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Australia, Canberra
1 Level
696 Review
51 Karma

Review on 🏍️ Garmin Zumo 590LM: The Ultimate Motorcycle GPS Navigation System by Cameron Rosa

Revainrating 3 out of 5

Much better than previous Garmin devices. Still WAY overpriced. Instructions are rare and non-existent.

Garmin technology is a bit behind; This is nothing new for those who have used an MP3 player on a standalone Garmin GPS or tried to connect their phone to it. The 590LM model is similar to the Greatest American Hero costume; It has many features but no instructions on how to use those features. First, only buy it if you are happy with its use as a GPS. As an interface for the iPhone, it's more like the interface of a 5-year-old machine. In the media player you can choose from different inputs: iPod/iPhone (wired or Bluetooth), Bluetooth audio, Pandora (wired or Bluetooth), internal media and 3.5 inch Aux-in. Bluetooth and 3.5-inch audio inputs only pass audio passively and allow no suspension of control. This might be the best option if you prefer an audio device other than an Apple product, prefer an audio source other than Music or Pandora, or prefer to control your music through the iPhone/iPod interface. It is allowed to use a microSD card as an internal medium, the slot is located in the battery compartment. Apparently up to 32GB of storage can be used in the Fat32 format, although Garmin says 8GB is the maximum. Cable instead of Lightning to a straight USB cable. This prevents the "unsupported cables issue" and allows you to see the device without a Bluetooth connection. Using the tabs on the screens to control media, weather or other applications is convenient and organized. The ability to purchase additional traffic data for $20, weather for $5, and traffic cameras for $5 beats the optional VHF traffic antennas of the past and allows you to move the device from the bike to the car transmitted while the traffic information is preserved. I recommend using it with the Touratech mount as a Garmin mount, not secure enough in my opinion. There were times when the device didn't snap into place but connected to the pogo pins on the back and I was pulling it back to get a "dead" message as the device fell forward a bit. That could have been a costly mistake. I'm not using this with TPMS sensors yet as I don't have the metal valve stems needed to handle the moving mass of the sensors. Garmin won't tell you why, but this is why. I have a Virb camera, but I haven't used it with this interface yet. Experience with this feature on phones has been limited and buggy, so I'm not expecting much. Get this device if you enjoy creating your own routes on Basecamp (mac version is FINALLY usable) if the 25 limit via google maps is way too low for you if you feel the need to hit one that ignores 'formation points', or if you need some sort of media convergence.

Pros
  • Sturdy construction
Cons
  • No automatic steering