Is there any Zumo Rider 550 XT?
Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2021 6:58 pm
OK, so I've been a long time user of a Tomtom Urban Rider unit...
Launched in 2010 it was great unit and was able to do everything except traffic and OTA updates.
Running on very old hardware and very old OS (WindowsCE) and yet I wouldn't miss a turn or had to wait more than todays units to calculate a route.
But, it was discontinued long time ago and the map updates were a problem.
So I decided last year to upgrade to the latest motorcycle dedicated Tomtom device, the Rider 550.
New hardware, new software and now Android based... What a joy!... Nope, instead what a disappointment.
Phone integration was gone - it relies on Google Assistant and I never managed to managed to make it work with my mobile phone.
Can start from any waypoint, but cannot change destination (as I did with the old Rider).
Can only skip next waypoint...
Only 6 categories for custom POIs with 6 pre-assigned symbols (geometric figures) which are useless to identify them on the map...
After copying the route to the GPS all waypoint names are lost and replaced by the address which makes them pretty much useless...
Modifying a route means you have to pick the waypoints on the map on the desired order... what a nightmare!
Also the new routing algorithm seemed to be obsessed a bit more in finding all shortcuts even if that mean taking you off the main road to save around 5 meters of distance...
Lately any updates would take ages to apply, even something simple as speed cameras...
OK, there were some new nice things (like traffic and the preview of fuel stations for the trip) but I could not understand why most of the best features for me were gone (unless knowing the fact the software was redone from scratch for a new platform).
I've searched the Tomtom forums and I wish I had this before upgrading, a lot of unhappy users there with no feedback or support from the support team...
So I finally decided to toss the Rider and go for the Zumo XT...
Not completely unfamiliar with it I did had a automotive Garmin device long time ago and I did use their desktop planner - not basecamp but the software before that which strangely doesn't look much different than basecamp now...
So far I've travelled around 1000kms with the zoom and...
The good...
The screen is way above the Rider, much more like a mobile phone... No more trouble looking at it even if the Sun is on my back.
Bluetooth works well. The Rider never reconnected if I went far away from it, no problems for the Zumo.
Got the phone integration back, and that's great!
So far routing seems OK, I've only one situation when it suggested me a shortcut but having the possibility to see the track (blue) and the route (magenta) I easily ignored the instructions and continued on the track.
Love the Music App and Tripadvisor integration.
The bad...
Transferring data... Lots of work to do here for Garmin. Rider has it's own online planner (although not perfect) which will transfer the route immediately to the unit.
Navigation screen is a bit better and smoother for the Rider.
Zumo mount looks cheap, it's way better for the Rider, nothing plastic all metal, sturdy and with a lock included (premium pack).
Same goes for the car mount, Zumo uses a passive mount and you have to plug the usb cable to GPS unit itself, Tomtom has an active mount (cable connects to the mount).
No carry case for the XT???...
But so far I'm sure I've made the right decision. Rider 550 is not a bad unit but the Zumo XT is better one for me...
Is there any Zumo Rider 550 XT on the market?
Launched in 2010 it was great unit and was able to do everything except traffic and OTA updates.
Running on very old hardware and very old OS (WindowsCE) and yet I wouldn't miss a turn or had to wait more than todays units to calculate a route.
But, it was discontinued long time ago and the map updates were a problem.
So I decided last year to upgrade to the latest motorcycle dedicated Tomtom device, the Rider 550.
New hardware, new software and now Android based... What a joy!... Nope, instead what a disappointment.
Phone integration was gone - it relies on Google Assistant and I never managed to managed to make it work with my mobile phone.
Can start from any waypoint, but cannot change destination (as I did with the old Rider).
Can only skip next waypoint...
Only 6 categories for custom POIs with 6 pre-assigned symbols (geometric figures) which are useless to identify them on the map...
After copying the route to the GPS all waypoint names are lost and replaced by the address which makes them pretty much useless...
Modifying a route means you have to pick the waypoints on the map on the desired order... what a nightmare!
Also the new routing algorithm seemed to be obsessed a bit more in finding all shortcuts even if that mean taking you off the main road to save around 5 meters of distance...
Lately any updates would take ages to apply, even something simple as speed cameras...
OK, there were some new nice things (like traffic and the preview of fuel stations for the trip) but I could not understand why most of the best features for me were gone (unless knowing the fact the software was redone from scratch for a new platform).
I've searched the Tomtom forums and I wish I had this before upgrading, a lot of unhappy users there with no feedback or support from the support team...
So I finally decided to toss the Rider and go for the Zumo XT...
Not completely unfamiliar with it I did had a automotive Garmin device long time ago and I did use their desktop planner - not basecamp but the software before that which strangely doesn't look much different than basecamp now...
So far I've travelled around 1000kms with the zoom and...
The good...
The screen is way above the Rider, much more like a mobile phone... No more trouble looking at it even if the Sun is on my back.
Bluetooth works well. The Rider never reconnected if I went far away from it, no problems for the Zumo.
Got the phone integration back, and that's great!
So far routing seems OK, I've only one situation when it suggested me a shortcut but having the possibility to see the track (blue) and the route (magenta) I easily ignored the instructions and continued on the track.
Love the Music App and Tripadvisor integration.
The bad...
Transferring data... Lots of work to do here for Garmin. Rider has it's own online planner (although not perfect) which will transfer the route immediately to the unit.
Navigation screen is a bit better and smoother for the Rider.
Zumo mount looks cheap, it's way better for the Rider, nothing plastic all metal, sturdy and with a lock included (premium pack).
Same goes for the car mount, Zumo uses a passive mount and you have to plug the usb cable to GPS unit itself, Tomtom has an active mount (cable connects to the mount).
No carry case for the XT???...
But so far I'm sure I've made the right decision. Rider 550 is not a bad unit but the Zumo XT is better one for me...
Is there any Zumo Rider 550 XT on the market?