2.17 A Trip Planned in Detail (2)

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Step by Step Guidelines for a Perfect Route (Part 2)

8.   Adjust the Position of Every Point

Select the route and open its properties dialog box (double click the route on a PC).


The Trip is shown as a series of all of the route points - in a dialog box like Pic 2 on the previous page.
At the bottom are two tick boxes - shown on the right, Pic 1


‘More Info’ shows the details of the route including mileage, which can be used if you wish to add a 3 digit mileage value to the front of the name. It can replace the sequence number.


‘Center Map’ zooms in on the currently selected point - so that you can see at a glance whether or not it is placed properly. Usually, it isn’t - it usually jumps to a side street, or into a field - which is why I wasn’t that bothered about locating the point precisely in the first place.


Watch out for points that make the route turn onto the road that you want, and then U-turn back onto a faster road. Common for example near major roads / motorways or if you have a twisty road over the hills when there is a faster road that goes around the hill. I find that a Shaping Point placed about 1/3 and 2/3 along the road to be ridden often solves this problem.



9.   Foolproof the route
  • Move the Start Point away from the Start.
  • Coffee Stops often require a detour. So place two routing points - one at the coffee stop itself, the other on the road that you will be on whether or not you stop. Make the coffee stop a Shaping Point (easy to ignore), the exit will be a Via Point. (Easy to restart).
  • Look up the phone number of the stopping place. Enter it into the properties for the Waypoint. You can use the Zumo screen to locate the phone number and dial it without having to get phone or notebook out if you want to check that it is open.
  • Better still, check the details while you are still at your PC, warm and dry.
  • Look up the place that you will leave your bike when you arrive at stopping places. Use Google street view to read signs and follow information. It will save a lot of hassle when you get there cold, wet, visor misting up ….
  • Do not allow Traffic information to alter your route . 
    Settings->Traffic->Optimise Route->On Request     (ie not Automatic)


10.   Use Basecamp to spot any chance for route alteration:
  • Temporarily Change the profile to Custom:
  • Route Properties box->Route Options->Customize Route Options
  • Set Faster Time, and all other options to unticked. (like the Motorcycle Profile)
  • Any changes are shown immediately in the route. Look for big route changes when only one option is altered. Consider whether or not an extra route point is needed.
  • Basecamp knows about date/seasonal road closures. When planning a summer Trip in deep midwinter, you may get some odd routing behaviour.
  • Watch out for too many Shaping Points that may restrict alternative routes from being found. If you deviate from the route, the satnav will often find an equally valid alternative to the next route point - which may be OK.
  • Watch for the single track shortcuts which the satnav will choose ‘cos it is faster. It isn’t. Just make a mental note to stay to the labelled road. The satnav will adjust the route if you ignore it wanting to be a tractor.
  • When you are finished playing, change the profile back to Use Activity Profile - Motorcycle

11.   Transfer ALL of your routes to the Zumo XT:

 If you are transferring to internal storage, then it is important to remember that after connecting the USB cable, any new transfers will over-write any routes that have been transferred before. This doesn't delete the routes on the XT that have been imported, but it does mean that if you accidentally delete or edit an imported route on the XT, it will not be available to import again.

This never happened with any of the previous Zumos that I have owned (the 550, 660, 590 and 595). It is a new 'feature'. It does not happen if files are transferred to memory card. Reported to Garmin Sept 2021. V6.30 of firmware.

The XT is quite forgiving if you are forced to take a different route. You can always stop the route, use it to navigate to a new location and then re-start the original route. Having a few known Via Points plotted helps, but there is also the option to select ‘Closest Entry Point’. Make sure that U-turns are allowed and check the preview map to see exactly what it is doing.



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The information on these pages has been acquired from personal experience of using and testing the behaviour of Basecamp and my Zumo XT. I have no links with Garmin, and these pages should not be regarded as instructions. They are presented for interest only. The contents of these pages must not be shared, copied, transmitted, redistributed or re-published in any form without my permission. (C) JHeath 2021.