Garmin Montana 650, alternative to Zumo?

[Hudson]

So after my trusty Garmin 60csx decided to take its own adventure after last weekend's dirt bike adventure, I started surfing for a replacement. One of the BMW F800 riders had a nifty Garmin, the 650 Montana. The features on this unit

on the unit itself (great for off-road use) without using Mapsource
The coolest feature to me was the off-road routing feature. Most hiking GPSs, like the 60Csx I just lost, have the ability to download tracks, then draw a line to simulate a route. However, you can't use the tracks as a true route, meaning no turn by turn, no "miles to destination" or no ability to estimate time to destination. It's just a colored line to see where you are relative to the route you want to be on. If you go off the intended path, you have to figure this out by watching the GPS screen and riding back to the path.

The Montana actually will let you create a route from the tracks, or even calculate its own route based on the topo map, which includes forest roads. It's like having city map feautures, but for off-road use too. The off-road routing might only work with Garmin maps, which have to be purchased separately, but if you don't need the off-road routing, you can download and use free OSM maps. If you deviate from the intended route, it reroutes you just like a normal street Garmin.

Tons of other features too. Only thing it doesn't seem to have is bluetooth/XM, which I've never used and don't care about.

If you are looking for an all-in-one GPS, this might be the best choice, especially for you Super Tenere types. Anyone here own this unit and can comment on strengths and weaknesses?

 

[puppychow]

I believe Adam has this unit on his FJR and he has rallied with it. Might want to ping LowAndSilent here on the forums.

 

[AVGeek]

There is a massive Montana GPS thread on advrider. I've been reading through it, and I will be getting the Montana when funds allow...

 

[Auburn]

I justed updated the Zumo maps and software last night. Having downloaded a new software interface called Base Camp. Watching the tutorial videos they showed the Montana in them as well. Base Camp appears to be more user friendly than Map Source.

 

[ekfeejay]

I've been using the Oregon for a few years now mounted on a Tourtech centerbolt mount. Works great on and off the bike, One unit meets all my hiking,biking,snowmobiling and geocaching needs. The only reason I'm considering a Zumo is for the bluetooth comunications hub which you said you don't need(and I'm not sure I need)

 

[Hudson]

So I get home tonite and the REI mailer show up, with the Garmin 650t on sale for $499. REI has a legendary satisfaction guarantee, so now I just have to decide to cough up the dough. What do you want to bet I'll get a call the day after, from a guy saying my GPS was found?

 

[yamafitter]

I have both a Zumo 665 which is mounted on the FJR and a Montana 600 that I use on my WR450F. The screen on the Montana is far superior to the Zumo in that it does washout in the sunlight. I don't have a need to listen to XM Radio when I'm threading through the trees in the forest nor am I interested in taking any calls on my iPhone when dirt riding. I won the Zumo in a photo contest but I'm not sure if I would have spent the money for one but really like the XM Radio when I went across to the West Coast this summer for NAFO. I just find the screen being washed out by the sunlight very poor. I need to get or make a sunscreen for it.

I used the legendary GPSMap 276c before the Montana and the chipset in the Montana is far superior to the 276c and I get a far more accurate read on position under the tree canopy which helps me in my trail mapping. There is no bluetooth function with the Montana so if you want the audio for turns you will need to be hard wired and there is no MP3 Player. I have my Montana locked into a Touratech mount so to get pictures would require stopping, unlocking the mount and using the GPS camera function. I would rather just pull out my Nikon and get the shot and be on my way. That is why I have the Montana 600 without the camera.

Hope you find this useful.

 

[Checkswrecks]

I've had the 600 on the Super Tenere through the summer and if there were an alternative I'd drop the thing like a hot potato. The upsides are the screen in sunlight, screen size, and the weatherproof, AMP mount availability. The screen is MUCH easier to see in sunlight than my work Oregon and being bigger is far easier to interface with.

btw - I've also got an Oregon, had a Rhino, and use other Garmin products regularly.

The negatives, after price, are extensively discussed on the ADV thread. Mine is just plain unreliable and will be yet another Garmin product going back, even though I do have the latest updates. Mine is heat sensitive, so at more than 80f the screen won't respond. Which is a ***** because it's the primary interface. And since engine heat comes up forward of the tank when stopped, the unit sees 80f regularly. I wish I were the only one and could just say that this one is broken, but too many others have written about the same problem.

White screen of death? See that occasionally too.

Since Garmin didn't restrain the battery with a one-cent piece of rubber, make sure to put a foamy earplug in the battery compartment.

When the touch screen works, it's the Garmin operating and interface software. And the routing software when it's docked. This was all great 5-10 years ago, but haven't these people been paying attention to Google Maps, Bing, or other mapping programs?

And what Garmin person thought that an anti-theft screw on the AMP mount is the same thing as a lock? For the same price as making the fancy little tool to undo the screw, they could have installed an actual lock.

Sorry for writing this just after it looks like you paid for one, but I am one VERY frustrated owner. A cheap Nuvi with a plastic baggie for a rain cover when needed doesn't look as cool but it works and for the price is easier to replace.

 

[Hudson]

Chip, that's the benefit of buying at REI, where you can return if not satisfied.

 

[Hudson]

I've been playing with the Montana for a few days now, and I am very impressed. I've loaded three maps onto it: City Navigator for street use, 100k TOPO and Open Street Maps free Topo for offroad use, and I have 24k topo map on the way. I bought three rugged mounts, one for each bike, plus a separate auto mount, so the Montana can easily switch between them. This is absolutely the one GPS that works for all purposes.

The interface is customizable, meaning I can put my favorite options on the home screen, instead of having to touch through the various menus. So, I can add a "routes" button on the home page to quickly select and navigate routes (same with waypoints).

I can easily switch b/t maps by making a similar shortcut to the "maps" option. But even cooler: I can create multiple profiles, each with their own shortcuts, including a shortcut that lets me switch to another profile.

So, say I trailer my Husky to the ORV park. In my car, I start with the "auto" profile, which has my favorite car gps shortcuts. I switch the Montana over to my Husky, then select the Dirt Bike shortcut, which loads a new profile set up with all my favorite off road gps shortcuts. And so on....

It is truly having multiple GPS units in one. If you hike, boat, or geocache, you can quickly set up a profile for those.

Best of all, the unit works really well with Garmin's Basecamp software, which is light years better than Mapsource. I'll have to experiment in routing via Basecamp instead of my favorite Streets and Trips software.

Downloading tracks off AdvRider is super easy, and fun to experiment. Recall, the Montana will actually create a turn by turn route out of the tracks.

Two super cool features I discovered. First, the 650t (on sale for $499 at REI now) comes with a GPS-enabled camera. This not only records the location of your picture, but you can "navigate by picture" by selecting a photo and and telling the Montana to navigate to the location the photo was taken. Super cool if you are out in the woods and want an easy way to get back to a favorite location.

Second cool feature is the "send and receive wirelessly option. If other riders that have Montanas want to share a route with me, they can just synch wirelessly. Super cool when you are riding in a group.

I am still playing with it, but so far, very impressed. I think my trusty 2730 will soon find its way on the "for sale" forum.