GARMIN 010-00567-00 Zumo 550 GPS Receiver Reviews

• Zumo 550 - A Few Thoughts

  
  By A3K0CY8ETMJ1V6 on 2007-02-04
  
  People complain about the Zumo not having a built in speaker. Well, you wouldn't be able to hear it while riding your bike it if it had one, so it's a bit of a moot point.
  
  On a side note, I think there are some features the unit lacks that can be somewhat annoying. First, and definitely the most annoying for me, the elevation by which you view your position on a GPS determines the amount of detail you see, i.e. POI's, street names, distance of road to travel, etc. The units I have used previously (factory nav in a Honda, other Garmins and the Mio 310 to name a few) had the ability to select zoom/elevation from the main nav screen allowing you to choose your "view" of the road so to speak, at anytime. With the Zumo, you cannot change elevation/zoom from the main nav screen, you can only adjust it while in map mode searching for a destination. The second you go back to the main navigation screen you loose the elevation you chose and go back to a default level of zoom, which for me is real irritating.
  
  Another annoying feature is the keyboard for text input does not offer a QWERTY layout. I have not had to type on an ABCDEF style keyboard since the invention on the PC. In fact, I have a Garmin IQue 3600 that's 4 years old and it has a QWERTY keyboard?
  
  Also, the search function on the Zumo is relatively slow at times. I once waited 4+ minutes while searching for a popular restaurant. It found it eventually, but for a while I thought the unit just froze up. I happen to be sitting in my driveway so it was only a minor annoyance, but if you were parked on the roadside with cars buzzing by it would seem more like an eternity.
  
  One other issue, the built in hard drive is pretty much full with maps right out of the box, which isn't that big of a deal with the open SD slot. The SD slot lets you slip in a SD card for expanded memory capability (MP3 storage etc.), but when loading routes from your PC (which is a great feature I'll touch on below) you must save the data directly to the units hard drive in order for the Zumo to be able to read it. Well, that's going to be an issue when the hard drive fills up from firmware updates, etc.
  
  While I'm at it, I think the icon that marks your position on the map is annoyingly large. It makes your car or bike look the size of a lake, or some other large map detail.
  
  On the plus side, I believe that all of the issues I mentioned are correctable via a firmware update and a few bugs are to be expected to some extent given this is the 1st generation of a new model. Although, you can also argue that with the price this thing sells for combined with the experience Garmin has building GPS devices there is really no excuse for the Zumo lacking anything.
  
  A nice feature, which is common on Garmins top units, is that you can map out routes on your PC, load it to the Zumo (again, on the built in hard drive though not the SD card) and away you go. This comes in handy if you're in sales for example and need to hit a few clients on a particular day or if you're going to be cruising on your bike and have a bunch of places you want to stop at during the trip. Rather than having to wait and program destinations one at a time as you make your stops, you can knock them all out the night before on your PC so you're entire trip is planned before it's even begun.
  
  Also, the Bluetooth feature is sweet and works flawlessly. Pairing the Zumo with my Blackberry was a breeze. The Zumo was able to read my address book and displayed the contacts on the phone screen so there was never a need to touch the Blackberry once paired. When in the car, the speaker worked well and people on the other end seemed to have no trouble hearing me. I disagree with the one reviewer that said the mount looked weak. I think the mount would successfully support a cinderblock on rough road.
  
  Installing the Zumo on my ZZR1200 took me about 30 min. It takes some time to run the wires and connect to the battery. You will need to crimp connectors (that are not supplied) on the end of the wires that go to the battery. The Ram mount is real solid. The Zumo does not move once you're locked in and on the road.
  
  Now for the justification of the 4 star rating given I beat the Zumo up quite a bit. The build quality of this thing it second to none. It is literally built like a tank. I'd bet it would outlast anyone who buys it. Again, firmware updates will likely take care of all its shortcomings over time. And last but not least, Garmin tech support is second to none. No matter who you speak to they are knowledgeable, professional and will provide answers to anything you can throw at them (and I come up with some good ones) all without making you feel like you're annoying or a technological moron.
  
  Therefore, I don't think you can go wrong with any Garmin, if you can swallow the price of the unit.
  
  
  

• Zumo 550 with updated software (04/2007)

  
  By A2SM6CK60S0M4G on 2007-04-18
  I just wanted to comment on the Zumo 550 with current software. I purchased this unit about 3 weeks ago and before I got it I was a little disheartened by some people's reviews on some lacking features. However when i got the unit and upgraded to the latest software (that was available as of 4/15/2007) many negative comments seem to have been addressed (if I'm understanding the commented issues correctly). First the views of the unit seem very flexable and I don't see the limitations. You can select between 2-D top down views for the people who are used to that view or 3-D. The unit has multiple levels of zoom/un-zoom from the big buttons on the outside as well as on the touch screen... I'm just not seeing any limitations. You can also taylor how much detail you want to see on the screen ( more or less). The only thing I do agree with is the Icon's used to show your position (you can choose between about 6 or so) are kind of large. Would have been nice to have the choice to alter that but I chose the 'wedge' and it works nicely with the screen size. Second, definitely a software upgrade was the addition of two different compus views.. .one small indication on the main map screen and a full 360 degree compus graphic with ELEVATION on a separate screen (selectable from the big rubber buttons or through the menu). The unit is unbelievable compared to earlier units I've had .. I can litterally stand in my family room under cover and turnaround and move 1 step (sometimes 2 is needed) and the unit will reflect the change in direction! I use this with a common motorola razr phone and a Scala Rider helmet bluetooth unit (on a shoei rf-1000 helmet) and everything works perfectly. Also, as far as weatherproofing the manual indicates it can be kept under 1 meter of water for 30 minutes! Great mounting hardware and super easy to use.. definitely a fantastic unit with the latest software upgrades. Thanks.
  
  

• Two steps forward, one step back

  
  By A3U8CE35272JNH on 2006-12-01
  The new Zumo 550 is a big step forward in ease of use, but sacrifices some of the flexibility of previous units (Streepilot series, x76C series). The touch screen display and integrated buttons on the left side of the unit are easy to use even with riding gloves, and the new locking mount is a big improvement. GPS reception also seems to be GREATLY improved; not getting lost under dense tree coverage. The display is relatively big, bright and clear; but difficult to read in really bright sunlight. Also, much of the screen is used for large display items and touch "buttons", so the actual map display is fairly small. The built in battery is an improvement over the StreetPilot, allowing the unit to be used when the motorcycle is off. The battery also allows the unit to be connected to a PC without an AC adapter.
  The new operating system is easy to learn and use, but lacks some of the flexibility of other units. Long time GPS users may feel restricted by the fixed display formats, but new users probably won't notice. The operating software still has a few bugs and route guidance prompts need some work, but Garmin does a good job of making updates available (with WebUpdater) and has already released v2.3.
  The MP3 player is simple to use but does not support playlists and still seems to have software bugs.
  I have linked the ZUMO to a bluetooth helmet (Dainese) and phone (LG-VX8500) and it seems to work very well. Although told that the MP3 would not work over bluetooth, it does in my set-up.
  In summary: even with the display restrictions and software issues this is a great GPS for motorcycle use.
  
  

• Zumo 550 on a Harley FLSTSC

  
  By A179NAYJ04KJWT on 2007-01-28
  The 550 works very well. Specs say it works between 32 & 140 degrees. I ride all winter - so far it works at 15 degrees F. Surprisingly easy to use with heavy winter riding gloves. The motorcycle mount is much cleaner than I expected. Very flexible, allowing the unit to tuck in close and not look dorky. The car mount is clean with an acceptable albeit not great speaker. It's VERY easy to move between vehicles. I was somewhat disappointed at first about the lack of a built in speaker, but if I need to walk around with it, it's no big deal to use your cell phone Bluetooth with it. Maybe that's the price you pay for a truely waterproof unit. While riding, you can hear the alert tone using a cell phone Bluetooth, but cannot understand the audio. I plugged in iPod ear buds into the bike mount and it sounds great without being obvious about being "plugged in" (I ride a half helmet). If you use a full face with built in speakers you will be very happy with the audio.
  Others complained about the lack of things like a real compass and satellite acquisition display and built in speaker. I have addressed the speaker issue. The compass displays eight points (like the one in the rear view mirror of your GM car). That's all I really need. Showing the satellites it has acquired is neat - but what do I really care - the thing is very sensitive. I get 5 of 5 bars IN my house. The MP3 player does work well although it does not have play lists. You can at least sort by album, artist and genre. To listen to decent quality audio, you will need ear buds. Displaying pictures looks good but the response is a little sluggish.
  Storing up to 50 routes is great - and being able to download them to Google Earth and visualize them is very slick (it does take Google Earth Plus - a $20 annual fee to support this feature).
  Overall I am VERY pleased with this unit - it does exactly what I need (and then some) - looks great - very sturdy.
  
  
  

• Zumo 550 Lacks Basic Functions

  
  By A36TRCWDIDZAU3 on 2007-01-05
  I purchased a Zumo 550 to go along with the many motorcycles I own. I thought it would be a nice tool to help navigate on my trips. It is a GPS and should be able to provide basic navigational information, right. Wrong! While Garmin added a lot of nice bells and whistles with Bluetooth and MP3 capability, it failed to include such basic functions as altitude and a compass that functions while the unit is navigating to a waypoint. It also fails to provide a heading indicator or any reference of direction on the route page. You can toggle to the trip information page and get a basic heading readout (N,S,W,E) but not a true compass heading. Give me a break.
  
  Garmin needs to provide the following fixes to this product.
  
  1. Provide altimeter readout. (this is a GPS isn't it?) It would be nice to know if you were operating at 500 feet or 15,000 feet.
  2. Provide a compass that is accessible not only while off road but while navigating a route.
  3. Provide a bearing indicator on the route page so that you can determine direction of travel while viewing this page. Again, it would be nice to look at the route page and be able to determine direction of travel. I know the Garmin 360 has a bearing pointer on the route page.
  
  Garmin dropped the ball on this one. The information I have outlined above is critical to a motorcyclist. I paid close to $1,000.00 for this product and it has in some instances less capability than a basic model. It also requires a $250+ antenna to receive XM radio. What gives?
  
  Garmin's marketing campaign sums it up best, "designed by bikers...motorcycle-friendly...high end navigation features ". I think not. Someone should have included a motorcyclist on their design team.
  
  
• Wow.
  By A3QLQJUHVBOB7K on 2007-04-08
  All the write-ups suggested this Zumo 550 was going to be impressive. They weren't wrong. The BIG positives, from my perspective:
  
  1. Satellite acquisition must be seen to be believed. In my basement it took less than 15 seconds, out of the box, first power-up. That performance has been repeated every time since, with the exception of first-power-up after upgrading the firmware to 3.2. Thereafter it went back to sub-20 second acquisition.
  
  2. Its built like it should be, like you wanted it to be. Solid. Its going to spend time on my Harley ElectraGlide and in my Corvette and I wanted someting that matched their image. I got it.
  
  3. Firmware upgrade was a 5 minute affair, no hassles, no fuss, no tears. Several nice new features were added, for my 5-minute investment.
  
  4. Interchangeable top and bottom plates, in contrasting black, are a nice little extra. They even included the Allen wrench for the 3-minute task.
  
  5. There's no need to buy extra (read, "expensive") accessories. This was the biggie, for me. This unit ships with a bike mount, complete with hard-wire power connector, AND it ships with a car-mount, with its own power connector. The fact that Garmin includes BOTH mounts with this unit was the deciding factor for me. The fact that both docking cradles with each mount are thoughtfully designed to allow super-quick, super-solid on and off mounting of the GPS unit itself, is a nice added plus. Also, the voice quality and volume of the built-in speaker in the car mount is impressive.
  
  6. Bluetooth pairing of both my Blackberry 8700 and my Jabra BT800 was simple and flawless. Thereafter, when the BB and the Jabra were on and the Zumo was insereted into either the bike mount or the car mount, the Zumo automatically paired back with each unit, within 30 seconds of being mounted. I love technology that works. The real zinger was that the Zumo synched the 400-odd contacts in my BB8700, inside of 45 seconds.
  
  7. For me, simply put, Garmin hit a BIG homerun with the design, execution and packaging of their new Zumo 550. Is it expensive? Not really, considering I didn't need to go out and scrounge up the expensive extras Garmin included for free. And the little things, like designing a magnetically-positioned weather cover for the bike's connector pins, is just icing on a big, well-decorated cake.
  
  Bravo, Garmin.
  
  
• Garmin Zumo
  By A3O6RWKNAWZ5KQ on 2006-11-24
  Looks Great and works great but do not purchase for the XM radio feature.
  The Manual is very sketchy about the radio and you have to purchase a 300 dollar antenna to make it work and no other details about the quality of the radio. Other than the XM the Zumo's displays and ease of operating is execlent.
  
  
• Garmin Zumo 550 and Mapsource City Nav NT 8.0
  By ATEK08JXHC1LG on 2007-02-21
  Hardware:
  
  This one is quite good, and I give it a 5 Star rating.
  Easy to use, fairly intuitive, and WebUpdater software for updating the firmware inside the unit. Good brightness for motorcycle riders that have no shielding from direct sunlight (as car drives do).
  Glove friendly is not just a selling point - it works quite well.
  
  Software:
  
  Routing is mainly subject to the included Garmin Mapsource City Navigator NT 8.0 which is included and pre-installed on the unit.
  
  Once routes are transferred to the unit, they seem to work well.
  
  Software is dismal. One star rating is kind.
  
  I use MS Streets & Trips and it routes well, and has more granularity over the options and preferences in the routing tools.
  
  It would seem that Garmin is a hardware company, and software us just a liability and not an asset. I have two previous versions and find no substantial differences between them.
  
  The average is therefore 3 stars.
  
  
  
• New gps user learns on the zumo
  By A2GXSL5UFVS09T on 2007-02-14
  The zumo is awesome. I knew I would like having gps with me while I ride, but I never knew how much it would change the way I ride. I use it to find small twisty back roads, make a route on the fly, and spend more time on my idea of nice roads than ever in the past.
  
  The controls are easy to use and intuitive. I have only had to look a couple of processes up in the owner's manual.
  
  The mounting systems are spectacular. It is so nice to be able to swap the unit between my car and bike effortlessly.
  
  I purchased a 1G card to put music on while I ride. It works very well when it pauses the music to give verbal directions.
  
  Compared to the prices of other systems, if you ride a bike, this is the best.
  
  
• Great stuff!!
  By A3LUWGB6EOJEC on 2007-01-15
  What a great tool for relieving STRESS. StressBuster ...recently traveling through Washington d.C. in my car, it got me where i wanted to be, with out missing a beat....normally a trip into D.C. nightmare convoluted streets has me cussin and talking to myself, first trip into with my new ZUMO....never leave home without it. Does everything it supposed to...super clear display, exactly accurate. One of the best things I ever purchased. Get it, it's GREAT. Looks like amazon has teh best price too. I didn't pay anywhere near list from another supplier, when it wasn't on amazon when i ordered it back in Oct 06' it was BO for a long time from other supplier, now it looks like Garmin has em out there, it's a great product. If I waited till amazon got it , I wouldn't have had it when i needed it, so the extra $40 i paid, was worth the stress releif, it's incredilbe tool.
  
  
• Motorcycle GPS
  By A3PB6HZFRLZ8YR on 2007-07-20
  As you can see 4 stars. It is not perfect. I have been a Magellan user for 4 years and I first purchased a Magellan for my Motorcycle. It broke twice probably because it couldn`t take the vibration. Magellan doesn't make a GPS for Motorcycles.
  
  I then tried the Tom Tom and was totally disappointed. It couldn't bee seen much better than My Magellan in sunlight and the map area on the screen was too small due to the on screen menu items. I packed it up and sent it back within two hours of looking at it.
  
  The second time my Magellan broke, I ordered the Zumo. It doesn't have many of the features I am used to with my Magellan, and I am somewhat prejudiced because I am not used to the Zumo. On my first major trip, I missed an exit on the NY Thruway and It took me almost 50 miles out of the way because I unknowingly had an option of no U turns checked off. On several other trips it wanted to take me out of the way.
  
  It is however, made for motorcycles. It even has a motorcycle icon on it. If you use it in your car and with your motorcycle, it will also automatically change configurations when it is changed from the motorcycle mount to the automobile mount.
  
  There are various screens that you can turn to which show other functions of your travel and your trip. The speed is shown when you are on the map and one other window. This is important as most motorcycle speedometers are not accurate. They usually read 10% slower than your actually speed. After you look at your speed you must multiply the reading by .9. Too much driver inattention.
  
  The handlebar mount allows the unit to be right up in your face so that you don't have to take your eyes off the road to see it. I do not use my speedometer any more. It is not very bright in direct sunlight and I intend to purchase or make a sun-shield for it.
  
  On the trip window, it tells you your average speed for the trip, the average speed while moving and your highest speed. You can zero them individually. There is a gas gauge. It works by you in-putting the range of your full tank and it will notify you when you have thirty miles left. It then shows an Icon on the screen to locate gas stations in the area.
  
  I could go on, but you can see I am pleased. I understand that this is a new unit and that the system will be upgrades as they get user comments.
  
  Well I am off to learn about the traffic system as the satellite radio system that I think are internal and that you only have to purchase antennas for. It is probably easier for a user to learn it that has not used a different system. I still use my Magellans in my autos (cages)
  
  
• Buggy Software
  By A35XANP1JDZ210 on 2007-08-27
  I've had the Zumo 550 for just over a month now and during that time it has locked-up in the power off mode multiple times while in the cradle. The only way to get the unit to power back on is to remove and re-install the battery using a 2mm hex wrench (not included). The unit does have some nice features but its lack of dependability make it more toy than tool. If you're considering a purchase check out the ZumoForums online. There are multiple accounts of new Zumos with the same problem I had. Kudos to Amazon for shipping out a replacement (I had owned the unit a few days too long to qualify for a refund, which I would have preferred.) but my discussions with Garmin and others' experience doesn't make me hopeful that this will have been a good investment.
  
  
• Better after the updates
  By AKJJOPDX9WMEQ on 2007-02-27
  This unit was sent as a replacement for a stolen 2730 with GXM30 ant. At first I missed the 2730 but after using the Zumo for a month now, cant say I miss the 2730 at all. The ability to move the unit between car and bike is a huge plus, or the ability to use the unit with its internal battery is a huge plus. Jump into a friends car and just sit it in a console, it picks up the gps signal just fine. It even works in every room of my house unlike the older garmin units that required a clear view of the sky. The GXM30 ant is the only gripe, it plugs into the cradle and can be somewhat of a hassle to switch back and forth between vehicles.
  
  While other GPS units might work better in different applications, the ZUMO hits the spot for dual use in a cage and on a bike. Plus the form factor allows one to put it in a jacket or back pack for use any and everywhere.
  
  
• Garmin Got It Right!
  By A1IDS0L5ZOSVF on 2007-05-18
  Just returned from a 2 week stint in NM with the Zumo 550 mounted on my GoldWing. This thing works great. Piped the audio thru the Aux input.
  The system acquires satellite signals very quickly, the menu structure is intuitive, the touch screen works very easily and is easy to read even in bright sun and from behind a dark visor, the audio volume was excellent even at 80MPH on interstate and the turn by turn instructions are well timed to give riders plenty of time to adjust lane positions and riding speed. You can give it your estimated gas mileage and at end of a tank it will present you with a gas pump icon which, when touched, lists the nearest gas stations to your position. Touch the gas station you want and it will route you to it. The Zumo was great support and a joy to use during my ride. I found only two very minor "quirks". If you add the optional SD card as I did, you will need to format it as a FAT32. I formatted as NTFS and the MP3 files were not recognized although my personal POI file was recognized. Also, when you load additional maps, I loaded some US TOPO maps, the Zumo defaults to its internal City Navigator and it "flashes the Topo to let you know that it's there. To get the Topo map you have to deselect the City Navigator. Neither of these "quirks" was covered by reading the owner's manual. All in all this is an awesome system that does not disappoint. Garmin got the Zumo design right!
  
  
• Garmin from Amazon
  By A1G1LMTHLCEB88 on 2007-07-23
  This product is advertised as "new" in box and is definitely not. The first time I ordered the product it came in an open box with stickers off of the unit, no shrink wrap around the box, cables undone, etc. I was upset because of the price I paid for the item that was represented as brand new. I sent it back to Amazon and they assured me this would not happen again. The next unit that was delivered also was opened and not new as advertised.
  
  I have heard the product is great, I just would not recommend purchasing from amazon until they can get their advertising correct.
  
  
  
  
• Garmin Zumo 550 Great Positioning System
  By A1VEK4770BP2YH on 2007-02-07
  In the case of this superb Garmin product, that's what GPS should stand for. I've owned multiple GPS systems in the past. This one is the best. Out of the box, I put it on my dashboard and conducted a nighttime tour of WASH, DC for my wife's family. With precision the ZUMO 550 took me from one monument to the next. If I missed a term, before it could say recalculating, it cut itselft off at "Recalc.." Turn Right... it would give new directions. That's FAST. Sure it has options I will never use, like XM radio and FM traffic but the Bluetooth comes in very handy with my cell phone and bluetooth enable headset. Price was great, delivery was quick. Highly recommend both Amazon and GARMIN GPS 550.
  
  
• Zumo lives up to expectations
  By A29PEUGXR8ZQIV on 2007-03-13
  The Zumo was highly touted in numerous publications, prior to its release. It lives up to the best of these recommendations and then some. I have previous experience in boats and airplanes with use of similar products so it did not take long to pick up the basic functions; needless to say there is not a great deal of motorcycle riding in North Dakota in February but I did utilize the audomobile adaptor (included) on a recent trip to Orlando, Florida to visit the typical theme parks; I have always found the area to be particularly difficult to navigate due the crowed traffic conditions as well as a town that appears to have grown too quickly; nonetheless the Zumo performed flawlessly and saved much time and potential frustation; I did find a predictable flaw when I, through no fault of Zumo, missed a turn and was directed to make an immediate U turn; the problem was that there was six lanes of very busy traffic; the machine did quickly recover and provided an alternate routing, or "recalibrating" to use the words of the very nice lady in the unit; highly recommended; I can't wait until spring to use it on one of my bikes for cross country trips.
  
  
• Broke down in 3 weeks
  By A27R3EMITRHV9C on 2007-04-04
  Product just quit working 3 weeks after I got it. Sent it back to manufacturer (Garmin) who said they would have it fixed on a priority and over-nighted back to me. That was almost two weeks ago and have not gotten it back yet. Still waiting.
  
  
• Great Bike GPS
  By ATOSVUX3WVIJA on 2007-05-13
  I stewed over this for about a year. Researched TomTom Rider and Zumo from their release forward. Read reviews, found a place to see one in person. Set web price watch flags. Then had a price flag for the Zumo on Amazon and a gift refund from Amazon and couldn't hold off any longer. I hope you don't have to put yourself through this anticipation and am writing to re-assure you that this is a cool device.
  
  Works well on my motorcyle integrating in with the dash as I mounted it on the left handle bar of my Yamaha FJR-1300 sport touring bike. At that level the screen is a perfect size, bright enough to be seen in daylight with shades on, and doesn't block any of my instruments. The bracket is very secure and the added screw security pin is reassuring. The controls are easy enough to use through gloves. The movement is clear and smooth and all of the funtionality as described by others is perfect for a motorcycle. The Blue-tooth worked great with my Scala Rider TeamSet pair of headsets, allowing both the rider and passenger to converse and hear the Zumo (directions, MP3, phone, etc.)
  
  Took it on my next business trip and forgot to cancel the Hertz Neverlost that I always order. Put it on the windshield clip and watched them work at the same time... Zumo is a better car GPS too. I have a GPS in my two cars built in (Jaguar & Toyota). Really other than screen size there is no real difference in response. And the Zumo has the flexibility of downloading your track (like breadcrumbs) to your PC, or letting you create a route on the PC (even see it on Google Earth) and upload it to the Zumo. I can see people posting the data files for their favorite twisty trails online soon!
  
  Haven't found anything that isn't great. Absolutely no buyer's remorse. And as always the interaction with Amazon and the Premium shipping subcription gets things to my door before I expect them. If you have the $$ this is a great toy to add to your toy!
  
  
• A Great Product
  By ABOQRBPPK1O5W on 2007-05-17
  I had read the reviews posted on this web site and others. So after purchasing this product I also ordered the FM accessory as well.
  Once I received it I updated all the firmware. Made my own mount for my vehicle so I could use the automotive mount provided. I made a trip to downtown L.A. and usually I have to call the account to get directions even after printing out directions from mapquest. I have to say I made the trip there and back with out a problem. Not because of my skills as a navigator. I missed an exit ramp but the Garmin got be right back on track. I missed a turn and the unit corrected my directions. Then on the way home with major traffic the GPS routed me around it and got me home faster then I ever have accomplished on my own. I would recommend this to anyone for motorcycles and cars. It is the highest rated non dashboard mount GPS around. I have to agree it truly is a great product.
  
  
• can't live without it now
  By A30SB4LFAVZNHL on 2007-09-02
  I researched a lot of GPS devices before choosing this one, and I am very happy with it. I take it on my bike and car, and took it with me on a recent trip to Colorado, hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park.
  
  Having a GPS on the bike really frees me up to be able to ride off in any direction, taking any roads I come to, and I never have to worry about getting lost. Plus I don't have to get a map out all the time. Say I'm out for a lazy ride just going wherever and a rain storm pops up. I just enter a destination or press 'home' on the Zumo, and I don't have to worry about trying to remember the route I took.
  
  The navigation engine works pretty well. Occasionally it will get confused by a vague address, but usually if you make sure you use common sense and don't let it do all the thinking for you, you'll be fine. An example of this: my workplace is at a large piece of property at the intersection of two roads, and it tells me to go a quarter mile past the entrance I usually use and make a u-turn.
  
  On a recent vacation, my rental car had the Hertz Neverlost GPS (Magellan) in it, and the Garmin's directions were equal or better in most situations (I had a local with me who was critiquing the results).
  
  The map info in my unit was already a little bit old, however--when directing me to a restaurant on my vacation, it had me going around in circles until I realized that the empty building I kept passing was most likely the former location of the restaurant, which was apparently no longer in business.
  
  The map updates seem a bit pricey to me (~$60).
  
  I don't live in a big metro area so I didn't bother with any of the traffic routing services. The XM Radio antenna is expensive, so I didn't go with that option either.
  
  The Zumo is advertised as having 'glove-friendly' touch-screen. It really does work well--even when using the on-screen keyboard layout to type in addresses and locations--the accuracy is spot-on.
  
  Installation on the bike is simple and took me about fifteen minutes. Bare leads are provided to attach the motorcycle mount to your battery--you may need to stop by the hardware store and get some spade terminals to attach it to your battery. You may want to attach it somewhere to switched power--I have mine directly to the battery, so I have to remember to turn it off when leaving the bike, but it is pretty obvious that it is on.
  
  A cool feature of the Zumo is a separate odometer to track your fuel tank on the bike. It only counts that odometer when it is attached to the bike mount--any place else and it doesn't count the mileage off your gas tank. When your fuel gets low, it pops up with a little fuel pump icon that searches for the nearest fuel station when pressed.
  
  
• Misleading Concerning XM
  By AJSU7IVU32DM8 on 2008-03-18
  Garmin says that only an antennae is needed to use the built in XM capabilities. That is not correct. The Garmin does not have an XM receiver in it so you have to buy a special "antennae" listed at $270 and $200 on Amazon. It is the only way to use the XM function and is 1/3 the price of the GPS itself. Garmin are taking advantage of customers and are providing misleading advertising implying that only an antennae is needed. To those of us accustomed to XM and what typical antennaes cost it is quite a shock when we go to use all the capabilities of the GPS.
  
  
• Buyer Beware
  By A1BDFKOXX08AM on 2008-03-31
  Bought this item on Amazon.com. They provided one of those "Buy this item with..." and recommended a carrying case. I clicked on that option. What they didn't tell me was that a case was included with the GPS unit. When I went to return the extra case that they recommended, I was told that I must pay for return shipping because it wasn't Amazon's fault. The GPS itself is great. Easy to set up, and all of my address book is accessible.
  
  
• I hope the second GPS works better than the first one.
  By A2ZBU4B9HTDMDA on 2007-03-21
  The GPS worked fine for a couple of days and then it never turned on again. I sent a mail to DIGITECHDEALS and they told me to send them the GPS and they would send me a new one. The new shall arrive this week. Fast response from DIGITECHDEALS.
  
  
• Wonderful product
  By A1XGRZJQDTNM3O on 2007-04-13
  What a great product !!! Well designed , fast response times, all the items you need are included( bike & car mounts etc) A wider screen ,and hard buttons on the right side for direct mp3 control would make it perfect( you have to go through a few screens to get to the mp3 controls) , but this is their first generation motorcycle GPS(I guess a Zumo 650 will be next) . Over all, a fantastic and usefull addition to my bike & car . It's kind of like a IPOD, very easy to use but very sophisticated.
  
  
• almost perfect
  By AT41MJX6RKVU5 on 2007-06-27
  I love the navagation screen. The 3d effect allows me to quickly determine where I'm going. The satallite radio is the best! Rode 800 miles listening to weather and non-stop music. Love the MP3 player as well, although found out that songs purchased on itunes won't play on it. The only real complaint I have is that the unit needs to be placed in the cradle perfectly and the contacts completely dust free or it thinks it should run on battery power thereby disabling the audio. The motocycle mount is a little vibration prone adding some static to the audio. This on a 2007 BMW K1200 GT, a pretty smooth bike. I made some vibration isolators out of medical tubing and that fixed the problem.
  
  
• The Zumo 550 for Motorcycle use.
  By A3BZ737TWCC59 on 2007-09-16
  I've been using the Zumo 550 on my motorcycle (Yamaha FJR1300) for about a month now and am very pleased with the performance and ease of use. Very user friendly and a quick learn. I have it tied to my Autocom AVI pro unit and it gives very clear audio and better sterio Mp3 sound than my little Zen Mp3 player did when it was tied to the Autocom. I did find that it didn't recognize a 4 year old, paved, back-road I often travel in northern Calif. (between LaPorte and Quincy) but will see if there are mapping updates available to rectify this. The Mapsource Software is not as user friendly as the MicroSoft Streets and Trips I am used to but maybe with more practice I'll become more profficient with it?. I have used the coordinate search tool with the software and it is very neat. Overall, this is a very nice GPS and with more practice, I know I'm going to like it even more.
  
  
• Zumo 550 problems
  By A299EGLQSRJ7IH on 2008-02-02
  I have now had two Zumo 550's completely fail. The first made it three weeks, the second made it 4 weeks-Failure is the same on both units-simply died (not a battery issue).
  
  As the weather prohibits riding a MC at the moment, my only experience with the 550 has been in a car. When it works, very good and easy to use.
  
  While the store replaced the first one (and they will replace the second one), I expect much better from a product at this price point. I will be asking for a refund at this point.
  
  Suffice it to say that I have zero confidence that this unit will survive when exposed to the vibrations and weather on a motorcycle!
  
  
• Garmin Zumo 550 and Mapsource
  By A12ERQ4CKL1X4 on 2008-06-13
  I purchased this over the TomTom Rider for it's positive reviews and features. This Garmin model 5550 is supplied with more accessories than the TomTom Rider. You would just have to purchase what you need seprately. Read the customers reviews guys. Make sure this expensive piece of electronics has what you want alng the ease of use. Many Amazon reviews have been helpful.
  
  I ordered the Zumo 550 along with a 2G memory for extra storage. The memory card has not arrived yet so I cannot comment it their compatibility/usage together.
  
  The first thing I did was check out the GPS and all its accessories. I charged it with its supplied AC wall charger for about 3 hours. I then connected it to a USB port and registered it online. I installed the Map Source NT disk onto my desktops desktop, and unlocked that as well. There is a update for the map that expires in 90 days then you will have to pay for it. A product key code is provided with it before you download so write it down. I downloaded the update to my desktop and did not touch it until I backed up the Garmin program. I found on some reviews some folk's Garmin Zumo 550 gave them problems after the download.
  I clicked on "My Computer" and it recognized the Zumo as a drive. I backed up the Garmin onto my desktop. It was about 1.09 gig. Installed the Mapsource supplied CD and nad the instructions say to disconnect from the computer and power off power on the unit. No problems. I installed the update and had a beer. It took a while even with my desktop Gateway's 4G RAM maxed out and a 2.39GHZ Pentium III. I guess I have a dinosaur. I also downloaded the free icons you can change for the Zumo 550. They looked like fun to fool with. It downloaded/saved as a zipped file.
  
  The mapsource NT and update installed successfully. I played around with th Zumo in my living room and got full GPS signal strength. It has a few Mp3s installed for a demo I suppose. The Zumo has mutlilangual capabiliies. I erased the foreign languages.
  
  A few quirks about my unit. I entered my address as a home and it showed up a bit down the road on the GPS. I did the same for my parents adn showed their address a 1/10 where it actually is. I haven't called Garmin to inquire why this is yet. I tried the address changes with the WAAS/EGNOS enabled too. No difference.
  
  Some folks commented it doesn' show elevation. It does. just tap the screen for more info. The power button worked fine I did not have to apply a ton of force as others stated. The unit has its safe mode activated. It is a nanny program to keep you from entering things while operating your vehicle. I set the safe mode off. Also if you decide on the unit, set the map detail to "most" it will display alot of detail. For example. I a co-woker who had a pond dug on his property via bulldozer and a few springs were hit. The pond filled itself 18 ft deep and was dug 4 yrs ago. It shows up on the GPS as a bule body of water as I approached in my Ranger and passed it. The Zumo displays water near subdidisions that are les than 7 years old as well. The CD manual claims with the WAAS/EGNOS enabled it consumes more power but it won't dim yor headlights if connecterd to a power source in your vehicle. It warns you if you use the batery on it.
  The Mapsource is an easy trip planner. Almost like using Google maps. I stay away from Mapquest. It has mislead me a few times on trips. However this can happen with any GPS systems because of ionosphereric disturbances and the fact that the earth rotates about 1000 mph at the equator.
  
  I don't have a Blue Tooth wireless phone system. Nor have I decided to get XM radio. The extra $12.00 a month for subscription is needed to keep the gas in the tanks.
  
  I have only tried it once in the truck using the supplied windshield mount. It changes color for night driving if it is set to "auto" you canset it day, night, or auto if you wish. Trips can be rerouted on the fly and you can add another way point before your destination at any time. Just be sure you are stopped or have a passenger do this. Anytime you are not concentrating on driving it is dangerous.
  
  After you learn where all the features are and what they do, you should be pleased with the Zumo 550 if you should so decide to purchase it.
  
  
• Seller does't know their own products
  By AHEGE510JWIYJ on 2008-08-20
  I asked the person who I spoke why there was such a difference in prices from one retailer to another. He told me that the differences where because of the different versions of the machines and that I would not be able to update an older unit with new software.
  
  With this information I bought the unit from 17th Street Photo.
  
  When I called Garmin they told me that there is no different versions and that any updates would be available to me after buying the unit. With this information I could have bought it from another store at a lower price.
  
  I gave my review regarding my purchase, but after finding out from Garmin that there is no difference between years or (versions as I was told) I change my review.
  
  The following day a representative from 17th Street Photo called me asking me to change my review for a 20 dollar refund, I told them that I would have to think about it and to call me back later.
  
  I found this to be insulting and when they called me back I told them that I would not change my review and that in fact I was going to change my review again letting other customers know what they were doing to gain a better review, they then offered me 30 dollars to remove my review, but I refused.
  
  I believe that people should know what this company is doing to gain the trust of customer to buy their products. If they had no stars that's what I would have given them.Garmin 010-00567-00 Zumo 550 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Motorcycle Navigator
  
  

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