Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Commodore]

Now that my Experia is "on US soil" I'm ready to buy a new GPS.  My old Magellan gave up the ghost after falling off the back of a moving car, and my memory is no longer sharp enough to sit in front of the computer and memorize the first 15 turns of my route to wherever I might be going.

So, some questions:  What types do you all have?  I'm tending toward the Garmin Zumo 5.5" model, but, never having sat on an Experia, I don't know if the dashboard is going to be concealed when it is mounted on the handlebar.

Question 2:  Anyone purchase the Experia GPS/Smartphone fixing bracket ($33US), and does it mount the GPS in a way that provides visibility to the dash?

Thanks much

[DonTom]

Now that my Experia is "on US soil" I'm ready to buy a new GPS.  My old Magellan gave up the ghost after falling off the back of a moving car, and my memory is no longer sharp enough to sit in front of the computer and memorize the first 15 turns of my route to wherever I might be going.

So, some questions:  What types do you all have?  I'm tending toward the Garmin Zumo 5.5" model, but, never having sat on an Experia, I don't know if the dashboard is going to be concealed when it is mounted on the handlebar.

Question 2:  Anyone purchase the Experia GPS/Smartphone fixing bracket ($33US), and does it mount the GPS in a way that provides visibility to the dash?

Thanks much

IMO, the only decent motorcycle GPS is the Garmin 395LM. It has the TPMS, the MP3 player, & Bluetooth. And you can make your own directories. I have a directory for "CCS charging"  as well as for "J-plug charging".


Note: The Garmin 396 has LESS features than the LM395.



-Don-  Auburn, CA

[jotjotde]

Forgive me as someone not experienced in long-distance bike travel, but what is wrong in using the smartphone as GPS?
There are apps which you can use offline in case you don't want to be online during your trip.
I use ABPR for pre-planning and seeing where I can charge.
On the bike I use my iPhone with the HERE We Go app (it's free and can be used offline).
I use the Quadlock system for fixing. They offer several different mounts.

[Specter]

Id just use your smart phone.  get a mount on your bike for the phone and use an app like Waze which is made for travelling. you can set destinations, look up destinations it even gives traffic reports and reports of police in the area and it's free.

If you have a cardano or similar comms system it works seamlessly with that too so you can hear the audio commands as well if you have them turned on,   in 1/4 mile turn left onto Energica Blvd,  then turn left to your destination type stuff.

Aaron

For mounting, use Ram mounts system. I find it's about the most versatile to mount anything from phones to go pros and beyond.

https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/ram-mounts-stem-base?rrec=true&sku_id=869159

is just the base you put in the turkey neck of your bike but there are other mounting methods available if you don't want it in the yoke.

[most]

I have the original GPS bracket from Energica plus a Garmin Zumo XT (actually, just received the XT2). Although a big fan also from RAM Mount parts, this time I installed the GPS directly onto the GPS bracket. Power supply is behind the dash, left hand side.
It *just* does not block the view to the complete dash infos with my body proportions in landscape mode, but in portrait it does. An option would be to mount the GPS bracket to the upper fixing points both this would have the downside of not being able to put the wind screen in the lowest position.

Don, I agree the 395LM and also 590LM are great GPSses, but planning a multi-point route is easier than ever with the XT2. Plus the planning possibilities with Garmin's iPhone or iPad apps are really great. Due to weather and vibration, I prefer my Garmin over an iPhone as main routing device.

[DonTom]

Does the XT2 have the TPMS?


I never tried a XT2, but my 395 does everything I want it to do.


But I like what  the XT2 says about the inReach compatibility as I always bring my InReach. But I rarely use it. It's one of those things that is a must have, but only for very rarely. I also carry a Spot Messenger, mainly just for the tow service via satellite.


I normally set my Garmins for the next charge station in Route. When charging up, I have plenty of time to set it for the next charge station in route.


-Don-  Auburn, CA

[most]

Does the XT2 have the TPMS?

Nope. Carmen seems to have a Bandan the tea PMS.

[DonTom]

Nope. Carmen seems to have a Bandan the tea PMS.

My vote still goes for the Garmin 395LM. It has all the features I want. And one of the best TPMS out there, IMO.


-Don-  Reno,NV

[Commodore]

Thank you all for your advice and opinions.  EMF is a great resource!

[i.ngma.r]

I also picked up the Experia recently and ordered the GPS bracket, also for a Zumo XT2.
Can you post another picture how you have mounted the XT2 bracket directly onto the Experia bracket?
Also where did you connect to the power?

Thanks!

[most]

Just look at my pictures above - they show the Zumo XT bracket. The XT2 uses physically the same bracket but with different pin out and direct 12V power supply. You can’t miss the Energica wire harness with 12V once you dismount the inner dashboard cover (tiny T15 Torx screws).
You will need an adapter plate from  Amazon to mount the Zumo bracket to the 12mm tube of the GPS bracket.

[i.ngma.r]

Thanks for the link! Ordered that bracket and as soon as the Energica bracket arrives I am ready to go!

[DonTom]

I just discovered the TPMS sensors for the Garmin 395 GPS are no long available. I just tried to order a couple for my Zero DSR/X and I cannot find then anywhere. They are discontinued. What a bummer, as I think they had one of the very best motorcycle TPMS.


I also use the Garmins on my Energicas and most of my other bikes.


-Don- Reno, NV

[Commodore]

Picked up my Experia on Thursday, and so far am impressed after ~100 miles.  I had ordered the GPS bar just a couple weeks ago, which unexpectedly came with the bike, but the centerstand is still on backorder.

I now have a much better sense of the relationship of the GPS to the windshield pull-up bar.  Also the inability of the Garmin mount to be used here.  Most, thanks for the plate recommendation.  Seems a perfect mount for the 1/2" bar.

I believe it's been said elsewhere (but I can't find it now), where will I find the 12v and ground connection points?

Thanks

[DonTom]

I believe it's been said elsewhere (but I can't find it now), where will I find the 12v and ground connection points?

There are at least two ways to do such.


You can get the 12 volts under the bike's USB socket as the USB socket is fed with 12V and dropped down to five volts within the socket itself. Then wire and install one of these thingies.   Then you will have both, 12VDC and USB outputs.


Or you can modify a USB GPS cable to run from 5 volts and simply use the bike's USB output as is.  The Garmin GPS cables do a 12 to 5VDC conversion inside the Garmin plug. Cut off those wires at the plug and soldier in a USB cable and now you have your GPS needing only 5VDC-USB ready.




-Don-  Reno, NV