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Dunany
Denver
Jan 10, 2012
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FINALLY, I GOT MY GARMIN!!
Pros: ease of use. maps.
Cons: route-making.
After having to listen to my brother for 3 years, telling me 'how great', 'you have to get one', 'look at all the stuff it does', I got one from Santa (my nice wife). The kit is great. Everything you need is there for both the bike and car. The car stuff is an added bonus. It's even a tax write-off for us contractor guys!! While the unit is fantastic, I would really appreciate it if the route-making software would be as easy/possible as Rand Mc Nally or Google. Why can't you set up a general route, showing cities and highways?
Recommend? YES
5 viewers found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?
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Big Yellow Wing
Santa Ana, CA
Dec 27, 2011
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UNRELIABLE AFTER FIRST 10 MONTHS
Pros: great features
Cons: screen stops functioning after a few months of use
I ride 20,000 miles a year on a Goldwing. While the features like glove-friendly touch screen, read-in-the-sun screen, Blue Tooth and Satellite radio are terrific, eventually all of the screen touches become inaccurate and lock up the unit. I've done two returns for about $125 each (as I remember) They are rebuilt units that were someone else's problem. I love the features and I love how intuitively the Garmin products work. But now I have a unit that only responds to the left hand button commands.
Recommend? NO
9 viewers found this helpful.
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FLHTCU
Broadlands, VA
Nov 19, 2011
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UNRELIABLE DEVICE, UNRELIABLE SUPPORT
Pros: screen size, mp3, bluetooth
Cons: horrible tech support, unreliable function
I'm now returning the third faulty unit to Garmin for replacement. First unit, almost 5 years ago, constantly froze and ceased to function in specific areas around Washington DC. Returned for replacement, which functioned reasonably well for several years. Exception to this is that the basic navigation logic in the unit is flawed. Try it yourself, but Zumo appears to use a presumed speed of almost 70 mph for many of its calculations. With that exception, unit worked OK then began to lose GPS lock, freeze, fail, start repeating distance to turn every .5 miles (very annoying), etc. so it was obviously dying. Returned (along with the $100 bucks they charge) for a refurb uniit. Huge problems in reloading maps that I had purchased. Tech support throughout all this is horrible (with occasional good advice, to be fair). Similar problems to what I've seen on your site - multiple techs with different answers, ambiguous, sometimes nonsensical answers with no relation to the question, etc). After literally hours downloading patches, maps and so on, unit number 3 worked fine for about 2 months. Turned the bike power on one morning and Zumo is completely dead. Tech support offered a couple of suggestions, no effect at all. The thing is completely non-functional. Why Harley Davidson put their name on this POS is beyond me. The problem now is what to do next. Zumo 665 looks good on paper, but for those bucks, and OBTW a mount that's incompatible with all the work I did to put the 550 on my bike, I'm hard pressed to go down this road again.
Recommend? NO
10 viewers found this helpful.
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rralfshouse
Winnipeg, MB
Oct 30, 2011
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MOTORCYCLE GPS
Very pleased with this unit. It was easy to use and made for a great back roads trip.
Recommend? YES
13 viewers found this helpful.
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ColinB
Windsor, Ontario
Oct 25, 2011
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DISAPPOINTING PERFORMANCE
Pros: big buttons, big numbers
Cons: lacks map details (eg.lane assist) unreliable
This GPS worked fairly well on my motorcycle however I took it to Phoenix, Arizona to use in a car rental and it was terrible. I pre-programmed the routes on my PC and transferred them to the Zumo 550 before I left. When I attempted to use it in the rental car, there were no voice commands nor instructions on when the next turn was etc.The map detail was very poor and it lost the satellite signal many times. When I tried to enter an address and selected "A" for Arizona, it went immediately to the either Alaska, or Alberta, when I attempted to put the city (Phoenix) in the only choices I got were Pennsylvania or Prince Edward Island. I ended up using the Navigon GPS app on my Iphone (which only cost $49.00 not $600.00) and it worked flawlessly.
Recommend? NO
16 viewers found this helpful.
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John
San Jose, Ca
Oct 24, 2011
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ZUMO 550
Pros: its all good.
Sceen visible in sunlight, touch screen easy to use while on bike. Options for detour is nice. Built to withstand weather and anything else. Totally satisfied.
Recommend? YES
13 viewers found this helpful.
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Stan
Mesa AZ
Oct 24, 2011
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GREAT GPS!!
Pros: simple easy user interface
Cons: none
Worked just great right out of the box. Not a tecky so had a little problem getting the software correctly loaded on Mac computer but got there in the end.
Recommend? YES
13 viewers found this helpful.
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Dale
Bay City Mi.
Oct 4, 2011
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SECURITY
It would help if you had a security package available for the whole mount system. I had to devise my own.
Recommend? YES
22 viewers found this helpful.
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howitzer
Gatineau, Qc
Oct 1, 2011
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GARMIN ZUMO 550
Pros: very waterproof
Cons: battery problem as explained above
I bought this ZUMO 550 GPS back in 08 and have used it on my bike and in my own and rental cars all over the world. Add any map you want in the SD card slot and away you go. This GPS has so many functions and all work very well that I really enjoy using this item regardless if I am leading or not as it is a great source of situational awareness (compass and mileage pages), entertainment (MP3, Sat Radio and audio books). The only comment about the MP3 is that if you have a couple of gigs of music on the SD card the device can take up to 5-8 minutes before it has read all the data and is ready to navigate. I guess I waited this long to comment because I have 2 points to pass on to users. One, the GPS has a tendency to just stop working for no apparent reason this has happened 3 times to me and twice to a friend while on long trips, the repair is easy, just remove the battery completely from its position and then return (same battery) it to its position. As long as it was charged when it failed it will immediately start to function, if it was not charged you will have to charge the battery before it will start to work. The second point, question rather, is now that the Sat Radio antenna is no longer available has anyone found a replacement antenna?
Recommend? YES
24 viewers found this helpful.
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BA
sanford Fl.
Sep 17, 2011
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GREAT GPS
Pros: easy to use
Cons: spoken names are not load enought
This GPS does what is advertisd pricy but now I know why when product is this good it deserves the added cost easy to operate while driving that is if you have cruise control
Recommend? YES
18 viewers found this helpful.
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snowrider
richelieu quebec canada
Sep 12, 2011
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MEILLEUR GPS EXTERIEUR
sa fait 4 ans que j ai le zumo 550 de garmin , j ai utiliser se gps sur ma motoneige hiver a moin 35 degre c sans probleme et meme a la pluit toute une journee sans probleme , je vais souvant au u.s.a et il fonctionne a merveille , j amais eu de probleme j amais tromper d addresse il est tres preci . me suis fait voller cette ete au mois de juillet se gps et sans esiter me suis procurer le meme chez gps city apret avoir regader tous se qui se fait en frais de gps , pour moi c est le meilleur.
snowrider
Recommend? YES
22 viewers found this helpful.
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Harold
Cranbrook B.C.
Aug 20, 2011
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ZUMO 550
Pros: work great
Cons: mp3 sound quality not so good
I have owned the Zumo 550 for year or so. This summer I got to use it. It works great. I found it very good for navigating through big cities. Bluetooth worked well with my Scala rider G4 headset. My only issue is poor quality sound from MP3 player but, I like to ride music free most of the time anyway.
Recommend? YES
37 viewers found this helpful.
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Mark
Fargo, ND
Aug 3, 2011
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MOTORCYCLE GPX
Pros: easy to use on motorcycle.
Cons: a little clumsy to move bike to car.
The Garmin Zumo 550 does what it says it will do. I am using it for an on/off road trip. Loaded maps onto a 16GB card - works well.
Recommend? YES
51 viewers found this helpful.
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Barry
Kimberley, BC
Jul 29, 2011
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DIED TWICE, LITTLE SUPPORT
Pros: nice to use.
Cons: difficult to service, extremely costly to repair.
Nice unit when it was running. It quit on me once, difficult to get service. Finally got it fixed, extremely expensive, lasted about 8-9 uses. Quit again, now the service company won't respond to my e-mailings (Canada). No regional service with Garmin. A little nervous to buy their product again.
[Ed. note: Barry: Give us a call and we will see what we can do to assist.]
Recommend? NO
94 viewers found this helpful.
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tallyho911, Jim
Toronto, On
Jul 19, 2011
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ZUMO 550
This unit does a lot. Hooked up to a Scala Rider G4 bluetooth headset. Bluetooth cell phone. SD expansion card slot up to 16Gb Built in MP3 player and has an adpter for XM radio/weather. The only draw back with XM radio/weather is a patch cord is required and you have to disable the bluetooth funtion. Updates are easy to install and with the lifetime update from Garmin you receive for updates per year.
Recommend? YES
70 viewers found this helpful.
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Eugene
Markham, Ontario
Jul 15, 2011
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GREAT GADGET
Pros: good for riding, comfy with gloves, easy to instal
Cons: maps inaccuracy in a few cases
It's a great addition to my bike. Works very noce so far. I don't use blue tooth yet. But makes the rides much more relaxed as I know exactly where I am. The design is very comfy for the gloves. The screen visibility in te sun is fine. The only problem I found that the Canada 2012 map from Garmin is missing a few things for GTA (new roads, points of interests (Tims outlet!!!)
Recommend? YES
74 viewers found this helpful.
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skysteve
victoria bc
Jun 25, 2011
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ZUMO 550 MEMORY
not enough memory for $900.00 think I paid too much
Recommend? YES
94 viewers found this helpful.
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Hermes
Torono area
Jun 24, 2011
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MET OR EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS
Pros: good functionality, clear bright display.
Cons: needs more internal memory
The product is first class. I do experience a lot of confusion with respect to unlocking, registering etc. There is the Unit Number, Registration Number, Serial Number, Product Key, Unit ID, Product Name etc - and you better get it right. Time to streamline this quagmire, GARMIN, you hear me! But, as far as the Zumo 550 is concerned it is everything I expected, and more. Functionality and Info is exellent, dispaly is bright and clear, the MP3 player is great and even accepts a 16 GB SD (where I also stored the NA Map 2011). The 550 should have enough memory though to store all maps internally. The excuse that the maps grow so fast doesn't cut it anymore. Next up, connecting to the XM antenna, will advise.
Recommend? YES
78 viewers found this helpful.
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Phil
Jax, Fl
Jun 22, 2011
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EXCELLENT MOTORCYCLE GPS
This GPS has never let me down. I have had it for 3+ years now and it always comes thru. I recently got back from a 3400 mile road trip. I was able to download my route to the Zumo before leaving and while I made several side trips from my original route. I really never needed to look at a paper map. I learned to trust the GPS. It has been through hot and cold weather, ridden through several gully washers. but has always been dependable.
Recommend? YES
77 viewers found this helpful.
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Dave
Toronto
Jun 7, 2011
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GARMIN IS GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION
Cons: not user friendly
This unit is adequate but the quest I replaced it with I found easier to use. I would like the Map screen to be able to be customized similar to the quest, to provide the information I need. What happened to distance to destination? The reason I changed, was the quest could not be updated. Unfortunatly the roads I found missing on the quest are still missing on the Zumo! I think Garmin should focus on the navigation aspect.If I want a picture viewer or MP3 player I will buy one. This thing also seems to lock up on a regular basis, for no apparent reason. Maybe there is too much going on!It will be on Ebay soon
Recommend? NO OPINION
79 viewers found this helpful.
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DudeyMack
Kilkenny, Ireland
May 25, 2011
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BEST GPS I EVER HAD!
Pros: reliability
Cons: i think it will outlast me!
Bought this unit for my 08 Goldwing and have put up 25,000 miles on it. The 550 has never let me down despite dropping it, banging it and sitting on it. I have driven through monsoon like downpours with no problems. It brought me through the biggest of cities throughout Europe with ease. I have watched my fellow riders upgrade to more expensive units but have been disappointed. I cannot find a flaw and cant see myself ever changing.
Recommend? YES
134 viewers found this helpful.
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RJJN
Toronto, ON, Canada
Apr 16, 2011
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OWNED IT FOR 3 YEARS NOW!
Pros: design, easy to use and read, touch screen.
Cons: price is a bit steep.
Not a single problem with mine like those described by other riders. Not enough storage? Add an SD card (they are dirt cheap now) and you can add all of North America by following the instructions on the web. Map Updates? I bought the lifetime subscription which is way better than what I was getting on a Magellan. Just plug it in, go to MyGarmin and it steps you through the updates and really easy to do. Ne er had a problem with the security set screw and had mine hard wired to my Harley with ease. I would strongly recommend to the Sri us rider.
Recommend? YES
91 viewers found this helpful.
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Chuck
Renfrew
Mar 31, 2011
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MEMORY TROUBLES
Cons: not enough storage
Generally, the item works very well.
However there is not enought memory in it to hold all of North America.
So its very worthwhile in your own back yard.
Recommend? NO
92 viewers found this helpful.
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NorthStar
Blenheim, Ontario
Feb 24, 2011
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BKUETOOTH INTEGRATION
Pros: a total motorcycling gps package
Cons: none
I have owned a number of Garmin units (Streetpilot 2610, Nuvi 205 & Nuvi 255W) and finally "graduated to a Zumo 550 for my bike. This unit has received glowing reviews over the years and the fact that it is waterproof and has Bluetooth connectivity were the two main reasons for the purchase.
As advertised, it comes ready to mount on your bike or in your car. I have wired the power source cable to a switched power source on the bike and tested out Bluetooth connectivity to my cell phone and helmet headsets. The GPS pared immediately to the phone and Scala Teamset headsets and I can now make and receive calls through my GPS and voice activated headset. I also connected a cable to the audio out plug on the Zumo and the GPS directions can go through my headsets or directly through the bike's audio system. I can also listen to my tunes using the MP3 functionality of the Zumo. The software program (Mapsource) loads easily and once you unlock the maps you can plan your routes on your computer and transfer them directly to the GPS.
I did not bother with the FM functionality or traffic receivers since I do not have a need for these.
If you are looking for an all weather, Bluetooth compatible GPS for your touring motorcycle, this is definitely a unit to consider.
Recommend? YES
102 viewers found this helpful.
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Mac
Jefferson City, MO
Nov 14, 2010
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POOR DESIGN DEVELOPMENT & PRODUCT SERVICE/SUPPORT
Pros: motorcycle mount, cellphone & music features
Cons: product support no authorized service center
Unable to update maps. Contacted customer service several times after purchasing update. Service reps guess at possible solution including a problem with computer. Different responses from different techs. No authorized regional service center. I even offered to bring the unit to them since I was going to be in the area. Now that warranty has since run out, Garmin wants $150 to repair.
For security there is a special screw about 1/8 inch in length that secures the unit to the cradle. It is far too small to handle on a regular basis. To remove unit, screw must be completly unscrewed. You may either screw the unit back in, or chance the screw becoming dislodged while riding. If it hits the ground even while standing still, chances are its gone. You can PURCHASE a fix for this problem from an outside company.
To enjoy the additional features that come with the Zumo, I had to PURCHASE a wiring harness for my Goldwing 1800. Bottom line, the Zumo is not an inexpensive unit, but to enjoy the features be prepared to pay more.
Perhaps I just got a unit with a flaw and I realize that can happen with anything but am I wrong to expect the manufacturer to stand behind their products (unit and update)? My only recourse to package my unit and send it back to the techs and pay them for what was obviously a manufacturer's problem.
If considering this unit, be sure to research the web for wiring harnesses and security features for your Zumo. Be prepared to purchase extras. Garmin had some good ideas that were not fully developed before they released this unit.
Recommend? NO
106 viewers found this helpful.
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Hank
Ontariio, Canada
Oct 10, 2010
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EXCELLENT GPS
Pros: bluetooth
I have owned various GPSs of other makes and find that the Garmin brand appears to be the best. The 550 works with my blackberry and cardo rider system flawlessly. It is perfectly visible in direct sunlight peovided the brightness setting is at max. I highly recommend this unit.
Recommend? YES
106 viewers found this helpful.
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larry
toronto ca
Sep 20, 2010
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ZOMO 550
Cons: camt see in sun
lot of money for a cheap gps all ready replaced motorcycle mount
Recommend? NO
105 viewers found this helpful.
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Bruce
Prince George British Columbia
Sep 9, 2010
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RUBBER BUTTONS FALL OFF
Pros: does what it is designed to do
Cons: very poor product support,
I have owned my Garmin 550 since May 2007, only use it in the summers for a month a year, Recently one rubber control button fell off. This is a 10 cent item. Garmin wont supply the part, nor will they replace the part. The only repair option is to send it in for exchange for $180.00 Canadian. I am not happy, and do not recommend this unit because of deplorable product support.
[Ed. note: Bruce: If you get this give us a call and we will see if we can work some magic with our contacts at Garmin. We don't have any contact info for you, otherwise we would have called you. ]
Recommend? NO
107 viewers found this helpful.
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Morgoon
Ontario, Canada
Aug 31, 2010
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GREAT MOTORCYCLE GPS
Pros: simple - user friendly
Cons: sometimes difficult to see (sun)
Easy to use, Easy to view, Easy to program, Works well with gloves on. Excellent features - bluetooth, XM ready, had trial period of traffic and weather - excellent Car to Bike - simple
Recommend? YES
103 viewers found this helpful.
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Howard
Ashland, KY
Aug 13, 2010
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GREAT FOR THE OPEN ROAD
Pros: display, glove friendly, easy to use
I love the Garmin Zumo 550. I like how easy it is to operate on the road, even with gloves on. I really like the brightness of the display. I was using a TomTom which I had to pull over to see the information that I needed. I also love the bluetooth feature, I can use my iPhone and my Plantronics ear piece and hear the direction in my ear and use the phone hands free.
Recommend? YES
109 viewers found this helpful.
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Stu
Ontario
Aug 9, 2010
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BEST MOTORCYCLE GPS
Pros: unit works great, easy to use even with gloves on.
Cons: lack of replacement parts.
I had to replace my previous Zumo 550 due to malicious screen damage. Even though the screen was badly marred and had a permanent pressure oint in the digitizer I was still able to use some functions enabled by the left hand buttons. If it had been a full screen command type (660) I would have been sunk.
Recommend? YES
99 viewers found this helpful.
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Dave
Nanaimo
Aug 9, 2010
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ZUMO 550
Pros: love the mp3 and bluetooth features
I should have bought one long ago. Easy to install on my Goldwing. Simple to use. Easy to update. A great tool!
Recommend? YES
105 viewers found this helpful.
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Morgoon
Toronto
Jul 16, 2010
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BEST MOTORCYCLE GPS ZUMO 550
Pros: multi-function - easy to use - easy to program
Cons: locking screw driver is a pain
Great for motorcycle travel - connected to bike system let's you find motels on the go. I find new roads and adds excitement to your adventures. Hook up XM Radio and enjoy tunes everywhere. Best accessory I've bought for my bike. Great in car to!
Recommend? YES
108 viewers found this helpful.
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Daddyohdad
Las Vegas, NV
Jul 14, 2010
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GREAT GPS FOR MOTORCYCLES
Cons: would have like an ambient temperature gauge
great gps. easy to use while riding with gloves. hard buttons on left side are key feature. allows you to pair phone thru gps. also key. most headsets only allow one pairing so you would have to choose EITHER GPS or phone. With Zumo 550, everything is linked together and operable.
Recommend? YES
112 viewers found this helpful.
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Harold
Cranbrook B.C.
Jun 22, 2010
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GPS FUNCTIONS VERY WELL
Pros: great gps unit
Cons: poor mp3 sound
As a GPS unit the Zumo 550 works well. My issue is the poor quality of sound from the MP3 player. I matched the Zumo with a scala rider G4 bluetooth head set. Turning instructions are very clear,music not so good. Had some issues updating unit but,Garmin was helpful solving the problem by E-mail if you can believe it.
Recommend? YES
115 viewers found this helpful.
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William
Louisville, KY
Jun 10, 2010
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GARMIN ZUMO 550
Pros: ease of use
Cons: upgrade was a little hard to get, but finally did.
Arrived quickly (Thanks GPS City). Everything you need was in the box. After an upgrade and adding a 4Gig SD car, it was off to the races. I took a quick trip to Townsend, TN on Memorial Day weekend. It performed better than expected. It has some features I won't utilize ie picture viewer. I like the way it can transfer from motorcycle to car/truck (vehicle mount included). I cannot imagine what the 660 or 665 have over the 550. I have been wanting a 550 for over a year. With the $100 rebate program, now was the time. If you are looking for a GPS for your motorcycle, this deserves some serious thought. I know it seems a little pricey, but so far, it is worth every penny. So far accuracy and durability are impressive.
Recommend? YES
118 viewers found this helpful.
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Sal
Freehold NJ
Jun 9, 2010
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GREAT GPS BUT..
Pros: great gps, i don't leave home without it.
Cons: audio quality on the gps is poor.
The only problem I have with the Garmin Zumo 550 GPS is the sound quality. For turn by turn directions it's excellent.However after purchasing a memory card and loading up my music. I found the audio quality to be poor. End result I listen to my music on my cell phone via bluetooth and I do not use the GPS audio at all. I found that I really do not need to hear the turn by turn directions because of the mounted position of the GPS. For the money I payed for the GPS I expected better sound quality. P.S. With the memory card in place with about 500 songs it took a long time for the GPS to initialize.
Recommend? YES
117 viewers found this helpful.
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Monomoit
North Chatham, MA
Jun 8, 2010
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GARMIN ZUMO 550 A GREAT GPS
Pros: well built, reliable, accurate and fast
Cons: no customizable data fields, no qwerty keyboard
I have been very pleased with the Zumo 550. It has exceptionally strong reception and has proven, thus far, to be quite reliable. It was purchased to replace a Garmin 276C and, for the most part, out-performs my old unit. I do miss, however, the lack of customizable data fields (overlays) and the most basic of information, DISTANCE TO DESTINATION (why Garmin left this out is a mystery)! Quality of construction is excellent and the touch screen operates flawlessly. Bluetooth integration with my Motorola W385 phone has likewise been smooth and trouble-free. Overall, I'm very pleased with the Zumo 550 and can recommend it to others without reservation.
Recommend? YES
118 viewers found this helpful.
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KingCobra
Toronto, ON
May 21, 2010
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OUTSTANDING UNIT
Pros: compact, truly weather proof not just resistant
Cons: none
I read most of the other reviews and people that have a problem with connection through BT just don't know what they are doing. The person with the Motorola Cell phone problem? Call Motorola not Garmin. The Motorola products are notorious for dropped calls and lousy BT connectivity all on their own. I owb ab iPhone and it works great. The Garmin is compact and yes, you have to scroll to another screen to obtain distance but for the moeny, accuracy, durability of this product, it is worth every penny!
Recommend? YES
122 viewers found this helpful.
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Guy Jinbaiquerre
Tokyo, Japan
May 17, 2010
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IT DOES HAVE DISTANCE TO DESTINATION, CHRIS
Pros: waterproof, rugged
Cons: doesn't distinguish expressways from local roads
This is a response to Chris in Wellington, NZ. The Zumo 550 does display distance to destination. On the left side of the unit, just push the third button from the top. You get a new screen with a lot of data, including the distance to your destination.
Personally, I would prefer to see this information on the main screen, but the Zumo does provide it.
Recommend? YES
129 viewers found this helpful.
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Chris
Ottawa, ON
May 13, 2010
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GREAT MOTORCYCLE GPS
Cons: none.
Bright and easy to read screen. Obvious quality build and rugged construction. After one month of use, not one complaint so far, but still exploring its features.
Recommend? YES
125 viewers found this helpful.
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Real
Val-d'Or, Qc. Canada
May 9, 2010
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GARMIN ZUMO 550
Pour mettre les cartes à date, j'ai un problème elle me dit: Le volume des données cartographiques mise à jour est supérieur à la capacité de stockage interne de mon GPS. Sélectionnez la région que vous souhaitéz installer sur votre GPS Garmin. Mais rien n'apparait à la région. Merci.
Réal
Recommend? YES
125 viewers found this helpful.
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Wayne
Calgary,AB
Apr 15, 2010
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ZUMO 550
Pros: all positive
Cons: no negative
I have 3 of these puppies.....Nothing more to say then I love em.
Recommend? YES
126 viewers found this helpful.
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Kevin
Kelowna, BC
Apr 12, 2010
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GARMIN ZUMO 550
Pros: easy to use, easy to link to helmet
Cons: city naigator
meets or exceeds the reviews. difficulty with City Navigator. Garmin website is not functioning to unlock the maps. difficulty in finding the serial number for the unit.
Recommend? YES
124 viewers found this helpful.
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Chris
Wellington, NZ
Apr 3, 2010
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LACKING DISTANCE TO DESTINATION FEATURE
Cons: no distance to destination feature !
I use a GPS when doing long distance travel in isloated locales. I need to carefully manage fuel consumption, so really need to know how far to my destination i.e. Can I get there on current tank, or do I need to detour to a town that is off my route but is closer. Not having Distance to Destination is the most unbelievable omission by Garmin. Even the cheapest SatNavs from other companies have that feature as standard. I have thrown my Garmin away as useless, and bought a TomTom.
Recommend? NO
137 viewers found this helpful.
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cigar7
Toronto ON Canada
Mar 10, 2010
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GPS WORKS BUT THERE ARE PROBLEMS W/BLUETOOTH
Pros: good tracking
Cons: poor 3 way bluetooth, slow satellite acq. on start
I have had this unit for more than a year. As as standalone GPS I give it 5 stars out of 5 but there are problems. It works well if I connect to my scala headset and mic. But when it is integrated through bluetooth to a supported motorola phone and the scala headset, it doesn't work. It keeps dropping the calls when the call connects.
Have you tried Garmin support? You'll need to wait 3 or 4 days for a response to any email. Then the guy doesn't want to explain things by email, he wants me to phone him during business hours -- of course you have to phone him long distance and pay the tab, and of course you need 2 phones, one being the cell phone you need integrated into the GPS and the other to talk to guy plus your computer. All this is too much for a working man during business hours.
Then after spending 4 weeks doing everything the guy wants, he blames my cell phone for having defective bluetooth, which is BS. The cellphone and scala headset work perfectly together. I'll give 1 out 5 for Garmin support. I'd give 1 out 5 for garmin for bluetooth capability.
Recommend? NO
140 viewers found this helpful.
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MIKE
LAS EGAS, NV
Feb 10, 2010
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BEST MOTORCYCLE GPS
Pros: easy installation and set up
Cons: no cons
Everything you need to mount and install this gps is in the box. works great in my truck also. used the suction cup offroad and it never came off. the bluetooth works great with my cardo/scala helemet headset. very easy to program and operate.
Recommend? YES
148 viewers found this helpful.
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Hemingway845
Dauphin Island, AL.
Nov 19, 2009
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ZUMO 550 USED ON VESPA GTS 300 AND JEEP WRANGLER
Pros: bright screen, ease of use due to touch screen.
Cons: no mileage shown to end destination - only time
The Zumo 550 was a perfect fit for the two vehicles I had and came equipped with mounts for both car and Scooter. Works well in full daylight, and although a bit talkative when approaching a change, it is extremely accurate. Touch Screen is excellent and very easy to manipulate the maps to new way points, etc. The only glitch is that no mileage is shown to the end destination, only to the next waypoint or intersection. One other Con is that there is a small screw that can be tightened to lock the Zumo into the motorcycle mount. That screw will continue to set itself even when you don't want to lock it in. I finally removed it, and just remove the Zumo and lock it up when leaving scooter in public places.
Recommend? YES
182 viewers found this helpful.
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Tom
San Antonio, TX
Nov 4, 2009
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GOOD GPS-FRUSTRATING SUPPORT
Pros: gps part works great
Cons: no app support
Everything was going well when I began using my GPS, however I still cannot unlock my maps off my PC after downloading the app. I may be doing something wrong, however I may never know given the lack of support to answer questions! The GPS itself is great on the bike, installation very straight forward.
Recommend? NO
165 viewers found this helpful.
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Ouchana
Sao Paulo - Brazil
Oct 30, 2009
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VERY SPECIFIC
Pros: being made for motorcycles
Cons: not intuitive, poor graphics
This product has its qualities, but should be purchased only by motorcycle owners. It attaches really well to the bike, but its not so smart as other products in the market. You have to insert State and City every time you look for an address, what is very annoying, mainly without a querty keyboard. Graphics are far from great also.
Recommend? YES
163 viewers found this helpful.
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Rob
Ontario
Oct 6, 2009
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VERY GOOD GPS UNIT
Pros: one, left-handed operation is excellent!
Cons: needs qwerty keyboard format for data input!
Every feature this unit has is excellent and works as advertised - but, it sure could use the following 1. doesn't have lane recommendation/guidance, which the 660 does, 2. Qwerty data input keyboard format - which the 660 does, 3. Not cold-weather rated and for this price, should be!
Recommend? YES
180 viewers found this helpful.
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Mike ( Mini Me )
Peterborough Ontario
Sep 15, 2009
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ZUMO 550
Love this product the bluetooth works great and the display is easy to read while riding.
Recommend? YES
180 viewers found this helpful.
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"Wind Drinker"
North Vancouver, B.C.
Sep 9, 2009
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GARMIN ZUMO 550 MOTORCYCLE GPS
Pros: all-weather multiple-waypoint routing access's.
Cons: pricey
I purchased this unit to allow for motorcycle navigation in the often-wet Pacific NW environment (knowing that my Nuvi in-car unit would not survive!) So far I am impressed with it I used it on a fast Vancouver to Spokane return trip with no problems arising at all. The display is quite bright even in sunshine and the buttons allow for gloved usage. It has all the functions of the other Garmin vehicle units, enhanced with the all-weather capability. The package comes complete with several sophisticated mounts, cabling, etc. giving options for mounting.
Recommend? YES
173 viewers found this helpful.
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Rooterman
Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Aug 25, 2009
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AMAZING MOTORCYCLE GPS!
Pros: easy to use with gloves on, blue tooth
Cons: none
This GPS has exceeded my expectation. The ability to use this with my gloves on is a huge plus. It locks down, and looks great on my BMW K1300GT. The Blue Tooth is spectacular.
Recommend? YES
184 viewers found this helpful.
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Norman Russell
Oyster Pond Jeddore, Nova Scotia
Aug 19, 2009
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ZUMO 550
Pros: very user friendly
Cons: none
I am a seagoing mariner and Global Positioning Systems are used as an aid to navigation to locate my position any where on the 7 seas. When I am on the shore (Tera Firma) I find it very difficult to find my way around without some sort of positioning device. That is,until I purchased and installed my new Zumo 550 on my motorcycle and truck. It is very comforting to know where you are and how to get there. Brovo Zulu,Garmin !
Recommend? YES
205 viewers found this helpful.
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Skippy
Sudbury, Ontario
Aug 14, 2009
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ZUMO 550 THE BEST
Pros: all of the above
Cons: none of the above
Just retuned from an 8,000 km run to the Great Smoky Mountains and Myrtle Beach. The Garmin Zumo 550 is the best Motorcycle GPS bar none. Easy to mount, user friendly, and does everything a GPS should do to make riding fun and worry free. More freedom on the road... YIPEE!!! If you don't have one, get one. Don't leave home without it. In the car... more of the same.
Recommend? YES
184 viewers found this helpful.
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Daniel
Montréal, Qc
Aug 6, 2009
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A MUST FOR BIKERS
Pros: easy to use, versatility, looks
Cons: cost
This is one of the best products on the market at this time. In it's conception, Garmin as been able to understand the needs of the bikers in a GPS. Not only you don't have to buy extra the map (like other companies) but it gives you a lot of extra features, like the mp3 player, the virtual gas gauge,the bluetooth interface that gives you the opportunity to synchronize a helmet communication system and then, your phone etc. If you are the kind of person that like to go on the road and not just for sunday afternoon drives, you will enjoy this product. It's not the cheapest on the market but it's worth every penny...
Recommend? YES
196 viewers found this helpful.
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Al
Prince Rupert, BC
Jul 27, 2009
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THE ULTIMATE MOTORCYCLE GPS?
Pros: waterproof, made by bikers for bikers
Cons: more expensive, need wired headset for xm radio
I spent quite some time trying to select the ultimate GPS system for my Trans Canada motorcycle trip. It seemed to have all the features I was looking for and was highly rated. My bike doesn't have a gas gauge but this unit has a virtual gauge which is handy. It will prompt you with about 45 Kms range left, based on the numbers you provided, and then direct you to the nearest, or gas station of your choice. The blue tooth compatibility was nice, but I found out after that the wireless headsets will not play the XM Satellite radio. (that would have been a nice piece of info to know before spending the additional money on a XM receiver and Cardo Scala headsets. Am leaving on my trip on in 4 days. Have put the unit through a lot of tests and will be quite comfortable using it as my guidance system. Waterproof. . .that's nice.
Recommend? YES
197 viewers found this helpful.
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Road Glide
League City, TX
Jun 30, 2009
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MOTORCYCLE GPS
Pros: easy to use with gloves
Just returned from a motorcycle trip where I used this unit for the first time. It exceeded my expectations in every way. It helped me find restaurants, stores, points of interest, etc. in unfamiliar surroundings.
Recommend? YES
222 viewers found this helpful.
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Harley rider 2008
Daytona Beach, Fl
Jun 17, 2009
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GREAT MOTORCYCLE GPS
Pros: easily transferrable from vehicle to vehicle
Cons: doesn't give much info about your next manuveur .
Bought this after much review. Very happy with purchase. GPSCity price best found. Only Sam's.com came within $5.00 . Last GPS was Magellan 4050. I liked the fact the magellan told you in 3.5 miles you were going to turn left on ABC Avenue. The Garmin waits until .8 mile or less to give you the direction
Recommend? YES
206 viewers found this helpful.
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roadking
Orange County, CA
May 23, 2009
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ZUMO 550
Pros: ease of use, long battery life (off charger)
Cons: doesn't always find the shortest route.
Bought this to replace a Garmin Quest. I've had this for three months, so far this unit is far better than the Quest. The screen is very clear even in bright sunlight. Easy to use while riding and the touch screen works well while wearing light gloves.
Two things that are a draw back: 1. When wearing heavier gloves (colder weather) sometimes the wrong button gets recognized when pushed on the touch screen. 2.This might be related to the software (2009 map), this unit doesn't always find the shortest route. I was riding in Utah, and the 550 had me go 2 miles out of the way. All I needed to do was stay on the road straight and would have reached the hotel in less than a mile, but the 550 had me make a series of turns that added 2 miles to the journey.
Over all, I like this GPS and recommend it. It's easy to customize and is the same unit that Harley-Davidson sells, but a lot less $$. I've pre-loaded all US Harley dealers into the custom POIs. Makes it nice when traveling and wanting to check out the local dealers (google: harley dealer POI 550).
Another nice thing, this has a long battery life when using off the charger, makes it nice for GEO caching.
Recommend? YES
238 viewers found this helpful.
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Danny
Rocklin, CA
May 18, 2009
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GARMIN ZUMO 550
Pros: portable from vehicle to motorcycle to vehicle
Cons: none
Excellent product, bought it for my motorcycle and I also will use it in the car!
Recommend? YES
208 viewers found this helpful.
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Maurice
Vancouver, Canada
May 14, 2009
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DEFINETLY WOULD RECOMMEND THE ZUMO 550
Pros: easy installation, ready out of the box, intuitive
Cons: expensive, need better interaction with googlemap
yes it is expensive, but a great addition to my motorcycle. It came ready out of the box, with all the mounts (motorcycle and car), easy to install, and I can do all the exploring I want and have not gotten lost yet (I think it's not poosible to get lost with the gps). The GPScity website has some good videos to get you started on some of the Zumo features, although it is fairly intuitive. GPSCity delivery was timely. I did not get to test their service dept. as I have had no problem with this product (knock on wood!!!). The Zumo came with MapSource, and has limited interaction with GoogleMap, but I would like to see better interaction with GoogleMaps so any computer can be used anywhere to map out routes. Overall I'm very happy with the Zumo550, and GPSCity delivered it quickly and with no hassles. If you close your eyes as you pay, you may think this is the best GPS purchase you can make for your motorcycle.
Recommend? YES
244 viewers found this helpful.
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André
Sudbury,Ontario
May 14, 2009
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BELLE FORME
Je suis un fan de Garmin.
Recommend? YES
243 viewers found this helpful.
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Stacy Cihak
Council Bluffs IA
Apr 23, 2009
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GREAT FROM THE START!!
Pros: everything about this unit is right on the mark.
Cons: none
I was getting ready to go on a ride on Saturday morning, then I saw that the Zumo had been delivered without me hearing the doorbell. My ride was put on hold so I could get it mounted and wired. About an hour later, I was off on my ride. At first I found it to be a distraction, I kept looking down, instead of where I was going, but everything went well. The clarity, accuracy of your location and detail to the "Points of Interest" are all top notch. The unit is very easy to use, even with gloves. It still gets a little cold in the mornings here in Iowa. Since I got it, I have done more riding this year than any other year. I owe this boost in mileage to one thing - - My Garmin Zumo.
Recommend? YES
222 viewers found this helpful.
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BMW Rider
Aptos, CA
Apr 17, 2009
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ZUMO 550
Pros: intuitive usage, portability, quality product.
Cons: the non-user friendly mapsource software.
Installed this on my BMW R1150RT with an Autocom Intercom and Bluetooth adapter. The interface went very well and functions great. The Zumo unit itself is very user friendly and intuitive and I would highly recommend the unit. The complete kit has most everything that you need and the flexibility to tranfer it from the motorcycle to a car is very nice. Good quality workmanship on the mounts and all components. The Mapsource software is very non-user friendly and combursome to use. I created routes faster in the unit than with the software. I recommend Mapsource switch over to a Microsoft Streets and Trips format.
Recommend? YES
244 viewers found this helpful.
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RePete
Kelowna BC
Mar 30, 2009
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ABOUT TIME WE FOUND A GREAT SETUP FOR OUR BIKE.
Excellent GPS for our needs. We spend our vacations on our Goldwing/cargo trailer setup and use the Zumo 550 for its multiple functions. First we connect it to the bike through an after market harness which allows it to use both the plug and play DC power in the bike as well as the aux. audio/intercom systems which also connects very simply with the Goldwings factory wiring harness. We use the Zumo as a very capable GPS, our MP3 player, our XM satt. radio and as the Blue Tooth cell phone interface. After 10 hours in the saddle, riding around a strange city looking for a Best Western or what have you is a pain. The Zumo finds and chooses the nearest one and the hotel phone # is highlighted on the touch screen. With my credit card # taped to the top left of the windscreen, I touch the phone #, the Zumo makes the call through my phone (via Bluetooth) in my riding jacket and with everything hardwired through our mic/speaker equipped helmets the room is booked and payed for with a couple of touches of the Zumo screen. We love this unit and it is always with us, even in the pouring rain, which is a real treat after years of pulling over and disconnecting 3 different devices when the rain started.
Garmin, great job on the Zumo. GPS City, great job on the price and service.
Recommend? YES
227 viewers found this helpful.
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Timothy
Staten Island NY
Feb 18, 2009
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GREAT ALL AROUND.
Pros: huge preloaded data base, great in bright sunlight
Cons: no builtin speaker for motorcycle use....
Got this GPS because it is made for the motorcycle. So far I am very happy with it. The screen is easy to see in bright conditions and while on a motorcycle. There are A LOT of attractions preprogrammed in it. Example: Dutch Springs. Its a SCUBA dive park in Pa. Wasn't in my Garmin Nuvi 350 but it's in this one... It has a bigger data base of restaurants addresses and phone numbers. I like the ability to store a friends phone number along with their address. My custom POI's made for my nuvi 350 loaded into the Zumo with no problem. I haven't tried the bluetooth feature yet as I hardly use a bluetooth headset. I gave it a 4 because of the lack of a built in speaker for use while on the motorcycle. I think that the technology is out there to have it made with a waterproof speaker installed either in the unit or on the base. Installation on the motorcycle took about 15 minutes.
Recommend? YES
237 viewers found this helpful.
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Cornell
Waynesville MO
Feb 11, 2009
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BEST GPS EVER MADE FOR MOTOR CYCLES
THe Zumo 550 is really ready right out of the box. I just love the ability to take it from my bike to the truck. It is very user friendly and with the large key pads i can use it even while wearing gloves. Programing it is a snap.
Recommend? YES
245 viewers found this helpful.
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mine
Firefax, VA
Feb 2, 2009
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GOOD PRODUCT, BUT...
A newer mode is out 660, but aside from that the product it self is good. now GPSCity didn't inform me before I ordered that the product is out of stock, it too 2 weeks to deliver. I was disappointed.
Recommend? YES
238 viewers found this helpful.
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Jim
Southern Idaho
Jan 31, 2009
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AWESOME
It is totally Awesome and REALLY changes my driving experience. I can't wait to get my trike out! (still alot of snow on the ground). I bought an 8 gig SD card for it and I can put 1000 songs on it. I did think the volume was too low while in the car until I found the master volume. I also bought a cable to plug it into the Aux input on my car stereo. Would like a home use cradle and better instruction for the computer software.
Recommend? YES
283 viewers found this helpful.
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Chopper Jim
TN
Jan 17, 2009
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ZUMO 550
Pros: motorcycle glove friendly
Cons: lack of cigarette lighter charger
I purchased the Zumo for my motorcycle. Although I think it will work well, I am disappointed that there is not a cigarette lighter charger for it. Since I use the GPS on multiple motorcycles, a cigarette charger is preferable to hard wiring the GPS to the motorcycle.
Recommend? NO
306 viewers found this helpful.
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Chuck Pyle
Montgomery, Tx
Jan 16, 2009
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REVISED REVIEW
I'll have to apologize to Garmin for my earlier negative review. Although I still feel navigating through the various features is a bit cumbersome, most of the complaints I previously addressed have been resolved through continued research and user forums.
Recommend? YES
292 viewers found this helpful.
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Jim
Gulf Islands, BC
Jan 9, 2009
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FANTASTIC GPS FOR BIKE AND CAR
Pros: can move to car, easy to use, gloves on operation
Cons: none so far
Excellent workmanship, easy set-up for a techno averse person like me. Easy to use and a nice set up to allow easy switch to the car. I'm going to get a second bike mount for my other bike and maybe a mount and the charts for the boat. Well thought out product. I'm delighted. And service from GPS City is fast and friendly.
Recommend? YES
309 viewers found this helpful.
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Frank Palange
West Sprinfield
Jan 6, 2009
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SO FAR EXCELLENT
It is snow season here so I have only played with it in a car.I also purchased some MAD MAPS for New England and Myrtle Beach.The maps look OK but you have to get to a point on the route first and then you can start navigating the route.I have not tryed them yet either.The main reason I purchased this one was for the Bluetooth function that allowed navigation directions to heard threw head set.The parring was not bad because I have had experience in the past with parring other devices.I can't wait to try it on the bike!
Recommend? YES
306 viewers found this helpful.
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Chuck Pyle
Montgomery, TX
Jan 2, 2009
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DISAPPOINTED. ZUMO 550 FOR POSERS
Garmin's "biker advisors" failed Garmin miserably. MP3, Satellite Radio, photo features??? What the heck is that all about? I've used the Quest for several years and only considered another unit because I thought a larger screen would be useful when my faithful old Quest began losing satellite coverage for no reason. I thought staying with the Garmin family, as I have since the old GPS 3-Plus, I'd be getting similar GPS logic -- WRONG!! The Quest features much more closely met the needs of real bikers. Why would Garmin include the capability to add photos???!! to the GPS and not have the ability to see "distance to destination"? As Road Captain, I've led countless rides for our HOG chapter. I have yet to have anyone ask, "How many more miles to the next turn?" The question is always (appropriately so), "How many miles to the destination?". The map is difficult to maneuver with its touch screen compared to the Quest's infinately more useful and practical scrolling feature. The 550 has a satellite radio feature (why???) but doesn't give altitude - which besides being interesting to the rider, can actually be helpful to those riding normally aspirated fuel systems. As far as operating the unit even with gloves on, the 550's touch screen is far less "glove friendly" than the older "button technology" of the Quest.
I'll be returning the Zumo 550 and wait until Garmin gets some genuine bikers for advisors. Hopefully they'll bring the Quest back with a larger screen.
Recommend? YES
350 viewers found this helpful.
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Rob Watt
Nov 25, 2008
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GREAT ADDITION TO MY ADVENTURE BIKE
I wasn't sure if the Zumo 550 was the right GPS for the type of Adventure riding I do. I was pleasantly surprised to find it has very detail maps of the off road areas. The simple interface and the fact you can be wearing your heavy gloves when using is one of the best features. I've had other GPS's over the years and most have been hard to use, therefore I never use all the functions. The Zumo is probably one of the easiest right out of the box GPS's I've seen. One huge feature is the size of the screen... this makes it really safe to quickly look down and see where you are, which is a safety feature I love. I strongly recommend the Zumo 550.
Recommend? YES
317 viewers found this helpful.
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David P Mitchell
Nov 22, 2008
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GREAT UNIT BUT UN FLEXIBLE AUDIO
I used the unit on my Motorcycle for a 4 day 3100 mile trip and it performed excellent.
2 improvements can be made.
1.Flexible audio gain settings for the in and out via blue tooth to adapt for different conditions and card vers Motorcycle.
2. The "DONE" key should be half sized and fixed to the rt. side of the screen when entering the lock code. It is too easy to hit it when entering a zero digit in a code.
N5PSM
Recommend? YES
305 viewers found this helpful.
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Tom Sullivan
Nov 15, 2008
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GARMIN ZUMO 550
Love this product. Worked right out of the box. Setup super easy on the bike. The software does take a little getting used to, but only because I am so used to MS Streets and Trips. Would recommend to anyone looking for a GPS for their motorcycle! Kuods to GPSCity as well. No hassle ordering, arrived on time. Will buy again from these guys.
Recommend? YES
318 viewers found this helpful.
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TOM
Oct 15, 2008
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DAPOLICE
what bluetoth phone will work. I need to use the push to talk Nextel Phone, but which one. I love this unit. Next purchase is the xm antenna
Recommend? YES
323 viewers found this helpful.
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Harleybutt
Aug 26, 2008
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JUST RIDE
My husband bought me the Zumo 550 for Valentine's Day '08! I have it mounted on the center of my '07 FatBoy handlebars! I do a lot of riding while my husband is overseas most of the year and I love that I don't need to know where I am going when I saddle up to ride! I just ride, and when I get hungry or thirsty, I just search by local POI's! I've never been lost with it but I sure have been lost without it! I personally think the only downfall is that when I use this unit in an area I am familiar with, I notice it sends me some of the silliest directions, when other ways would have been less complicated and even shorter. But it still gets me to the final destination and re-routes me when I am lost! Yes, it's expensive, but worth every penny! I've dropped it twice off my bike already and it took the beating so far!
Recommend? YES
304 viewers found this helpful.
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IronButt
May 28, 2008
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ZUMO 550
Extremely disappointed in this unit. It does everything flawlessly but still refuses to wash my bike. Honestly, any biker that travels serious miles.... get this unit. Excellent nav, and durability.... foghettaboudit.... you simply can't go wrong buying this unit. Spend the $$$ you won't regret it.
Recommend? YES
340 viewers found this helpful.
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David
May 12, 2008
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BEST GPS ON THE MARKET FOR A BIKE
I use Zumo 550 on a 07 Goldwing. I mounted it on the left handlebar with the bracket that was included. I can easily switch it from the bike to my car. It is far superior to the Nav system on the Goldwing. I love the unit and have used it all over the US. You can't go wrong with this unit.
Recommend? YES
309 viewers found this helpful.
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Paul
Apr 26, 2008
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THE BEST YET !
I have had this unit on my Road King for over 10,000 miles without a glitch. It was easy to install, setup, and use. Been in the rain, sun, heat, and cold temps, never had a problem. Yes, it may be a little bit more than some of the other units out there, but worth every dime.
Recommend? YES
310 viewers found this helpful.
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Lee
Apr 10, 2008
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SELF EMPLOYED CONTRACTOR
Out of the box. Push ON button. Done. Way too easy for a non-nerd type like me. So far it has lived up to the rumors. ha
Recommend? YES
307 viewers found this helpful.
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Chris
Mar 20, 2008
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THANK YOU FOR SAVING ME!
I had ordered this from another site (The Camera Professionals) for what I thought was a STEAL, turned out it was a scam. They told me I had to buy the maps for another $150, then buy the charger and a battery for even more. I called your number for a price match, and the guy who answered the phone was very knowledgeable and told me it comes with everything I need to get started- preloaded with the maps and includes the lighter adapter, power cable, and battery, etc. Turns out you guys are cheaper already by over $100 and everything is included! A big THANK YOU for saving me a lot of headache and a lot of money. A+
Recommend? YES
322 viewers found this helpful.
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Stephen Perrett
Mar 1, 2008
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ZUMO 550
Very happy with the zumo 550 except the volume is low on navigation, i have to have it on 100% were the mp3 is good at 70-80%, anybody else had this problem.
Recommend? YES
320 viewers found this helpful.
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Luis
Jan 15, 2008
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Es el mejor GPS que he encontrado despues de haber investigado varios. Compre el ZUMO 550 en mayo de 2007 y es maravilloso. Lo utilize en un viaje que realize en mi motocicleta por todo el estado de California, donde planifique toda la ruta de antemano, le grabe musica MP3 y me funciono excelentemente. Recomiendo la compra del mismo. Es el mejor GPS para motoras en el mercado.
Recommend? YES
288 viewers found this helpful.
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Ben
Jan 6, 2008
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A GREAT BUY!
I purchased the Zumo 550 after owning the TomTom Rider for two weeks and being disappointed by the problems I had. The Garmin unit is a far superior unit for North America, and the latest updates fixed most of the bugs I had found previously. I've logged 8000km so far on it with my bike and am very happy to report its a lifesaver at times when I'm visiting unfamiliar cities. Also saves paper in that I've eliminated paper maps :-)
Recommend? YES
309 viewers found this helpful.
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mike
Dec 2, 2007
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WAYNE
Had the same problem with mine. The problem is low battery. Make sure you have a good connection when using the DC car adapter. When I bought mine had the same problem but when the unit has a good charge everything works great.Check the power level when turned on Good luck.
Recommend? YES
302 viewers found this helpful.
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Wayne Thompson
Nov 4, 2007
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I received the Garmin 550 as a gift. I have been quite happy with it. I took it to Italy last month and would have been hopelessly lost on the small mountain backroads in Tuscany. Motorcycle functions work great. One problem I'm wondering if anyone else has with this unit. Every once in a while it will not turn on. After working just fine, it will be completely dead after the next time use. I found that if I removed the battery and reinstalled it, the unit would work fine for quite a while until it happened again. Same drill would get it going again. Yesterday in the car, hooked up to external power it went dead again. Tried the same remove the battery trick, but it didn't work this time. It would only flash up the first startup screen, then shutdown. I then hooked up the charger to it for several hours, then everything works. Any one else have a problem like this? I am going to get in touch with Garmin as I think the unit is faulty.
Recommend? YES
313 viewers found this helpful.
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Fred Howard
AZ
Jan 9, 2007
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Having been a Garmin user for years, I expected only the best results with the ZUMO 550.
A software glitch prevented the downloading of routes and waypoints to the unit from the PC. Eventually I was able to talk to a tech at Garmin and after downloading the latest version 6.11.6 of Mapsource, the problem was corrected. As it now functions as advertised, I am very pleased with the diversity of the unit.
I feel that the POI's that are installed by Mapsource are about 2 years out of date based on it's inability to find large box store developments, interchanges and subdivisions that have been in existence for over the past 2 years. Garmin explained that Mapsource updates their data from input from all sources about every 12-18 months. So don't expect that it will find your latest Wal-Mart or even the US Post Office, as was my case.
However, the concept is excellent. The mounting on the clutch cluster was slick and easily read and menu selection is easy and accurate with gloves on as advertised. The wiring harness length is generous. The screen does wash out a bit in direct sunlight, but as the mounting device is easily accessed, the angle of the screen can sometimes be tilted away from the glare. eg. afternoon sun on an easterly trip.
The PDF file Mapsource manual on CD isn't as specific as a technical operating manual could be as there is no mention of downloading routes and waypoints, only maps. The ZUMO 550 comes with the maps installed, so the procedure for highlighting maps with routes and waypoints on them for downloading, is flawed. Do not highlight the maps on your route, but have your route saved and open on your PC with the taskbar tab on "routes" and then download. I would have liked to see Garmin provided a compact desk stand for the ZUMO 550 to facilitate off mount tasks while either the AC power or the USB data transfer cables are inserted to the unit... All in All, a great unit and with 20K miles planned on the Harley for the summer, I'll be using it to it's maximum potential. I miss the crumb trails as well as the ability to "mark" with a touch of a button that I am accustomed to with other units. The truck mount works just fine and I am pleased that the external antenna that I have in place plugs in to this unit with the standard adapter used for other units.
I don't have sound wired, however, the graphics and text prompts are timely and legible. The fuel gauge is slick and the maximum speed function could be incriminating under some circumstances, so don't forget to reset at the end of the day.
I would say, an excellent product that addresses the motorcyclist's requirements... pricey though.
Recommend? YES
356 viewers found this helpful.
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Jeff
ON
Jan 1, 2007
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Got the Zumo 550 for xmas! It works great, better than my built in one on my VW. I am able to put it on my bikes small fairing,,just above the radio. They give u small disk that affixs on a flat surface. I also have it hooked thru my phone and a blutooth earpiece, the gps picks up all your phoneinfo,,like contacts and voice prompts.I was even easy to do this as I am not very techinical.. I also use this in my truck and it hooks ont the windshield easy..
all in all I love it so far,, I wont be hooking up the handlebar unit as I have room in the centre of my fairing with the cigarette lighter to power it!! 10/10...
Recommend? YES
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(4.3/5.0 based on 99 ratings)
