Garmin 276c mounted on sport cage dash bar
I've been using GPS units since the
summer of 2000 on my dual sport motorcycle.
They provide a lot of information about the surrounding terrain if used with
Garmin's Map Source TOPO software, which lets you load more detailed maps in
to the GPS.
The 276C is my third
Garmin unit. I started with a III+ then upgraded to a 176 because I wanted a
bigger screen. About 2 years later I switched to the 276c to get
a model that supports "auto routing" and would work with Garmin's
City Select/City Navigator software - which is needed for more detailed "auto
routing" capabilities.
The color screen is
a nice feature to have too. In my off road motorcycle travels, the grayscale
screen
made it difficult to distinguish a road from a trail from a river / stream from
an elevation contour line.
I
mounted my GPS to the dash bar of the Rockhard4x4 Sport Cage. I got the idea from my brother's Rubicon, which is set up the same way. |
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I used RAM mounts purchased from Cyco Active, a local dealer of GPS units and mounting accessories. I used several parts from them. Click the link above to go to the page that has the parts I used. Parts list:
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This photo also shows the GPS power wire. I routed it down through the defrost vent, behind the dash and over to the passenger foot well where I connected it to an auxiliary fuse block. i dropped a string
down through the vent first, pulled it through, then taped the string
to the wire and pulled the wire through. You might also be able to use
a coat hangar and poke it up from the glove box area to the vent, then
tape the string to the coat hangar and pull the string through.
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I
tried another mounting location - the vertical bar of the Rockhard Cage,
just below the grab handle. Works very well here - I can push the buttons
without taking my hand off the wheel. |
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I chose Cyco Active because I've bought a lot of GPS accessories from them in the past, and like to see my money go to local vendors who support our sport. They are located in Seattle, WA. If there's any RAM parts they don't have in stock, they get them fast since RAM is also located near Seattle. The folks at Cyco Active USE GPSs on a regular basis and are familiar with the in and outs of using them for back country travel. |