Lost or confused, before you ask another dumb question, click here

[PhilSpace]

Are you lost in the Gee Pee Ess forum or too lazy to click on the search button, or just totally confused?

Here is a list of the most common questions that come up that have been answered many times. There is already a wealth of information on the forum, all you have to do is use the search button to find it. Even better is to use Google to search the site so you can search on smaller and more common words. Easy way to search ADVrider

Also, if anyone is aware of a really good thread that should be listed here as a link, let me know and I will include it.

Which GPS should I get?

There is a separate subforum to post all your "Which GPS for me?" questions. Go here to post and read - GPS 101 - Which GPS For Me






Before asking anyone, you need to determine how you are going to ride and then do a couple searches. Whatever you do, don't just ask without at least including the following key factors that must be considered:

1. Are you going to ride on road, off road or both?
2. How long will your trips be? Do you do long distance/Ironbutt riding, just commuting to work or off road/trail riding in a particular region.
3. What kind of motorcycle do I ride and how much room is there to mount a GPS?
4. Will I only use the GPS on the bike, or will I also use it in my cage or on foot?
5. Is it OK for my GPS to only run off vehicle power, or will I need one that runs off batteries?
6. I am real cheap or do I ride a KLR? Sorry, I know it’s a cheap shot, but I just couldn’t help myself Hi Pilot

Where is a good place to buy GPS:

There are many vendors, some more closely oriented on motorcycling, however, the following thread is probably the best place to start your research with this thread: Your Favorite Source for GPS Stuff?

What is Mapsource:

Mapsource is a program provided free by Garmin with all their mapping products which allows you to both communicate and move data back and forth between your GPS and PC. With Mapsource, you can work with your map products, such as City Nav or Topo USA, creating routes, waypoints, displaying and manipulating track logs from your GPS and search points of interest (POI's) in the map database. Once routes or waypoints are created, either on the PC or GPS, they can be transferred back and forth as well as modified or saved.

Links:

Garmin Montana GPS Reliability Modification - Hardening How-To - A great look at the inside of a Montana, how to open it up, and how to prevent the internal antenna from coming loose

How Do I Tell Paved Roads from Dirt Roads in Mapsource or on My GPS?

Installing Mapsource on a Thumb Drive on an ASUS

Installing Mapsource without a Garmin GPS or this one How to install MapSource without a disk, or previous installation

Mapsource Updates

One Long Route or Split It?

Copying and Pasting Waypoints

Google Earth to Mapsource

Replacing the Internal Battery in a Garmin 276/376/378/478 etc. when your unit turns on and cannot quickly aquire a satellite

Zumo touch screen replacement Quick and easy.

Convert Garmin Routes to Tracks/Tracks to Routes

Converting Routes to Tracks using Delorme Topo

Converting Routes to Tracks with WinGDB

Create your own maps

Hope this helps, and feel free to suggest other threads to be included in the "hall of fame".

[Tollster]

We are all dumb and look for unlawfull carnal knowledge with you our great toothless one.

[freeflow]

n00b to street gps units....

curious...I am impressed with the North America City Navigator V8 NT I installed into my new 60cx yesterday...amazing...

anyway...I am just not seeing the answers I seek...can I change the map sets as many times as I want into the unit?....I have a 1 GB card and all 61 arear = 937.5 MB, but I want to leave some card for tracks....

so can I edit the map sets as often as I like depending on what rgion of the country I plan to travel?...

I loaded the entire set intp my PC....is the unlock code done now?...can I load it into another PC?

can I tranfer this data to 2 or 3 GPS units?....can I swap the card from one GPS unit to the other and will it work fine?..

how many questions do I get ?....

thanks....Jeff

[pckopp]

Originally Posted by FREEFLOW

anyway...I am just not seeing the answers I seek...can I change the map sets as many times as I want into the unit?....I have a 1 GB card and all 61 arear = 937.5 MB, but I want to leave some card for tracks....

so can I edit the map sets as often as I like depending on what rgion of the country I plan to travel?...

Yes, you can go back to MapSource on your PC and create a new map set with only the map segments you want. Then load those to your GPS. You can even load map sets from other map programs like Topo or US Rec. Lakes. You just have to load all the map data at once. You can't add or delete.

Originally Posted by FREEFLOW

I loaded the entire set intp my PC....is the unlock code done now?...can I load it into another PC?

Yes, you can install your software on as many PCs as you like.

Originally Posted by FREEFLOW

can I tranfer this data to 2 or 3 GPS units?....can I swap the card from one GPS unit to the other and will it work fine?..

No to both questions. The UNLOCK code is what connects your copy of City Nav to that one GPS. You can get a second UNLOCK code from Garmin for a second GPS, but I've not heard of getting one for a third. Two is the normal limit. If you moved the data card to another GPS, the map data would not be available.

Originally Posted by FREEFLOW

how many questions do I get ?....

Apparently, you haven't run out yet.

[freeflow]

Originally Posted by pckopp

Yes, you can install your software on as many PCs as you like.

thanks alot for all your help here......really....shortens the learning curve...

[Ricardo Kuhn]

Phil I thanks you so much for making this posting.


Hopefully is going to keep things a lot cleaner and organize, so important questions can be ask and even better answers can be reach.

good for you and for the rest of us

[GSGIRL]

I am a GPS noob noobie.
Inherited a nice Garmin Quest that I woul dlike to use in both my car and on the bike.

Problem is, that when I went to setup the GPS on my new computer, the setup wizard asks me to insert the Mapsource City Select disc 1, then disc 2. Unfortuantely, when I inherited the unit, it did not come with those City Select discs and I cannot complete the setup process.

Can anyone help me or suggest what I should do?

Besides try to find the original discs (that is already in process).

Thanks all.

[PhilSpace]

Originally Posted by GSGIRL

I am a GPS noob noobie.
Inherited a nice Garmin Quest that I woul dlike to use in both my car and on the bike.

Problem is, that when I went to setup the GPS on my new computer, the setup wizard asks me to insert the Mapsource City Select disc 1, then disc 2. Unfortuantely, when I inherited the unit, it did not come with those City Select discs and I cannot complete the setup process.

Can anyone help me or suggest what I should do?

Besides try to find the original discs (that is already in process).

Thanks all.

Hi Grace

You can download the Mapsource program updates and drivers from Garmin, that will give you the program and drivers, but without the CD's you're basically screwed.

Which Quest? I might know a really nice person that has the right CD's/DVD. Either way, you will need to call Garmin and give them the SN or Registration number to track down the original unlock code for the unit and map version it shipped with.

[GSGIRL]

Originally Posted by PhilSpace

Hi Grace

You can download the Mapsource program updates and drivers from Garmin, that will give you the program and drivers, but without the CD's you're basically screwed.

Which Quest? I might know a really nice person that has the right CD's/DVD. Either way, you will need to call Garmin and give them the SN or Registration number to track down the original unlock code for the unit and map version it shipped with.

Hi Phil

It is the original Quest (not the Quest 2). CroMag was kind enough to give me his hand-me-down. But not only does CroMag get lost on the road , but finding the cds in his house is quite another story.

I am going to cal Garmin today and ask them what they suggest.

Thanks!

[RosWell]

Hey Phil, don't forget to add http://gpsvisualizer.com to the list of places to visit. You can convert all sorts of data formats to others, make cool maps, and do just about anything one would want to do with their gps fairly easily there. They even offer some pretty cool .kml tools for Google Earth.

[Gary B.]

What's the difference between a "track" and a "route"?

[tbirdsp]

Originally Posted by Gary B.

What's the difference between a "track" and a "route"?

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=420446

[Gary B.]

Quick question-the motorcycle mount for my Zumo 550 has a mini USB socket. I can't find anything in the owner's manual. What's it used for?

[Gary B.]

Originally Posted by Gary B.

Quick question-the motorcycle mount for my Zumo 550 has a mini USB socket. I can't find anything in the owner's manual. What's it used for?

Anyone???

[JimC]

Originally Posted by Gary B.

Anyone???

It's used to charge the unit when off the bike, and to transfer data and map updates from Mapsource to the Zumo. You should have got a USB cable with your Zumo as well.

Jim in Sacramento