UPDATE: This model has been discontinued. For a look at current models, check out our GPS for motorcycles page. The Garmin zumo 550 GPS is designed especially for motorcycles. The zumo comes pre-loaded with maps of Europe or North America, and Bluetooth allows for hands free cell phone calling through the cyclist’s helmet. This high-end unit includes the SiRFstar III chipset for excellent reception, an MP3 player, and optional XM radio, traffic and weather. TMC traffic alerts are another available alternative. The touch-screen zumo comes with a RAM motorcycle mount, and for those few times you’re not on your Harley, there’s an automotive suction mount (with an integrated speaker) included as well.
GPS is designed especially for motorcycles. The zumo comes pre-loaded with maps of Europe or North America, and Bluetooth allows for hands free cell phone calling through the cyclist’s helmet. This high-end unit includes the Compare prices on the Garmin zumo 550 T
o see how the 550 compares to other zumo models, check out my motorcycle GPS buyers guide.
More Garmin zumo 550 reviews
- Several Garmin zumo 550 reviews have been posted by consumers at GPSNow.
- Likewise, consumer-written Garmin zumo 550 reviews have been posted at Amazon.
- GPSInformation.org has posted a Garmin zumo 550 review, in their typically thorough fashion.
- YourNav has posted a very thorough Garmin zumo 550 review, giving it a thumbs up.
- Gaj-It.com reviews the Garmin zumo 550.
- CNet has posted a zumo 550 review, giving it an 8.3 out of 10 rating, and posted 29 photos of the zumo 550 as well. Consumers are posting zumo 550 reviews there too.
- LordPercy has posted a Garmin zumo 550 review.
- Here’s another hands-on zumo 550 review posted at the ADVrider forum. Thanks to Simon for his comment on this page, letting me know about it.
- A Garmin zumo 550 photo set has shown up on GpsPasSion.
- YourNav compares the zumo 550 with the TomTom Rider 2.
- Hands-on with the Garmin zumo 550.
- Women Riders Now posts their own Garmin zumo 550 review.
- Longrider reviews the zumo 550.
- DogFacedBoy has also posted a Garmin zumo 550 review.
- A consumer review of the Garmin zumo 550 has been posted at Epinions.
- Technical Itch reviews the UK version of the Garmin zumo 550.
- A user review of the zumo 550 at MotorcycleAddicts.org.
- Gaj-It reviews the zumo 550.
- A brief Garmin zumo 550 review posted at Camping Forums
- A great two-part video review of the zumo 550:
- A PDF version of the Garmin zumo 550 owners manual.
- Want to see how the zumo 550 stacks up against other models? Check out this Garmin motorcycle GPS comparison tool.
- Here’s a dedicated Garmin zumo message forum.
- This Garmin message forum also has a significant number of zumo-centric postings.
- A Garmin zumo wiki, complete with a Garmin zumo FAQ.
- Zumo Connect is a place to share routes of rides.
- Details on zumo routes, a little info on audio connections and MP3 capacity, more tips on audio and routing, and how to get to the compass screen. Chet answers even more zumo 550 questions.
- Garmin has a zumo 550 mini-site.
- Detailed zumo 550 installation instructions for the Harley Davidson FLHT.
- Syncing a Palm Treo 650 to a Garmin zumo 550.
- Here’s a roundup of Bluetooth motorcycle helmets.
- Share your rides at zumo Connect.
- The official Garmin zumo 550 web page.
- How to access archived trip logs on your zumo (post title says nuvi, but it works the same).
Compare prices on the Garmin zumo 550 at these merchants:
- Get the low price on a Garmin zumo 550 at GPSNow, where shipping is free on orders over $99 (and the upgrade to overnight shipping is dirt cheap!); order by 5 p.m. Central Time for same day shipment.
- Check the current Garmin zumo 550 price at Amazon.com.
- Find the Garmin zumo 550 Motorcycle GPS Navigation System NEW LOW PRICE at TigerGPS, where you get free shipping on orders above $250.
- Buy the Garmin zumo 550 for an amazing price on eBay.
- Check out our GPS deals site for current specials and rebates on a wide range of GPS receivers
- Scroll down for more live price comparisons
About Rich Owings
I’m quiet dissapointet about the reviews. I did not read them all but the one YourNav was quite long and I thought that this should be a very interesting review. What I realized half down the review was that most of the test was made in the CAR!!! NOT ON THE MOTORCYCLE!!!! Reason: there were no bluetooth headset within the box and they didn’t bother to buy one.
I think that when buying something at this prize – the navigations should work with no problems and the real testing is:
– if the bluetooth works good enough to give you the directions – even at high speeds as 130km/h – can you hear the speach when the wind is blowing
– can you choose between wired/no wired connection also with mic (if the perception is not good enough with bluetooth)
– can you use it as an bluetooth intercom between you and your passenger
– is 3 – 4 hours battery enough or can you easily plug it into your motorcycle battery – I’m planning a trip to spain (from denmark) and I’m going to ride the bike maybe more than 4 hours a day.
Has anyone testet it on a motorcycle on a longer period of time, maybe on a more-than-one-day trip? That would be interesting!
Only have my Zumo 550 2 days and am waiting for kit from Autocom to use on my bike, but works very well in the car. Only one point I would like to mention, it comes with a good carry case but it has no strap or facility for one.
John
Simon,
Those are excellent questions. The best motorcycle / GPS oriented forum I have found is http://www.advrider.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=6
A search there for zumo turns up the following threads: http://www.advrider.com/forums/search.php?searchid=2692082
I would encourage you to post your questions there. If you do, please reply and let me know. I’d love to post a link to the answers.
Rich
Hi Rich,
Thanks for the fast reply – I’ve been at the forum and allready found much better information – now I’m waiting for the moderator to accept my account and then off to write some questions 🙂
I’ll return when I have some interesting news!
//Simon
Hi again!
I actually found a guy who had done his own review at adrider.com – here is his review:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=218493
Lots of other people did reply and it has been quite interresting! I did buy the Garmin 550 and got it yesteday – I’ve allready been on the road 🙂 – now I’m looking for at headset.
Regards
Simon
Thanks Simon. I’ve updated my review, adding a link to the ADVrider post you cited. I’m glad it was helpful.
The attachment to the battery cable comes incomplete. The battery cable ahould have the connectors, so all one has to do connect it, an go.
The Garmin itself is great.
The Zumo 550 and 500 seems to be twins. I have the 500, and there are problems with the track log (Active log, as the Zumo calls it). The CURRENT log is supposed to hold up to 10.000 entries, before being moved to archive. It seems that this is not the case, and I have several archived logs that are much less then 10.000 points.
Second, empty archives are created (only XML heading) and no data. It is not clear (to me) if the track that is now missing was never written, or if the log got lost while being copied to archive.
Version 3.30 is supposed to fix it, but it doesn’t.
Any suggestions?
Tage,
I’m afraid I can’t help on this one. The following message forums might be a good place to ask though…
http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=161
http://www.advrider.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=6
I got my Zumo 550 from Cycle Gadgets.com and they were very friendly and helpful with everything. I will never need another gps this one works great.
I have one (since Christmas 2006). It’s cool when you get it working right with Bluetooth. I have a Treo 650, and a J&M bluetooth headset.
Once I got them all talking, it was the bomb (some pains on setup).
I was sold my old bike, and the Garmin was giving voice directions…don’t know that saving 30 sec by doing surface streets thru the Bronxs was a good choice, but, there I was.
A couple of hours later, the phone rang, it echoed in my headset, and displayed in the Garmin. It popped up that it was my wife (got that from the phone). I of course answered it. She was like “so what’s you up to”. I said “I’m cruising down the Garden state parkway expressway at 70 mph… So what’s you doing?”
It worked flawlessly.
Bottom line, I got there, I could talk on the phone, and if I had music, I could have listened to that too
Life is good when technology does it’s job.
Sounds very cool. Thanks for sharing.
I would avoid any of the Zumo series. There is a battery defect that a large percentage of all three of the Zumo series have. Garmin will not admit the defect, but it has been reported in the ZumoForums extensively. Also this defect has been reported in new units (out of the box) and any age thereafter.
Perhaps if the sales drop, Garmin will fix the problem, instead of recycling a engineering problem.
Thanks for sharing that information. Good to know.
I’m quite disappointed with the reviews. I was hoping this would be one of the better ones on the market.