Garmin zumo 550 GPS A Riders Review

[chief]

Garmin Zumo 550 GPS
A Riders Review
By Ken Verducci

The zumo 550 is Garmin’s GPS unit designed specifically for the MC rider and it lives up to the task stupendously. I chose the zumo 550 for a number of reasons but mainly for the units functionality and Garmin’s reputation as a producer of quality products. The following is my experience with the zumo 550 after a couple of weeks of abuse from a novice GPSer.

In the box

Here is what came with the unit:

Two mounts (one for the car and one for the bike)
Car power cord (cigar lighter type)
Bike power cord (bare ends on one side)
Various hardware and a tiny screwdriver to secure the device whilst on the bike
Two software discs (one owners manual in PDF and the other is mapsource mapping software)
A couple of stickers and some paperwork that I didn’t bother to read

Out of the box

I couldn’t wait to get the GPS out of the box so I tore into the thing right in the store parking lot. Barely reading the directions (if at all) I plugged the GPS into the suction cup mount (car mount) then into the cigar lighter firing it up and perusing the menu. After booting up and a few set-up procedures the device was ready to go in minutes (very few minutes).

I messed around with some of the functions and got it directing me in no time. The zumo is quite simple from the start and I didn’t have to use much brain power to get the feel of how the device operates. I’ll get into some of the more basic functions further on so you’ll have to read on if you so choose.

Attaching to the bike

Attaching the device to the bike was rather simple and that will differ slightly from bike to bike. A simple ball clamp and some electrical wiring was quick and easy.

The main thing to keep in mind is if you want the power source switched or always on. I went for the always on and wired directly to the battery. If you chose the switched keep in mind that every time you turn off the key, the device will ask you if you want it to remain on. If you do not respond to this screen prompt it will shut down in 30 seconds.

The zumo turns itself on when a power source is detected i.e. placing it into the cradle or turning on the key if you chose switched power. Of course there is a small power button on the unit too. The internal power source is a lithium battery and I’m told it has approximately 4-6 hours of life between charges.

Planning a route

There are a veritable plethora of ways to have the zumo guide you to your destination. Cross streets, addresses, pio’s (points of interest) like food, gas, lodging and you can store many of your favorite destinations as well just to name a few. One of my favorites is to simply chose “Browse Map” and using the touch sensitive screen you can zoom in and out as well as scroll to any position and go.

For a more elaborate route, you can either set waypoints into the device manually or download a route you’ve created using the supplied software (mapsource). These routes can also be saved and referenced at any time.

The device can be set for a number of avoidances such as dirt roads, highways and traffic (traffic requires additional hardware and subscription).

Out on the road

The zumo performed quite well on the road. The accuracy and visibility was very good and it is easy to use on the fly (not recommended). The display can be set for day or night viewing or auto select for both. There are also many screens to choose while on your ride. Typically I switched between two or three screens depending on the circumstances.

The display is easy to read and routes are highlighted with turns indicated by a nice big arrow.

Prompts are a bit unnoticeable without the addition of an audio system but I’m using a Bluetooth headset and that was not a problem in my case. I simple “Bing” and Jill (in her sexy voice) announced the upcoming turns and or POI without a concern. Of course there is an audio output on the cradle and is great for stereo headphones if you are so inclined.

The “next turn” is marked in the lower right and is indicated in countdown miles making for a quick glance on occasion very convenient.

Other features

Some very nice features have been incorporated into the zumo including Bluetooth compatibility, MP3 player, screenshot saver to name a few. XM radio and traffic service is also available at an extra cost (subscription services as well as hardware).

Overall impression

I like it!! There is very little I would change on the zumo and, as with any product, you have to take the good with the bad. The zumo has very little bad if any at all and I am very pleased with the device. The ease of use, functionality and convenience of the zumo is outstanding and I highly recommend it for anyone with a spare grand in their pocket.

Until next time,
Kenny V. signing off…………………

[Bandit66]

Originally Posted by chief

The main thing to keep in mind is if you want the power source switched or always on. I went for the always on and wired directly to the battery.

Thank you Kenny, nice review. You had a blown fuse last week-end. Could it be related? How much power does the device need?
=oS`o
Eric

[chief]

Thanks Eric,

Of course this review is in no way all inclusive. That would have been way to long for this forum and many things had to be omitted.

No. The blown fuse was not related in any way. The draw on the bike battery is null with nothing in the cradle and is very small when the device is attached. It is a bit more when charging too but is so small that I have not had any problems with weekening the battery to any extent.

[Scarman]

Agreed. Overall I like it a lot. The new SiRFstar III chipset is a major improvement over units I've used in the past. It's very fast and sensitive enough to pick up satellites even indoors.

I wish the Zumo had some sort of basic equalizer functionality for the MP3 player. I also think that the overall audio output could be louder. Oh, and no A2DP support. No A2DP support is a big faux pas IMO.

The ability to access my contact list on my pda phone (when paired via blue tooth) and make a call or route to the address is nice.

[Jester]

Originally Posted by Scarman

Agreed. Overall I like it a lot. The new SiRFstar III chipset is a major improvement over units I've used in the past. It's very fast and sensitive enough to pick up satellites even indoors.

I wish the Zumo had some sort of basic equalizer functionality for the MP3 player. I also think that the overall audio output could be louder. Oh, and no A2DP support. No A2DP support is a big faux pas IMO.

The ability to access my contact list on my pda phone (when paired via blue tooth) and make a call or route to the address is nice.

Dave, English Dave. I am so happy with my unit.

Just a question for you computer savvy types, what is the easiest (read also cheapest) way to convert MP4A files to MP3 so I can load them on the Zumo?

J

[Bandit66]

Originally Posted by Jester

Just a question for you computer savvy types, what is the easiest (read also cheapest) way to convert MP4A files to MP3 so I can load them on the Zumo?

Not quite a hijack, so let's say that for what I understand, mp4 is a branded, protected format. If you bought the music (isn't mp4a a video format?), it looks like the easiest way is to save the sound track as .wav with that tune-thing online program, burn a CD with it, then rip it with any tool you want as an mp3. Should be covered by fair use since you actually bought the right to listen to the music. The media should not matter.
[insert useless rant about drm, oss, sending pizza to your local bands, etc.]

[roccop]

i would like a zumo....prob is that they are aver $1500 here in Australia!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jester]

Originally Posted by roccop

i would like a zumo....prob is that they are aver $1500 here in Australia!!!!!!!!!!!

Buy it online mate! I saved a bundle.

[ironbrad]

Just mounted a Zumo 550 on the Busa last weekend and I'm eager to take it out! Thanks for the writeup.

[Law Dawg (ret)]

Sounds like a nice set up Kenny. Anyone here got input on one without all the bells and whistles? I don't need teeth of any color (don't want to talk on a phone when riding...ride to get away from all that), MP3 players (Judy is going to buy me a Nano 4.0 for the magic 55 in April), or XYZ radios, just a GPS. Is there a Zumo Jr for us technotard caveman types?