GPSMAP 78 Setup and Tips

So you have a new Garmin GPSMAP 78, Here are some tricks that you should do to set it up for motorcycle riding:

Disable Marine Mode: Menu, Menu, Setup, Marine, Marine Charts Mode: Off

Track Up Orientation: Menu, Menu, Setup, Map, Orientation, Track Up

Display Day Mode Only: Menu, Menu, Setup, Display, Colors, Enter, Mode, Day

Setup Map Detail: Menu, Menu, Setup, Map, Advanced Maps Setup, Detail, Most

Disable Auto Zoom: Menu, Menu, Setup, Map, Advanced Maps Setup,Auto Zoom, Off

Disable Shaded Relief: Menu, Menu, Setup, Map, Advanced Maps Setup, Shaded Relief, Do Not Show.

Setup Tracklog Archive: Menu, Menu, Setup,Tracks, Auto Archive, Daily

Setup Routing: Menu, Menu, Setup,Routing, Activity, Motorcycle Driving

Disable Lock on Roads: Menu, Menu, Setup,Routing, Lock on Roads, NO   

Everyone should do the above, in addition below are my personal preferences: Note many people have different preferences here. 

Enable 2 Data Fields:  Menu, Menu, Setup, Map, Data Fields, 2 Small

From the Map Page, select Menu, Change Data Fields, Speed  and Elevation

Video: How to prepare your unit for a ride or the Trans America Trail  

TBD

How to add great background maps to the internal memory of your unit:  

This really makes your GPS helpful for finding other stuff. 

Directions: Select the download: USA_48 States Download you will get a new window with something like this:

Push the download button, then you will get:

Then choose Download anyway.  

This is a 1.3 Gig file so the download may take several minutes. You will get a file called "USA_48States.img"

Now using you USB Cable connect your Gamin GPS to your PC.  Wait for your PC to connect to your device.  In some cases this can take some time as your PC may go and find the right drivers.  Your PC should offer up a Autoplay Window like below:

Select the "Open Folder to view files using Windows Explorer"

Next open the folder named "Garmin"

Now copy and paste the file you downloaded "USA_48States.img" to this folder "Garmin" 

Some 35 minutes later the result should look something like this:

Done:  You now have all the USA maps installed onto the unit itself and you can use the micro SD Card to add extra custom Maps

Yes: These maps support auto routing 

Known issue, the Find an address by typing in the address does not seem to work.