If you go to a motorcycle shop they'll probably tell you that the best option is a Garmin Zumo 220 which is rider friendly ( waterproof, big buttons for on screen usage by gloves, bluetooth transmitting etc) but at NZ$1000 its a bit pricey when I just wanted something for 3 months in Europe. And the Europe maps are $200 per update using their proprietary mapping software. The helmet intercoms can be expensive as well ( about NZ$500) if you buy the name brands. There is a guy who imports his own design helmet headsets in Rotorua for about $400.
I have found a much cheaper option which seems to work fine.
GPS.
I bought a non brandname GPS on trademe ( from "buysafeNZ" a Kapiti based trader named Gary) - he loaded maps for USA, Canada, NZ, Australia, UK and Europe, all up for a total price of $250. The maps are Igo Amigo, much like freeware software which you don't have to pay megabucks to get the latest updates, and which have worked fine in NZ and Australia so far.Bluetooth Transmitter
As the bluetooth function from the GPS to the helmet headsets has to be a transmitter, rather than bluetooth receiver ( which most GPS are) I got around this by purchasing a Sony Bluetooth transmitter ( TMR-BT10) from Sony NZ for NZ$80 off their website, which simply plugs into the earphone socket of the GPS and talks to the helmet headsets.
Helmet Headsets
I managed to find some Bluetooth headsets from an online shop in China ( link is http://chinagrabber.com/2-sets-helmet-mount-bluetooth-interphone-motorcycle-ski-bluetooth-helmet-intercom---bt-helmet.aspx ). for US$119.99 for a pair, shipping is free and they arrived in about 2 weeks. They're called BT Mulit-interphone and are good for up to 120km.h, 7 hours talking time, water resistant and 500m range if you use between 2 bikes.You can get these on Trademe now but the prices are not as good as importing direct. These little units clip onto the helmet using a simple locking system and have a microphone and stereo earphones which means that you can talk to your pillion/other rider, receive phone calls on the go ( auto answer works fine with my cheap Nokia 3120C), listen to music in stereo ( again from my Nokia phone or you could use a bluetooth Ipod), and more importantly, receive the GPS instructions.
Pairing all the devices was relatively straightforward and I did it with no problems. So for an allup price of about NZ$500 I'v got a GPS, maps of all countries I intend visiting in the foreseeable future, helmet headsets and communication between me, the missus, the phone, music and the GPS. The only remaining problem was how to charge all the batteries for these devices on the go.I got a friend of mine ( thanks Alan) to fit a 12v cigarette lighter charger in the Honda's glovebox and also 2 USB ports. This means that I can charge the GPS, both our phones, the helmet units, the bluetooth transmitter, camera battery and a netbook while we're riding ( not all at once but 3 at a time). The testing I've done so far shows this setup works fine - its a bit disconcerting hearing the GPS instructions coming through the headphones but hopefully it will stop me glancing down at the GPS and having an accident. The GPS isn't waterproof so it will need to be put in the tankbag if its wet but that's not a problem where we're going. These pictures show the GPS in its spot on the dashboard ( I've drilled 2 small holes so that the unit can clip on/off easily) and it only covers the rev counter display which is fine.Its located on the dashboard so there is some sun glare protection as well. The other picture shows the glovebox configuration - its all neat and tidy.The only thing that is a bit fiddly is the charging of the Sony transmitter ( its designed to sit in a cradle in the office, not on a bike), so with a bit of kiwi DIY I've put a rubber band around it so the unit stays in place when being charged on the bike. It works fine.If anyone wants to ask me any questions about this, please email me on evesbikers@gmail.com
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