I'm about to purchase a GPS for my SWing and I'm considering getting one with voice-command (a.k.a. voice-activated) so I can control it while on the road without my hands leaving the handlebars. I've been reading reviews of some of the Garmin units (e.g. 2460LMT) and with only a few exceptions people say it works quite well IN A CAR. One of the things they do mention is that things need to be fairly quiet for the GPS to reliably understand you. This obviously makes this feature iffy at best on a bike. I would be using it through a helmet Bluetooth unit, so that should at least help a bit.

FYI, I'm not going to get a Zumo because they are beyond my budget. I can get a 2460LMT for $260 or less and it is loaded with features, including a 5" screen. I'll be using the GPS inside an Aqua Box when it's raining. Although you can still use the touch screen through the front screen of the box, it seems to me that voice-command would still be a lot better in this situation. Especially when you are using gloves.

I'm wondering if anybody out there got a voice-command GPS for their SWing. Is it really working for you at highway speed when using a helmet mike? Does it at least work when you are on the bike but standing still? Thanks!

I don't think they would work too well for a cycle IMO. You might want to make sure the holder for the GPS you choose has one for a motorcycle use. I had to buy one for my NUVI 200 just for a mc since the one that came with it was just for car use. Tell us what you get and how you like it when you get it. We bought a nice GARMIN that shows all of the lanes, with arrows, from QVC for only $140 for our car. I wonder if there is a holder that will work with a cycle. But it is much better than the Nuvi 200 is and it was over $300 when it first came out.

Will the voice control work with either a hard-wired or bluetooth microphone inside the helmet??

Hi JeffR,
It doesn't come with a MC mount, but I'll be using RAM mounts anyway. Thanks for the tip to check QVC for prices.

Hi Bill,
The unit is set up for hands-free bluetooth cell phone calls, so I'm ASSuming the bluetooth is also used for voice commands. I'll double-check that before I buy it.

All,
I heard somewhere that there is more than one kind of bluetooth signal used for the headsets, and not all GPS units are compatible with all headsets. Has anybody else heard something like this? I'm guessing that it's not true, but just want to make sure before I get two devices that won't talk to each other.

Thanks all!

Bluetooth is divided into a number of different protocols. You will have to check that both the headset and the GPS unit utilise the same protocol for what you want to do.
What sort of situation do you envisage being in where you would want to talk to your GPS? Stopping and using your finger maybe the best way to go. (My TomTom Rider is usable with gloves on). A small plastic stick (fish disgorger) tethered to the unit is an easy way to use a touch screen with gloves.

Cheers,

Find a place that has your unit in stock and talk to it.
Make sure that it understands you clearly before you even put it on a bike.

You're gonna have an even harder time getting it to follow your commands,
if you spend the majority of your time cursing at it because it doesn't understand you.

I have a top of the line Kenwood Entertainment System in my car with voice command capability, widely considered among the top aftermarket. It uses Garmin for the NAV section. Even so, with a relatively quiet car, the mistakes it makes understanding me are such that I often just input everything manually.

In an ideal world you have a great idea, but I think its going to be more important in the long run that it talks to you clearly rather than you can talk to it.

What tarmacburner2 called "protocols", are usually expressed as "profiles".
You need a headset profile for what you are doing.

Also if you intend for your GPS to handle music, and you have stereo ear pieces in your helmet, you will need both helmet and GPS to support the "A2DP" profile to get stereo sound.

Dan

Well, all of you guys have finally knocked some sense into my head. I was always a little hesitant about the voice-command stuff, but now I have concluded that it simply wouldn't work for my application (outdoors even when not in motion). You have saved me a lot of kicking myself in the butt later, not to mention some money right now.

Dan, thanks for the information about A2DP. I'll make sure that both the headset and the GPS support that profile.

I've just got to say that it really pays to talk to the people on this forum before actually spending money. Thanks all!

Craig,

We haven't saved you any money. You just need to go and find something else to spend it on.

Fish disgorger and a short length of string (I use kite string as it is very strong and very thin) will probably cost you less than a buck. Works a treat with a gloved hand.

Cheers,

Thanks tarmac! That's a good idea. I'll plan on disgorging my GPS once I have it mounted on my bike.

GPS? We don't need no stinkin' GPS.

You federales might have me outgunned, but I can still outrun you on my SWing!