Garmin zūmo XT Review

[MotoNews]

Published in: Gear

Garmin has long been the big fish in the pool of GPS, and their zūmo line of products has graced motorcycle handlebars for years. Garmin’s motorcycle line has mostly concentrated on street, but their latest navi, the zūmo XT, has a few new features that make it more useful for adventure/DS riders off the tarmac.

In the box with the zūmo XT are the instructions, a rubberized ball-mount system (compatible with RAM), electrical power cable, and mini-USB cable. This type of USB cable was surprising, given that the movement is solidly toward USB-C, but I would not need the USB cable too often as an included mount enables the navi to be hardwired into the bike’s electrical system. Life on the handlebars isn’t too much for the zūmo XT to handle either, given the IPX7 water resistance and a military-spec drop rating.

Setting up and mounting the zūmo XT is just about as painless as one can ask for. And the device guides you through downloading the Garmin Drive mobile app on your smartphone (required for traffic and weather information), connecting to Wi-Fi, and updating the maps and firmware. When it came to mounting the device the most difficult part was routing the power cable neatly. Two things I found easier than expected were installing the Garmin’s mount arm and Bluetooth pairing, which was a first attempt success on two different brands of helmet communicators. Most users should be ready to ride within 30–60 minutes of cracking open the box.

Using the device’s basic functions is fairly intuitive, things like routing to a specific address or finding a pre-loaded point of interest work like you’d expect. But you can also choose a direct routing path or “Adventurous Routing.” I found the Adventurous Routing picked enjoyable paved routes but rarely got into gravel or dirt. When you want to get off the beaten path and ride pre-planned routes, the zūmo XT is compatible with GPX files as either “Routes” (turn-by-turn directions) or “Tracks” (line on the map). However, my experience is the Route functions work best if you’re letting the navi choose the route, whereas Tracks is the way to go for pre-planned trips. Tracks also has the benefit of pointing the way if you include a trail the device would otherwise avoid. Following routes on the zūmo XT seems to be easier than smartphone apps thanks to the optimized display and more accurate zooming with speed. Speaking of display, the 5.5-inch touch screen is crystal clear in all lighting conditions and works with all of my gloves.

Beyond just getting you to where you want to go, the zūmo XT has a plethora of other functions such as controlling music, calls, and notifications from your phone, recording tracks of where you’ve been, and trip planning. The phone controls are just enough to keep your phone off the bars and eyes on the road, but not quite good enough to stop you from needing to pull over to change playlists or responding to a text message. Recording tracks works great, and the accompanying Garmin Drive app allows for exporting of GPX files to share with your friends. Trip planning is the only feature I think is a miss on this device; while you can plan for multiple stops and get turn-by-turn directions between, the interface is clunky. For my use, finding an endpoint on my phone and entering the address via the Drive app or screen interface is the way to resolve this issue.

Overall, the Garmin zūmo XT is a solid navigation solution if you’re looking to get your phone stowed out of sight or want a more robust device optimized for life on a bike. Aside from the couple of features needing refinement, the zūmo XT’s price is its biggest downside; $499.99 is quite a bit if you’ve already got a smartphone in your pocket. In addition to handling everything needed for navigating on and off pavement with a display and touch screen ideal for the job, I find value in how it allows me to focus more on the ride.

Garmin.com

MSRP: $499.99

PROS:

• Navigation and map work without cell signal
• Rugged water and drop-resistant design
• Glove-friendly touch screen
• Adventurous Routing generates good rides

CONS:

• Pricey
• Mini-USB port
• Route planning clunky

Where to Buy:

   

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[Selden]

Anybody have experience with the Garmin zūmo XT? What about compared with the Bmw Motorrad Navigator Street? 

 

I have been using a Garmin Drive 50 GPS, and it's "OK" but the screen brightness totally sucks in full daylight. The brighter screen and ability to use the zūmo XT in landscape or portrait mode have me tempted.