Best way to set my Garmin Zumo XT to play well with the MRA?

[Mike wiruth]

Hello all, I'm looking for advice for setting up my Garmin Zumo XT. I plan my routes with the desktop app and then I transfer the gpx file to my garmin. For those that do the same, can you advise me on the settings for my garmin so it will not change my route that was sent from the MRA app. The last big trip I took my garmin would try to change the route and not match what was on my phone with the MRA. Has anyone else had this problem. I like to run them both as it seems easier to search things on my zumo.
Thanks for any help you can give me.
Mike

[Mzokk]

Try this Link. It has most of the information you're after.

https://forum.myrouteapp.com/topic/9299/how-to-keep-routes-consistent-when-exporting-to-garmin-zumo-xt/3?_=1779717812842

I used my Garmin Zumo XT on my Honda Africa Twin for navigation until spring of 2025 when MyRoute app became reliable enough for me to use it for navigation via the Honda's Android Auto Screen. I use old Zumo 340 and 390 for navigation on my 24 year old R1150GS and I much prefer these for navigation as with Basecamp they are WYSIWYG as long as the settings on the unit and basecamp match. I'm a 22 year user of Garmin motorcycle navigators but between the Zumo 340 and 390 that I have and the XT they changed the routing algorithm so that "Faster Time" between waypoints now means faster roads.....so the unit will always try to take you via motorways and dual carriageways between waypoints if possible.

I only use my Zumo XT for tracks and proximity alerted POI's which MRA does not do yet.

[Mzokk]

Just another point. Garmin tracks on older zumo's displayed as a thin line on top of the magenta navigation line. On the XT the track is displayed BELOW the magenta line and is the same width so you can only see it if the route line deviates from the track. To fix this you can do as I've done and make a custom theme that makes the track line thicker so that you can see it below the route line. And for the sake of your sanity do not connect your XT to "Garmin Explore" and if you have follow the instructions on the Garmin Zumo Forums to disconnect it!

[Hubert Thoring]

The Garmin on "fastest connection" between the WP and SP.

Export the MRA Route as format 1.1 GPX and load it in the Garmin ...

When planning as much as possible SP put so that the path is clearly described,...

Then that should fit, the Garmin is limited with fixed WP as far as I know.

VG

[AWDC LAO]

There are two versions of GPS v1.1; v1.0 is older but more reliable.
MARA has become so good that for on-road use, your smartphone is all you need.
I use the XT2 or XT3 for off-road use and for following a track.

[white.mouse]

The best way, I found out is to make the route in MRA and export it as GPX 1.1 (route, track, poi).
Then use the "good" old Basecamp and import this file. you will see now in Basecamp the track and a route existing of straight lines.
Now open the route and let Basecamp recalculate. You'll find out that the route now follows more or less the track which is also visible in Basecamp .
Manualy put in extra waypoint to make the route follow the track exact.
There is no standard setting to avoid this problem.
After that you can connect the GPS to your computer and in Basecamp, with a left click on the map existing the track and route you get an option to send it direct to the GPS.
This is the most solit way.

[Mzokk]

Nope you don't need to put the additional unnecessary step of exporting to Basecamp. Just create the route with plenty of shaping (teardrop) points between Via(hand) points and download the file as gpx1.1 and send it via your phone using Garmin Drive. You can also use GPX 1.2 but if you do switch off auto recalculate......or the Garmin will take you straight to the end.

[Guzzist]

That is the issue with every Route planner, sending the route to another navigation app/device. Each has it's own algorithm. So it's nearly impossible, to setup on each end the same settings. The only way is, to enter "enough" route points during planning, to force navigation apps/devices to use exactly that roads you have planned.
But as @hubert-thoring said: Garmin devices has limited capacity for work with via points (route points). But you can work in MRA with shaping points, which are also route points (with some differences in the effect).

[Mzokk]

The Zumo XT can handle 30 via (stop points) and 125 shaping points between each via point. So plenty for most purposes. Tracks cancelled have 10,000 points.

[AWDC LAO]

Garmin has also an APP : TREAD for the XT2/3, or do you have XT1 ?

[white.mouse]

@AWDC-LAO said:

Garmin has also an APP : TREAD for the XT2/3, or do you have XT1 ?

I haven't heard much good about it. Especially when it comes to importing routes