There are not many dedicated motorcycle GPS’er, such as the Garmin Zumo 660 landed on the desk, there was no doubt that it deserved special attention. Therefore flew PC World sent to Stockholm in late October and bought a motorcycle, so the GPS could be tested by the well on the way home. Test trip went from central Stockholm and home to workplace in Valby with a few detours. A trip of nearly 640 kilometer.
Zumo 660 was mounted on a BMW R1100S with the supplied hardware, but without power supply, so the promised battery life was put on a realistic test, which did not go quite as expected.
Already after three hours began to complain of GPS ‘low battery’ and we had to go and keep lunch while lending an outlet so that power could give zūmo lithium-ion battery a little-needed electricity.
The flow will Zumo via mini-USB connector, which sits hidden behind the battery cover is likely to ensure that no water enters the GPS through the connector.
Keep the water out through many hours of constant rain is clearly an ordeal for such a motorcycle GPS.
On Garmin’s Danish site you can see many more details of the MC-GPS and the company’s many other navigation products.
As a new zūmo has been built ‘lane-assistant’ that helps you choose the right exit in time. Moreover, Zumo 660 major road signs, such as how fast you may run.
If you are bored on the long runs, you can read a few books up, and you can connect MP3 Players or to lay their playlists into your GPS, just as you also can connect their mobile phone via Bluetooth and receive calls while driving with the touch of a button in either the speakers built into the helmet or a tick in the ear.
Behind a rubber flap conceals is partly a jack ørebøffer, and a slot for extra antenna.
Navigation wise, there are three options: Fastest route, shortest route or the direct line. The manual says that the GPS has an ‘off-road facility,’ and when it is connected, as plots zūmo a straight line to the destination.
I often drive off-road motorcycle and think exactly the message is something hogwash. Why would I want a straight line if there is a mountain or an industrial complex in the way?
It would be more useful if the GPS is assigned a real offroad route along dirt roads and trails and not just a direct line, as very few places are worth something. After all, few motorcycles that can fly.
Pretty cool, it is rather that when pressed on the MC icon, you get served in his current position in coordinates, the nearest address, nearest intersection and out in the right column are icons that with a pressure gives information about the nearest emergency department, police station, petrol station and roadside assistance. See, this kind can be used for anything
