Pissed off with Garmin is my default position. They seem to think, like Apple appear to , that we should be very grateful they let us buy and use their products.
Garmin is shite. Get it off your chest here.
- Thread starter Stevie4scoops
- Start date
A lot of the problem here is people don't get the difference between a track and a route. A track is like a line on a map, so if you load a track or follow a track (the XT can, not sure about the Navs) then it can not change, it is set in stone. If you load a track and then make it a route, then each device will calculate the route to follow the track, then it will probably be different on each device, depending on preferences or an learning the device has made. You can load a track and show it, overlay the route, so you can see when you deviate from your track, again this can be done on the XT, not sure about others. But in the case of the XT if you have live traffic enabled for instance, if a road is closed it will route you around and then attempt to rejoin your track, but a route job is to try and keep you on the track (if you loaded one from Basecamp or MRA or from elsewhere, taking into account inputs from yourself and the device. So the thing to do is load a track (routes etc from magazines are tracks, not routes, it becomes a route once you let the device "calculate route", then display the track and the route your device has calculated, you can then see when you deviate from the track and get yourself back to it, if you wish.
The previous 2 posts have given me food for thought. Look like there’s a few handy tips there.
I’ve been getting on fine with Garmin devices and Basecamp for many years. I plan my UK and Euro trips in great detail, with daytime targets and night stops planned with pinpoint precision. Usually works well.
I carry the “scars” of learning to outwit the features and hiccups along the way.
I have no interest in lashing a phone to my handle bar. My phone is just my phone - set to Airplane Mode when riding.
I stopped dithering and will be “Going XT in ‘23” and hope my Chrissy present is being gift wrapped as I type.
I’ve been getting on fine with Garmin devices and Basecamp for many years. I plan my UK and Euro trips in great detail, with daytime targets and night stops planned with pinpoint precision. Usually works well.
I carry the “scars” of learning to outwit the features and hiccups along the way.
I have no interest in lashing a phone to my handle bar. My phone is just my phone - set to Airplane Mode when riding.
I stopped dithering and will be “Going XT in ‘23” and hope my Chrissy present is being gift wrapped as I type.
The benefit of using a phone or additional/spare phone as GPS device is that it gives you options. Very good options.
from google you can search hotels or locations and immediately navigate. For free you have google maps which does use some data. Alternatively you can install tomtom go for £20 a year and have access to world wide maps! all downloadable to your phone so no data or even sim card required.
It is far easier imho than basecamp to import/create routes and upload them to your phone. Most decent phones are waterproof enough to use in the rain and with wireless charging mount options....
Having 2 motorbikes in the stable with quad-lock phone mounts it is very easy to use my phone. I agree the best place for my phone is in your pocket in case you become departed from your steed, so I am recycling a samsung s8 plus with no sim card and using this for navigation.
the tom tom mobile software can be used in multiple devices with a single account, Tablets, phones etc.
from google you can search hotels or locations and immediately navigate. For free you have google maps which does use some data. Alternatively you can install tomtom go for £20 a year and have access to world wide maps! all downloadable to your phone so no data or even sim card required.
It is far easier imho than basecamp to import/create routes and upload them to your phone. Most decent phones are waterproof enough to use in the rain and with wireless charging mount options....
Having 2 motorbikes in the stable with quad-lock phone mounts it is very easy to use my phone. I agree the best place for my phone is in your pocket in case you become departed from your steed, so I am recycling a samsung s8 plus with no sim card and using this for navigation.
the tom tom mobile software can be used in multiple devices with a single account, Tablets, phones etc.
XT is crap
I just tested it this afternoon and put in a postcode near York (out in the countryside on c roads between 2 villages)
There is a direct (but wiggly cross country)19 mile route
I put in the postcode and let it do its thing
Instead of the direct route (which would have been faster time & when I did it, it was)
Instead it tried to route me via a dual carriageway trunk road and then onto the main A19 between York & Thirsk and that would add 3-4 miles to the journey
The cross country route was 4 mins faster & obviously more enjoyable
Coming back I was on the A19 at Beningborough and stopped for fuel
Pressed home and again it tried to route me via the A19, then onto the A1 and this would have been 5/6 miles further ….despite only a quarter a mile away from the A19 was a diagonally (on a map) direct C road route to my village (a bit wiggly but way faster on a bike)
I took this route of course and when I was approaching the start of this direct route,via the 1/2 mile link from the main A19, it was actually trying to route me left at the T junction and back south towards York (from whence I originally came
)
Naturally I turned right at the T junction and took the most direct and fastest route home
It saved 7 miles and 11 minutes from the XT’s original offering
Fucking useless
It’s a car sat nav …the way it routes and I suppose they added Adv routing to bring in a slight compromise to motorcycle riders
Still, it looks pretty as handlebar jewellery !!
The 2610 is far better as a motorcycle routing sat nav (although 20 years old now and doesn’t have the latest whizz bang music and apps of course)
EDIT
Just changed the XT navigation preferences from Faster Time to Shorter Distance
Simulated the outward route again (at home now) and it took virtually the same route as before, FFS
I just tested it this afternoon and put in a postcode near York (out in the countryside on c roads between 2 villages)
There is a direct (but wiggly cross country)19 mile route
I put in the postcode and let it do its thing
Instead of the direct route (which would have been faster time & when I did it, it was)
Instead it tried to route me via a dual carriageway trunk road and then onto the main A19 between York & Thirsk and that would add 3-4 miles to the journey
The cross country route was 4 mins faster & obviously more enjoyable
Coming back I was on the A19 at Beningborough and stopped for fuel
Pressed home and again it tried to route me via the A19, then onto the A1 and this would have been 5/6 miles further ….despite only a quarter a mile away from the A19 was a diagonally (on a map) direct C road route to my village (a bit wiggly but way faster on a bike)
I took this route of course and when I was approaching the start of this direct route,via the 1/2 mile link from the main A19, it was actually trying to route me left at the T junction and back south towards York (from whence I originally came
)Naturally I turned right at the T junction and took the most direct and fastest route home
It saved 7 miles and 11 minutes from the XT’s original offering
Fucking useless
It’s a car sat nav …the way it routes and I suppose they added Adv routing to bring in a slight compromise to motorcycle riders
Still, it looks pretty as handlebar jewellery !!
The 2610 is far better as a motorcycle routing sat nav (although 20 years old now and doesn’t have the latest whizz bang music and apps of course)
EDIT
Just changed the XT navigation preferences from Faster Time to Shorter Distance
Simulated the outward route again (at home now) and it took virtually the same route as before, FFS
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Not really ….you’re just being facetious
The 2610 still works really well and in a way that you want it too & more reliably than many modern GPS, as Mzzok has demonstrated above
The Zumo XT is car sat nav, adapted for motorcycles and for me today it was pants, whereas the 2610 on the same route taken was absolutely spot on
I don’t want
Music
Apps
Trinkets
Adv Routing
Wi-Fi
Gimmicks etc
I just want a GPS that routes correctly on my motorcycle and provides interesting routing, not fucking motorways & trunk roads when there is a better & more direct route across country
I used my Garmin Montana 610 today and we were in a pretty remote location, off tarmac
Routed home the quickest & most direct (as I would have chosen) without drama, when in automotive profile using only CN mapping (ordnance survey & Topo mapping is disabled in that profile, for me)
None of this fastest road nonsense that the Zumo XT exhibits
Drove my pickup tonight and it had a Garmin Drive 51 GPS - looks very similar to the map/mapping on the Zumo XT
Hmmmmm……we’ve been had & duped as motorcyclists into buying something 3x the price of their car sat navs with a few extra features, plus Explore is just doesn’t work well & Basecamp that has been made obsolete now (without any future support) so we trot off and buy into MRA at €299 to solve Garmin’s inherent shortfalls
Ever had the feeling you’ve been had ???
Routed home the quickest & most direct (as I would have chosen) without drama, when in automotive profile using only CN mapping (ordnance survey & Topo mapping is disabled in that profile, for me)
None of this fastest road nonsense that the Zumo XT exhibits
Drove my pickup tonight and it had a Garmin Drive 51 GPS - looks very similar to the map/mapping on the Zumo XT
Hmmmmm……we’ve been had & duped as motorcyclists into buying something 3x the price of their car sat navs with a few extra features, plus Explore is just doesn’t work well & Basecamp that has been made obsolete now (without any future support) so we trot off and buy into MRA at €299 to solve Garmin’s inherent shortfalls
Ever had the feeling you’ve been had ???
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If its not suitable for your needs, Don't use it, It doesn't make it "Rubbish" and you wouldn't feel the need to Post your "Rubbish" here ?
If its not suitable for your needs, Don't use it, It doesn't make it "Rubbish" and you wouldn't feel the need to Post your "Rubbish" here ?
Rubbish
It’s flawed and many people report the same
You know it, I know it and do loads of other people
So, do we just sit here in silence??
Stop being a complete cock
I don't know it.Rubbish
It’s flawed and many people report the same
You know it, I know it and do loads of other people
So, do we just sit here in silence??
Stop being a complete cock
It works brilliantly. I've just returned from a six week jaunt around Europe, (6.500 Miles) Not once did let me down, or do anything strange.
Cock ? ........
Fancy a coffee Johnny boy ? Bring Richard with you? Be great to see you. We can compare sat navs.
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It makes him feel better. (JB) He rides an 1150GS, which, is a fantastic bike, however, The newer bikes are "Crap", He uses an older nav, Which makes the newer navs "Crap" 
I'm still waiting for acknowledgment of a coffee JB. Face to face Sat Nav comparisons. You can call me a "Cock" as many times as you like then
I'm still waiting for acknowledgment of a coffee JB. Face to face Sat Nav comparisons. You can call me a "Cock" as many times as you like then
The XT is far from flawed. If bods want to experience ‘flawed’ go no further than:
The Garmin backed, BMW branded, Navigator VI.
A 2022 K1600 with a TFT screen that haemorrhages EMF’s, screwing up GPS devices and GPS app running phones.
The Garmin backed, BMW branded, Navigator VI.
A 2022 K1600 with a TFT screen that haemorrhages EMF’s, screwing up GPS devices and GPS app running phones.
There is another new upgraded model apparently, should be available soon, two months ago, there was an 8 week delay on shipping replacement units, so not sure if anyone has one yet
Not sure, we had a less than a year old Nav VI start to ghost. Contacted Carmen in June and they said they will replace but not shipping for 8 weeks as there is an updated version coming. We still haven't sent our old unit back and haven't heard anything since
Just got an XT and what a pice of shit!!!!
I see a lot of these issues, tested routes from my house to nursery drop off and train station, start point at end of drive and 1st waypoint about 300m up the road - start going and "turn around" - WTF!
Tried skipping the next waypoint, but it wants to skip the one in front, even if you do skip that point ahead so it should jump to the next one you still get "turn around", tried starting from the 2nd waypoint 300m up the road and "Turn around", tried starting at "closest entry point" and, yep "turn around!
Took it on my trip to Eifel last week and every fucking time I set off - "Turn around".
One afternoon after lunch in Bastogne I tried to start the route from the 1st waypoint (not start point) about 1.5 miles out of town on road to Foy and "turn around", asked to skip waypoint and it asked if I wanted to skip the one ahead, OK then - "Turn around", stopped and reset it, tried again and "turn around"
I then waited until about 100M from this waypoint, restarted the route and selected "closest entry" and it was OK, for rest of day.
I found I had to set off following the track (I had set to display the track for any routes we were running) once a little way along the route and close to a waypoint I could start navigation using "closest entry point", seems the only way to not have a constant "turn around" message.
The whole time my old 345 was performing perfectly OK, 2 other guys had XT's, one had never really used routes and basically gave up and followed bike in front, my other mate had said the XT is utterly shit and he just uses an App on phone - I assumed he was a fuckwit incapable of using a nav until I got my XT!
Screen is nice, ability to send routes from phone to device is great, the BT connection to phone and headset is light years ahead of my 345, but the primary function of directing you accurately is totally screwed, how this got past the beta testers is beyond me.
BTW all my routes were showing as "saved" routes, I have sent them drect from phone (via MRA) and exported to GPX and copied to device via PC.
Nothing seems to work, apart from getting along the route and then starting it.
I also turned off the auto recalculate option, but that failed, and even once the trip was working (due to starting part way through) if you went off the orignal route wihtout recalc - for example we had some roadworks in a toen and a small diversion, when you get back on the original path (back on purple line) it did not detect you were on route and had given up providing directions, the arrival time froze etc...
... Completely useless, if you deviate for any reason you have to stop the navigation, go back to trip planner and restart the trip with "closest entry point" and hope the closest point is in front or....
....Yes "TURN AROUND" although you might be able to "skip waypoint" and get back on track, I just followed the track a bit and tried again when the "closest entry point" would be in front of me.
By far the worst Nav device I have ever come across, appaling waste of money - and I will never buy a Garmin device every again, and will push for full refund on this pile of crap. It is totally useless.
Another mate was strugling with a Tom Tom, the only guy not experiencing such ball ache was the guy running MRA, well almost, he had an NT1100 with Car Play and the car play would regularly fuck up so he had no Nav, nothing to do with MRA, just the "latest and greatest" bike electronics - progress eh?
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I’m with JB and others on this. Satnavs should be intuitive and just get you where you want to go without drama in my book. I like to just put a destination in and perhaps a few waypoints and go, sometimes just destination and then navigate by eye.
At the moment my XT refuses to accept postcodes at all despite trying a number of different configurations. Updating the software hasn’t helped. Magnet has the same GPS and has no problem with postcodes..
Plus for me the actual mapping isn’t great. At the weekend I put in an address which started ‘Main Road’, wouldn‘t find that, wouldn’t accept the postcode and the only option left was to put the town in and go looking.
As John says rubbish!
At the moment my XT refuses to accept postcodes at all despite trying a number of different configurations. Updating the software hasn’t helped. Magnet has the same GPS and has no problem with postcodes..
Plus for me the actual mapping isn’t great. At the weekend I put in an address which started ‘Main Road’, wouldn‘t find that, wouldn’t accept the postcode and the only option left was to put the town in and go looking.
As John says rubbish!
XT works fine for me
I use mapsource for routes and it’s a bit of a faff to copy them into base camp to upload them to XT but once into XT the routes work ok
I’m also finally using basecamp a bit more (apparently it’s crap too) all a bit of a learning curve
I use mapsource for routes and it’s a bit of a faff to copy them into base camp to upload them to XT but once into XT the routes work ok
I’m also finally using basecamp a bit more (apparently it’s crap too) all a bit of a learning curve
Sounds as though the "Avoid U Turns" option in avoidances may be worth a try.
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