Best way to protect a GPS from the rain

Ron162252

Joined
Aug 11, 2015
Messages
2
Location
Morin-Heights Quebec Canada
Bike
2002 ST1100
I occasionaly use a Garmin Nuvi50LM on my bike, but it's not designed specifically for motorcycle use.
Therefore it is not to encounter any rain if i want it to last any significant amount of time.
Anyone have quick or easy ideas about rain protection for my unit ?:confused:
 
Silicone caulk around the screen and clear packing tape over the speaker hole and SD card slot in back. Use a Nuvi 65 that way without issues. I will probably never spend money on a motorcycle GPS again. I had a Zumo 550 that finally quit after seven years of ownership. I can replace a Nuvi every year for about the same money of owning a Zumo or similar. If the Nuvis last two or three years, I'm money ahead.
Mike
 
Anyone have quick or easy ideas about rain protection for my unit
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At the first sign of possible rain, pull over at the nearest bar and take it inside.
 
Bug Dr. said:
Silicone caulk around the screen and clear packing tape over the speaker hole and SD card slot in back. Use a Nuvi 65 that way without issues. I will probably never spend money on a motorcycle GPS again. I had a Zumo 550 that finally quit after seven years of ownership. I can replace a Nuvi every year for about the same money of owning a Zumo or similar. If the Nuvis last two or three years, I'm money ahead.
Mike
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I can't speak to using a car GPS on a bike but I can to Garmin repair programs. I bought an expensive 2730 motorcycle unit in 2006. When the screen went out 5 years later I sent it to Garmin under their repair program and bought a refurbed warrantied "new" one for $150. Between the two 2730s I got about 120,000 miles on them. Last year I bartered some repair skills on a friend's GS1200 and he gave me a used Zumo 550 in return. Recently the rubber buttons on it cracked - it had 46,xxx miles on it - and I sent it to Garmin for repair. Again, I got a "new" 550 for $200. If you have an old Garmin check into their repair program. $150 or $200 for a new one goes a long way towards multiple Nuvi's.
 
Someone is selling a waterproof Zumo 550 on this forum...
 
Super thin, cheap sandwich plastic bag and rubber band when the rain starts. The problem with the ziplock bags on my bike is the RAM arm and power cord are in the way. Cheap bag and rubber band are more flexible and forgiving. Maybe sometimes two rubber bands. Remember - rain comes down from above....usually not up from below.
 
I have been using ziplocs for uears. But on my trip last weekend I rode 150 or so miles in the rain and it never got wet. I guess the positioning of it is perfect sitting STill or moving it STays dry!
This one has been on vtx for 3 years, I moved it to ST when I bought it.

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I have a Garmin car GPS that I've only taken on the bike a few times, and I slipped it into the clear map pocket on my tank bag when I took it with me. Not the most convenient way to carry a GPS, but at least it will keep it from getting wet. That location is a distraction if you need to refer to the display while riding, but if not in traffic a quick glance to see how far away your next turn is will usually be all you need to know until you're within a few hundred yards from your turn.
 
I use a sandwich bag as well, kept in a front pocket for last-minute application. Touch screen works fine through it even with gloves. Been thinking about doing the RTV mod above though...
Had an old TomTom that I didn't worry about and it got soaked multiple times with no ill effects.
 
I've used the baggie trick a few times but found that it fogs up and is hard to see through because it doesn't sit against the surface of the GPS screen. In one hard rain though, it didn't work well at all... I didn't close the bottom up well enough and rain blew in from the bottom, which killed my Nuvi. I put it in a dehydrator for about 24 hours at the lowest heat setting. It came out working like a champ and is still working 2 years later. I've since upgraded to a waterproof Chinavasion unit.
 
uploadfromtaptalk1439901959941.jpg
This is what we did on a recent 3,000 mile ride in June. Hit plenty of rain in the mountain area of w. Virginia with no issues. I covered the GPS and the Sirius-xm with a freezer type zip lock, they're a little thicker.
Mike

Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk
 
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STrangr said:
uploadfromtaptalk1439901959941.jpg
This is what we did on a recent 3,000 mile ride in June. Hit plenty of rain in the mountain area of w. Virginia with no issues. I covered the GPS and the Sirius-xm with a freezer type zip lock, they're a little thicker.
Mike

Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

What all do you have mounted on your bike?
 
SMSW said:
Remember - rain comes down from above....usually not up from below.
Click to expand...

At 60+ mph... it comes from everywhere...

But I use the ziploc bag thing too, unless it is a hard rain and on the highway. Then I'll pop it off and stash it in the tank bag, take my phone from it's normal mount and do that too.
 
how waterproof do you want it? I would look at getting one with a audio out socket and mp3 player however bear in mind that's two more holes to seal.
I went with a garmin 350 and everything plugs into the cradle the only downer being that it has a flip up aerial which complicates waterproofing. so anyway their is two things you should do. firstly stop mounting it on the bars or headstock and move it forward and mount it behind the screen because depending on the screen it is usually super covered behind it you can either mount off a plate coming off the bolts or get a garmin plate that is flat and using some vhb tape mount it direct to the screen. you could use th e suction but its not super safe. right back against the screen your sat nav should be dry 99% of the time excluding when stationary in windy wet weather.
If you still want to waterproof it follow the "how to waterproof a nuvi" on yt then use the left over silicone to seal the unit for the speaker rear remove the casing decent gaffa tape over the hole inside reseal the unit and seal the join and the screwholes and the rear speaker holes and the power buton etc basically all the holes then for a finishing touch electrical tape or gaffa round the seam and over the rear speaker a weak point on a satnav is the cable it also breaks easy so silicone or superglue a piece of rubber or plastic around where the cable goes it to keep water out and support the cable.
just got a 350 and will be doing that later to go on my new pan.
An alternative is to make a box bolted together bolt it to the bars and drill out all the heads you then have a permanent mounted satnav a warning saying this satnav uses a pinlock would be a good idea though
 
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