TomTom Rider or Garmin ZUMO?

GuntherGrab · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 08, 2011 Posts: 1

Hi Guys,

I am a happy rider - I own a lovely Ducati Monster- and I am happy to be part of this forum now.
Last year I did a trip through all Europe from London - where I live - to Milan -where my family is from -. I would like to do the same this summer, but I was thinking of buying a GPS for the bike to make my life easier.... now, I have seen aroud that there are two options: The TOMTOM Rider - http://www.shoppydoo.co.uk/search.aspx?search=tomtom+motorbike&categoryid=314&minprice=&maxprice=&f=&fromCategoryId=314 - or the Garmin ZUMO - http://www.shopzilla.co.uk/7S--Global_Positioning_Systems_GPS__-_cat_id--13006__keyword--garmin+zumo+motorcycle -.
Now my question for you is simple: which one would you choose? And why?

Thanks in Adavnce
Gunther

alan_sh · Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 5:41 pm Post subject:

Zumo because it has a 3.5mm output so I can plug it into my Autocom. The TomTom only has bluetooth.

Alan

Denis · Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 7:51 pm Post subject:

I have a Zumo 550 used on a Triumph Sprint 1050. Have used it for about 3 years now with no problems, doing 2 trips round Europe and 1 round Scotland, with a trip planned for later this year to the South of France. I like the Zumo because you can prepair your route before hand on a computer using the Garmin Map source programe, then upload it to the Zumo. I understand with a TomTom, you only have the choice of bluetooth for hearing directions, music etc.
_________________
BMWr1200rt
Garmin Zumo 550
Garmin Nuvi

exportman · Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 10:39 pm Post subject:

Hi

I have the tomtom rider. I bought this several years ago (when the rider 2 first launched) as I was already familiar with the tomtom interface. You can only use bluetooth to receive the verbal instructions and the supplied scala headset can increase the wind noise. However it has only let me down once when a memory card failed ( The newer rider urban and rider pro don't have memory cards) The powered mount sometimes fail I'm on my third but I ride all year round and at work the bike is left out in the weather all day.
I guess it has travelled over 150,000 miles in the time I have had it as I also use it in my car and travelling in Europe. The satnav it self it quite robust having dropped it several times.

You can preplan your routes, I use a program called tyre and plot the route on a google earth interface.( This will do Garmin files too. I do this quite often as I plot the routes for our local IAM motorcycle group and produce files for both systems.

Trenery · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 29, 2004 Posts: 52

I changed my TT Rider 2 for a Garmin due to some issues with TomTom support for motorcycle headsets. However, I went back to TomTom because I prefer the user interface and think it routes better. It is also easier, in my view to get around road blocks or re-plan an alternative route.

The TomTom has been completely weather proof and the latest update seems very stable. mounting and power options are also good.

However, be warned of the following 2 points.

1) Maps are now in Zones so you will need to carry a 2 or 3 SD cards with the zones loaded so you can change zones if necessary. (but going down to Italy should be OK on 1 zone I think) [don't get a TomTom Urban Rider as it is impossible to change zones when travelling]

2) There is a problem getting a mobile phone to work through the TT Rider with some motorcycle headsets.

As "ExportMan" commented, download Tyre as it is free and excellent for planning routes. http://www.janboersma.nl/gett/index.php It works with Garmin or TomTom.

Mike

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