I had one meridean one, got fxxked the first day on the bike because of rain.
Whats the best one for bikes…please advice so I can research more./.thanks
Recently bought a Garmin Zumo 500. Excellent, quality piece of kit!
its 320 pounds…thats too much my bike cost 500
Cheapest option is to do what Tug does if he gets lost. Just dump the bike and get a cab home;)
Any £99 car system with an audio socket can be put in a plastic bag in your pocket and used with earphones. I have used my original black TT One this way on the bike several times without problems. If you have a tank bag with a map pocket on top, the Satnav can sit in there and you can see it and operate it whilst using earphones.
I’ve got the tomtom rider V2 and wish i waited for the Garmin Zumo 550 to come down in price! But as been said any sat nav with headphone socket, in a plastic bag will do.
If you’re on a budget: tankbag, route card, map.
So true, if the bike only cost 500 quid, just buy a ruddy map and use your head…what do you need Sat Nav for? Paper… £3 per area you want to go to, then, you look at the signs, you look down at the map, look back at the signs and decide which way to go …EASY 
How do you cope with the map flapping about at 30mph?
Same way we deal with you flapping about at 30mph !! 
I didn’t think you’d seen my white ear’d elephant impression;)
OOHHHHHH YESSSSS !!!
Anyway, who needs a map when we have an LB 24 hour helpline;)
:D:P:D (now ive peed my nicks !!!)
Depending on what sort of phone you’ve got, you can get Nav packages that work on phones, and aren’t that expensive. I’ve got CoPilot on my phone and it works great (although I only tend to use it if we’ve rented a car, coz I’ve got a gps with a nice screen for the bike). You’d probably have to just use the audio though, and have the ohone in your pocket.
I was really impressed with my Zumo 550 last night, took me straight to BM down the A1 using a route I’d never have guessed but was quick and easy.
The only issue is that sometimes it focuses on the road immediately ahead which for a car would be fine but on a bike I can filter round the immediate change and really want to know where I’m going at the next junction or roundabout so I can filter on the correct side and not get stuck. I guess slowing down a bit would help here.
Worked Ok in a tank bag with a clear plastic cover but I had to look down too far and for too long and re-focus my old eyes to read it which meant too much time away from looking ahead, the proper mount might make that easier.
I don’t know about the Garmins, but the TomToms have an icon illustrating the next manouvre at the next junction, alongside the distance - so whether it be a roundabout in 200 yards (take exit to the right for example) or motorways merge in 75 miles, you will have some idea where and when you will need to be in position long before you hear the instruction. Also if there is a complex junction - say two mini-roundabouts right nex to one another, it will attempt (with some success) to say something like “at the roundabout take the first exit then take the third exit”.
Don’t even think of a Via Michelin, saved a few quid and its useless !
Ive got an O2 orbit (phone / PDA things)… Got it free on contract.
Ive loaded TomTom mobile onto it - Just bought bluetooth headphones (motorola SP -stereo jobies) of fleabay…
Works a treat and with a car charger and Accesories socket, you can ride to barcelona without needing to worry about batteries!