Garmin Zumo discount

[RossKean]

Might give you an argument there Ross. Makes sense if you can't remember to monitor it's usage but there's been plenty of times I've stood next to the bike, sometimes with other riders looking on, as I figure out where I'm heading to next. Usually during a little break in the shade and the like where I wouldn't want the bike running. Battery capabilities on my 590 doesn't allow me to do that while holding it in my hands either.

As for draining the bike's battery, as SR-71 said just about the only risk I could imagine is if it's left on the bike overnight or more which IMHO is sorta silly. Just too easy to pop it off and also takes away the theft possibility when not home. Shorter stops too, just pop it in one of the bags, but at the least remember to shut it down or put it in sleep mode. It just becomes part of the routine, no different than learning to cancel your turn signals.

Battery on my Zumo XT will easily hold for enough time to do some routing at a stop - just switch it on. If I am doing anything more than 10-15 minutes, it probably wouldn't be at a roadside stop. Not sure about the XT cradle (I think it is OK), but beware of devices such as some USB adapters or some adapters that transform to a different output voltage - these may draw some power even if nothing is connected to them. It might take a long time but these will eventually flatten a battery.

 

[SkooterG]

I replaced my TomTom 550 with the XT. I'm not thrilled about the map situation. I used the 550 in the US&Canada and Europe; all maps were part of the purchase. The XT only has North America; I'll have to buy Europe separately. Grumble, grumble...

The reason I dropped the 550 is simple. The POI searches were unreliable. I lost count on how many times I searched for something and got no results from the 550. I started checking the searches using the online TomTom POI using the planner app, and the searches resolved as expected. I spent much of the last two months laboring with TomTom support over this issue. Their "fix" was to tell me to write up a suggested map fix. In some cases, the searches were for businesses in place for 20+ years. Enough.

I used a Garmin 660 on two trips in the Alps, and particularly on the second trip, it failed spectacularly. And I have video to prove it (that's my 660 in middle of the K1600GT's dashboard). [/ grin]

There's the easy way over St. Gotthard Pass (see video open), and then there's the cobbled roadway that preceded it: "La Tremola".

I built a route, in BaseCamp, to get me from my hotel to the pass, and then onto La Tremola, going up, and coming back down. The 660 ignored the turn off the main road. I finally got on La Tremola on the way down (yea!), but at almost anything vaguely resembling a road, it tried to send me down that road. Exciting "detours" include a footpath(!), and the entrance to a Swiss military base(!!!).

I gritted it out with the 660, but finally said "I've had enough of Garmin". The TomTom started out OK, but somewhere in the last few months the wheels fell off. Updates should have cleared up any problems, but they made it worse, not better. Go figure.

So now I'm back to Garmin and the XT. My experiments to date have been successful, both for finding destinations the 550 can't, and for general routing. The 550, for example, has no idea about "route shaping". On cross-country, definite waypoints have to be created to favor one route over another.

I haven't tried building a route in the current BaseCamp, and feeding it to the XT to see what happens in real time. Watch this space...

While on my annual trip to the Alps/Europe my Garmin Zumo 590 is my secondary source of navigation. My primary source is the CoPilot GPS app on my phone, Google Maps, and the app Kurviger. I find this works much better.

 

[rbentnail]

Might give you an argument there Ross. Makes sense if you can't remember to monitor it's usage but there's been plenty of times I've stood next to the bike, sometimes with other riders looking on, as I figure out where I'm heading to next. Usually during a little break in the shade and the like where I wouldn't want the bike running. Battery capabilities on my 590 doesn't allow me to do that while holding it in my hands either.

As for draining the bike's battery, as SR-71 said just about the only risk I could imagine is if it's left on the bike overnight or more which IMHO is sorta silly. Just too easy to pop it off and also takes away the theft possibility when not home. Shorter stops too, just pop it in one of the bags, but at the least remember to shut it down or put it in sleep mode. It just becomes part of the routine, no different than learning to cancel your turn signals

Well said, i agree. IMHO having gps on switched power sux.

 

[BIODSL]

Well said, i agree. IMHO having gps on switched power sux.

Truth.

 

[Old Guy]

Well said, i agree. IMHO having gps on switched power sux.

When I switch my ignition off, my old 396 gives me several seconds' warning before shutting down and gives me an opportunity to cancel the shutdown. If I cancel, it keeps running off it's own battery. I don't know how long it would run then, but it's always been enough. I leave it on the bike almost all the time though. I seldom even remove it to go into a restaurant. I do carry a USB power source with me on trips though. I could power it off that for hours if need be.

 

[RossKean]

When I switch my ignition off, my old 396 gives me several seconds' warning before shutting down and gives me an opportunity to cancel the shutdown. If I cancel, it keeps running off it's own battery. I don't know how long it would run then, but it's always been enough. I leave it on the bike almost all the time though. I seldom even remove it to go into a restaurant. I do carry a USB power source with me on trips though. I could power it off that for hours if need be.

Same. Easy enough to cancel the shutdown and it easily runs long enough on internal battery to do anything I might want at a roadside stop. I leave the GPS on the bike at home but generally remove it when I go into a restaurant, gas station or overnight at a motel. I'm pretty sure I would forget to shut it off every time at home if it was direct wired. While the MC battery will run it for a long time, it will eventually deplete the battery (as will most USB chargers and most voltage-transforming adapters/power supplies). I'm especially careful about excess ignition-off parasitic draw on my geriatric OEM battery these days (12 years, 150,000 km). I really have to get around to replacing it one of these days.

 

[Rocnsanman]

Twelve years on the OEM battery. I'd have to treat it like that Seinfeld episode and see how far it can go. /carry a pocket jumper and keep riding!

 

[Old Guy]

Same. Easy enough to cancel the shutdown and it easily runs long enough on internal battery to do anything I might want at a roadside stop. I leave the GPS on the bike at home but generally remove it when I go into a restaurant, gas station or overnight at a motel. I'm pretty sure I would forget to shut it off every time at home if it was direct wired. While the MC battery will run it for a long time, it will eventually deplete the battery (as will most USB chargers and most voltage-transforming adapters/power supplies). I'm especially careful about excess ignition-off parasitic draw on my geriatric OEM battery these days (12 years, 150,000 km). I really have to get around to replacing it one of these days.

12 years on a battery is amazing. I changed my OEM out a 5 years, and I'm now at 10 and planning to change it again. Maybe I'll rethink that.

 

[Mic]

There's a mount and wiring for the XT in the box.

There's no pressing need to buy to Garmin car kit for $50, though. The XT takes the old micro (roughly D-shape plug) USB cable, and there are any number of off-brand (i.e., not Garmin) dash mounts, etc. that can be used with the XT.

Got one on sale recently and have it installed. So far so good! Now just have to go get lost somewhere and ask it to get me home!

 

[RBEmerson]

I've been using the XT in our VW Vanagon Westfalia (pop-top camper). I finally got it together to pull out the TomTom mount and install the XT. It was mildly instructive. Specifically the black box at the end of the power cable's an electronic fuse as well as voltage regulator.

I installed a mini fuse holder for the TomTom, and thought I'd move it to the XT. I checked the max current (~1.5A) and was surprised to find the black box isn't just a noise filter. Look closely at the label to see it'll take 10-30 VDC in, and outputs 5 VDC. Additionally, if, for some reason, the XT won't power up, the first step is to disconnect the power, then reconnect it.

The only real down side to this gizmo is it's sealed, making shortening the power cord a non-starter. I guess that's why Garmin included four cable ties in the packaging, huh.

 

[RBEmerson]

OK, installation complete - and I still think the FJR's battery access panel's primary function is to drive me to frustration and distraction. Grrr...

Enough.

IMNSHO the mount's a poor design. A little tiny plastic ridge has to sit correctly in a tiny plastic groove, and a second tiny plastic ridge has to sit in a tiny plastic groove that moves when the release tab is pushed. Get the fit on either one or both of those ridges and grooves wrong and... bye-bye XT. There's nothing to keep the unit in place, period.

Much as I dislike the TomTom 550, at least the mount makes a solid connection that can be broken only by a catastrophic case failure.

 

[RossKean]

OK, installation complete - and I still think the FJR's battery access panel's primary function is to drive me to frustration and distraction. Grrr...

Enough.

IMNSHO the mount's a poor design. A little tiny plastic ridge has to sit correctly in a tiny plastic groove, and a second tiny plastic ridge has to sit in a tiny plastic groove that moves when the release tab is pushed. Get the fit on either one or both of those ridges and grooves wrong and... bye-bye XT. There's nothing to keep the unit in place, period.

Much as I dislike the TomTom 550, at least the mount makes a solid connection that can be broken only by a catastrophic case failure.

I have never been especially impressed with the XT mount either but no issues so far, after more than a year - and I haven't heard of any either. After a bit of use, the unit snaps into the mount a little easier. I always check to make sure it is secure by giving it a tug after latching. Still, I am going to see if I can find a way to attach a lanyard so it doesn't take a tumble at some point. My Zumo 665 did that once but survived as the screen is recessed. I doubt the XT would fare as well. I'm buying another mount for my F700GS and since it will be used on rougher roads, I am especially anxious about bouncing it off the mount.

Tip: I once had the screen black out on me - apparently one of the contact pins on the mount was stuck and the GPS wasn't charging. Now, I put just a touch of dielectric grease on the pins and work it in, exercising the pins/springs with a fingertip - once or twice per year. Lubricates and prevents water ingress and corrosion.

 

[BigOgre]

Ross, I'm not positive but I believe I read that the XT2 mount has been beefed up a bit and might be backwards compatible to the XT. If you'll be buying another mount this might be worth looking into.

 

[RossKean]

Ross, I'm not positive but I believe I read that the XT2 mount has been beefed up a bit and might be backwards compatible to the XT. If you'll be buying another mount this might be worth looking into.

Already checked and was told that the XT2 mount was not compatible (by Garmin). I wrote to GPSCity as well and the response was "No, because it is a different part number" Of course it is a different part - I just wanted to know if it was improved and backward compatible to the XT!!

Not to say that the Garmin individual answering my question knew for sure but that's the best I can do without ordering one to test. I don't know anyone with (or planning to get) the XT2.

 

[Bumlinger]

I mistakenly ordered an XT2 mount and cord and found out that they look very similar, they do not fit the XT. The power cord has no black box. Voltage regulator must be in the head with the pins, it's a little larger than the XT's. Pay attention and make sure you order the correct parts for an additional XT mount.

 

[RossKean]

I mistakenly ordered an XT2 mount and cord and found out that they look very similar, they do not fit the XT. The power cord has no black box. Voltage regulator must be in the head with the pins, it's a little larger than the XT's. Pay attention and make sure you order the correct parts for an additional XT mount.

I knew that the power cord part was different (and incompatible) but couldn't be sure about the mount itself. Thanks for the confirmation.

 

[sapest]

OK, installation complete - and I still think the FJR's battery access panel's primary function is to drive me to frustration and distraction. Grrr...

Enough.

IMNSHO the mount's a poor design. A little tiny plastic ridge has to sit correctly in a tiny plastic groove, and a second tiny plastic ridge has to sit in a tiny plastic groove that moves when the release tab is pushed. Get the fit on either one or both of those ridges and grooves wrong and... bye-bye XT. There's nothing to keep the unit in place, period.

Much as I dislike the TomTom 550, at least the mount makes a solid connection that can be broken only by a catastrophic case failure.

Try to find something like this?

View attachment 1718

Armour for your XT. Lanyard and mount cover included.
With or without sunshade.
https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/972...f=sr_gallery-1-1&bes=1&organic_search_click=1
-Steve

 

[BigOgre]

https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/...thread-now-available-inmate-discount.1544403/

 

[RBEmerson]

I looked at the MotoPump unit, and it doesn't really add much to the discussion. OTOH Touratech has this beast... For a "mere" $200 USD. Let's see, how much did I pay for the XT? Oh boy!