No more Zumo 660, no more Garmin

I'm done with my Garmin 660. It's developed a way to crash hard. The screen goes black and the power button doesn't restart the 660. The only fix is to pull the battery. I'm tired of life with Garmin in general.

I'm after the functional equivalent or better. I need US and European map support. The 660 supports having two map sets at the same time. Swapping SD's to get one set or the other is acceptable.

Something that's the equivalent of Basecamp would be nice. If the only option is a generic route planner and file format conversion, I'll live with it. Basecamp has a number of annoyances, but it does work, if coerced into doing so.

I looked at Magellan products and was underwhelmed. Which AFAIK leaves Tom Tom as the only replacement option.

Input, please.

Well, not in keeping with your request, but here's my input FWIW ...

I really don't deduce there's a strong alternative to Garmin. My 550 was great (sold it with a bike), and my 660 is better.

Based on my experience with a bad battery in the 550 requiring battery removal & reinsert, in your shoes I'd first consider cleaning the contacts in that 660 and finding a new battery.

BTDT on contacts.

Used as a simple moving map while using Waze or Google Maps works without crashing. We're in the middle of a (four wheel) tour from Philadelphia to the Southwest. We've paused to come back east. Anyway, the odometer currently shows 4400 miles. All of this while using the 550 as a moving map or following "bread crumbs". As an example, zooming way in to see how to find our way back to our camp site in a large state park.

The crash happens when the 550 is told to find a route beyond some distance. The upper bound for successful routing and the lower bound for crash routing is anyone's guess. Life is too short to sort that out. NTL somewhere out around 50 miles, pfft.

100,000 happy TomTom guided miles.

Tyre worked well for planning Alaska and Baja for me, they are based in Europe. I'd still have the TomTom if my GS had not come with a damn Garmin based BMW NavV.

RBEmerson said:

I'm done with my Garmin 660. It's developed a way to crash hard. The screen goes black and the power button doesn't restart the 660. The only fix is to pull the battery. I'm tired of life with Garmin in general.
I'm after the functional equivalent or better. I need US and European map support. The 660 supports having two map sets at the same time. Swapping SD's to get one set or the other is acceptable.

Something that's the equivalent of Basecamp would be nice. If the only option is a generic route planner and file format conversion, I'll live with it. Basecamp has a number of annoyances, but it does work, if coerced into doing so.

I looked at Magellan products and was underwhelmed. Which AFAIK leaves Tom Tom as the only replacement option.

Input, please.

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Just bought a Tomtom 550. Well, actually, two, the first for my son as a Christmas present, the second, after I saw his, for me - my previous Tomtom was showing its lack of sufficient memory. Not sure what models they do on the USA, but mine can be had with USA maps.
Still getting used to it as it is very different from my previous one, its menu structure needs total re-learning. Functionally it works well, it is much more sensitive to the GPS satellites. Sitting indoors in my armchair, I was lucky if my previous one would obtain a lock, this one does with apparent ease within a very few seconds.

It has a touch screen with a sensitivity control so that it can be used with or without gloves on. It has features like pinch to zoom. It will orient to portrait or landscape view, its mount will swivel between the two (though my own mounting bracket keeps me in landscape only).

It will update maps etc using WiFi, no need for a computer. It can use your phone as a WiFi hotspot (possibly also via Bluetooth, but I've not investigated that) and can pick up traffic problems on the road (obviously if you have phone service).

It can record your route to a GPX file that you can use as a future route, pass on to someone else, or put onto a map. Unlike my previous one, this one records the time at each data point. It is possible to accurately calculate speed from this, so be careful.

I probably won't be using it seriously until March, but I have tested it on local runs, it seems to work perfectly well.

Let me hear naught but good things for the 550 then.

I found the OM (took a bit of pushing and prodding to get it on the TomTom site) and remain somewhat overwhelmed by the content. OTOH more (if informative) is good. Garmin is skimpy although, I guess, acceptable.

What do map sets cost? Remember the need for US and Euro-land maps. How often are they updated, and are they useful? A bridge near me was closed for repairs and then re-opened. Garmin took a full year to open the same bridge. >:-(

Since the 550 will be used in a car both in the US and Europe, as well as on my FJR, what are the options and what does it cost to add the appropriate mount?

In the ideal world, there'd be a weather-proof, glove-friendly, bluetooth-enabled motorcycle-specific head unit for Android Auto and/or Apple Carplay. This would give you all the power of your phone's nav and audio tools with a UI customized for the motorcycle rider.

Maybe someday.

There are some good threads about this stuff on ADVRIder.com and a strong following of people there using the Kyocera Duraforce Pro cell phone as their GPS. I've never tried it with mine but apparently these guys are buying the unlocked phones then using strictly with wifi and no cell plan with good results.

IMO Garman is the best of a bunch of bad products.

BkerChuck said:

There are some good threads about this stuff on ADVRIder.com and a strong following of people there using the Kyocera Duraforce Pro cell phone as their GPS. I've never tried it with mine but apparently these guys are buying the unlocked phones then using strictly with wifi and no cell plan with good results.

Click to expand...

Hmmm... I get the intent, and I guess the idea works. I'm somewhat skeptical of changing carriers, albeit third tier "pay as you go" carriers (who piggyback on 1st/2nd tier systems). I know it can be done; I've moved from VZW to Bahama's BTC and back. BTC offers "pay as you go", which is what I've used. That said, I'm not sure I'd bet the dog and family farm on the strategy. FWIW, my Samsung S7 is both unlocked and rooted. NTL VZW, although spendy, does get the job done and, so far, the Sammy hasn't died from excess bike use. But then I don't go off the beaten track.

RBEmerson said:

Let me hear naught but good things for the 550 then.
I found the OM (took a bit of pushing and prodding to get it on the TomTom site) and remain somewhat overwhelmed by the content. OTOH more (if informative) is good. Garmin is skimpy although, I guess, acceptable.

What do map sets cost? Remember the need for US and Euro-land maps. How often are they updated, and are they useful? A bridge near me was closed for repairs and then re-opened. Garmin took a full year to open the same bridge. >:-(

Since the 550 will be used in a car both in the US and Europe, as well as on my FJR, what are the options and what does it cost to add the appropriate mount?

Click to expand...

I believe maps are updated to your Tomtom four times a year, but who knows how up-to-date the updates are?
As for car mounting, a kit is available. This link is to the UK options for the latest m/c Tomtoms. I have the standard 550 (no need for the car mount), the 550 Premium includes the car mount, which can be purchased separately if desired. I purchased the anti-theft option for mine, this is also included in the Premium variant. Both 550 and 550 Premium come with so-called world maps, that will be updated for no charge for the supported life-time of the device (this "life-time" is for a significant number of years).

Blind Squirrel said:

IMO Garman is the best of a bunch of bad products.

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Ah well, this thread is predicated on the notion that "Garman" and "best" is an oxymoron. (Gee, two high falutin' words in one sentence...)

mcatrophy said:

RBEmerson said:

[/ whack! ]

Click to expand...

I believe maps are updated to your Tomtom four times a year, but who knows how up-to-date the updates are?
As for car mounting, a kit is available. This link is to the UK options for the latest m/c Tomtoms. I have the standard 550 (no need for the car mount), the 550 Premium includes the car mount, which can be purchased separately if desired. I purchased the anti-theft option for mine, this is also included in the Premium variant. Both 550 and 550 Premium come with so-called world maps, that will be updated for no charge for the supported life-time of the device (this "life-time" is for a significant number of years).

Click to expand...

I'd like a verification from a US owner, but it appears that at least the 550 has maps for the known universe, not just one corner of it.

The 550 premium seems to be $200 over the non-premium 550. That leaves plenty of room to buy a car mount even at list price. Or maybe I just found a premium at a usurious price. I assume the 550 can be easily pulled off its mount and hidden in a locked saddle bag?

If "lifetime" means close to the reasonable life expectancy of the 550 (superceded, dropped one time too many, etc.), that's not too shabby.

RBEmerson said:

... The 550 premium seems to be $200 over the non-premium 550. That leaves plenty of room to buy a car mount even at list price. Or maybe I just found a premium at a usurious price. I assume the 550 can be easily pulled off its mount and hidden in a locked saddle bag? If "lifetime" means close to the reasonable life expectancy of the 550 (superceded, dropped one time too many, etc.), that's not too shabby.

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UK Price differences: 550 £400 (ignoring the 1 penny less), premium £500. Car mount kit £50.
Although very solidly mounted, the unit can be removed from its mount in one second, hence I added the anti-theft option (£50) so I could leave it while I paid for fuel etc. Even so, I wouldn't leave it unattended for more than a few minutes. But then I'm a bit paranoid.

Can't give you a definitive answer to how long its lifetime might be. What I can say is that my 2013 unit still gets its map updates.

The 660 is only marginally harder to remove. Gotta find the little pushbutton thingie and then... bye bye. And no way to lock the mount, unlike the 550.

Five years on and still getting updates. I'm liking this more and more.

RTFM more and it may be time to go before the financial review board AKA She Who Must Be Obeyed,

My TomTom Rider, purchased in 2013, came with Lifetime Maps. I updated the maps in November before I sent it, attached to the Grey Ghost, to the new owner.

The TomTom Maps for both USA, Canada and Mexico were excellent. I was very surprised at how many Baja Goat trails were in their dataset. Same here in the states, the TomTom Mapset is very inclusive and quite accurate, more accurate than what came in my 2017 Ford F-150 Nav

While it sounds like you have made up your mind to banish Garmin, before you spend any $$, call them. Two yrs ago my 665 stopped working, (power button just stopped moving) and Garmin (in Canada mind you) to my very great surprise offered a free refurbished replacement unit, and they pd the shipping as well. My unit was at least 4 yrs out of warranty.

Good luck with whatever you purchase. Maybe Santa is listening in.

-Steve

I found this link that talks about using the waterproof cell phone for a GPS

https://advrider.com/f/threads/ultra-rugged-kyocera-phones-gps-smartphones-my-guide.1206076/

sapest said:

While it sounds like you have made up your mind to banish Garmin, before you spend any $$, call them. Two yrs ago my 665 stopped working, (power button just stopped moving) and Garmin (in Canada mind you) to my very great surprise offered a free refurbished replacement unit, and they pd the shipping as well. My unit was at least 4 yrs out of warranty.
Good luck with whatever you purchase. Maybe Santa is listening in.

-Steve

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Did you buy one or more lottery tickets the same day? 'Cause you hit the jackpot big time.

I try to be polite and cooperative when calling tech support lines. "Get more flies with honey than vinegar" and all that. Garmin support has generally been decent to work with, if clueless or unwilling to see a point. Garmin Explorer and Basecamp started crashing at the same time. Right after an update. After describing the problem and emailing screen grabs of the error message, the response was almost literally "your computer is broken. Take it to a tech store to fix it". Let's see, two different brands of laptops running two different versions of Windows - Win7 and Win10, and they crash exactly the same way. Gee, could it be the software? A month or two later Garmin pushed an update and... surprise! everything worked again. Mercifully, I've repressed the memories of other encounters with Garmin support.

For anyone trying to revive a GPS receiver with mechanical (not firmware) problems, try Palm Dr. Although the site is aimed at Palm devices (why????), they do repairs on GPS'. My 660's power switch stopped working and the battery repeatedly tried to escape the case when opening the case to use the update cable. Two weeks after receipt I had a healthy 660 at a good price.