Garmin 450t. Help!

[peterfs]

I'm the owner of a Thorn EXP that I bought a few months ago and have enjoyed getting to know it with a number of 30+ mile rides. I will post some pics of my pride and joy soon. I'm looking forward to longer journeys in the spring.
After Xmas I decided to treat myself to a bike GPS as I'm forever losing my way on the lanes around Cheshire.
I decided on a generic GPS as I could also use it for hiking and I got one with the 50,000 : 1 Ordnance Survey Discovery maps plus GB Navigator. Ive found there is a huge learning curve in using it and I'm getting frustrated and losing interest in the thing. Ive tried a number of Youtube tutorials and they seem to clarify things but when I try and put it into practice things just don't seem to work so smoothly.
Basically all I want to do is chart a course in Basecamp, put the GPS on my bike and follow the route when I get to a junction I'm not clear of.
I'm not asking for a step by step guide from members of the forum but I would appreciate it if someone could point me in the right direction to an online guide, tutorial or book that could help me out.

[Danneaux]

Hi Peter!

All congratulations your way on what is a legendary Thorn tourer -- the eXp! I remember last summer when you had decided to sell your motorbike and look for a Thorn. Boy, did you ever find a good one! Can't wait to see photos.

I have used a Garmin Oregon 400T for my touring needs, like it very much, and chose it for the same reasons. It is similar your 450T except for the software, triaxial compass, and more easily daylight-readable screen.

You're not alone in your frustration! Garmin's included documentation is woefully poor. If you are new to the units, the learning curve is pretty steep and the lack of included instructions sure doesn't help. The units are great once a person catches onto how they work.

WikiSpaces has a wonderful guide devoted to the Oregon Series including the 450T here: http://garminoregon.wikispaces.com/

Additionally, these 450T-specific resources might prove helpful to you:
Garmin Learning Center Training Videos
http://www8.garmin.com/learningcenter/training/oregon/
Garmin 450T tutorial videos on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL32FA7E1CCCA05B6E
Where do I start? (with BaseMap questions)
http://forums.gpsfiledepot.com/index.php?topic=1447.0
Garmin Basecamp Tracklog Tutorial
http://gpstracklog.com/2012/02/garmin-basecamp-video-tutorials.html

I hope this helps, Peter. If you have problems after the above, give a shout.

Best,

Dan.

[peterfs]

Thanks very much for your Info and time taken to reply. Yes the motorbikes gone and I really like the EXP. I will certainly post some pictures soon. I'll check out the sites over the next few days and post with my progress.

Pete