Question for Anybody w/ the Zumo 550:

[Fishbein]

I was about to order the Garmin Zumo 550 GPS for my Touring, but I just read the battery only lasts a few hours. I envisioned getting XM Radio and being able to cruise all day long, or on long trips, with access to some good tunes, in addition to the street mapping. Does the battery last longer than this, or has anyone hooked it up to the bike battery? Fish 8)

 

[crazyman]

I would think most folks hook it up to the battery or an accessory block. The Zumo comes with a m/c mount that has all the necessary wiring. I hooked mine direct to the battery. It only draws power if the gps unit is in the mount.

 

[Addicted2it_1]

I was about to order the Garmin Zumo 550 GPS for my Touring, but I just read the battery only lasts a few hours. I envisioned getting XM Radio and being able to cruise all day long, or on long trips, with access to some good tunes, in addition to the street mapping. Does the battery last longer than this, or has anyone hooked it up to the bike battery? Fish 8)

I don't know how long the battery life is, but I have used mine on a bike and in my truck with no problem. You can also order an additional battery from Garmin, but you need a screw driver to change it out.

And yes, the Zumo 550 does include a mounting cradle for both motorcycle and car/truck, which includes a wiring harness to connect to vehicle battery. So unless you're wandering around in the woods and get lost, I wouldn't worry.

That said, I love my Zumo 550. I'd be lost without it.

 

[scowherd]

The battery life is not great but the bike mount comes with a wiring harness tha tyou can wire stright to the battery.

 

[crazyman]

The few times I've run it on battery, it doesn't last too long.

Here's how I mounted mine....

 

[NativeOne]

The few times I've run it on battery, it doesn't last too long.

Here's how I mounted mine....

Question? If you have a cigarette lighter/accessory plug, can you run the Garmin off of it instead of running it to the battery directly? It would be the same as on a car. I already have too much crap connected to the battery!

Native One

 

[Addicted2it_1]

Question? If you have a cigarette lighter/accessory plug, can you run the Garmin off of it instead of running it to the battery directly? It would be the same as on a car. I already have too much crap connected to the battery!

Native One[/quote]

The car suction cup mounting cradle comes with a cigar lighter plug attached, but the suction cup mount would probably not be strong enough to adhere to a motorcycle windshield like the one in the photo.

 

[NativeOne]

They sell a separate cigarrette adapter cable for the unit that does not have the suction cup attached so the mount would attach to the handlebars and the power would be powered through the accessory plug.

Native One

 

[scowherd]

yes it can be run from an accessory plug

 

[Addicted2it_1]

They sell a separate cigarrette adapter cable for the unit that does not have the suction cup attached so the mount would attach to the handlebars and the power would be powered through the accessory plug.

Native One

There are only 2 mounts sold by Garmin: Automotive Suction Cup Mount Link Removed and the Ram mounting kit (replacement) Link Removed. Then you can buy the GTM-21 (cigarette lighter plug) Link Removed. Otherwise, there is nothing else available on the Garmin site.

I took my motorcycle mount apart and attached the docking cradle to a chrome TechMount http://www.techmounts.com/ system, but am now using the TechMount to install an Adaptiv TPX Radar Detector.


This little gem was $79, but fit and finish is extraordinary!