bdalameda
PaleoCyclist
Tis but a scratch!Photo by NTausch at this year's Ferry STOC.
Anyone Using a Garmin XT?
- Thread starter SMSW
- Start date
mlheck
Site Supporter
One of the cool new things is that when it is synced to Garmin drive app it will actually tell you when a road is closed on your route as you get closer to it. It will then provide a detour route based on your avoidances.
I've had to get a warranty replacement for the power lead on the handlebar mount. I think I figured out what's happening. My SWAG (Scientific Wild Ass Guess) is water gets into the push-pin power connectors and causes connection issues. I've taken to covering my pins up with the supplied rubber cover when I stop and all seems well.
I think why it is weather resistant, rather than water proof is it won't take nicely to being dumped in a river. But to use it in rain seems to be no problem.
Chris
You should have seen the other guy.....Photo by NTausch at this year's Ferry STOC.
I have had an XT now for close to a year. The good, the bad and the ugly.
My review is not as positive as others here but want to give my own experience with the unit I have.
Yes it is the latest and greatest. I went from a Zumo 550 to this unit.
However I have had a few frustrating moments with mine since day one and as recently as 3 days ago another issue cropped up.
Pros:
First off, I really like the screen (crips, clear image) and it is fantastic for daylight visibility.
Easily mounts to my dash shelf using the ram ball mount ( included)
The screen is Very responsive to gloved touch. (never had a problem)
Seems to be very rugged and rough roads don't seem to affect the performance.
I got a pretty good deal on the price of the unit, as Garmin was having a special and I jumped on it.
Cons:
Questionable Reliability ----
First off right out of the box I had trouble with the unit charging in the motorcycle cradle mount. Although the charger mount was properly installed -- I did not realize it was not charging the unit and this caused the unit to shut off unexpectedly after it exhausted the internal battery charge, (in the middle of my first trip using the unit). Find some where to pull over - shut the bike off- restarted the bike and the unit turned on and began to charge ??? I didn't do anything to the unit to cause it to start to charge except turn the bike off and restart it. Had issues with this off and on the rest of the trip. This has seemed to clear up over time without me doing anything to it except getting the most up to date downloaded firmware
Later I found out this was a problem that had been identified on another site (ADV -- I believe) and new cradle mounts were being redesigned and sent out to rectify the problem. However I have not needed one yet as for reasons unknown to me it has been working OK.
My unit did not play well with basecamp from day one. It took several attempts to get the map from the XT into basecamp so I could plan routes and save them.
The internal clock on my unit had an issue (was set to correct time) with turning to nighttime mode in the middle of the day, thus making it very difficult if not impossible to see. ( Had to switch it to manual daytime and turn off the auto function.) To this day I am still in manual daytime mode. Read of others having same issues.
It does not have the XM radio app and subsequent XM puck antenna like my 550 had. This is a con but I knew this when I bought it.
My most recent issue is with using a saved trip imported from base camp. Go to apps - select saved trips- select trip, pulls trip up - press "Start" trip and the unit (attempts to calculate) and then errors out- " with "0% - Cannot calculate trip" ??? Find some where to pull over shut GPS off and reboot --- then it was able to calculate successfully???? Did nothing to cause it to work except pull over and shut off and restart. ???
I have called the company in the past and all they can tell me is to connect the XT to Garmin express and check for the latest firmware and maps download.
OK I have done that and have the latest firmware and maps from express and still I don't know what will pop up next, thus this makes me uneasy about the overall reliability of the unit I currently have.
Many will say they have "no problems" like this (and they may not, but I have) but if you dig deep you will see others have experienced similar limited type issues with the unit.
However, I do believe the mfg. is working to correct these problems as they arise though.
So in conclusion I would say "the jury is still out" as far as my own personal experience with the unit.
Will stick with it because it is the only thing I have and don't want to go back to my 550 yet.
Please remember these are my own experiences with the unit I have in my possession and if you get one hopefully you will not have any of these issues.
Last edited:
bdalameda
PaleoCyclist
As you did I used to have a Zumo 550 with XM radio. When I went to the XT I put the XM app on my phone and now listen to XM from my phone to the Zumo XT and bluetooth to my headset, works fine. I also use my Apple Music app a lot. The defective mount issues have largely been solved with a new power cable design - Garmin will send you one for free if you are having problems.
This is what I was talking about in post #23. I have a replacement power "plug". I'll keep it now as a spare. The old 550-595 model had 4 or 6? tiny pin connectors to provide power. The XT has two. Something was more resilient on the old model. I'd take the GPS off, go into church, come back out after the GPS cradle had sat out in the rain for a couple hours and all worked fine. The XT is more tempermental. It's like moisture gets under the rubber covering for the pins and corrodes something underneath. On my last trip, I wasn't in rain that often, but I found that pushing the two pins in a couple times when I had a loss of power, cleared the issue up completely.
Now if its raining, or I'm washing the bike and take the GPS off, I'll use the rubber cover they have to keep water out.
As for the other problems, I can't help you there. But the power loss problem is easily solved. My recommendation is to contact Garmin for a warranty replacement and then hold onto it.
Chris
Will you also get Message notifications, as on the phone and watch? (Asking for a friend )
I know you guys mean well – but seriously — you're not helping!
STRider
Site Supporter
So that's what the inside of a zumo XT looks like! =:OPhoto by NTausch at this year's Ferry STOC.
bdalameda
PaleoCyclist
I turned this off as it always pops up at the least opportune time and covers up part of the screen.
I just got my Zumo XT yesterday and unfortunately this did not work for me. Garmin Express recognizes the XT but Basecamp does not. Based on some google research the XT is an android based product and does not play well with my MacBook Pro. OS is MacOS Monterey 12.5.1
It appears that the Zumo XT is an Android based product. I needed to download Android File Transfer app. This works and Basecamp does see the XT but it is a bit pokey. Since I only got the XT yesterday I have not tried much but it does allow for the download of GPX files from basecamp to the XT. I have not tried the reverse, moving from the XT to Basecamp.
So I have 2 cons so far. First Garmin really does not mention that it is an Android device and that additional apps may be required to work with an ISO product. Second is that a real WiFi connections is required for map updates. I use Hot Spots for our internet connection and the large files sizes for download don't like Hot Spots. This is right from Garmin trying website videos.
Shuey
Site Supporter
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2007
- Messages
- 2,100
- Location
- Niceville, FL
- Bike
- FJR1300 ES, 2018
- SPOT
- LINK
- STOC #
- 7005
I haven't had any problems with the XT linking up with either my Mac-Mini or MacBook Air while using Basecamp. When I first got it and set it up . . . it seemed to take forever to update and download the initial set of maps. When completed and I looked at the maps installed . . . I could see why it took so long initially and now every time I start it up.
Time to delete some of these maps I think. Pretty sure I do NOT need the Topo maps and what is North America DEM?
Shuey
PS: Separate question. If I want coordinates for my current location, on my 650s I just touch the screen and the information comes right up and allows me to save it. It doesn't work that way with the XT. Is there a way to get current location coordinates on the XT?
Time to delete some of these maps I think. Pretty sure I do NOT need the Topo maps and what is North America DEM?
Shuey
PS: Separate question. If I want coordinates for my current location, on my 650s I just touch the screen and the information comes right up and allows me to save it. It doesn't work that way with the XT. Is there a way to get current location coordinates on the XT?
bdalameda
PaleoCyclist
I have a newer MacBook Pro and an Apple IPhone 12 - no issues working with my Zumo XT at all. I know the large off-road Garmin GPS is basically an Android tablet but I have not heard that the XT is Android based.
bdalameda
PaleoCyclist
I saw this posting on a forum - perhaps this will help:
The Zumo XT works fine with Macs and with Basecamp -- but only one app can see it at a time. You have to quit out of not just Garmin Express but also the Garmin Express service running in the background, and also any other app/service that might try to connect to it. Then Basecamp will have no trouble seeing the XT.
Running this app Android File Transfer I can run both Express and Basecamp without killing any services.
So that's a 'yes'.
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2006
- Messages
- 2,832
- Age
- 70
- Location
- Ilkley, W Yorkshire, UK
- Bike
- 2013 ST1300 A9
- 2024 Miles
- 000679
- STOC #
- 2570
One of my other bits of handiwork might become useful - after you get the hardware working.
You may need to set up an account. Since I'm a moderator, if you use your same name that you use on STOwners, it'll help me to recognise you !
Zumo XT and Basecamp - Everything That You Need to Know
A series of detailed, illustrated notes that I have put together from my use of the XT. Links to the various sections are given below, and you can navigate b…
www.zumouserforums.co.uk
You may need to set up an account. Since I'm a moderator, if you use your same name that you use on STOwners, it'll help me to recognise you !
Last edited: