Agreed Albie. Maybe y'all can help with some suggestions.
I have looked at a lot more GPS units over the last day or two and I know some of those features are great that they want you to pay for but I have zero interest in talking routes and auto reroute and ...well, most of that stuff. What I do want would function primarily as a moving map, and have the U.S. already in down to county roads at least (or super easily added. Think "idiot-proof".)
I 'd really like to start cheap to see if I'd use it but my two friends with smaller handheld units are basically worthless (LOL). I am MUCH faster and more accurate (at finding the best twisty way ) with my State Atlas for each state and since all my bikes have saddlebags....(I just insert the atlas into my jacket. At stops , I can pull it out and look at it while they fumble with there little bitty buttons.) I have found that only their accurate speedometer feature, altimiter, and sometimes compass adds much to our rides in the backroads of the West.
We don't do serious dirt anymore but plenty of unpaved roads connecting scenic route A to scenic route B all over the 4 corners states, but we are rarely on primary roads either (2% interstate at most and only if neccessary). We ride for the twisties.
So I started looking around E-bay. I don't really care about latest and greatest, and some of the units that used to be a grand 4 years ago can be picked up quite cheap. Street Pilot III Deluxe, and even the occasional 2610. I think I want a larger display and I'll never use it off a bike but would transfer it bike to bike. I agree with the previous poster that a dusty road would kill a touch screen but is that why I see rain/dust covers on some?
I'm now to a point I'm thoroughly confused but a couple hundred bucks for a large display unit with 4 year old technology might serve my purpose as well as a $600 new unit and I ain't spending any more than that
. And suggestions? I have a BMW GS and an LT that I would use it on. Thanks in advance for taking pity on a veteran rider but toatl electronics newbie.
I guess in a perfect world it would have great detail for the whole U.S., be waterproof, have a big display that was easy to change scale and displayed a moving map that was legible while riding slow or stopped.
Does that sound doable?