Product advice: Which sat nav to go for?

I’m new to the motorcycle world hence the email! My boyfriend is looking at getting a sat nav for his bike at some point but I was thinking of getting him one for Christmas.

• Save money on sat navs

Could you tell me what are the best ones on the market for a decent price at the moment at all?

I’ve heard that the Tom Tom Rider is a good sat nav but some advice would be nice!

Mary Lowell, email
 
Christmas shopping already? There are two standout bike-specific sat navs on the market; the Tom Tom Rider and the Garmin Zumo 550.

They are both pretty pricey (£3-500), although there are deals out there with up to £100 off in some cases.

The reason for the cost is that they need to be a lot more rugged to cope with being stuck out in the elements.

They also have Bluetooth technology and more complex mountings than a simple plastic sucker for a car.

The Tom Tom has more battery life, is cheaper and comes with all the kit needed to fit it to the bike securely.

The Garmin is easier to operate with gloved hands and has lots of extra functions, like auto-sorting multiple destinations and a built-in MP3 player.

Its ability to speak road names is a real advantage too; anything that means you don’t have to glance down at the screen is going to make your riding safer.