Zumo 660 Install

[bayoubengal]

I was excited to get home and find my new Zumo 660 sitting on my steps, as I have a ride thru the NC mtns planned for next week. One of the primary reasons I chose the 660 was that it uses the same power cable as the 550, which the previous owner of my bike had neatly installed. I bought the mount and wiring from him, so all I needed was this box. Or so I thought. I verfied the cable issue with a seemingly knowledgable Garmin rep who even verified the part numbers were the same. Anyway, I have a cool new GPS that needs to be wired into my 06 RT. My mechanical skills are probably considered below average and I tend to break things way more than I fix things. How big of a job is this? Does the tupperware need to come off? Where should I run the wires. Red/hot wire has inline fuse. Black/negative of identical length. I have read you guys talking about the Canbus system. That file is empty for me guys. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Even if that advice is to take it to the BMW dealer...

[bimmers]

No u don't need to strip the tupperware. If you need to feed a wire to the battery like I did u just thread it from the fron towards the back under the plastic covering the tank. Take off the seat and just feed the cable. I then just attached it direct to the battery. There is also a GPS connection up front already from the factory and if you search the threads you will find some mentions about it. No big deal.

But if the previous owner left it there, what do you need to pull?

[krussell]

If you are only going to be using the Zumo, and not an autocom or anything like that, then you could tie in to the GPS connector. There are two options, buy the BMW connector set, it's about $25, or just tap into the wires directly. With the autocom this connector contributes a fair amount of noise. That connector is switched and goes on with the key, off a minute or so after key off.

 

Search for GPS connector, you should find several threads.

 

You can also go straight back to the battery, but then you'll need to make sure you turn the GPS on/off. With the stock 660 mount, you'll likely not leave it on the bike for even a minute as anyone can walk off with it. As a result, having switched power is probably not a huge deal. This assumes you pull the Zumo when you garage it at home though.

 

You can run back over the tank as previously suggested, or you can pull the tupperware and go under the tupperware, or you can pull the tupperware and tank and run the cable around the frame. All will work fine, it's really up to you. I ran my Zumo 550 power and audio under the tank. The added time to pull it apart wasn't that big of a deal.

 

[T__]

Hutch, as mentioned there is a GPS/accessory connector already up front.. You can buy the pigtil from BMW that snaps into that connector.. Problem is that accessory connector is powered from the ZFE module (basically Can-Bus to most people).. When you turn the key off after riding,, that accessory socked powers down after a time delay.. If your Zumo (at least the older Zumo 550 anyhow) is already turned off it is possible for it to come back on using internal battery power..

 

Because of the above most of us using the older Zumo 550 wire the GPS directly to the battery..

 

That isn’t as difficult as it sounds though.. Just take 3’-4’ piece of mechanics wire & bend one end over to make a rounded end on the wire,, then remove both front & rear seats (watch the seat heating wires so you disconnect those before pulling on the seat very far),, then work that stiff mechanics wire through from (rear to front) under the fuel tank on the L/H (clutch lever) side of the battery about battery top high just outside the frame tube that runs vertical there.. With a little very light pushing & wiggling that wire should push right through to the front..

Once it pops out the front (probably close to the other wire harness coming out there) just hook & tape your Zumo wire harness to the mechanics wire & pull it back through to the rear.. Once you have it run through,, then disconnect the mechanics wire & re-route the Zumo wire to the inside of that frame tube (between tank & frame tube… Then route it where you need the wire up front & cable strap it in place (usually follow an existing wire harness or cable)..

Then add a water proof fuse in the (red) wire & add eye rings to both wires at the battery & hook the red (fused) wire to the battery (+) & the black wire to the battery (-)..

 

When all done & the battery is hooked back up—turn the key ON,, do NOT start engine,, fully open & close throttle twice,, turn key off (all done).. This is to allow the fueling computer to re-learn the TPS high & low parameters as those get lost when the battery is disconnected.. You can really skip this step but it quickly teaches the TPS learn rather than taking some engine starts & riding time to re-learn the TPS high low positions..

 

 

Twisty

 

[bayoubengal]

Thanks Twisty. Now that's about my level. Actually thanks to all for the inputs.