Dual Sport Bike GPS Recommendation
GPS Recommendation for Dual Sport Bikes
What GPS should I get for my Bike? I am asked this question a lot. It depends on what type of bike you're putting it on, and what type of riding you are planning and how much you want to spend.
Dual Sport bikes are used on both trails and roads, therefore when selecting a GPS for your bike, you need a GPS that will excel on trails and works well on roads too.
First I recommend that you buy a Garmin GPS in order to be compatible with most of the people riding motorcycles. I have found that the best GPS for this type of riding is the Garmin GPSMAP78 Base model
Garmin GPSMAP 78
The GPSMAP 78 is powerful and versatile. It does everything you want. You should understand that inside all newer Garmin gps units they are pretty much the same. They all hold tons of Waypoints, they all do Tracklogs and Trackback well, they all do Routes well. With loaded maps they can all find the nearest gas. But what sets these units apart are their external features like the size of the screen, the shape of the buttons and the powercords. Seems funny to say powercord, but how you plug it into you bike is important. This is where the GPSMAP 78 is great; it has the old style 12V power plug that is proven to work well over the years. All gps must be plugged into your bike nowadays because you will want to always run the screen backlight day and night. It helps you see the screen a lot. And if the power plug is not reliable, then the gps is not reliable. If you cannot trust your gps then it is no good. OK so get the GPSMAP 78. It is a good unit for a medium price.
This is my first choice for the dual sport motorcycles. Mostly because it has a tough rugged design. It has a good tough 12v power connector which should be wired directly to your motorcycle. The unit has good large buttons that can work fine with your gloves on. The screen size is ok and with power connected you can run the backlight all the time so you can see the unit well. You do need to add background maps to the unit's internal memory, then it becomes a full functioning gps. Follow my setup directions and download the maps here: GPSMAP 78 Setup and Tips
