Garmin Zumo 550

[oldracer1943]

Well, finally broke the jar and swung for the Zumo 550. Wow, this rascal is jam up and jelly tight. Wearing me out playing with it. Got a real deal at Buy E Retail. $650 delivered next day FedEx and with a box of mounts, cables, chargers, bolts and nuts, on and on. Good stuff. :)

Mounted it with the double ball clap on the right bar. Really works great. Easy to see for us bifocal folks and easy to select. Although I would recommend stopping for a coffee if serious route changes need to be made.

Got a two prong trailer plug from Northern and wired accordingly to allow the mounting to be removed by simply unpluging. Cool.

Only issue I have is that I cannot get the City Navigator NT North America registered. I am a real numnuts when it comes to registrations that ask for something different than what is stated elsewhere. Been online but codes and words asked for are written different than whats on the paper. Anybody got some ideas?? :confused:

[bghubr]

There should have been an orange sheet of paper in the box. On the bottom of the page is this long number which is the registration number.

Took me awhile to find it but it worked. :dance:

[rgmanley]

Oldracer

Congrats on the Zumo.

This site has excellent information on the Zumo. Worth checking out. You will be amazed at all the stuff it can do.

www.zumoforums.com

Also, the latest version of the mapping SW is City Nav North America NT 2008. If yours is v 8, you will probably be entitled to a free upgrade from Garmin. Usually, that notification happens when you complete you log registration process.

Just a suggestion, but mounting on the right bar, the throttle side, doesn't that force you to reach across your chest with your left hand. The Zumo was designed to be operated with the left hand, thus all the buttons are on the left side of the Zumo. Might be easier to operate on the left handlebar or in the center.

Ron
05 R1200RT Nimbus

[Bobnoxous]

Congrats on the Zumo. You're really making me eager to go buy one. I have this fear that as soon as I do, they'll come out with an upgrade that includes weather maps. Ugh.

Did you just get the package at buyeretail, or did you get additional things? I cannot match the price you paid with what I see on the website. Did you get the XM atenna?

[rgmanley]

Bobnoxious

Weather maps.
The GXM-30 Antenna/receiver does provide weather etc This is from the Garmin site

The compact, all-in-one GXM 30 delivers XM Satellite weather, traffic and radio to your compatible Garmin unit. With the GXM 30 and a subscription to XM services, you can check the weather, avoid traffic backups or listen to the radio when you travel with your unit.

I doubt that a unit designed primarily for M/Cs will provide weather maps as that seems to be outside the intended use. But more stuff is always nice.

Ron
05 R1200RT Nimbus

[Bobnoxous]

Hi Ron.

I do see that it has "basic weather", but I'm not sure what that means. I've seen real-time weather maps on chart plotters that would be great for avoiding wet spots if you have sporadic rain. I'd love that. But I could get along with forecasts for cities on the way.

Like you say, more is nice.

[oldracer1943]

Yes I do if I have to make an adjustment. Have a J&M on the left bar that was already mounted since I bought the LT used. My disciplin is very simple, I don't mess with any changes unless I stop at a safe harbor. I have used it only once on the bike but about 500 plus miles in my truck/car. It's really cool. BUT does some strange mapping that I know better. Don't know why??

[oldracer1943]

Yes, got the basic unit at Buy E Retail. Came to just short of $650 delivered next day via FedEx. Didn't get any extra antennas, and have used the unit in the house, my car and truck and on the bike and have had absolutely no problems getting sat signals.

My only concern is that it has some quirks that I don't understand. Like-I go from point A to B and return and the return directions might be different than the to directions. Beats me.

[wilbar00c]

I have the basic weather from XM for my 2730. It is about $4 a month added to the XM radio cost. It is a cartoon map of cloud symbols or sun, based on the local small/large airports in the area you are in. Airports are listed by miles from your position with a direction arrow, with the wind/ sky condition/ temp/etc. The update is about every hour from the small airports. It is only as good as the location of airports close to you if you are heading toward that big black cloud with rain pouring out. You do get weather warnings as well as traffic warnings on major interstates or in large cites. (You can pay more per month and get nex/rad real time weather like you see on TV) Between looking at the sky, tunning to the bike WX station, and the XM you can see if you want to press on or find cover. HTH, Barnett

[Rocket_Cowboy]

(You can pay more per month and get nex/rad real time weather like you see on TV)

The 2730 doesn't support the live nexrad weather radar. I don't believe the zumo does either.