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My "Made for MotorCycles" Garmin Zumo-450 compared to my older Magellan RoadMate300 unit in actual use was a ($477) list of disappointments that I am not willing to accept. It's small screen, no built in speaker for car use, crude 2D or 3D graphical map (even at high detail setting), missing direction to final destination arrow, total miles to destination deeply hidden and no visual preview of the approaching curves ahead at ANY zoom level make it annoying. I must be spoiled by the old unit's larger, practical and graphically informative display, but THAT much money should have much improved practical usage. It took a while to fashion a minimalist, permanent, tank filler bolts bracket because the ball mount setup it comes with made the base unit too easy to quickly steal it, unless you purchase the lockable knob.

I replaced my 4+ year old GPS because the 2 CDR disks that install the mapping software were minutely scratch damaged when we moved, program crash on install and the last good installations of that software died on both a failing notebook hard drive and reformatted DeskTop PC. Since I do not have that program, the old 80KB memory GPS only has interstate US highways on it's firmware with not much detail. I have SD chips with FL, GA, OH, PA and CT on it but no Arkansas.
Support from Magellan has dried up for my old RoadMate 300 (N.America). Can't even get replacement map install CDR's that I need from them!!! Somewhere out there on the net a diskcopy is available or a working Time Machine where I can go back in time and backup-copy my install disks (and buy more stocks of both UTX and Microsoft!!).

Worst part of all of this is that I am suffering now for carelessly violating the Golden Rule of valuable Installation Software: Copy and store the Originals, then only use the copied disk(s).

On the plus side the Zumo plays MP3.s, displays JPG's and finds the satellites really fast! It's left hand buttons mean you can hold the throttle on while changing the screen zoom or music/voice volume. It's waterproof and made of fuel resistant materials. Setting the "Where To?" destination and getting the final result is really quick, within 20 seconds for a 728 mile trip.. I even easily changed the opening splash full screen to a great JPG pic of my bike.

EDIT: To correct model name and delete what can only be described as angry misjudgments. See re-post way below.

What software does your old Roadmate use? Mapsend DirectRoute? I still use my handheld Magellan. If there's any way I can help you out send me a pm.

DSKYZD

CycleRob, why didn't you look at the Garmin Zumo 550? I thought that was their 'motorcycle friendly' model?

Mark

DSKYZD,
My RoadMate 300 uses "NAVTEQ On Board, North America, p/n 500168, V1.00f"
It's likely dedicated to the RoadMate 300's firmware, so I'll need to find another RoadMate user. Thanks for the offer.


mcooperstein,
The Zumo 550 is the same unit with BlueTooth added.

Going to Fry's now for a hand's on experience of other large screen GPS units with internal speakers. A M/C only unit is NOT as great a concept as I originally thought, when compared to the graphically superior larger screen automotive units. The Magellan 4000 Maestro is more of what I wanted and lots cheaper.

Since there's a 10% restocking return fee and a 30 day return window, I am now taking it to the Mini-Bash in Ozark this weekend. It's possible the good things about it (there are many) will wear me down & I'll keep it.

CycleRob wrote:DSKYZD,
mcooperstein,
The Zumo 550 is the same unit with BlueTooth added.

CycleRob - Are you sure? I went to the Garmin site, and don't even see any reference to a Nuvi-450. There *is* however a Zumo 450, and yes it differs from the Zumo 550 by the Bluetooth functionality. I have been looking at the Zumo 550 and am close to getting one, but if you say its not good..well, I might need to look elsewhere. TomTom has a motorcycle friendly model too, and its a bit cheaper.

Mark

Wow really? I love my nuvi 350.

Wow, did I get mixed up. My unit is a Garmin Zumo 450 and after using it for the entire bash trip I've not only decided to keep it but also purchase the speaker equipped windshield mount docking station for use in my truck or Ann's Civic. For my 728 mile Ozark Bash trip I used a 12V cigarette lighter cord to power one 12V home computer speaker plugged into the earphone jack for 4 wheeler use only. The tremendous, clear volume (with "tone" adjustment) easily overpowered the radio.

The problem I was experiencing with not seeing the curves ahead was because of using the "North Up" setting with too close a zoom distance. When in "North Up" configuration, your vehicle is mid screen, leaving not much advance warning of sharp curves ahead. Changing to "Heading Up" puts your vehicle bottom center screen with double the view ahead like with my old unit. Besides, who cares what roads are behind you?? Using the "North Up" setting can be real confusing when heading South and a right turn comes up.

THE GOOD Where this GPS really shines is:
-- Visibility in bright Sunlite is excellent and the darker nitetime display auto changes by the sunset clock time where you are.
-- Large text showing the next turn off street name and distance to it almost negates need for voice prompts.
-- Full trip speed/time/distance calculations with elevation, compass heading and fuel miles remaining.
-- When fuel miles (you set) runs out, a gas pump icon appears mainscreen. Touching it changes to a screen with every named gas station near you, arrow direction and miles to it. All the arrows and miles to each station change in real time as you travel. It was fun to watch them all change at 75mph on the interstate.
-- It powers off in 30 sec when 12V DC power is lost unless you select not to.
--It auto powers ON when 12V power comes on with the ignition key.
-- When it powers up it finds the satellites & is ready to go in under 30 sec.
-- Choosing a previous destination takes 3 screen taps and it's ready with instructions before my gloves are on.
-- The routing changes with the vehicle type you select. "Car/MotorCycle" takes shortest/fastest route, whereas "Truck" uses longer, less direct roads and highways with less stops, turns & business routes. Other selections are also available.
-- The return trip route can be very different yet be the same distance. Time of day must have been factored in the calculations
-- No external antenna to get in the way or fall off.
-- Zoom distance is always displayed mainscreen, although extremely small.
-- Other different vehicle icons and voices are down loadable for free. I D/L'd the orange M/C and the British Female voice and really like it.
-- It NEVER made even one navigational error . . . . like my RoadMate300 was prone to.
-- Map redraw while finger dragging it is instantaneous and smooth.
-- First mapping and firmware update D/L was free.

THE BAD
-- NO built in speaker. That's really bad, but fixable with purchase of speaker equipped windshield docking station -or- (for now) use of 12V powered home computer speaker in the 4 wheelers.
-- Voice prompts or MP3 player do not work, by design, when on internal Li ion battery power.
-- Hey!!! It's $477 delivered!!
-- A 5" square screen would be great.
-- Power cord to docking station held in by 2 very tiny screws -instead of- an easy plug-in.
-- Still missing the "arrow" icon pointing to the actual destination point.


By the size of each category it's obvious that my Zumo-450 has won me over.

I put a zumo 450 on my 1200GSA before a 3,000 mile trip last month. I like it for much of the above reasons. I don't feel a real need for the voice commands as on long trips I use an Ipod with sound isolating earplugs anyway.

My only complaint is I wish you could disable points of interest like gas stations behind you. Sometimes the behind you stuff overwhelms the in front of you stuff. I don't like to backtrack.

I'm just using the supplied mount but keep the unit locked in my top box. I also wish the miles to destination was easier to see.

Somehow this my Zumo got scrambled (it was in West Texas) & this appeared:



The mount was good enough to survive down at least this dirt road, which did appear on the screen and did tell me which way to go:



BTW, on the 1200 series bikes there is a plug zip tied to the headstock that you can purchase a "BMW Repair Connector" for $25 that is a pig tail that plugs into said headstock plug, which will power both a GPS & a radar detector.

This connector will keep you from having to cut the plug off of the wiring harness by your steering column. It will plug directly into the power supply. It is important to only use wire #1=Brown(Ground) & wire #3=Hot. Just plug wire #2 off.

Part #PN is 83300413585


This is what it looks like connected to the factory power supply. This plug is not powered all the time. There is a 30/40 second delay before it shuts down after you switch the ignition off.

I bought a Zumo 550 at the beginning of the year.

For the pro's, I would add that Garmin has really made a committment to this product, and they have made significant (free) upgrades via firmware updates throughout the year. For example, the compass "rose" screen and the display of elevation were made in response to user requests. They seem to be a first rate company, and real people who speak your language answer the phone when you call.

Regarding hearing the sound while in your car, I would suggest either an inexpensive cassette adapter (less than $10) from Radio Shack, if your vehicle has a cassette player, or an FM modulator. My Toyota RAV 4 and many newer vehicles have an mp3 player jack, which is also a good way to hear the sound over the car's sound system.

Zumo's display screen to small. RAM mounted a Garmin Nuvi 660 and this thing works great. Big screen, MP3 Player, and has never failed to get me on the exact spot that I've keyed in. Mounted handle bar center on my R1150R and cig.socket bolted to top of air filter cover for wired 12V power. I would have bought the Zumo, I guess, if I rode alot in the rain. I don't ride in rain, or during the night, or on Friday evenings. Just to damn dangerous around this area. Nuvi 660 bit pricey ... but you get what you pay for, however, less than the Zumo! Just like their great NAV aircraft GPS units ... you just can't go wrong with a Garmin.