[jollygreendoc]

I have the Dezl 770LMTHD Lifetime Maps Traffic alerts and HD screen

The Dezl (pronounced diesel - as in diesel truck) is a truckers GPS. That's the reason it's so much more than the Nuvi series. It includes options to program multiple truck options, such as height, length, weight, # of trailers, max weight per axle, max weight in your combination, Hazmat being carried, and various other trucking features. It then provides routing based on your input, and avoids roads you shouldn't be on. It also includes truck specific points of interests, like truck stops, truck service centers, etc.

Now, you can switch it to car mode. You don't have to enter anything but your destination and/or via points. It gives you route choices and other perks.

I plan on using it for my bike this year once I get a good mount for it. The perk is that the included mount has 2 plug-ins on it. One is for a back up camera, and the other is a line out. I'm going to tie it in to the bike so I can hear the turn by turn thru my headsets.

In my work vehicle, it's pretty accurate. (Commercial vehicle)

In my car, it's fantastic. It's also voice activated. So you can speak various commands, and it will comply. (Find address, navigate to address, detour, stop route, show map and a few others)

Great thing with it, as mentioned above, is that it's bluetooth also. You can tie your phone to it, and see who's calling (if they are in your address book). You can also tie it to your phone, to provide current weather reports.

Now, the reason the Zumo's are so expensive, is because they are shock resistant and weatherproof. All other GPS units are not made to withstand constant vibrations, dust and dirt that can get into it and of course, rain!

If you get yourself a weatherproof enclosure, than that should work.

As with any TOOL, that's all a GPS is. A tool to assist you with navigation. It's not meant to be 100% foolproof. Common sense is still required. If it tries to show a right turn onto a 1 way street, that is coming at you, then don't make the turn. It will recalculate when you pass the suggested turn. And don't become a news story like the person that was told to turn, only to turn onto a railroad track! Geeze!!!:frown2:

Hope this helps.

 

[jollygreendoc]

Good comments jollygreendoc. Concur. I want to expand on what you're saying re BT. There are many different flavors, or "profiles" of BT connections.

Many Nuvis do what you're talking about -- 1) link the phone to the GPS so you can use it as a speakerphone, dialer, etc. (known as Hands Free Profile and a couple of other profiles for address book info exchange). 2) Use phone data to get all kinds of into into other services on the GPS, such as weather, traffic, parking, using a data exchange BT profile and Garmin's Smartphone Link app installed on the phone (look in device details to see if it is Smartphone Link enabled).

The magic missing link is whether or not the GPS will connect by Bluetooth to a helmet headset or, in the case of the truckers, an earpiece headset. That uses another BT profile called, very clandestinely, headset profile. If your GPS supports it, you can pair the headset to the GPS. If not, you probably can't.

Most of the zumos, some BUT NOT ALL of the Dezls (choose wisely, Greg did), and almost NONE of the Nuvis support headset profile. That means they will pair to your phone, but not to your helmet headset. Not an issue if you want to wire in the device to your bike audio and run wired, over loudspeakers, or pair another way. But a central issue if you are planning to connect to your GPS by helmet BT.

BREAK

RAM offers cases for some of the Dezls (which have the same housing as some sister Nuvis) but not all. If available, that case, a bead of silicon around the edge of the screen, and a RAM ball on the back of the case make a nice weather resistant mount.

Thank you for expanding on that. That is one of the valuable features of this model. The different profiles, especially the BT Headset option.

As far as the RAM mount, the Dezl 770 is so new, they just offered the secure RAM mount last December. It includes a small sun shade, and basically seals your Garmin into the case. The one shown in the pic above, is the open type mount. I'm waiting for that one to be produced, so I can also remove just the GPS and place it into the trunk, without having to disassemble the mount itself.

Doc

 

[jollygreendoc]

Consider going for the secure case. If you want to remove it, you don't have to disassemble the case, just unscrew the RAM arm and take the whole thing off.

*SNIP*

I take it, you haven't seen how the secure case works? In case not (no pun intended) first you route your power wire, and if you wish, the line out wire and the camera cable (if you have all that). You plug those all into the Garmin mount, then snap the Garmin mount into the RAM mount. THEN, you snap in your GPS onto the factory mount (with all the wires already connected). Finally, you place the front of the RAM mount cover on, and screw it down.

So, in order to disconnect the GPS at the RAM ball, you will be tethered by the wires.

That's why I'm waiting for the open mount to be made for the 770. So you can just press the release, and the GPS comes right out. While the mount/wires/etc. all remain on the bike.

Hope this explanation helps. Good idea, BUT, not that easy with the secure mount.

Doc

 

[jollygreendoc]

@Big_Bird

Yes. I've got one for my Nuvi 2797. The power wire unplugs easily, doesn't have to be routed through the part where you have to unscrew.

Thank you for politely enlightening me :grin2:

As I don't have either yet, I gathered the complexity of it from the pics and other comments.

I'll still wait for the open RAM design, vs the locking one. I park my bike in an underground community garage, so theft is a concern. And, I can easily remove it for work, and back.

Doc

P.S. I bought the open RAM cradle for the 760, thinking HEY, it's the same. NOPE :frown2:

 

[jollygreendoc]

Interesting thread, I own a dezl 770, where did yo find that case? Is it designed to be weatherproof?

GPS City has them... http://www.gpscity.com/ram-mount-garmin-dezl-770-locking-case-cradle-ram-hol-ga70lu

Morrison Motorcycle Mounts... http://www.morrisonmotomounts.com/product/garmin-dezl-770-series-gps-cradle-ram-mounts-ga70lu/

Directly from RAM Mounts. They have a promo going on right now. Cheapest price so far... http://www.rammount.com/part/RAM-HOL-GA70LU

And of course, E-Bay

 

[jollygreendoc]

Do they make a bike friendly GPS with that big a screen?

By their standards, no. The Zumo's, which are touted as vibration, shock and weather resistant only come in 4.3" screens.

But, for $700-1,000 a unit, I can afford to redneck up my $200 GPS, and replace it if I become to violent with it. LoL