I think Garmin has lost their mind!

Yep. The 478 was released in 2004. Can you imagine a TV, a phone or a computer of this age having any value? And this unit sells for more than what it was new. In the past decade Garmin engineered new models mostly by removing functionality from both hardware and software. Gone hard buttons and lockable mount, map view customization and route import on most units.
It's just a matter of time before someone will make a ruggerized Android tablet with bright screen and someone else will write a good navigation software
Meanwhile, you can try a marine GPS, maybe it has all the necessary functions:
http://g.factoryoutletstore.com/details/16534-47741/GPSMAP-620.html

Someone is doing something like that via Kickstarter (IIRC) BUT instead of a just a simple GPS they added all manner of bells and whistles that I personally do not want or need, thus pushing the price up.

Several Chinese companies make waterproof Android phone. They are inexpensive enough to be used only for navigation. But the question of a good software still remains.

http://www.meetearl.com/

Easy Map For Bikers app works great on my Galaxy S3 to see the local radar and satellites all in one place. I still sit down with my Gazetteers and plan trips writing on large index cards with a Sharpie. These go in my tank bag window and get flipped as needed.
I have used my older Nuvi GPS on the bike, and it was really handy for finding gas and food, etc., and allowed more spontaneity, but no way to upload routes, so it was limited.
While I recognize the convenience and power of the GPS technology, I sometimes think it can subtract from the riding experience rather than add. I find it is too easy to become so focused on the destination or next waypoint that you miss the ride itself. Maybe it is an age thing, but I find going old school with maps and slowing down and enjoying the ride with all of its surprises is actually more satisfying to me than having all of the electronics stuff. Granted, my favorite bike is my 95 Triumph steamer, so that may tell you something.

http://www.goridergps.com/
180€ for 3.5" version and 300€ for 4.3" version. Everything in box to install to bike. Full EU map coverage adding US is not really rocket science. I would call this an alternative to Garmin/TomTom. Reasonably priced one.

Garmin car unit: Bought a 50LM for $80 at a Black Friday sale.
Ram Aquabox, Large: $50
Ram 50LM cradle: $15
Ram motorcycle mount: $30
Garmin hardwire power adapter: $10

It takes a little modifying to get the power cable through the cradle and Aquabox. There's some grinding involved. The plug for the unit makes the cradle bulge a little but it still stays secured. The reason for installing the cradle inside the Aquabox is so the GPS unit doesn't rattle around when you ride.

You essentially have a waterproof motorcycle navigation system for less than $200. Since the Garmin can detect power when it's on and and off through the power cable, hard wire the adapter into a switched wire. You won't have a need to physically turn the unit on and off, it will do it automatically.

But for all that work, you don't have any way to get the voice prompts out of the Aquabox - the 50LM is speaker only, with no bluetooth or headphone jack. Even more so that in a car, I think voice guidance is a necessity for safety reasons.

This biggest change in GPS recently is the field of view. All of the newer GPS's have a larger 3D field of view where you can actually see where the roads are to bypass a town ( i would estimate 3 miles deep with great road detail). The latest Iphone app has this (internal processor is more powerful). Without buying a unit and trying it out you have know way of knowing how well it works... unless you live in Chicago and you can visit the Garmin store.

I just found out that TomTom has reentered the motorcycle market. So there is a less expensive alternative:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...iveASIN=B00BHADL3U&linkCode=as2&tag=gt1net-20

Still WAY too expensive.

I even disable the voice commands when I use the GPS in my truck.

If I'm travelling through a dense city, I usually get an idea on where I have to go so I don't have to completely depend on the GPS. Even the voice command is enough to distract me. With the RAM arm, the GPS is in sight so I don't have to glimpse from too far away.

I don't see the problem if I'm touring the countryside. I'm sure I can remember "left turn in 20 miles" from reading the HUD.

To each their own.

so what would YOU consider to be a reasonable price for what feature set, Mercury?

All I personally want or need is a simple GPS unit. I don't care too much about all the bells and whistles - basic routing, voice commands (but I can live without that), a decent set of POI and I can even live with a B&W screen if I need to. What I'd also like is a DECENT way to compose routes on a PC and/or import GPX (and the GPS NOT fuck the route up).

Really, nothing special - essentially everything my phone does for free (outside importing routes). For something like that, I'd pay the $150 I paid for my Nuvi.

I had a system like this for 2.5 years before using the Zumo 660 system. It depends your requirement for the system.

Voice prompts are not that necessary if,

a) you dont travel in densely populated area or areas with a lot of turns when it requires your full concentration and turns come up frequent and rapid;

b) Your need to use of GPS is infrequent - how often do you actually need that GPS on your adventure into the unknown.

In my case, i was happy using the GPS in a aqua box system for my 5-6 big trips a year. I then decide i will use my bike to travel to meeting with my clients on a frequent basis - they all live in suburban streets and i travel among dense traffic - the need for me to hear voice prompts caused me to bite the bullet and be robbed by Garmin .

Horses for courses essentially.

i'm looking for a simple gps that shows my location on a topo map, i dont care about anything else, not even putting in a route to follow.

Random thoughts.

For all of you that think the Garmin is too expensive, calculate what it would take to make it, market it, keep the maps current, provide tech support and sell enough of them to turn a profit.

I could make my own GPS, but there is no way I could sell it for $700.

Also, the last time I checked, a smart phone (I don't have one) costs more than $700 a year to own. Every year. The GPS is once and done

Maybe it's just me, but I don't want all of that. I have the Zumo 450 (No BT), it's not hooked up to anything. It give me my route silently and lets me import my routes created in Basecamp. That's all I ask of a GPS. Nothing more. That's not worth $700.

How about reliability be a paramount concern and designed into the unit.

So far I've killed 3 60 CSX's. Supposedly the most reliable unit in the company's inventory yet I've had circuit boards pulled apart while i was deep in the Laos jungle and had no idea where I was once it but the dust. Could not get a proper bearing where I was located (the remote village names are not on any maps and when asked how far to the nearest big city was told a five day walk along a track they doubted the KTM 525 would be able to navigate. Not at all pleased. Then had another 60 CSX take on water in a creek crossing and die. This time in the Cardamom mountains of Cambodia. I didn't have Torks wrenches small enough to disassemble the Garmin. Luckily a buddy did and i ws able to spend a day drying it out (instead of riding), goop it with silicone and continue the following day.

Most of my riding is offroading so they definitely get pounded but no more than anyone elses GPS. Are the Mil Spec standards not high enough to be reliable enough for offroading? 3 60CSX's dead as a doornail and twice in real remote locations does not fill me with confidence.

Don't even get me started on the 650 Montana. A lovely display but between myself and friends we have killed 7 of the touchscreens and only one due to a hard knock from a foreign object. The other 6 threw in the towel from being bolted onto the handle bars with the rugged mount/Ram and not being able to cope.

Really disappointed with Garmin reliability at this point but have very little options to choose.

I want reliability which so far the touchscreens fail to deliver, so how about a display the size of the Montana with buttons instead of touchscreen and bolted together more reliably than the 60 CSX. Is that asking too much?

Amen.