How to buy bike-spec satnavs

Their touchscreens work with gloves, they’re weather resistant, and they take you the most adventurous way. It’s worth paying more for a bike-spec satnav…

PLANNING ROUTES

Satnavs plan routes from one place to another, and they get you there. But what kind of routes are they planning? Most offer Avoid Motorways & Tolls, Quickest Route and Shortest Route options, but the fun ones also offer curvy and scenic routes. Garmin call it Adventurous Routing and Tomtom call it Winding Roads, and they even provide an option for ‘hilly roads’. Some bike satnavs also allow you to design and download your own routes and be sure that which ever satnav you choose is capable of uploading GPX files. There are huge user communities that share great riding routes – arguably Tomtom have the edge when it comes to these communities with more users and an interface that allows Points of Interest (POIS) to be updated. Routes also seem easier to use.

CONNECTIVITY

The connectivity. Bluetooth streaming. majority doesn’t Cheaper of However, today’s mean versions just satnavs it will because will support offer most it Bluetooth says likely MP3 offer ‘headset’ mode only, which doesn’t guarantee voice command capability. Bluetooth headsets will also need to be bought separately. The most sophisticated satnavs allow you to connect additional accessories via Bluetooth. The Garmin 395LM and 595LM can even connect to tyre pressure monitors.

MAPS AND POINTS OF INTEREST

The best way to get the best value out of your satnav is to buy one that covers all the areas you’re likely to visit over its life. That is, if you buy a satnav that comes with UK maps only, then you decide to ride in Europe downloading those continental maps will be expensive. Also check whether or not the maps are regularly updated, and if updates are free. Both Garmin and Tomtom offer free lifetime map and POI updates, but there are terms for these. Tomtom, for example, limit you to four updates per year.

SCREENS

Because your satnav lives outside in the fresh air it’s more exposed to the sun than most conventional satnav screens so check that it is anti-glare. Also, the larger the screen the better. A 5-inch screen (Garmin’s 595LM) means you can read the route ahead more quickly. It’s difficult to operate a touchscreen with gloved hands, so more space also means larger buttons. Different styles of gloves require different screen sensitivities – you’ll have to increase the sensitivity for highly-padded gloves. The Tomtom Rider 450 allows hard/soft screen adjustment which is a good option.

BATTERY AND RECHARGING

Check how long the battery lasts – the Tomtom Rider 450’s six hours is good. This is important if you don’t want to faff with wiring. A more permanent solution is to charge from the bike’s battery. This can be made easier with an ‘active mount’ that supports charging from the bike’s battery. Mounts can also be lockable, so you don’t need to detach it every time you stop and step away from your bike.

IS IT WEATHERPROOF?

Yes, you can buy a cheap satnav but the majority are for use in cars. Which means they are not waterproof and they cannot cope with rain, snow, dust, sand or most other challenges a bike can throw at it. They are also unlikely to withstand the vibrations incurred by being mounted on a motorcycle. Proper bike satnavs such as Garmin’s Zumo range and Tomtom’s Riders take on the chin.