GPS info - Garmin zumo 660 vs 590

[Landon]

I have a ZUMO 390 and it connects to PC via a USB cable port with a rubber water cover like yours. So which Zumos require the back cover to be removed to connect to a PC. That would probably be a deal killer for me.

Zumo 660 and 665 do. I've got the 665 and have no issue with removing the back cover to access the usb port. Its got a quick release slid button that releases the door latch.

[NinjaBob]

I have a ZUMO 390 and it connects to PC via a USB cable port with a rubber water cover like yours. So which Zumos require the back cover to be removed to connect to a PC. That would probably be a deal killer for me.

Zumo 660 and 665 do. I've got the 665 and have no issue with removing the back cover to access the usb port. Its got a quick release slid button that releases the door latch.

Sounds like my Nuvi 550. Does it have a replaceable battery? If so that would be a reasonable tradeoff.

[Brick]

Yes my 660 has a removable/replaceable battery and you need to open the back to hook to computer. Not a big deal really.


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[stevegrab]

To me it just seems odd, especially with the screen telling me to close the door, when I MUST have it open for some things. I was afraid the battery would fall out, the cable would strain the connection, or some other issue during the several hours update.

I tend to use my GPS a lot during trips off the bike to check routes, create my own routes (not sue if the 660 has a route builder built in) etc. So it often runs the battery down some, then I might put it to charge overnight.

Also while there is a quick release it is (on mine) very tight and requires a strong push all the way across while the door barely opens up. (Little finger nailes don't help.)

There's always trade offs, I'm hoping the waterproof and other new features outweigh the negatives.

[NinjaBob]

I am anxious to see one. My 390 is built like a tank and actually survived a 70 mph getoff from my R3.    I doubt that anything with a removable door would survive that!

[Landon]

I am anxious to see one. My 390 is built like a tank and actually survived a 70 mph getoff from my R3.    I doubt that anything with a removable door would survive that!

I'm not throwing mine off at 70 mph to find out for you.

[Paco Bulto]

I am anxious to see one. My 390 is built like a tank and actually survived a 70 mph getoff from my R3.    I doubt that anything with a removable door would survive that!

A couple months ago I had my 660 on my Super Tenere on a country back road, whilst enjoying a sporting pace.  When glancing down, as I do periodically, I noticed that the 660 was no longer in the cradle, as I had apparently been negligent in making sure that it was secure when I put it into the mount that morning. I did 3 round trips of about 10 miles each, looking for that GPS, and just when I thought that I was going to have to cough up some $$ for a replacement, I noticed something at the side of the road and it turned out to be my trusty Zumo 660. It has a small scuff on the case, but still works fine and the removable door was still in place.

BTW, personal choice, but I prefer the GPS to be mounted on a Ram arm attached to a Ram ball/bolt that replaces one of the handlebar clamps. I don't need it up high and in the center as I am not riding the Dakar looking at a roadbook, so have no need to have a constant view of the GPS screen. It ends up in the same area that I glance at when looking at the speedo and guages and it is within easy reach should I want to select something on the touch screen. I don't want to have to lean over the bars toward the windscreen to reach the GPS screen, but that's just me.

OTOH, if it were up high and center, I guess I would have noticed it coming out of the mount, hah.

[normkern]

I am anxious to see one. My 390 is built like a tank and actually survived a 70 mph getoff from my R3.    I doubt that anything with a removable door would survive that!

You probably haven't seen the removable door on the 660/665. Very sturdy, has a rubber seal ring, excellent latch. IMHO, the door/latch would survive a trip down the road as well as any other part of the GPS. If the battery craps out, you simply buy a new one, open the door, replace it. Done! Meanwhile, the USB jack and micro SD card slot are completely protected, yet easily accessible. Works for me!

[DirtFlier]

[...You probably haven't seen the removable door on the 660/665. Very sturdy, has a rubber seal ring, excellent latch. IMHO, the door/latch would survive a trip down the road as well as any other part of the GPS...Norm]

It's also flush mount and in my mind would only come open & fly off if the frame of the GPS unit was distorted by the impact. 

Tosh

[NinjaBob]

Glad to hear it is robust. Nevertheless I'll likely hang on to my 390 for a while...

[stevegrab]

I really don't like the text entry screen on the 660, separating the alphabet into 3 pieces (A-L, M-X and Y-Z) plus other screens with numbers, and even symbols. Not sure why a keyboard with the full alphabet was not used, the screen is not that much smaller (4.3 vs. my Nuvi 2450 which was 5") to make the argument that it would be too small. I think the old style phones using the keys to type (e.g. 2=ABC) were even easier than this.

One cool thing I have not done yet is using Garmin Express to transfer my favorites from the older unit, that will be very helpful. Have a lot of cool places I've stored over the years and its nice to have that hotel/diner in there when you're looking for a spot.

Paco/Fred,
Glad you got lucky with the GPS like that, I had a GoPro come off my helmet (still not sure how) at Mail Pouch couple years ago on OH555, we retraced our steps looking for it, I was hoping maybe it would reconnect to the blue tooth remote and I'd find it that way. No luck, I've since been more careful and also use a device GoPro provides to prevent the buckle mechanism from opening.  $$$$ lessons learned.

Yes GPS mounting is a personal preference like many things, I want mine front and center, both bikes are mounted at/near the stearing head spot. I've never tried it but didn't like the idea of being connected to a handbar area (like on the clip on bolt of a VFR) where it moves around from side to side as the bars move. Mine usually block a bit of the tach/speedo, not a big deal for me. I still have to look down, its not like inside my helmet.  Hmm HUD (heads up display) for GPS?

PS  Yes the battery door is very sturdy, and takes a lot of force on the latch to open, would be very surprised to see it open on impact, unless like Tosh said the outer case is comprompised.

[vfroger]

I really don't like the text entry screen on the 660, separating the alphabet into 3 pieces (A-L, M-X and Y-Z) plus other screens with numbers, and even symbols. Not sure why a keyboard with the full alphabet was not used, the screen is not that much smaller (4.3 vs. my Nuvi 2450 which was 5") to make the argument that it would be too small. I think the old style phones using the keys to type (e.g. 2=ABC) were even easier than this.

You can change that to a QWERTY keyboard in the settings. Once you do, you may change it back. I've fat-fingered my entries without gloves, so I doubt I'd do any better with gloves.

I had to put the 2018.1 maps onto a SD card as it was too much data for the limited hard drive. I found valuable advice concerning how to do that here: http://www.poi-factory.com/node/34914?page=4

Enjoy your new gps, just be aware that Garmin has discontinued them and eventually they will stop supporting it. I have enjoyed that already with my excellent 478 and 276c.

[Brick]

Yes planned obsolescence... pisses me off!
Re the 2018.1 maps... I downloaded them and had my SD card in the 660 but just assumed that they just wrote over the 2017. I have my maps on the SD card as in 2015 when I flew over and rode the Alps Trey loaded me an SD card with the appropriate maps.
I actually still run a Garmin 60csx on my SV650. They stopped supporting that a long time ago. So far so good. It has lots of limitations that the 660 doesn't have.


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[stevegrab]

I really don't like the text entry screen on the 660, separating the alphabet into 3 pieces (A-L, M-X and Y-Z) plus other screens with numbers, and even symbols. Not sure why a keyboard with the full alphabet was not used, the screen is not that much smaller (4.3 vs. my Nuvi 2450 which was 5") to make the argument that it would be too small. I think the old style phones using the keys to type (e.g. 2=ABC) were even easier than this.

You can change that to a QWERTY keyboard in the settings. Once you do, you may change it back. I've fat-fingered my entries without gloves, so I doubt I'd do any better with gloves.

I had to put the 2018.1 maps onto a SD card as it was too much data for the limited hard drive. I found valuable advice concerning how to do that here: http://www.poi-factory.com/node/34914?page=4

Enjoy your new gps, just be aware that Garmin has discontinued them and eventually they will stop supporting it. I have enjoyed that already with my excellent 478 and 276c.

Thanks I had a feeling it was a setting but just haven't had a lot of time to poke around yet. I'll definitely change it and see how it goes, I find when using the GPS at home or in a hotel I often usea  stylus from my laptop to do the typing (fat fingers here too).

I thought I had the latest maps, didn't notice what version/year, but there is no SD card in the unit yet (I'll need to buy one, probably 16GB, don't have any spares I want to use in it, just huge ones for the GoPro.) Garmin Express did show me the unit's memory is 99% full so I'm going to avoid trying to load anything else to it until I have a card.

As for support, I believe this model came out in 2013, my Nuvi 2450 was new in 2012, so it was older. I do hope that the lifetime map options don't go away quickly with these, I do understand it is "lifetime of our support for maps on that unit".

Wow I just scanned those instructions to get maps loaded to the SD Card, I hope it is not that complicated. I know the maps on my Nuvi are going to the card, and Garmin Express was taking care of that for me.

[normkern]

I really don't like the text entry screen on the 660, separating the alphabet into 3 pieces (A-L, M-X and Y-Z) plus other screens with numbers, and even symbols. Not sure why a keyboard with the full alphabet was not used, the screen is not that much smaller (4.3 vs. my Nuvi 2450 which was 5") to make the argument that it would be too small. I think the old style phones using the keys to type (e.g. 2=ABC) were even easier than this.

Enjoy your new gps, just be aware that Garmin has discontinued them and eventually they will stop supporting it. I have enjoyed that already with my excellent 478 and 276c.

GPS technology changes rapidly with time, just like computers. All GPS units will be obsolete in the future, including the 590 & 595, just not as soon as the 660/665, which actually came out in 2011. Six years is a good run for a GPS model, and support for the 660/665 hasn't dried up yet. I expect the map updates will work on it for at least another 2-4 years.

Norm Kern