Sat Nav

[Doctor T]

I know you are all going to love this one.
Am looking for a new sat nav but can't make my mind up between a Garmin XT and a TomTom 550.
The Xt doesn't look as fluid as the 550 when zooming in or out. plus you have to like your phone on the XT to receive speed camera warnings.
The 550 has a smaller screen. I've read that it can send you on a mystery tour along your planned route. The TomTom mystery tour as its know can happen any time on your route. I.e send you via a carpark only to join the road you were on.
If you have the XT or 550 can i have your thoughts? Cheers

[Stu]

They both have their traits! it working them out and knowing how to use it and get around the traits that makes the difference

I have the Zumo XT bought from sportsbikeshop https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorc ... ,3203,1186

Usually they have the best prices

I also run this forum https://www.zumouserforums.co.uk/ there is a mass of knowledge on there about the XT and its quirks and how to get around them

[Steve398]

I’ve used Tomtoms since their first bike V1 satnav, then when I bought the RT a couple of years ago I sold the TT with the Pan and bought a Garmin. I was beguiled by the fact that the Garmin worked in conjunction with the bike, releasing utopian delights via the Wonder Wheel… then reality set in.

My personal opinion and experience - clunky and bewildering. OK, I haven’t been on Garmin's advanced course but I was foolish enough to try to plot a trip on it using their horrendous planning software, utterly frustrating. I even found myself believing that there as a fault on the device so bought another, I was wrong. It also proved resistant to play nicely with my Sena comma set up, this was corroborated by a colleagues experience with his Sena/Garmin combination, the satnav would communicate until we spoke on comms and then it would disconnect.

I bought a TomTom 550 and sanity returned. TT have never let me down in 14 years of touring, they’ve found locations that have advised ‘Don’t use your sat-nav, they’ll send you to the wrong place’. I use My-Route App as a planner and it transfers effortlessly.

I know that many use Garmins on here and love them, they obviously have far more patience than me. I suppose the lesson here is stick with what you know!

[Randyjaco]

I have had my XT for about a year now. Although it will not connect to the "Wheel of Death", the screen works with gloves. No one currently makes a better GPS. Spend the extra money for the XT. The screen is far superior to anything else on the market. If you are able, try it in portrait mode. The road ahead info is superior landscape mode.

Here is a review: https://www.motorcycle.com/products/mo- ... gps-review

[Casbar]

XT for me, this is after Garmin 660, Nav V and Nav VI. The best offering by far. I am a not a Tom Tom fan, but guess you are either a Garmin or Tom Tom user. You do need to put some effort in, if you want to load your own routes and learn how the device works. I never use Basecamp for route planning and never have, I have always used My Route App, which allows you to wirelessly transfer routes from MRA to the XT via the Garmin Drive app.

There is also a very good Garmin XT support forum, where the "experts" tackle every conceivable issue people have.

I have never had any issues with the nav connecting to my phone or my Cardo headset, but then again, I fell out with the Sena offering when they started to use the public as beta testers for their new products. So I have no idea if there are issues with Sena and the XT.

To be fair most issues are user related and not the product or there would be a lot more users complaining.

[Sharkfighter]

It’s the XT for me, I’ve got a 660 and the XT is streets ahead. It does everything for me and more, just joined the Zumo users forum, didn’t know there was one, thanks for the link. I tend to download birds eye view if I’m planning a route, something the 660 didn’t have.

[burridge01]

I was a Garmin 660 man untill it fell off the bike Was never overly impressed with it(that basecamp is shite)Went for a Tomtom 550 premium and never looked back.Its a doddle to use and has never let me down on finding locations all over europe(we did 13 countrys in 6 weeks with it)One of its best features is the side bar showing fuel stops along the chosen route,its a god send on a bike(especially a VFR1200)
Connects faultlessly to the Senna in the Shoei,has never dropped connection.The my drive app is good,plot a course on the tablet and send to the 550,done.Only used the mystery tour once and it took us all around Suffolk,all right if not in a rush. Overall I wouldn't rush back to Garmin.

[Doctor T]

Cheers chaps. Am not worried about the wonder wheel connection due to my bike being a 07 RT.
Am a bit new to this tech stuff as ive only had a smartphone for 3 years and that was second hand. As for sat nav, I've only ever used ones made for cars. My last lasted 5 years until i dropped in a puddle and then worked to a certain degree until it died.
I've used Garmin and TomTom and both had their quirks. Garmin seems to have larger letters which is good for me, whereas the TT offers more details.
Unless i can test both on my bike, the choice is hard.

[Casbar]

From my point of view, clear screen is probably one of the most important factors (tiered eyes). The XT is a very good piece of kit, it is fast, integrates with my smart phone very well. It is like all things, you can make anything as complicated as you like, to just plug in an address/postcode and hit go, it works very well. If you want to start plotting specific routes on other software, such as My Route App (others are available) then transfer to the device and follow those routes, then it will take a little bit of time to learn.

But any new Sat Nav whatever brand should do the job fine

[Stu]

There is also a very good Garmin XT support forum, where the "experts" tackle every conceivable issue people have.

You mean the one I have linked above

[Casbar]

Far too quick for me

[beemerboy9]

I am a long-time Garmin user and I don't think you can go wrong with either unit.

I have always found the after-sales support of Garmin to be excellent. In the early days of Tom-Tom (8-9 years ago now) , user support came from Holland and was mediocre. Hopefully it is a lot better now.

My summary - I will always buy Garmin, but would have no hesitation in recommending Tom-Tom for my spouse or a new user if they found it easier to use.

[Doctor T]

Thank you all for your comments. I eventually got to see them close and personal in Halfords last night. I preferred the TomTom rider 550. It seemed quicker to respond to a thick glove and also felt chunkier. Holding it up with a light behind it seemed less reflective than the XT. I ordered one from the Sportsbike shop overline at 6:30 pm last night and arrived at 11:15 am this morning. I've used them many times before and they have a great returns policy. Also, they seem to cut their prices down from other shops. Paid £292 inc post.