Garmin Montana

Got to play with one at an REI store. I liked the fact that it picked up lots of signal even inside the store. I was surprised how sluggish the interface is however. The menus come up fast but scrolling around the map seemed as slow if not slower than my GPSMap. Anyone who owns one find this to be true or maybe something was broken on the demo unit?

Explorer works just fine for removing older maps. Make sure you empty the Recycle Bin, or the Trash if you do so with the Finder on a Mac, though, so you get the space back. Otherwise it'll just stay in the Recycle Bin or the Trash.

Just guessing, of course, but perhaps the unit was zoomed way out, and on a high detail level. Not really useful choices, in the real world.

I've been scrolling around a bunch of maps today looking at detail, the CNNA, the Topo Canada, the OSM Canada (and I'm well south of the Great White North), zooming in and out, and it's been redrawing the maps quite fast.

I just tucked it under the rubber seal for the headlight (with enough slack to turn the mount 180 deg.). You can't tell at all.

Pic's here ---> http://www.advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=19391928&postcount=6361

I searched but came up empty even though I know this was discussed at one time.

I'm finally getting around to hard wiring power on the rugged mount and I can't remember if the rugged mount, without the Montana in it, draws some power or not.

On a related note, anyone know where to grab switched power on a KLX250s? If not, I'll just wire it to the battery unless it will draw power even when the Montana is removed.

Thanks,

Jon...

The Rugged Mount has no electronic components. The connector goes directly to the Montana. So, no power drain when the Montana is out of the Mount.

Cheers,

Have all four of our Rugged Mounts connected directly to the batteries on our two BMWs and Suzukis and never has this affected the batteries in any way. My original F8 battery quit after four years, but the mount had nothing to do with that.

Excellent.....thanks!

Guess I'll just wire it directly for now.

Jon...

So , I have the above and when I try to route a simple road route it says "Route calculation error: Maps do not have routable roads in this area"
I have the profile set for automotive so I'm not sure what the problem is. Any track or route i ask it to follow simply puts it in as a straight line rather then following a road. What am I doing wrong?

Thanks!
Ken

Late to the thread, I need a GPS. Me and 2 buddies are riding the TAT from central Oklahoma into Colorado and back to make an IBA Dusty Butt 1000 ride. Will this Montana do the trick? What the most solid mount to use with a cross bar handlebar? Need info quickly as we leave on the first. Just PM me links or post here.

Late to the thread, I need a GPS. Me and 2 buddies are riding the TAT from central Oklahoma into Colorado and back to make an IBA Dusty Butt 1000 ride. Will this Montana do the trick? What the most solid mount to use with a cross bar handlebar? Need info quickly as we leave on the first. Just PM me links or post here.

Oh, sure the Montana does..but just Mid Oklahoma > Colo..get a used or refurbished Garmin 60 CSx at a lot less and easy peasy in learning how to use it. You don't have enough time to learn the intricacies of a Montana which can be !@#$%...:eek1.

cheers...

Although the Montana can do a lot of things, suggesting that it is too difficult to be used to navigate simple Tracks is absurd. Use the Motorcycle Profile and get on with it.

Cheers,

Took me a day or so to install the memory card, the CNNA, the Topo, a bunch of recommended tracks provided by others, and become familiar with the unit. The default Motorcycle Profile and the Automotive Profile is what I've been playing with. I'm headed out for a ten day ride in a week and am quite confident in being able to use this unit for navigaton both on road and off the beaten path.

This was not to convey that the Montana was really too difficult..but these guys are in search for a first GPS and want a Montana to guide them within such a short time frame..do they have time to learn the basics of this GPS including maybe BaseCamp too??

cheers

Since the OP came here looking for advice and has a short time line, I must assume that the OP has some GPS knowledge since they are planning to do a portion of the TAT for an Iron Butt and would have needed to create the Tracks necessary for navigation at a minimum.

If they have no knowledge of Garmin GPS's or BaseCamp then they have no business taking on the TAT with any GPS and should stick with the Rollcharts and paper maps they purchased from Jim.

Cheers,

The Montana will do just fine. Assuming you have already created in BaseCamp the Tracks you will need to navigate. Take the Rollchart and paper maps you acquired from Jim as backup of course. You will want the Garmin AMPS Rugged Mount. It will require a RAM AMPS Square Based Ball, Short or Std Arm and a Ball-Bar Camp for 1/2" bar.

Cheers,

I have used garmins before, but I don't currently have one on my klr. I have all the maps. My riding partner has the maps and GPS tracks, and has done the TAT before, Oklahoma several times. I'm just getting one as a backup, and to use later.

As long as one of us has the route, we are both more than well equipped mentally and physically to do the dusty butt. And barring a crash, the bikes are mechanically sound.

Heck, we did an endurocross race on our klrs yesterday.

And it sounds a lot more fun and challenging than plotting out a 20 mile dirt road loop and making laps for the ride