GPS

Since early 2020, the Garmin zūmo XT has been the GPS maker’s flagship motorcycle-focused model, bringing the best that the company has to offer riders. As an XT owner, I am quite familiar with the GPS, and when Garmin announced the zūmo XT2, I couldn’t wait to see what changes were made. As good as the XT is, there are still areas in which the device could be improved for motorcyclists. After spending a couple of months testing the Garmin zūmo XT2, I’ve found it to be a worthy successor – though the original XT is still available. Since I will be comparing the two generations of zūmos in this review, I highly recommend reading my extensive review of the XT.

Adding a motorcycle GPS to your riding repertoire can expand your horizons beyond your imagination. There are products on the market to suit every rider’s needs, whether off-road, on-road, or adventure. All the units covered here are specific motorcycle GPS products or units otherwise lend themselves very well to use on a bike. Your typical automotive GPS units aren’t built to the same standard as motorcycle GPS units and the often harsh environments we find ourselves in. While it’s important to compare features of the units themselves, two key elements to maximizing the benefit of motorcycle GPS units are the mapping products available and the computer or mobile device user interface. As you get deeper into this technology, you will find yourself spending more time on your mobile device or computer laying out your next ride, exploring with Google Earth, and ultimately, downloading and editing tracks you’ve actually recorded on the ground. Choosing a motorcycle GPS with the type of maps you want and the pre- and post-ride user environment are key considerations before purchasing a specific unit.