Zumo 595 Review after first serious use

[adl55]

Assessment (1 week / 1,900 miles) based on comparison to Garmin Zumo 660 in use for a decade.

POSITIVES
• Integrated with Basecamp

• Routes developed in Basecamp transfer and import without discernable changes.
  Note: Zumo 595 switches out of motorcycle mode on routes built under other activity profiles.

• Sorts favorites into categories assigned to Basecamp waypoints.

• Smartphone Link

• Provides live traffic data & access to traffic camera images.

• Provides weather & weather alerts.

• Enables LiveTrack – sharing a weblink (with constantly-updated location) via e-mail.

• Displays (and, optionally, reads) text messages.

• Faster calculating / recalculating (without announcement)

• Detects fuel stops

• Prompts for reset of fuel gauge whenever stopping at or close to a filling station.

• USB port is beneath a flap rather than buried within.

NEGATIVES
• NOT glove-friendly

• Screen sensitivity is adequate but not great.

• Many displayed features are TOO SMALL and / or poorly located.
  The top bar of the map display is too small for gloved hands.
  After initially in top bar, warnings reduce to tiny icons in the upper right corner (far right of top bar). Nearly impossible to open on the first try.

• Inaccurate locating

• Example: Zumo 595 was unable to discern travel on stretches of the Blue Ridge Parkway and Cherohala Skyway that have been in place for decades. Riding the same roads 8 months earlier with Zumo 660 proved to be no problem. Illustrations available.

• Map Overlays preset to ridiculous level that obscures roads. Easily changed only after wandering through menus. Irritating!

• Irritating alerts

• Sound can be disabled but the pre-defined list cannot be changed.
  EVERY curve with a highway sign prompts an alert.
  Helmet law alerts pop up near EVERY state line.

• Pointless alerts (e.g. “Construction reported on I75.”) frequently repeated.
  When the only offered selection is “Dismiss” then the alert was pointless.

• Adventurous Routing is TERRIBLE

• Unless you seek cow paths and / or once-paved trails.

NEITHER POSITIVE NOR NEGATIVE
• Display

• Larger. But the additional space is not effectively utilized.

• Detects light level to automatically adjust brightness.

• Visibility in sunlight is NO better, maybe worse. (Definitely worse compared to Zumo 660 equipped with a hood.)

• Accepts larger-capacity SDHC cards

• Automatically formatted as required after installation & power-up.

• 64 GB max?

CONCLUSION
Not yet ready for “prime time” because the Zumo 595 lacks two important features:

• Accuracy in calculating location

• Glove-friendliness

Both issues could be resolved with software updates but given that Garmin took months to respond to the WNRO problem with the Zumo 660, an issue known more than twenty years ago, it seems unlikely to be addressed soon.

[pidjones]

Good review, and a good example of Garmin's lack of attention to detail for motorcycle units. Seems they are putting all of their efforts into wearable fitness devices and hiking assist units now. Auto units like Nuvi and Diesel may be our best bets now.

[Vespamarc]

I use this pencil when i wear gloves. Attached to holder with thin elastic band. Works perfect.

[adl55]

Addendum: Inaccurate locating

Encountered another instance of the Zumo 595 calculating an incorrect position.

Another rider in the group has a 595; he encountered the same inaccurate locating on the same stretch of road.

Powering down my 595 *seemed* to correct the problem. It calculated correct positions when powered up again -- though it remains unclear as to whether this actually "solved" the problem -- or -- if the GPS would have gotten the subsequent stretch of road correct. (Should have downloaded the tracklog from the other 595. Didn't think of it at the time.)

With inaccurate position calculations not specific to a single Zumo 595, putting in the effort to compile data for submission to Garmin seems in order. Doubt, though, that it will lead to anything of value.

[adl55]

Just for grins, here is one error-filled tracklog from the 595 (in red) overlayed on five previous tracklogs from a Zumo 660 (in yellow) of the same stretch of road:


Along with another error-filled tracklog from the 595 (in red) overlayed on twnety-one previous tracklogs from a Zumo 660 (in yellow) of the same stretch of road:


You can see, in both cases, that the 595 captures the turns but has them significantly displaced from the road AND actual locations.

In all cases, these are segments of much longer tracklogs. Sections with no significant (i.e. more than a few feet) displacement from maps and previous tracklogs have been omitted to enhance focus on the errors.

[pidjones]

I'd say that unit should be replaced no questions asked by Garmin. That much error is inexcusable.

[Arents]

Man, I feel for you. I hope Garmin does you a solid and replaces the device. Sucks to think that you can get these kinds of issues on a brand new device.