Installed my Garmin Zuvi 550 tonight

[Gixxer600]

I bought me a Zuvi 550 yesterday and just got time to install it this afternoon. I felt like I was taking the bike half apart to get the wiring ran to the battery! (GSX-R600). I havent "installed" anything in a long time. I used to do it all the time back in my teen years and I forgot how rewarding it feels to finish and have something you did work and be cool. :-D

So the mount that it came with installed nicely on the right handlebar. I removed the two bolts that held the brake on and replaced them with longer ones that I bought from home depot (the ones supplied with the Zuvi were too long). I had to take all the plastic off the right side of the bike, and the seat, to get to where I needed to run the wires. Once I figured out how everything was attached things went smoothly.

So now I have a GPS! Woo hoo! I mostly want it for trips to places that I dont know where are. Like when we were in Charleston on vacation it would have been real handy two or three times when I was trying to get somewhere in a strange town. I am sure it will be handy on vacation more than anything, its just nice to have.

So thats it! Just wanted to share my joy of having installed my new GPS all by myself! Now on to my head/tail modulators when they come in and radar detector (future).

: )

[hsartteacher]

Congratulations! I was wishing for a GPS yesterday, got separated from my group in the middle of nowhere and had no idea how to get back to civilization LOL.

Question: Is it protected from the elements, like if you get caught in a rainstorm or something, or do you have to cover it somehow?

[Gixxer600]

This particular model is made just for motorcycles (the picture of the vehicle moving on the screen is even a motorcycle :-D )

It is 100% waterproof .. they say you can submerge it in a meter of water for 30 minutes or something like that ... I am not going to try though. : )

These are normally like $899 or something .. and they are on ebay for $699 .. but I was in BestBuy and saw them on clearance (for some reason) for $719 .. thats close enough to the ebay price that I didnt mind buying it retail!

If you want one and your bestbuy doesnt have one let me know, I think the store here still have one left and I would be glad to go get it for you.

[lmychajluk]

Zuvi...is that anything like a Zumo?
;)

Actually, I should keep an eye out in my junk mail for BestBuy coupons. I really want one....

[hsartteacher]

This particular model is made just for motorcycles (the picture of the vehicle moving on the screen is even a motorcycle :-D )

It is 100% waterproof .. they say you can submerge it in a meter of water for 30 minutes or something like that ... I am not going to try though. : )

These are normally like $899 or something .. and they are on ebay for $699 .. but I was in BestBuy and saw them on clearance (for some reason) for $719 .. thats close enough to the ebay price that I didnt mind buying it retail!

If you want one and your bestbuy doesnt have one let me know, I think the store here still have one left and I would be glad to go get it for you.

Thank you so much for your reply and the helpful info! I am going to hold off for now, hoping prices come down on new technology OR wait for my birthday and hint, hint to my husband.

[iamgumby]

Just remember....GPS won't tell you that you are fixing to drive into the back of a pickup! :p Eyes on the road! Those things can be just as distracting as a cell phone.

[HarveyCreek]

Eyes on the road! Those things can be just as distracting as a cell phone.

For this very reason, I got a portable GPS that I keep in my pocket, and treat it like my cell phone, only when I'm parked. If I'm unable to remember enough on how to get where I want to go after looking over the map and directions provided by the GPS, I shouldn't be riding.

I have a tracking mode on my GPS that I have running on all trips, as often while I'm not really lost, I just don't know where I'm at!:D With the tracking feature and it being a portable device, I can review the ride while in the comfort of my Lazy Boy, and then add it to my mental list of places to ride, and maybe better ways to get there!

[louturks]

I have the Zuvi 550 also. It is really nice to have.

[skim1420]

I gotta say GPS is one of the few technologies that changed my life. Remember life before google maps? Yeah. Another leap like that. I have a GPS on my car, not on my bike. For GPS units that support bluetooth, you can get a scala headset and it will speak directions into your earpiece. So you can keep your eyes on the road.

[Gixxer600]

Oh, I meant to ask .... what headset do you guys use? I have tried about 50 thousand different things from BestBuy and none really do the job. I tried the earbud things, they fall out when you put your helmet on. I am using some things now that sit on the outside of your ear (old style headphones) but also have little indentions that stick into your ears. They are not great, they move around, hurt my ears a little, and they have a wire hanging out that i have to plug in that pulls on things ....

I would like something bluetooth and to be honest I would like to just buy a helmet that has comm built in. Any suggestions? Money is not really an object (well, within reason ... I would spend up to maybe $1000 or so).

Speaking of helmets ... well I will post a new thread about that ... go check it out. ;-)

[BestMaps]

I've got the Zumo 550 and love the bluetooth interface with my Chatterbox. Works great! Photos are posted in the "Show us your GPS thread". Ps- I have submerged it and it passed the test.