Why Riders Should Use a GPS Navigator for Their Motorcycles
March 11, 2024
Are you a rider looking to venture off the beaten path? Whether it’s three days or 30 minutes, on- or off-road adventures, discover the route of your dreams with the rugged Garmin zūmo® series. Designed to withstand the elements and rough terrain, Garmin motorcycle navigators such as the zūmo® XT2 are jam-packed with features designed for riders and engineered for motorcycles.
The zūmo XT2 allows the solo and group rider to enjoy any adventure. And that’s just the beginning of its offerings.
Taking your bike for a spin and going off the grid doesn’t have to mean you’ll be “off the grid.” With the zūmo XT2, tap into your adventurous side with unique off-road features such as simple map switching to access topographic maps and BirdsEye Direct Satellite Imagery so you know where you are and where you’re headed.
Continue reading to learn about the unique benefits a zūmo XT2 provides for motorcyclists of all kinds.
Top Flight Features
What makes the zūmo XT2 special? Sure, it looks great and is easy to read with its ultrabright, sunlight-readable 6” display. And no doubt it’s durable and built to last in all elements, but you’ll be surprised by the capabilities the many features provide.
- Garmin Adventurous Routing™: Life is full of twists and turns. With Adventurous Routing, you get to decide how many. Plus, you can pass on the straight — and boring — routes, meaning fewer highways. Select road preferences through Adventurous Routing to ensure a true motorcycle adventure with all of the hills, curves and sights. So leave it to your zūmo to provide a more enjoyable ride.
- Great rides: Before you head out for your next ride, use the great rides feature to discover new and popular routes on the Garmin Tread® app downloaded on your compatible smartphone. Bookmark the route that suits you best, and it’ll sync to your navigator automatically. After your journey, add difficulty ratings and upload photos to share with other riders within the Tread app.
- Popular paths: Sometimes it’s best to copy other people’s homework. Whether you’re still learning your motorcycle navigator, or if you’re in a new area, check out popular moto paths discovered by others through the popular paths feature.
- Group ride mobile: Perfect day for a ride with your crew? With the group ride mobile feature1, communicate in real time and track where your buddies are directly on the zūmo XT2 display. Group ride mobile allows you to communicate with nearby riders with preset messages, voice commands and live map locations. Take it a step further with the group ride radio accessory2 (sold separately), where you can chat with your fellow riders through your helmet or headset (not included) during your ride. Talk about reacting in real time.
- Ride summaries: Want to relive a recent journey? Know how fast you were going, acceleration and decelerations, elevations and more stats within the Tread app. How? Once you arrive at your destination, your device will automatically display all of the details surrounding your ride — aka your ride summary. Save your summary to improve your next adventure and consider sharing it with a friend.
Supporting Features
Not to be outdone by the previously stated features, you can get even more out of your motorcycle navigator with music streaming, alerts and connectivity.
- Music: Get in the zone while riding. Stream your favorite tunes from the navigator or a compatible smartphone directly to your helmet or headset.
- Rider alerts: Stay up to speed on hazards along your route. From sharp curves to speed changes and more, you’ll be notified about the unexpected ahead of time.
- Connectivity: Remain connected through a variety of features, including wireless updates, live traffic and weather, inReach® satellite communicator3 compatibility, BLUETOOTH® connectivity, incident notifications and more.
Plan Your Route
Your next route can easily be planned on the latest zūmo devices via the visual route planner or within the Tread app on a compatible smartphone. Just like your life can be smoother with a little planning, so can your next ride. To learn more, check out the video on route planning below.
Ready to forge your own path? For more information about Garmin motorcycle navigators, click here.
1Tracking via Group Ride Mobile requires the Tread app running on your and each friend’s compatible smartphone with BLUETOOTH® technology and an active cellular connection
2Group tracking with the Group Ride Radio accessory is only available for riders using a zūmo XT2 navigator and the Tread App. Connection to vehicle power is required for group tracking and push-to-talk mic functionality. Pair zūmo XT2 with your helmet or headset (not included) enabled with BLUETOOTH® technology for hands-free communication. zūmo XT2 devices also require the Group Ride Radio Y-adapter Cable (sold separately).
3Active satellite subscription required. Some jurisdictions regulate or prohibit the use of satellite communication devices. It is the responsibility of the user to know and follow all applicable laws in the jurisdictions where the device is intended to be used.
Satellite Imagery © 2024 Maxar Technologies (date of satellite imagery may vary).
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