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[guppytrash]

Crap the Garmin 660 was my next purchase.  Is the 665 having these problems too?
I hate spending top dollar to have something that has a bunch of quirks.

[T-Hawk]

Do you have a NIM installed? If so it might be a bad module. I had the problem you described for your CB. Disconnect the NIM and see if the problem goes away.

Unless it came installed on the bike, I haven't added anything.  I checked a service manual clip posted elsewhere in this forum and it indicates that the NIM is located inside the fairing.  I have yet to explore all the magic behind the fairing.

The cradle for mounting the unit is installed on the dash, and this problem with the CB occurred only recently, and only the one outing... so you may be absolutely correct that there may be a bad module...  sounds like a Winter project for me though, as I don't like leaving the bike with the service techs when I could be out riding.

Thanks for the input... looks like I've got a bit more reading on here to help me isolate potential problems with the gps interfacing with the stereo.

[dayne66]

I hope I'm one of the lucky ones to have the 660 and the NIM work well together...next time home, if we get a rain day or two I am planning on doing the install. Anything other than checking the speaker brackets for cracks to look for behind the fairing while it's off?

[SBB]

I hope I'm one of the lucky ones to have the 660 and the NIM work well together...next time home, if we get a rain day or two I am planning on doing the install. Anything other than checking the speaker brackets for cracks to look for behind the fairing while it's off?

Might check for TwoLane's dead cat.

 

SBB

[BigLew55]

Sorry the tangent.  But I hate MapSource.  Anyone found good alternatives that will create files in the Garmin format?

If you hate Mapsource, wait until you try BaseCamp!   

Last I heard, this is the replacement.  In true Garmin fashion, they tried to make it do everything, so now it does nothing well!

http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=209

[iski]

Mine's done a couple of odd things...Once, when using it in the car, I hit a traffic jam on the interstate and so punched in "Detour".  The thing started talking to me like Alvin and the Chipmunks were living in the GPS.  Turned it off for a minute, then back on...no problem.  Then it did it out of the blue again, so punched my original route and it stopped.   

Another time we were on the bike out in the boonies and descended down into a canyon of sorts...the GPS started this high pitched, constant, obnoxious, ear piercing, LOUD tone through my headset.  I'm really not sure if it was the GPS or the HK, and there may have been some kind of transmitter nearby making it happen.   

Electronic chit that is not always repeatable sucks...

The other issue I'm having is when I do a route in Mapsource and then transfer it to the GPS...it will only allow me to transfer one route at a time.  I have to transfer, unhook, put the battery cover back on, take the cover back off, hook back up to the PC, then transfer another route, etc.  Don't know WTF is going on there.

Not good to hear that Garmin is sucking so bad in their customer service

My current unit does not do the chipmunk voices or the LOUD tone, but 1 of the "reconditioned" replacement units they sent did this all the time.  It got stuck in chipmunk mode - GPS as well as MP3.  I was in the middle of a ride I was leading & it pissed me right the hell off.  Both are known issues with Garmin - sporadic.  Idiot tech told me to turn it on, turn it of, then update the software - which I had already done.  He could here Alvin over the phone, so they sent me another one which had some effing damn problem.  My dealer came through for me - Garmin did not.

May want to see about getting a replacement if it keeps doing this.  That tone HURT my ears & it did it several times during the ride until I turned the volume off.

[iski]

Sorry the tangent.  But I hate MapSource.  Anyone found good alternatives that will create files in the Garmin format?

TC, rather than taking the back off to make your connection to the PC have you tried just attaching the unit to the car connector and using that USB port?

Thanks.  Have not tried that but will next time.  You know stuff about stuff.  

Mapsource sucks the sweat off the devil's nutsack in hell, other than that, I hate it.

[Midnight Rider]

My current unit does not do the chipmunk voices or the LOUD tone, but 1 of the "reconditioned" replacement units they sent did this all the time.  It got stuck in chipmunk mode - GPS as well as MP3.  I was in the middle of a ride I was leading & it pissed me right the hell off.  Both are known issues with Garmin - sporadic.  Idiot tech told me to turn it on, turn it of, then update the software - which I had already done.  He could here Alvin over the phone, so they sent me another one which had some effing damn problem.  My dealer came through for me - Garmin did not.

May want to see about getting a replacement if it keeps doing this.  That tone HURT my ears & it did it several times during the ride until I turned the volume off.

The strange thing about the "tone" is the volume on the handlebar did nothing.  I was going down a really steep, barely blacktopped road into a place called Buck's Pocket...a couple of 120 degree turns at slow speed...it rattled my brain.  Both hands were busy, but did manage to get it turned off.  Judi unplugged her headset.  So loud it was actually painful...like a loud feedback loop on a stage mic.  Did you notice anything odd about where you were when it did it?  I attributed it to my location, 'cause it didn't do it when I got out of the canyon.

Mapsource does fun stuff...like having you get off an interstate in a place you're not familiar with...then get right back on.  Or get off, go 100 yds, then do a U-turn.  Things that make you say bad words.  Buggy piece of chit...

[kraut]

Sorry the tangent.  But I hate MapSource.  Anyone found good alternatives that will create files in the Garmin format?

try Tyre.

[Twolanerider]

try Tyre.

Thanks for the option.  Will check it out.

[iski]

The strange thing about the "tone" is the volume on the handlebar did nothing.  I was going down a really steep, barely blacktopped road into a place called Buck's Pocket...a couple of 120 degree turns at slow speed...it rattled my brain.  Both hands were busy, but did manage to get it turned off.  Judi unplugged her headset.  So loud it was actually painful...like a loud feedback loop on a stage mic.  Did you notice anything odd about where you were when it did it?  I attributed it to my location, 'cause it didn't do it when I got out of the canyon.

Mapsource does fun stuff...like having you get off an interstate in a place you're not familiar with...then get right back on.  Or get off, go 100 yds, then do a U-turn.  Things that make you say bad words.  Buggy piece of chit...

The unit did it over & over but could not "make" it when I wanted to show it to anyone.  Only one of the 660's I had did that & yes it was painfully loud.  I was on flat roads the last time it did this.  Was not in any mountain or hilly area.

When you make a map do you blow up the map in Mapsource - extremely large - to make sure you are sticking the waypoint pin on the right side of the road & not inadvertently sticking the waypoint in as a side street?  I learned that a long while back.  Will not go into detail as to how but hopping railroad tracks in a 2 block circle does not make for a pleasant Garmin routed experience.

[iski]

try Tyre.

Thanks.  Initial read looks promising. 

Any time saving tips for those of us who would like to view Mapsource as a VERY distant & unpleasant memory?

[T-Hawk]

try Tyre.

If needed, when I plan a long trip I use MS Streets & Trips or my Rand McNally software for the actually itinerary... as it lets you program stop times, travel speeds, scenic routes, etc...  I'll then program the important waypoints into a route on the GPS.  When I planned my trip (in the cage) from Texas to Alaska back in '98 I spent about two months tweaking the itinerary and actually made every stop within 30 mins of what the software predicted.  I doesn't take much to print, fold, and stuff the itinerary for reference.  I only use MapSource to keep my self established waypoints as a backup in case the GPS crashes and needs to be replaced.

[spydglide]

Mapsource does fun stuff...like having you get off an interstate in a place you're not familiar with...then get right back on.  Or get off, go 100 yds, then do a U-turn.  Things that make you say bad words.  Buggy piece of chit...

It had me going in circles in Memphis one afternoon and down dead end streets in a not very healthy neighborhood.  Bad thing was that 3 other bikes were following me thur this drill until I decided to just use it for Sirus/XM and go back to the old form of navigation.  Don't trust that new-fangled chit anymore.  spyder

[Alesius]

I've used my 660 across Europe and in the US this year (came with Europe installed, I purchased a memory card and the North America maps). In the US I used it during our vacation in a rental car - it worked great except that some (very) small roads were missing.
Around Switzerland, Germany, Austria I never had problems. In Eastern Europe (e.g. Czech Rep or Hungary) the maps are surprisingly accurate, although there were 2-3 occasions where it led me through a road that was closed for cars & motorcycles. No big issue.

There are very few things I would like changed, e.g. some of the frequently used functions are hidden deep in the menu system. I also didn't find a way how to skip a waypoint. Beside of that I'm quite happy with the device.

I use Tyre to plan my trips. Tried also RouteConverter and MapSource, but Tyre works just fine for me.