GPS for the Ozarks Fall Color Tour Dual Sport Ride

Why would I want to have a GPS for dual sport & adventure riding?

For many dual sport rides the use of maps and roll charts is fine. GPS just makes following a route, or your way to your destination a whole lot easier. I don't know about you, but I used to sometimes find myself in the middle of a National Forest and not knowing how to get out. With GPS you always know where you are and which way is the direction you need to go to get back to a paved road.

The Ozarks Fall Color Tour route is turned into a Garmin GPS file. Once loaded into your Garmin GPS unit, you merely follow the highlighted route on the screen. I have ridden numerous dual sport rides using crude maps and roll charts. These work fine, most of the time. Many of the rides included a number of miles of riding trails and backroads trying to figure out where the heck I was supposed to go to stay on the route. This is why I now use GPS to plan and record the routes for my rides.

Which GPS should I buy for my dual sport motorcycle?

The Ozarks Fall Color Tour Dual Sport Ride pre-entry package includes a Garmin GPS file for the ride. This file is easily used in the new Garmin GPS products, and can be midified to use in older Garmin GPS units. If you are a GPS guru, it is possible to convert the Garmin file to use in other GPS units. Something I can NOT do.

There are a number of reasonable priced Garmin GPS units that allow you to download "maps", "tracks" and "routes" into the internal GPS memory. I think it is helpful to buy a GPS that has the ability to display all three.

"Routes" - These are planned in advance routes. Created on your computer then downloaded into the GPS units, these are directions for a trip.

"Tracks" - These are a record of where you have been as collected by the GPS unit. I upload the entire dual sport ride ride into my computer then save the file for use by the riders. Tracks are very detailed and are the best way to follow the right trail thru a forest. Many of the auto based GPS units do NOT allow you to save, or download tracks. Thus I also offer routes, which work but are not as detailed.

"Maps" - Garmin offers a number of maps on CDs. For detailed trail and back country roads, I like their Roads & Recreation CD. These maps are downloaded into your GPS county by county. For the Fall Color Tour I will let you know which counties you should load.

Garmin has changed their map CDs around since I purchased mine. I now think that the Topo Map sets are the best bet for off-road use.

When selecting a GPS unit for your dual sport or dirt bike, you must consider the environment it will be used. Since most GPS units are waterproof (for the most part) and are pretty darn rugged, I would like to focus on a few areas I looked at when buying my GPS:

1) Vibration is a killer on GPS electronics. So, make sure the handlebar mount you choose supresses high frequency vibration. I use the RAM Mount. I added a simple handlebar mount to each motorcycle, and I have a suction cup mount to use in my cars. Then, I have one RAM Mount holder for the GPS unit and the adjustable connector arm to hook the GPS to any vehicle I own. Easy, fast, and the set-up absorbs most of the vibration.

2) When riding, I use the "zoom" feature on my GPS all the time. When I need to know where in the world I am, I zoom out to get my general location. When I want to know just which trail I need to take, I zoom in to get a close view and trail detail. Well, how do you zoom if there are NOT buttons that are easy to use - With Gloves On?

3) I know that many of you are searching for the "best value" when shopping. If I might make a suggestion - Spend a bit more on a GPS than you might want to. That way you have a GPS that you can grow into and not have to replace it so soon. Buying a GPS is a bit like buying a computer. For a little more money you can usually get a lot more. GPS units that accept maps is important. With my Garmin GPS I have a 64 megabyte memory card. I can load numerous county maps detailing everywhere I go on a cross-country trip.

Without a doubt the Best Bet for adventure and dual sport use the Garmin 276C is the way to go. It sets the standard for durable off-road motorcycle use, even in bright sunlight. Hardwire this unit onto your bike with a RAM mount and you will be set.