Some advice please.

[Paul Johnson 5]

I was about to pull the trigger on a Zumo XT2 but various reviews mention how flaky it is.

I'm looking for either a dedicated SatNav unit or maybe a rugged Android running apps and I want it to reliably follow a route designed in MRA with as little hassle as possible.

Any thoughts?

[Con Hennekens]

@Paul-Johnson-5, yes, a rugged android with the MRA app on it

[RetiredWingMan]

@Con-Hennekens yes, I agree that I think a rugged Android device such as a tablet is the best way to go.

[Drabslab]

@Paul-Johnson-5

I am pondering about the same (now working with a tomtom).

I have more or less decided for an android device that can also be used for emails, web browsing ... while being on the road (not while driving of course).

I don't want a new dedicated GPs because these things are closed.

The massive question with which i struggle is "which device?" I would certainly go for a rugged device (samsung Xcover perhaps) but there are very fancy solutions such as a carpe iter, or nomad or ... the only problem is that those things are a tad expensive.

Just type "tablet" in the forum search and you will a huge amount, of posts on this

[Con Hennekens]

@RetiredWingMan, Personally I think a tablet is a bit of overkill in size. The new Samsung XCover 6 pro is a 6.6" screen, and with it it is bigger than any closed dedicated GPS device. If you consider a second phone to avoid putting your high-end daily phone on your handlebar there are multiple possibilities that cost way less then a Zumo. I a quite content with CAT S52 which I bargained a few years ago, but I hear they are having difficult times. To avoid cheap chinese stuff with questionable customer support I would give these a chance if I had to choose now:

• Nokia XR20
• Samsung Galaxy Xcover 6 pro or 7

since a lot of phones are waterproof by design nowadays, helped with a rugged case these would also do fine:

• Motorola Edge 40
• Google Pixel 5 or 6

If you are more adventurous than me, there is a whole plethora of brands like Blackview, Oukitel, Ruggear that can often be had for less then € 200,00. After checking the waterproof box (IP-x8 at least) the next most important spec is the brightness (nits). Older Zumo's produce about 500 Nits at max, but nowadays that is considered to be not much. XT produces about 1200 Nits and the XT2 even more. Some modern phones can produce even more, but I would go for at least 800 to 1000 Nits if possible. That ensures readability in bright sunlight.

[Paul Johnson 5]

@Con-Hennekens

Thanks for the very helpful advice - will check out your suggestions.

[Paul Johnson 5]

@Drabslab
Thanks for replying - let me know what you settle on!

[Drabslab]

@Paul-Johnson-5

Con his advice is very reasonable. It gives a decent navigation system at a reasonable price. It depends on your boyish emotions whether you go for something bigger and expensive

If you look for the cheapest solution then a Garmin or TomTom (500euro) is probably the way to go but these things slowly become outdated as their features are strictly limited to navigation.

Another aspect is how you install that device to your motorcycle.

RAM, for instance, has a whole range of mounting devices (not cheap) some including also a power supply, or you can go for a simple quadlock .

and it is good to be able to protect your device from heat. Behind a curved windscreen the device can get so hot that that you can't touch it anymore. That is not healthy for the device. I solved that by putting a reflecting sticker on part of my windscreen.

[richtea999]

@Drabslab said in Some advice please.:

... or you can go for a simple quadlock .

If it's on a motorbike, then don't forget to add the Quad Lock anti-vibration mount (for posh phones only - with physical image stabilisation).

With most phones being waterproof, plus an anti-vibe mount, you don't need a 'rugged' device. Just don't throw it on the floor (bike or phone).

[Peter Greenacres]

I was in the same predicament a few months back. I eventually chose to go with a device sold by Thork Racing, a T665, basically a rugged flexible Navigation device, which looks like a phone and can be used as a phone. There's loads of rugged androids out there, but I found there was always a compromise, mainly lack of NITS (brightness), charging and mounting. I'm very pleased with the T665 so far, very solid device and the magnetic/clip/charging mount is excellent. I also added a button controller enabling map panning, zoom in/out, which works a bit different depending on which app you're using, but a very practical feature.

I plan all my routes in MRA and export to a navigation app I wish to use (the real advantage of an Android Platform). A key point is that I tend to follow tracks using this method, which doesn't suit some riders.

Typically the nav apps I use is BMW Connected, DMD2 (I'm still trialling and really like the UI and functionality; so far so good) and really trying hard to like MRA Navigation. Perhaps it's my eyes, but I do struggle with the blues and lack of other colours which is found in other apps. However, you use the latter the interface between planning and navigation is seamless. There's some excellent training YouTube vids by Serge and Corjan

Good luck with your decision

[Con Hennekens]

@Drabslab said in Some advice please.:

If you look for the cheapest solution then a Garmin or TomTom (500euro) is probably the way to go but these things slowly become outdated as their features are strictly limited to navigation.

That's abou exactly what I DON'T think A decent Zumo is about €600, while a simple but good rugged phone can be had for less than half that, including a decent mount and an USB charger for it. On the other hand I think a Zumo is much less quickly outdated compared to an Android phone. Many people are still using Zumo 660 of almost 15 years old. I don't see that happening for any Android device

@richtea999 said in Some advice please.:

If it's on a motorbike, then don't forget to add the Quad Lock anti-vibration mount

I don't think that that is of any concern when you get a cheap rugged phone for your navigation needs only.

[richtea999]

@Con-Hennekens said in Some advice please.:

@richtea999 said in Some advice please.:

If it's on a motorbike, then don't forget to add the Quad Lock anti-vibration mount

I don't think that that is of any concern when you get a cheap rugged phone for your navigation needs only.

Quite true - only needed if you're using your best phone!

[Paul Johnson 5]

@Peter-Cheung Thanks for your advice!

[Drabslab]

@Con-Hennekens said in Some advice please.:

That's about exactly what I DON'T think

The official price for a tomtom rider 550 is about 500 euro includign mounting set.

one alternative:

• MRA navigation: 70 euro
• a phone: samsung xcover 6: 400 euro
• a ram mount with power supply: 120 euro

and if you look at the nomads, carpe iter... offerings then it is a lot more expensive.

but of course, price is not the only criterion; and for me, what I can do with the device when not riding is as important as what I can do while riding.

When travelling now, I have a GPS, a smartphone and a tablet with me, of course all with different chargers.

And besides, it is just fun comparing all the options as well.

[Con Hennekens]

@Drabslab said in Some advice please.:

And besides, it is just fun comparing all the options as well.

It is, isn't it?

• Motorola Edge 40: 320 euro
• Shock absorbing TPU case: 15 euro
• Optiline adapter: 15 euro
• Optiline Opti-combo houder: 35 euro

De Edge 40 is ook een mooi mid-end toestel voor dagelijks gebruik.
Pak je gewoon een 2e hoesje erbij. Kun je wisselen als je hem op je fiets plakt.

[Lynchy67]

@Paul-Johnson-5

I'm all in on using my Android Phone for MRA Navigation but I do also have an XT2.
Samsung S21+, I have no issues with the power drain but I never use Voice Prompts for MRA Navigation.
I use the XT2 as a backup to the phone and have all the routes in my MRA Downloads folder also available on my XT2.

I read somewhere that the early XT2's had issues.
I held off of until the forums starting indicating stability on the XT2.

My experience is flawless with the XT2.

[scott vallance 0]

@Paul-Johnson-5 Get a Carpuride W502 or W702 available on amazon.
Doesn't work very well on android auto at the moment, but that should be fixed with an update supposedly this week. Works great on apple car play.

[Jose Pinheiro 0]

I tried several solutions based on smartphones, but I ended up buying a tomtom rider 550 and currently I plan the routes in MRA planner and send them directly to the tomtom application (web based) which then synchronizes with the GPS. The problems I encountered with smartphones were the brightness being too low on intensely sunny days and the smart phone heating up during navigation, which caused the smartphone to have a darker screen and sometimes turn itself off. I used iPhone, Samsung, other more rugged brands, but the problem remained with brightness and heating.

[M. Schrijver]

@Con-Hennekens said in Some advice please.:

Many people are still using Zumo 660 of almost 15 years old. I don't see that happening for any Android device

You're right. But it depends on your demands.
Yes, it still works but does it still gets mapupdates?
I does not support traffic info.
It is very slow compared to a phone.
MRA Next does have features a Zumo 660 does not have. Even the new XT2 does not have these features.
In my opnion a phone does give less bluetooth trouble than a dedicated GPS .

A phone does not hold up for 15 year. But how often do you buy a new phone? What do you do with your old phone?
The old phone is in many cases still perfect for use as a navphone on your motorcycle.

[Con Hennekens]

@M-Schrijver, I agree with everyting. I was just noting one of the few advantages of a single-use dedicated GPS device