

I am confused! You say you don't upgrade and then go on to explain the disadvantages of not doing so.

I keep my 550 as up to date as I can through Garmin's Lifetime Maps in order that the roads I intend travelling on really do exist!

A secondary advantage of this is to keep current with Navtec's ever-increasing database throughout Europe (my region of road travel) which includes places to eat, shop, buy gas, get medical treatment or specialist engineering services, etc., etc.

I agree with you that a paper map is useful in giving an overall impression of where places are relative to one another and in providing a general direction to head for. A mental image of where you are going is certainly an advantage, as is the knowledge that the sun always moves across the sky left to right in northern latitudes and moss grows on the north-facing side of a tree.
Navigation by GPS is technically very persuasive but it isn't the only way! :spyder:

 

[ulflyer]

Homemade GPS Mount

BlueKnight: I just finished making a mount for my RT. Being cheap, I cut a piece of aluminum plating that I happened to have so that it fit between the two lower bolts of the handlebars and painted it black. Because of the curvature of the bars it had to have a couple of inserts underneath to make it stand up a bit, and longer bolts. To this mount I attached a Ram ball and the other Ram stuff for my Garmin 750 which my wife no longer used. You can't see the screen in direct sunlight but a cheap earbud plug-in lets you hear it. I haven't tried an anti-glare screen to see if that helps. The GPS is not something I will often use so I'm expecting not to have charger cord attached. If so, I can fashion one underneath the seat to battery posts and simple run the cord from under the seat up to the GPS. Cost was about $20 for chrome bolts, inserts, & washers. If you'd like to have a template of the mount, be glad to mail it to you; PM your address.