The Adventurous Motorcycle Riders Best Friend

Author's Rating:

Pros: Designed specifically for motorcycling, sturdy, waterproof, vibration resistant, RAM mount, Cardo Scala Rider headset

Cons: Little bulkier than standard units, expensive at $700

The Bottom Line: 
A lifesaver for the adventurous motorcyclist running low on gas while searching for the latest knee draggers paradise.

Author's Review
WHAT IS IT & WHY DID I BUY IT ?
My wife may strongly disagree, but buying my Yamaha FZ1 Motorcycle was the best thing I ever did to preserve my mental stability. It allows me to tune out all things mundane, and ride through some of the most beautiful roads in Gods country. Initially I rode solo and really enjoyed the challenge of getting lost and eventually discovering a new road back home. As long as I had a tank full of gas, I knew I’d be ok. However I really felt the need for a GPS navigation solution, once I started organizing group rides. A GPS device coupled with the new and improved Google maps, allows me to create some really great riding routes and itineraries. After a quick web search, I discovered that the two main contenders for motorcycle specific GPS solutions were the Garmin Zumo 550 & the TomTom Rider 2nd edition. I have owned the TomTom Navigator 5 for Treo for a few years, and am very familiar with the TomTom software and user interface. It was for this reason that I selected and purchased the TomTom Rider 2nd edition for $598 including S/H from TheNerds.net

WHAT’s INCLUDED IN THE BOX?
- Rider 2nd edition
- 1GB SD card preloaded with US & Canada road maps
- Software CD
- RAM mount and hardware
- Cardo Scala Rider Bluetooth headset & home charger
- Home AC charger
- Motorcycle battery connection cable
- USB cable
- Product registration/code card
- Lanyard and protective case
- Quick install card

WHAT’S HOT ?

Designed Specifically for Motorcyclists:
Where GPS devices are concerned, motorcyclists have some very unique needs. The unit is subjected to strong wind resistance, rain, humidity, engine vibrations and wide temperature fluctuations from summer to winter time use. Built-in speakers are useless for giving the rider voice prompts while riding due to helmets & wind noise. The TomTom Rider has a very robust design with a built-in sunshade to prevent glare. The 3.5 inch LCD is designed to minimize glare, and allow maximum visibility, even on a bright sunny day. A rubber seal all around the unit makes it waterproof. Obviously it is not designed for underwater use, but it holds up quite well in the rain. The internal rechargeable Li-Ion battery typically lasts me for well over 5 hours of continuous use. But that can be extended to unlimited, as I installed the charging cable to my motorcycle battery. Satellite acquisition was also quite fast. From a cold start it took about 20 seconds to acquire and maintain a strong satellite connection. For the last 5000 miles around the tristate area, I have not had a signal weaker than 5 out of 6 bars. I have also noticed that I am almost always connected to at least 4-5 satellites. This is partly because there is no metal roof (as in a car) blocking the satellite signal.

Rider Friendly User Interface:
The TomTom software by default is very intuitive and makes it easy to navigate the various menus and options. Everything on the navigation display can be customized. There is a speed indicator that turns red when I’m riding over the posted speed limit. The onscreen compass can be set to point to the magnetic north pole, or to the final destination of my route. Other optional displays include miles/time to destination, 2D & 3D maps, night color. POI (points of interest) options, street names, brightness, clock, etc, etc. The unit can also be customized for left hand operation, keyboard layout (qwerty, azerty, or abcd), miles/kms, etc. While riding, the unit only displays a 4 button simplified layout. Every on screen selection is big enough to be accessed or activated with a gloved finger. The single external manual button turns the unit on & off. It is located on the right side and is covered by a waterproof seal. There is a locking flap at the bottom which covers the SD card slot & micro USB port.

Advanced Planning & Itinerary Planning:
These are the most useful features for me. Advanced planning allows me to select a starting point and destination, and explore the various optional routes between them. Itinerary planning allows me plot a detailed route with multiple waypoints along the way. Whenever I’m ready to ride, the TomTom Rider guides me thru each waypoint until I reach my destination. Many tourism websites have started posting point-by-point maps of various tours. I sometime use these to plot out an itinerary for my TomTom, and then just sit back and enjoy the tour. I sometimes even create an ITN (itinerary) file on TomTom Home, and then save it to my Rider for use at a later date. I also discovered a website that uses GoogleMaps and allows me to (point-n-click) plot a route with waypoints, save it as an ITN (itinerary) which can then be used on the TomTom Rider.
http://www.gpscoordinates.eu/plan-route.php. Make sure you change your location first, create a travel route, save it as an ITN file, transfer to TomTom, voila!

Managing Favorites & Points of Interest:
The TomTom allows me to save a list of my favorite destinations for quick access. I can set a specific address, point on map, GPS coordinate, city center, or a specific cross road as a favorite location. I can name the favorite to a readily recognizable name. There are thousands of points of interest (POIs) preloaded with the maps on the included SD card. Points of interest are organized into numerous categories such as gas stations, restaurants, airports, churches, train stations, parking garages, hotels, amusement parks, museums, etc, etc, etc. For example, when I’m out riding and am running low on gas, I can navigate to the gas station of my choice, nearest to my current location. I can even search for a specific restaurant in a particular city along my route, or near my destination.

RAM Mount, Bluetooth & Cardo Scala Rider Headset:
The back of the TomTom Rider 2nd edition is molded mount only on the included RAM mount. The mount is initially attached to the handle bars, with the included hardware, and then the mount is attached to the other end. This allows me to quickly disconnect the entire mount from the bike. I can also just slide the Rider off the mount and secure it while the bike is parked. The RAM mount has two ball joints and allows full mounting flexibility. The Rider can be locked into any desirable position. TomTom even includes a Cardo Scala Bluetooth headset. This is clamped to the side of my helmet, and the boom extends out near my mouth. This is supposed to minimize wind noise, but I found it best to pull over to make or receive a call. When I turn the TomTom Rider on, it automatically connects to my Apple iPhone and the Cardo Scala Rider Headset. I even transferred some of my contacts to the TomTom. If I get a call while riding, I can hear the ringing thru the headset, the TomTom indicates that I’m receiving a call. I can press a button on the TomTom to answer or reject the call. The TomTom can even be set to automatically answer all incoming calls. This is great because I can receive and make calls even while my cell phone is in my backpack. The Rider will also pair with most bluetooth enabled phones & bluetooth headsets. I successfully paired it with my Motorola H700 & H9 headsets. I even paired it with my wifes Razor phone. In all cases it worked perfectly.

US & Canada Maps on SD card:
The included 1GB SD card has detailed road maps for US and Canada. It also includes thousands of POIs with addresses and phone number. On my TomTom Navigator 5 for Treo, I had to manually install maps for different regions in the US. This makes it much easier to manage the maps, and make sure they are always up-to-date. In my travels in the ever expanding tristate area, I've noticed many new roads not yet updated in the Maps. So don't be surprised if your TomTom is showing you riding through a green field, while in fact you have solid new asphalt under your tires.

USB Connection & TomTom Home Software:
The included TomTom Home software allows me to update & synch the firmware, software, maps data, favorites and itinerary files, between my PC and the TomTom Rider. It’s as simple as connecting the USB cable and running the TomTom Home software.

WHAT’S NOT ?

Bulky Size:
At 113mm wide, 96mm tall, 53mm thick and 310grams weight, the Rider is quite bulky compared to the TomTom One & One XL. However it is understandable considering the rugged demands of motorcycle riding. I wish they could have made the One XL in a waterproof version for motorcycle use.

Expensive:
The average price for this unit is around $650. I purchased it from thenerds.net for $598 including shipping. This is 2-3 time more expensive than similarly featured standard car units. But if you consider the cost of the included Cardo Scala Headset and RAM mount, $598 doesn’t sound bad at all.

No Photo Viewer, or MP3 player:
These are redundant options for me, as I use my iPhone to view my photos and play my MP3s. I just need my GPS to address my navigation and mobile communication needs. Which are all handled quite capably by the TomTom Rider 2nd edition. If this is a feature you must have on your GPS, then consider the Garmin Zumo 550 for approximately an additional $100.

Car Mount & Adapter Not Included: TomTom sells the car mount with speaker as an optional accessory for about $100. Garmin includes this with the Zumo 550.

THE BOTTOM LINE:
The TomTom Rider 2nd edition will absolutely raise your enjoyment level while motorcycling. It is an excellent tool for planning comprehensive itineraries and riding routes. The overall ergonomics and user interface were carefully designed specifically for motorcyclists, and it shows.