I haz GPS

[twist]

Finally received my Garmin Zumo 660 from GPSCity and installed it.  It's on a Techmount, right between my handlebars.  It's positioned so that it's right below the instrument cluster when viewed from the riding position.  I used the supplied motorcycle cradle, and bought the Nav system connector from BMW.  BMW already has a plug for Nav systems, it's in under the instrument cluster in front of where the horn is mounted.  I soldered the connector I got from BMW to the wire from the cradle, plugged it in and routed the cable with zip ties along some other cables. (Actually, I also soldered a splitter in place, in case I want to plug in a radar detector later.)

[rino]

Will your clip on tank bag still work with it positioned there?

[ksann]

Love the Techmounts.

Slick.



Now you just need to plug in a California address, and head West before the winter  



ken

[twist]

Will your clip on tank bag still work with it positioned there?

I don't have a clip on tank bag.

[Ant]

What are your views on the 660 then?
My venerable Quest has just died and I am looking to replace it... I'm just wondering whether I can justify £400 on a GPS!!  

How is the screen visibility in bright sunlight, speed of routing etc?
It looks like quite a nice sized unit, although anything is going to be better than my Quest in that regard

[Scratch33]

Innaresting.   I'm looking to replace my 2610 sometime in the next year, since Garmin's no longer providing updates for it.

[twist]

How is the screen visibility in bright sunlight, speed of routing etc?

The resolution and speed are just like the Nuvi car units - way better than the Zumo 550 that it replaced.  Routing is fast.  It's hard to see in bright sunlight at certain angles - I haven't used it enough yet to adjust it properly.  Bluetooth won't pair with the old Nolan N-Com Bluetooth Kit, but pairs with the new Bluetooth Kit 2.  I think it requires A2DP from a headset.

[Ant]

I may have just ordered one  
For work purposes of course... so it can go on expenses... Finding customers sites and what-not...  Yeah that'll do it

[Ant]

Right, I've had some time to ride with the 660 as well as a bit of use in the car...

Before this Zumo I had a Garmin Quest that did everything I needed, I really liked that unit even though it was small and didn't have a touch screen. Unfortunately it has now gone to Silicon Heaven to join the calculators and toasters. The 660 was released just as it died and I took the plunge just before the prices sky rocketed  

Things I like:

• Very big, bright screen.
• Phone numbers for the POI.
• Touch screen that is designed for fat fingered motorcyclists who are wearing gloves.
• Waterproof bike bracket so the contacts don't corrode in bad weather.
• Bluetooth seems like it should be quite good, it pairs with my iPhone quite nicely and access all of my contacts as it should do. I haven't used it in anger though yet so that remains to be seen. I will probably never use the BT functionality but I'm sure I will give it a go at some point
• Very quick at calculating routes and recalculating when you miss the turning it wants you to take.

Things I don't like:

• The fact that any route that I import from MapSource has to be recalculated once it is on the Zumo... 9 times in every 10 the route is the same, but if I've spent half an hour fettling a route in MapSource I don't want it diddling with when it is imported. Garmin are reported to be working on a fix for this issue so we will see.
• The level of detail on the map while riding is a little disappointing, if you're on some small country road somewhere it can look like you're in the middle of no where with no roads around you. It seems very aggressive at filtering the minor roads from the display. I don't find it to be a major issue but it can be a little disconcerting sometimes.

Things I really really don't like and make me wonder whether I'm going to get along with this GPS:

The screen is cr*p in direct sunlight. It is absolutely shockingly bad. I have turned the brightness all the way to maximum and yet the glare swamps the screen when the sun is... well... anywhere. This is UK sun as well! Not real sun like you get in the rest of the world. I never had a problem with screen visibility and the Quest, even though it was slightly glossier than the Zumo. I assume that it is something to do with the fact that the Zumo is a touchscreen? Maybe?
I need to investigate some anti-glare stickers or something like that to see if I can improve the visibility, failing that then I will have to see if I can make a kind of hood.


I'm happy with this GPS and I can't see me sending it back based on the screen, I can view it if I just hold my hand over the unit to shade it. I just don't think I should have to. Any suggestions on anti-glare coatings/stickers that I can investigate?

[twist]

The screen is cr*p in direct sunlight. It is absolutely shockingly bad. I have turned the brightness all the way to maximum and yet the glare swamps the screen when the sun is... well... anywhere.

Tilt it down some more - it'll still have glare, but will be more readable.

[Tweety1]

I have the Zumo 660 as well, bought early from Garmin using the AMA 20% discount.  That discount is gone, but a 17% one still is around.

It is mounted on my bike with a ZTechnik 6131 clutchmount bracket, and tilted I only have glare going a certain direction, and I can extend out a shoulder to shadow it.

I used it solid for 10 days to and from the MOA Rally in TN, and it was flawless in plotting, finding lodging, food, playing music, Audible books, and working with the phone.  I use a wired Starcom ST004 headset/mike for now, and it works well to 80, just OK higher.

Here are some pics of mine.

on the bike:




in the garage on map (the street names appear out on the street)




in the mount:





There is a very nice review here: http://www.prades.net/zumo660/

[tigertom1965]

I should have gotten the 660. I instead bought the 550.

Things about the 550 I don't like:
-BT is not in stereo (A2DP)
-Having trouble figuring out how to save a location once I drive there.
-It cannot figure out directions to somewhere if you are in a parking lot because it doesn't know how to get to the road from where you are.
-If you load a route and don't start from the beginning you can only go to the start (Gives you directions back to the start point) or try to figure out on your own how to get to the route from where you are. Which sucks if you stop part way to find a gas station or something and have to find your way around unfamiliar roads.
-The maps need to be updated but there are no map updates available.
-it always tries to reroute you back the same direction if you mish a turn or find a road closed. Example Road is closed so I turn around to go a different way. It tries to reroute me to that original road everytime you pass an intersection.
-Car speaker is not loud enough even at full 100% output. It is very loud using the motorcycle output with earplugs though even at 20%.
-If you create a route one way and want to follow that route at the end of the trip you can't just say navigate to the beginning. That will cause the Zumo to recalculate its own way to the beginning instead of folowing the route backwards. For me I created a route to NH to avoid a bridge out. On the way back I used the Zumo calculation and had to bypass the bridge out and listen to the ZUMO tell me its recalculating 5 times until I got to the road I had on my route. What a PITA!
-I still am not sure how to load a create a point using the points coordinates.
-The PC software sucks. Especially when trying to go through intermediate waypoints.
-The motorcycle bracket has the power adapter connect behind the Zumo. If I want to remove the Zumo and hide it in the glovebox, I have to unscrew the locking screw for the Zumo, remove the ZUMO from the bracket, unscrew two tiny a$$ screws (Guaranteed to drop 1) , then pry the power cable off, then place everything in glove box, then you have to reverse the process to put it back on. Why do I do this you ask? The bracket is what $30 or so plus the extras to mount it.

I think I will get the 660 if it is better and sell my 550. I should have spent the extra $100 the first time.