Here is the deal. Going to add a GPS to the F800GS please tell me if what I want to do is going to work. Looking at the Nuvi 760 or 780 and putting it in a Ram Aqua Box. Any problems so far? Screen hard to read in one of these? Behind the Aqua Box screen is the buttons still easy to push and use? I want to mount it center of the handle bars. Any ideas on how to do this without using the U bolt? I'm thinking it will to much vibration by doing this. I have never used the Ram Clamp do they work ok? I can't seem to find a mount that hooks up at the 4 screws that hold the handle bars other then the one BMW sells. I've thought about a cross bar but not sure how to mount the Aqua Box to it, do the make such a thing? I've seen tons of pics of Aqua boxes but they don't ever show the back to see how I could pull this off. I want the 760 or 780 because of two things, price and MP3's. I don't give a rats butt about using my phone when on the bike, but can I use the Bluetooth to hook up a Cardo Scala Rider to get my tunes wireless? And if I can what is the sound quality of the Scala? I was looking at the Earfuze, folks seem to have good luck with it and the sound quality seems to be great, I just hate having to put them in and run wires. Another option is to send the MP3"s to the Scala via the FM trans from the GPS, will the sound go to pot? I know the Zumo does everything I want to do, but I can get into the above setup at about half the cost. That is important right now. Plus I like having the bigger screen. Lots of questions I know but some of you have already been where I'm wanting to go, no use in trying to reinvent the wheel. Any help would be great. PS if you can provide links to any mounting solutions that might work beer is on me!
IMOP, getting a non waterproof GPS and trying to put in it a box to keep it waterproof will just never work very good. Some GPS screens wash out very quickly with just the screen in direct sunlight, in your case, you'll be having to look through 2 obstacles. I'm betting except in the best of conditions (like at night), you'll have a hard time seeing the screen. I could be wrong, but I'll let others chime. There is something to be said about having a waterproof GPS on the bike. The other big thing and I'm not familiar with the models you listed, but most Nuvi series use a Mini-USB plug for power. Its becoming a popular power connector for car oriented GPS's and other devices, but in my experience, it just doesn't hold up to the abuse a bike GPS goes through. After a while, you'll find it just won't stay in or charge as the connection just gets too loose. You will notice that on other waterproof GPS, they often have a lot more robust power plug. RAM mounts work very well and I'm sure between their vast options of mounts, you can make something work. no problem there. As for the Scala rider Q2 which is the lastest model out there, the BT connection is mono, and it doesn't support A2DP or AVRCP. Listening to music over that connection sucks. Its like listening to music over a phone. However, the Scala does have an MP3 input jack on the mount which allows you to pipe in the music in full stereo. This option works pretty good and is what do quite often. The Scala Rider mulit-set comes with this mount, or you can buy the mount separately that has the MP3 input. If you want to be totally wireless though, A guy found a BT receiver that plugs into the MP3 port and does allow it to pick up music in A2DP (BT Stereo) since its pumping in through the MP3 port and obviously no wires. (See this Scala thread for more ideas on how to hook up your own earplugs and also the BT receiver model is listed in there). The FM option also doesn't work very well IMOP. Good luck.
Deewayne, give me a call some time, I have a GPS mounted on an F800GS and can talk over the options. I don't think that sticking a Nuvi made for a cage in a box is going to be all that great, especially for the riding you have in your neck o' the woods.
I have a Zumo 660 on my F800GS. First had it mounted on a Ram and was absolutley solid but I just didn't like it being off to my left. Just personal preference. Just got a unit from SWMOTECH from Dualsport Plus and it mounts on the 4 bar bolts. It now is in front of me and just under the onboard computer screen. Only miss seeing the bottom of the fuel readout cause I'm so short and is not an issue. Very solid and I prefer this position as I now just glance down istead of having to turn slightly to the left to see it. Unit was about $65.00 Cdn. Hope this helps Cheers
I have a 760. used it for first time on bike about 2 weeks ago. I did not use the USB for power. I used the auto power adapter. I put the nuvi and cradle in my tank bag map pouch and I rigged up a cig lighter in the bag and ran the power cable from pouch into the bag. worked well, except that the nuvi was angled away from me and I couldn't see it that well. I would have to flip up the map pouch briefly to see it. but I had headphones and could hear it. with adjustment to angle it up, I think it would be fine. I did have to turn brightness up all the way. I was viewing through the clear map pouch so probably similar to looking through aqua box. another thing about power. My nuvi goes into mass storage mode when plugged into USB. even if just USB power adapter. don't know if it is supposed to or not, but that is what it does so I have to use the cradle and auto power adapter. about not being waterproof, that could be issue. I do have friend who uses aquabox and never had issue. he suggested it for vibration dampening also. I don't know if the vibs on bike will ruin a nuvi that is hard mounted. I am hoping others with more experience with Nuvi on bike will reply.
Chitown rigged up a Nuvi 5000 on his bike, with waterproof box that semed to have worked well for him, maybe you can search for his thread on it, IIRC there was good info there.
I can't answer about the unit you are looking at,but I have been using a Nuvi 350 for close to 3 years.I had/have it mounted using the u-bolt you want to avoid.Its been mounted that way to a wee Strom and is now on a KLR.It still works like new except the battery charge doesnt last as long.To avoid using the u-bolt try looking at the RAM HB1 that attaches to the clutch/brake reservoir.I've used one of those on my C14 for 2 years.
I have a Nuvi 765 in an aqua box on my bike and ran the headphone jack and power out the back of the box and into a powered tankbag for power and audio in the helmet. At first I had a hard time seeing the screen on the gps while it was in the box, but once I figured out to clean the plastic with some honda polish it got a lot better. There are still times where the gps is hard to see, but it's much better if you angle the face of the gps down a little so it's not pointed directly at your helmet. The buttons/functionality work fine through the plastic. The 765 has smaller icons that my 760 (which the wife has now that her 660 choked). Of all of them, I think I liked the 660 the best for the interface, but that's just me. I also had filled the box with padding foam and had recessed it for the nuvi, the power cradle and the audio cord. I wanted to hold the device tight to the front. What happens with the back of the unit blocked, though, is that it gets pretty freaking hot - especially if it's even slightly warm out. I recently cut out all of the foam except for the part supporting the perimeter of the gps and it runs much cooler. I was thinking of drilling some ventilation holes in the bottom of the aqua box to let a little more air flow through it. Since I knocked out the hole in the back for the wires to come in under the ball mount, I figure that would let enough air through without compromising the weather protection. Ultimately, it works fine, but it's not the best solution. I'll probably buy a moto-specific GPS in the post holiday sales this winter.
