Touch Me! Garmin StreetPilot – Affordable GPS for Car AND Motorcycle
Written: Jan 08 '09 (Updated Jan 17 '09)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Price, Portability between Car and Motorcycle, Waterproof, One hand operation
Cons: No internal battery, heavy, Garmin mount not recommend for motorcycles
The Bottom Line: Easy to use, easily portable from car to motorcycle, full of useful features, and attractively priced.
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Right out of the box the Garmin StreetPilot 2720 is plug and play for both your car and motorcycle. It is a single pound of navigation ready to serve the novice or experienced user without destroying the budget. Waterproof to 3 feet, one hand operation makes this one a winner.
Touch Me
The Garmin StreetPilot 2720 is an easily portable GPS receiver, designed for one hand operation using both a touch screen and buttons large enough to hit when wearing the heaviest gloves. Not having internal batteries saves weight, and allows for use any time there is either vehicle or external power available. Weighing in at just under a pound, the overall 5 ½ x 3 x 2 inch size easily accommodates the 3 x 2 inch, 454 x 240 pixel automatic dimming backlit WQVGA color TFT display. The internal memory accommodates 2000 routes, 50 waypoints, the provided MapSource® City Navigator North America software (additional maps can be purchased and downloaded from the Garmin website). Motorcycle friendly, it is waterproof up to 3 feet, and has a sturdy construction. All good stuff in today's GPS market.
Along with the GPS receiver itself, there is a universal nonskid beanbag dashboard mount, provisions for both permanent and temporary direct dashboard mounting, a 110 volt AC adapter, non-powered USB cable for connection with your PC and internet mapping or Garmin support programs, an automotive 12 volt DC outlet (in years gone by that outlet was called a cigarette lighter) power cable with integrated speaker (the unit itself does not have an internal speaker), a snap on protective cover for the screen and function buttons, and a full function remote control (AAA batteries not included) for potential use by the most aggressive backseat drivers. There are also a quick start guide and basic operator manual included. No motorcycle mount is included, but more on that later.
The unit provides automatic voice prompts, that actually speaks the street names, prior to turns; automatic sorting of multiple destinations (once called the "traveling salesman" feature); automatic rerouting; choices of time, distance, or off road routing; ability to route so as to avoid toll or highways; addition of custom points of interest (POI) such as safety cameras or landmarks, and can accommodate subscription FM traffic alert services with optional antennas.
What It Will Not Do
Understanding that this is neither the most modern unit nor is it a replacement for your home entertainment center and laptop computer, there are a number of capabilities newer GPS receivers from Garmin might have. It does not have: internal Bluetooth® capability (you will still have to endanger everyone else on the road when you juggle your cell phone while exceeding the posted speed limits in traffic); XM® Navtraffic; MSN® Direct; mode switching from drive, hike, or boating; a speed limit indicator; an MP3 player; audio book reader; picture viewer; a world clock or currency converter; it will not perform "dead reckoning" (a term most pilots' families do not like to hear used); and will it is not compatible with the latest Game Boy type features like Garmin Garage voices and vehicles.
A Long Time Coming
My initial introduction to GPS was in early 1991 Saudi Arabia. At that time only the US DOD had access to seriously accurate GPS technology. And while those units were heavy and only gave you your location by longitude and latitude, they were lifesaving tools when you were crossing hundreds of miles of featureless desert sand. Mounting systems were nonexistent, so heavy duty Velcro and duct tape was used. Later I got an early Garmin eTrex that, while a good idea, was difficult to read and use while riding or driving, so it lived in either the map pocket of my riding suit, or my tank bag. Over the next few years I made sure the rest of the family had better GPS units, and I returned to the Luddite world of paper maps and street signs.
The Package With The Red Bow
With all that background, and some amazing market price reductions, it should come as no surprise that my family banded together to move me out of the 1980's and into the world of GPS navigation. Right out of the box it took me less than 5 minutes to have it attached to the beanbag mount and plugged in to the cigarette lighter (that is what they were called when my car was built) of my car. I was immediately surprised at how well the nonskid mount backing worked on the sloping dashboard of my C Class Benz. After about a 15 second warm up (my experience has been that even the advertised 45 second cold warm up time can be regularly beaten) in my garage, the unit "booted" and the internal antenna acquired my position (even indoors it was much closer than the advertised WAAS 15 meter accuracy - mine was around 10 meters). If that is not good enough for you, there are remote antennas available for better reception. But do keep in mind that accuracy and satellite acquisition times can be effected by location, weather conditions, and terrain. All the controls were intuitive, and inside the car the screen was clearly readable. Returning to the house, I spent around 15 minutes registering the unit and unlocking / updating the preloaded maps online.
One of the first things I noticed was that this unit does not "stick out" like either the newer nuvi styles or the older "softball" size C series StreetPilots when mounted using the provided systems. From outside the car it looks like it would be very difficult to steal, so that gives me an added bit of comfort. About the only time I pull it from the dashboard is when I am parking in a ‘high crime' area, or overnight outside. Those times I do snap on the protective cover to make it harder for me to scratch the screen or for wandering eyes to see what it is. Then I just slide it under the passenger seat and not worry. Using the beanbag mount also allows for easier adjustment from sunlight glare or maplights in the car. In fact, the automatic backlight dimming is much better than what I have seen in other units. The map scale can be easily changed for more or less detail with a touch on the screen. There is both a 2D or 3D view offered.
GPS map programs are notorious for inaccuracy, but I have not found many more than I had expected. I contacted Garmin support early on and asked which map website they really recommended and was directed to Mapquest, because their software is a bit more compatible with that of Garmin. I was also cautioned that when setting waypoints (stops along the way), to shy away from using a city name. If you use a city name the unit will try to take you to the geographic center of that city, which is usually nowhere along your intended route. Do keep that in mind, unless you like driving through courthouses or back alleys.
Wading through the menus to get to a saved or favorite location does take a couple more steps that you might find with other units. As it is, I do have to make 4 selections to get to "Home" as a destination. Newer models should get you there in 2 or 3. Not a big deal, but it is a difference. Setting screen brightness and voice volume is straight forward, and pretty simple following the on screen directions. One good thing is that you can bypass a lot of screen touching by using the fairly large buttons along the right side of the screen. Find, Menu, Map, and Speak can all be directly accessed with these buttons. This can come in real handy if you become lost or someone desperately needs a restroom! Time can be valuable!
The trip computer is another very useful feature. Constantly displaying a continually updated estimated arrival time (who knows, you might be able to travel faster than you thought), road speed, direction, and next turn, you are given information useful on most any trip - either to the local super market or Grandma's house three states away. There is also a trip log that records your entire route and speed data. I have found it useful in passing on a prime route, or I guess you could also use it to convince that highway patrolman that you really were not exceeding a posted speed limit! I have proven that the accuracy of the road speed indicator is close to that of my state highway patrol radar units, but that is yet another story.
The Detour function is also very handy, considering the amount of road construction out there. When you see the traffic backed up you can quickly get alternate routes around any surprise congestion or bridge repair. Trust me, it will happen and you will appreciate it.
About That Motorcycle
Garmin does sell both a mounting cradle, handle bar mount, and a number of cables for motorcycle use. Because of the mass of the unit (I know one pound sounds light, but it is not as light as you might think), I do not recommend using their mounts. There are much sturdier ones available from manufacturers like RAM for around the same price. The Garmin cables come with both accessory outlet plugs (cigarette lighter or BMW specific accessory plus) and a ‘jack' for an external speaker. I found that it was much less expensive to buy an additional AC adapter, cut the end off, and I wired it directly to an unswitched fused circuit of the motorcycle. That way the ignition would not have to be turned on for use, I would not accidently unplug on the road, and I would not be compelled to listen to the GPS talk to me. Since that initial installation I felt more secure having it wired to a "switched" citcuit to protect from battery drainage. That should be another on of your decisions. But if you do want the speech function, their motorcycle cable does have a jack to attach either a wired helmet speaker, a wired ear bud (if you are using a ‘shorty' helmet), or to plug in a "Blue Tooth" transmitter.
Another thing I found was that the sensor for the automatic backlight dimming can easily pick up the light reflected off your riding suit or jacket. Wearing a dark colored jacket will usually make the screen brighter during the day.
Weather and jarring can be the death of motorcycle accessories. I do have to take Garmin at its word about 3 feet of water, but I have yet to ever find anyone who has had rain induced problems with a properly wired and mounted StreetPilot 2720. I have seen them dropped and mistreated and still working. No, I do not recommend that kind of treatment, but stuff does happen.
Price And Warranty
A few years ago these sold for well over $1,000. A little over a year ago you could find them for around $600, and last spring I saw them for a little over $400. With newer models and greater competition in the marketplace, you can find factory reconditioned ones with full warranties for around $119. That is less than the discount price for even the most bargain models, with fewer features, of reputable manufacturers. Garmin warrants all their products to be free from defects in materials or workmanship for one year from the date of purchase, not from the date of the products registration, and repairs for 90 days.
What I Think
I have found the Garmin StreetPilot 2720 GPS Receiver to be an incredible bargain. Easy to use, easily portable from car to motorcycle, full of useful features, and attractively priced. This might be the time to move into the 1990s of navigation!
Recommended:
Yes
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