How to fit Sat Nav

[Gentleman Chris 32]

Has anyone got any idea on fitting a sat nav, on my NC 750X allong side the battery  there is a wire with a socket on the end wonder if I could take the power from that or maybe straight from battery, i have a car sat nav thought about using that but how to mount it? If not might have to bite the bullet and buy a Tom Tom Rider but will have to do for car as well, would be grateful for your ideas many thanks.

[Tez 72]

Most car sat navs are not bright enough or waterproof for bike .

My Garmin Zumo is fitted direct to battery , i believe the power stops once sat nav is removed.

[GerJ 209]

Better not wire Zumo 3xx (350, 390, 395, etc.) satnavs directly to the battery, as these have a power tranformer in the wiring that will slowly drain the battery.

[wendeg 95]

23 minutes ago, GerJ said:

Better not wire Zumo 3xx (350, 390, 395, etc.) satnavs directly to the battery, as these have a power tranformer in the wiring that will slowly drain the battery.

What Ger said. Even if you unplug the device from the cable, the power transformer keeps feeding on the power. 

[MikeBike 5,006]

1 hour ago, Tez said:

Most car sat navs are not bright enough or waterproof for bike .

 

Yes, my car one is stupid. Can't even say Pwllheli properly.

[Bigglesaircraft 293]

Ahh obviously it was not brought up on the Llyn.

[Trumpet 216]

If you get the sub harness and relay kit, it gives you a switched supply. Standard on most bikes, but on NC, you pay extra... You need a sub harness, the relay kit, then some plugs to fit the sub harness, and bobs your uncle. Or.. a fused supply straight from the battery, but its obviously live all the time.

Edited February 9, 2018 by Trumpet

[stephenmcg 869]

If the Satnav powers off usb then a possible solution is to get one of the power packs that states it can start a flat car battery.

i got one from screwfix and the USB port can charge my phone etc for days.

i can run a dashcam for hours. They come in about £40.

someday if an opportunity comes up, I will actually try it to start a car (or bike)

smcg in cold Glasgow (but not as cold as Toronto)

[gonzo 2,211]

Hi mr chris . yes i fitted the original car tom tom go 300 to my x when i bought the bike 11 months ago. fitted 12v socket to frunk . (with the help of Fred and others on here) i plug the sat nave in and its fine . i was lucky as the old sat nave has a curved back to it and fits nice and snug ontop of the instrument panel and behind the screen , so its protected from the wind and rain   .I never leave the sat nav plugged in when i leave the bike, so i dont have a flat battery, had to make a bracket out of stainless steel with was easy.if its heavy rain i put it in a poly bag . sorted.

[Skipper 31]

I've been running a car sat nav for the last couple of years with no problem on my Triumph. Haven't sorted the Nc750x yet but I think the way to go is to get the Givi bar and mount it on there behind the screen or on RAM mounts on the handlebar somewhere . Givi make a sat nav holder and it has holes to fit a mounting plate on the back. RAM  mounts do the various fittings. That's my plan with the NC at the moment. I have a multi socket fitted running off the accessory socket in the frunk and plan to power it from there. Have used a Garmin Nuvi that cost me £160 for two from Aldis. Either  Lidl or Aldi are doing a deal at the moment on Sat Navs. I tend to carry two sat navs as I do a few tours and don't want to be stranded if the sat nav goes wrong. Have used them in Spain and Portugal with pre planned routes and with routes planned on the hoof when I was there. A lot cheaper than buying two Garmins or TomTom. The only downside is that you have to unzip the device from in the holder at the end of the day and I have experienced some condensation on the screen of the holder when it has been extremely wet, but generally on the move the device is well protected behind the screen on the Triumph as it will be on the NC if I go with my plan of mounting it behind the screen. 

[Mr Toad 9,022]

I've mounted my TomTom Rider on my NC750X DCTon the RAM mount that came with it on the bars just clear of the handbrake. Works really well and it doesn't catch on the Puig touring screen when the bars are on full lock.

 

RAM also do a mount that either fastens to or replaces the cover on the brake fluid reservoir which sound like a rather tidy solution.

 

[Gentleman Chris 32]

Very grateful for all of yor replies, its given me some idea of which way to go, i have to say that bike manufacturers don’t seem to help much as most of us want to use a sat nav at some time as its so useful and another point is that if you change your bike after a couple of years to another make you have to go through it again, thanks again I’ll stop moaning now  and rip into the NC .

[Tez 72]

22 hours ago, GerJ said:

Better not wire Zumo 3xx (350, 390, 395, etc.) satnavs directly to the battery, as these have a power tranformer in the wiring that will slowly drain the battery.

Never has on mine , Had the 350 for a few years no bother.

[Guest DelBoy]

On 2/9/2018 at 20:51, MikeBike said:

Yes, my car one is stupid. Can't even say Pwllheli properly.

Brilliant 

[Guest DelBoy]

On 2/9/2018 at 20:44, wendeg said:

What Ger said. Even if you unplug the device from the cable, the power transformer keeps feeding on the power. 

Really.... That is how I have mine wired and after 3 months with the bike standing the battery is still fine...

 

I also have my Oxford grips wired DIRECT to battery... No problems either.

Edited February 10, 2018 by DelBoy

[Guest DelBoy]

On 2/9/2018 at 20:18, GerJ said:

Better not wire Zumo 3xx (350, 390, 395, etc.) satnavs directly to the battery, as these have a power tranformer in the wiring that will slowly drain the battery.

Maybe over 100 years...!!!

The ammount of draw would be almost immesurable..

[Graham 3,177]

On 2018-02-09 at 17:41, stephenmcg said:

If the Satnav powers off usb then a possible solution is to get one of the power packs that states it can start a flat car battery.

i got one from screwfix and the USB port can charge my phone etc for days.

i can run a dashcam for hours. They come in about £40.

someday if an opportunity comes up, I will actually try it to start a car (or bike)

smcg in cold Glasgow (but not as cold as Toronto)

I have one of those power packs as well. 

It’s started a car and the same truck twice!

We take it with us camping for a power source. No camping this week, freezing rain right now. Just 39 days until spring!

[Scootabout 2,263]

My method is this. Cigar lighter socket wired into battery and located in battery compartment. Plugged into this (only when I use the satnav) is a USB socket. Plugged into this is the satnav cable, again only when using the GPS. I pass this cable out through the battery compartment cover then out through the frunk lid - there is just enough room, if you pick the right place, to do this and also be able to close the lid. The satnav (Zumo 220 - yes, they did exist once) is mounted on the handlebars using a RAM ball-and-socket mount.  

 

One thing to note - it took we a while to realise this, with much gnashing of teeth at one time - is that USB cables come in two types.  One of them is only good for charging, whereas the other can do data transfer and charging.  You need the latter. 

[Trumpet 216]

On 09/02/2018 at 20:44, wendeg said:

What Ger said. Even if you unplug the device from the cable, the power transformer keeps feeding on the power. 

Wendeg is right, some cheapo adapters do drain the battery. Some don't put much of a load on it and you get away with it. Buyer beware .. Mine is switched.

Edited February 23, 2018 by Trumpet

[wendeg 95]

10 hours ago, Scootabout said:

The satnav (Zumo 220 - yes, they did exist once) is mounted on the handlebars using a RAM ball-and-socket mount.  

 I am also using the Zumo 220! It s a good piece of kit and never let me down. Was thinking on an upgrade since maps are outdated (2012) and I was given the advice not to update with the latest maps since they might be too much for an eight year old device.

 

Was looking at the Zumo 345lm/395lm but a lot of users have complained that it stopped charging when mounted because it does not receive power directly from the mini usb but through 2 spring loaded pins that tend to fatigue. What are your thoughts?

[Mike5100 2,061]

11 hours ago, Scootabout said:

My method is this. Cigar lighter socket wired into battery and located in battery compartment. Plugged into this (only when I use the satnav) is a USB socket. Plugged into this is the satnav cable, again only when using the GPS. I pass this cable out through the battery compartment cover then out through the frunk lid - there is just enough room, if you pick the right place, to do this and also be able to close the lid. The satnav (Zumo 220 - yes, they did exist once) is mounted on the handlebars using a RAM ball-and-socket mount.  

 

One thing to note - it took we a while to realise this, with much gnashing of teeth at one time - is that USB cables come in two types.  One of them is only good for charging, whereas the other can do data transfer and charging.  You need the latter. 

I had until recently a zumo 220.  When new it was state of the art for bikers in that it was very bright in daylight and waterproof.  But their software and algorithms took some living with.  Then this year it started resetting itself quite often while in use.  I gave it away and since my iphone 7 is waterproof and just as bright in daylight, thats now my satnav of choice - using Copilot which gives me live traffic and offline maps of the whole of Europe for a total price of £23.  I have it fitted landscape in a Garmin X-mount on the handlebars.  I don't think it would interfere with the frunk on the NC.  Power is just via an ordinary iphone lead from a cig lighter socket.  I now don't need to carry anything other than my phone with me but there are disadvantages.  Can't use the touchscreen without taking my glove off, but this has been much less of an issue than I expected.  Also although the phone is waterproof, the connection into the cig socket might be a problem in a downpour - that could be solved if I took a long iphone wire back under the seat.

Mike

[Mike5100 2,061]

46 minutes ago, wendeg said:

 I am also using the Zumo 220! It s a good piece of kit and never let me down. Was thinking on an upgrade since maps are outdated (2012) and I was given the advice not to update with the latest maps since they might be too much for an eight year old device.

 

Was looking at the Zumo 345lm/395lm but a lot of users have complained that it stopped charging when mounted because it does not receive power directly from the mini usb but through 2 spring loaded pins that tend to fatigue. What are your thoughts?

The update worked for me Lawrence, despite the dire warnings.  I paid the £50 hoping that might solve the constant resetting I was getting but it didn't so I gave it all away to a new biker who might have been able to solve it if it was electrical (I had also paid £25 for a new battery).  I gave up on the Zumo after it took me 1.5 km off a main road, 360 degrees round a roundabout and back on to the main road in Holland when I definitely had no waypoint programmed into it.

Mike

[Tex 36,817]

I’m sorry for laughing Mike, but, well, we’ve all been there! Bloody sat-navs are a blessing and a curse in equal measure..  

[Mike5100 2,061]

I know Simon but when it’s zero degrees, pi55ing down and you are temporarily unsure of your position (lost) in a foreign country with no speed limit then the Zumo’s foibles cease to be a laughing matter 

mike

[Scootabout 2,263]

On 2/24/2018 at 07:33, wendeg said:

 I am also using the Zumo 220! It s a good piece of kit and never let me down. Was thinking on an upgrade since maps are outdated (2012) and I was given the advice not to update with the latest maps since they might be too much for an eight year old device.

 

Was looking at the Zumo 345lm/395lm but a lot of users have complained that it stopped charging when mounted because it does not receive power directly from the mini usb but through 2 spring loaded pins that tend to fatigue. What are your thoughts?

 

Two or three years ago my wife bought me the 'lifetime updates' for it - about £80 I think.  They have continued to work.  Of course, you have to bear in mind an update doesn't mean everything is updated.  It still tries to send me on some odd routes now and then.  I have had various quirks and issues, but some of those were down to battery (replace), some to the cable, as previously mentioned.  The latest update required more storage, so I bought a new memory card.  This has worked OK.  You need to make sure you format it properly and that the device is writing to it - I discovered that the previous one wasn't working, after 'using' it for a few years.  

 

Since 'lifetime updates' mean for the life of the device, which means in turn up until the point when Garmin stop supporting it, it might be questionable to so it now.