I still have a Garmin 660 unused but available for my RTW trip. Why is it unused? A long story! It has Bluetooth capability. I have the locking cradle set up on the bike but is it still up to the task of RTW travel, remembering the issue with downloading maps and the development of newer devices for navigation? What does it have to do? Essentially, issue directions through my helmet clearly for both on-road and off- road travel using up-to-date maps. Of course, paper maps will be used sometimes as a back-up. Being able to use ‘Points of interest’ would be nice. Is it able to connect with satellites as well as newer devices? Opinions would be welcome. Thanks

The 660 is fine - mine's working fine after many years of use, and does everything I really need. No you can't send to a satellite in emergencies, but I prefer a separate device (Inreach mini2) that I wear on my body in case of a serious crash and I m nowhere near the bike when I land.
You can add loads of maps with the addition of a micro-SD card, and you can always have additional ones to swap in.
Check the battery life - after many years unused it might be poor and you want a new one for off the bike excursions. And you can always carry a spare too.
I use mine to connect to my Intercom - Sena - and that works fine.
It will hold LOTS of POI's without issue.
Sure a new one is nice - but so is a few weeks on the road instead.

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Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
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Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

Grant’s response says it all. All the major questions/points covered regarding this device. Some excellent advice about batteries too. I have not used it on a motorcycle, only in a car in Australia, therefore I have limited knowledge of it. I thought it would be fine to take on my trip but thought I’d ask the obvious question before examining its use in more detail ( time is short). Thanks very much Grant. Now, all I have to do is use the thing!!

Don't be obsessed with latest tech. Especially for your RTW.

I'm still using a 600. Yeah it's slow for on the fly adjustments, looking up addresses or checking it's map etc; but it's not really for that.

All navigation aids eg. Sat Nav, paper maps, Google maps etc should be used together. There is no perfect piece of tech that does it all perfectly.

Out of large towns and cities, you don't need to be following a voice in your helmet. How boring and un-interesting.!!!

Your 660 does all you need. It tells you where you are and which road you're on. And it's easy to set your route the evening before if need be if you want to be guided turn by turn.

In a city, the smart phone is king. Google or the plethora of offline maps available on your phone.

In my experience it goes something like this:

In your hotel or campsite, you lay out your paper map and work out your route for the next 1-3 days.

You then set some relevant waypoints into your Garmin that you can save which will keep you on that route.

In the more remote regions of the world, you can just use the routing on your Garmin and it will do just fine 90% of the time. Because there are no other routes.


A lot of people don't use a Sat Nav at all. They just follow a map, signs, compass for their adventure and have a smart phone as a backup when they need to find somewhere specific in a busy area.

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

Often I stick in a waypoint for where I want to stop that night and then switch to offroad navigation mode where all I see is a rough indication of the general direction. Then decide which roads to ride depending on what they look like when I come to a junction.

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"For sheer delight there is nothing like altitude; it gives one the thrill of adventure
and enlarges the world in which you live," Irving Mather (1892-1966)

I can agree with Ted, I still use my Montana 600 with open source mapping and phone if I need close up local stuff

Wayne

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The Balkans
https://new.horizonsunlimited.com/poi_entity/8417

Thanks to all those who supplied info. on the above. Ta Mike