The Garmin Zumo XT2 is a reliable companion on road or trail, but with a flaw that makes me nervous

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Following in the footsteps of its popular predecessor, the Garmin Zumo XT (which is still available from retailers at a significant discount), the Garmin Zumo XT2 is a dedicated motorcycle sat-nav with a suite of useful route-based information at a touch of its colourful 6” screen.

I’ve been using the XT2 over the past year to guide me on more than 16,000 miles of adventures, from traffic avoidance on the daily commute to exploring green lanes and plotting multi day excursions across Europe. 

Is the Garmin Zumo XT2 easy to set up?

Garmin includes everything in the box for a simple set up to most bikes. This includes all necessary electrical wiring (with an inline fuse if connecting direct to the battery), a quick release cradle and a RAM 1” ball mount for clutch/brake lever or handlebar. I’ve switched the test unit between several bikes and have yet to be stuck for a solution.

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The XT2 has been designed to work with Garmin’s Tread smartphone app, and although it can be used as a standalone unit, this is the best way to get the most from it. Pairing up is as simple as a making a Bluetooth connection, after which phone and sat nav automatically hook up whenever they’re in range. Any data, such as routes and waypoints created on Tread or tracks logged on the XT2, is synched between the devices when they connect.

As a side note, I have since upgraded to a Touratech GPS bracket (€89.90)and lockable mount (€149.90), which places the XT2 above the OE instruments ‘nav tower style’ on my Harley-Davidson Pan America long term test bike. There’s no substitute to having the device front and centre, and this accessory package is certainly worth the investment.   

How good is the navigation on the XT2?

For basic navigation, whether it’s to a postcode, street address or point of interest, the Zumo XT2 has sufficiently detailed on-board maps to find most destinations. When it comes to custom locations it’s often easier to create a waypoint in the Tread app and export to the device, as the process of zooming and scrolling maps to find places is much faster on a phone screen.

Overall accuracy is very good, whether it’s for where you’re going, where you are, or for any of the real time nav data that can be displayed on the screen. Options include ETA, journey time remaining or distance to the next turn/stop/destination, and I really like the flexibility to choose which data to show on the main screen, especially on more complex routes when the ‘time to next turn’ countdown can be invaluable.

Visual directions are displayed early enough to give you plenty of time to react, and the layout of the turn, junction or lane change is suitably accurate so that you’re not flummoxed when physically presented with it. I’ve had a couple of occasions when I’ve taken the wrong spur on a dual carriageway, but that’s more down to user error and an element of assumption than any issue with the display.

Three map options are available, a basic road view, topographic and ‘BirdsEye Direct’ which uses satellite images to create a relatable, real-world display. The latter two are particularly handy when you’re off the beaten track and need a point of reference, though it should be noted that the satellite images need to be downloaded via WiFi and don’t come stored on the unit as standard. In each map mode you have the option of top down, chase, or ‘north up’ perspectives. I prefer the chase view most of time, but north up comes in really handy if I want to get my bearings when exploring somewhere unfamiliar.

The current speed limit is always displayed where applicable, and most speed camera sites are logged, both fixed and in areas where there’s likelihood of a mobile unit. Should you stray over the limit, the current speed field changes colour in accordance – if it’s red, you have been warned.

I’m not much of a fan of audio directions, mainly because I don’t like the interruption when listening to music, however Garmin’s navigation assistant is exemplary as a co-driver when called upon.

The XT2 also pings you a tone to alert for certain hazards, such as speed cameras, exceeding speed limits and slower traffic. You will of course need a suitable Bluetooth headset for this, and I’ve had no issues connecting either Cardo or Sena devices. 

If you want to add a little extra spice to your journey there is an ‘Adventurous Routing’ function, with a sliding scale that brings increasing complexity to the route. It’s intended to introduce twisty roads, elevation changes and sightseeing opportunities, but so far I’ve found that whichever level I choose (there are five including the base setting), at some point I inevitably end up directed through a suburban jungle, painfully trundling along in a ‘Twenty’s Plenty’ zone.

Once you’re en route to a destination, the Tread app provides live traffic and weather information for the journey via a menu at the bottom right of the screen. It’s proved reassuringly accurate for me, not just in giving the expected duration of any delay, but how soon it’s likely to be encountered and the option of rerouting. Obviously the app can’t account for filtering, so it takes an educated guess as to whether one should push on with the original route in an attempt to ‘beat the sat nav’ or follow a suggested diversion.

Weather data can be viewed as either a forecast or live radar map covering the route ahead, in a split window on the nav layout or as a full screen. Accuracy has been close enough to bet on, and I found it particularly handy for reacting to incoming rain when riding Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way. It was noted among my riding buddies that I’d developed an uncanny gift for knowing when to gear up with waterproofs.

Is route planning easier on the XT2 than it was on the XT?

Unlike the Zumo XT, which uses Garmin’s Basecamp desktop software as a platform for route planning, the XT2 relies on the Tread app which is entirely smartphone based. I spent some time getting to grips with the former in the past, and it’s not the most user-friendly interface, often lacking accurate locations and requiring tweaks to almost every waypoint.

Tread, on the other hand, is quite the opposite and makes putting complex routes together a pleasure. On several trips I’ve sat in the bar at an overnight stop plotting the next day on my phone, knowing that when I switch the Zumo on in the morning it’ll be ready to rock.

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One of my favourite features is the ‘Great Rides’ option, which highlights routes suggested by Garmin’s user community. Each includes information on terrain, road surface and scenery (some more detailed than others) with the opportunity to add your own comments or upload a favourite ride. It’s particularly useful when you’re somewhere unfamiliar, and I had a great time carving out some amazing roads in rural France that I might not otherwise have found.

Calibrate the fuel range function and the XT2 calculates suggested top-up stops along a planned route, giving mileage, franchise and, where available, prices at the pump. It’s not infallible, as I found out to my cost when I arrived at a remote gallic ‘diesel only’ truck stop with little more than fumes in my tank. I’ve also rolled up at long abandoned garages in certain parts of the UK and Europe, but for the most part it has provided me with peace of mind and a plan. It’s worth noting that in those specific cases, Google maps was also showing them as viable service stations.   

What about green lanes and off road navigation?

Sometimes I just like to go for an unscripted bimble, hunting for byways and green lanes to explore. Most legal rights of way, including unrestricted byways and unpaved roads, are visible on the map and navigable, so it’s easy to find new places to go. Unlike road dedicated sat navs, like the TomTom Rider or Beeline Moto II, the Zumo XT2 has no issue with off-piste routing. Full off-road navigation is also possible as straight lines between waypoints.

Importing .gpx files and converting them to routes via the Tread app is flatteringly intuitive and so simple that it takes barely minutes from downloading to negotiating the first turn. I’ve found nearby green lane routes on the Outdooractive app (one of many great sources for .gpx files) whilst stopped for a brew, tweaked them to suit and fired them into the XT2, all without breaking the flow of conversation with my mates.

Is connectivity on the XT2 reliable?

The Bluetooth connection between smartphone, headset and sat nav is simple to set up and reassuringly robust so that once connected, all devices recognise each other as soon as they’re switched on or brought within range of each other. I’ve been able to wander away from the bike on a whim, safe in the knowledge that I’ll be instantly hooked up when I come back. My personal set up is iPhone 14 Pro, Cardo Packtalk Neo and the XT2, which allows me to use the Zumo as the hub for music and calls, as well as navigation.

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Garmin have integrated ‘incident detection’ technology into the Zumo, allowing it to send a message to an emergency contact via the Tread app should something catastrophic occur. In such a situation it will also display your location on the screen should you, or someone else, be in a position to advise the emergency services. It’s a nice feature to have, if not one that you want to have to use.   

How do you rate overall quality?

This is unfortunately where the XT2 has let me down and it relates specifically to the touch screen. I’m actually on my second unit, as with around 8,500 miles logged the first one became increasingly resistant to my finger taps, up to the point where it refused to respect my choices altogether.

Garmin agreed to replace the unit via the customer exchange portal under warranty, so there was no issue there, but every now and again even the replacement will lag to manual inputs, needing to be left for a couple of seconds to contemplate an instruction before it’ll comply.

At the back of my mind, I can’t help worrying that it could let me down when I need it most – on an unfamiliar track, where there’s no phone signal as a backup. For something that you rely on so heavily in use, having complete confidence in its operation is paramount and I’m not totally convinced that the XT2 will always have me covered.

The device feels well put together and rugged though, and it’s survived perpetual monsoon conditions thanks to its IPX7 (Ingress Protection) rating. A score of 7 is towards the higher end of the 9 step IP scale and signifies that it’s been tested for temporary immersion in water. The XT2 doesn’t have a rating for protection against solids (hence the X, which means it hasn’t been tested for it rather than failed), however I’ve ridden in extremely dusty and sandy conditions and haven’t suffered any issues.

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Is the XT2 good value for money?

£529.99 is a significant outlay, but given the accuracy of navigation, wealth of information and ease of use, it’s certainly worth the money to me and I would be happy to spend my hard earned on one. Garmin’s 1-year warranty covered the failure of the initial test unit without quibble, and there is a repair service available beyond that, however I have knocked the score down a notch due to the slight element of doubt over the longevity of the touch screen function.  

The verdict

The Zumo XT2 has been a reliable, helpful and knowledgeable companion on both road and trail, and has become not just an essential part of my adventure touring kit, but a stalwart on daily rides too. Because it has a dedicated function, the XT2 offers significant advantages over strapping a smartphone to your ‘bars – all the information you could want for touring, from weather and traffic data to comfort break stops and Trip Advisor rated hostelries, not to mention navigation, is easily accessible and clearly displayed on its super bright screen.

It’s also housed in a much more protective casing, so although it relies on a phone for many of the functions, you can keep your mobile device with its delicate camera and workings tucked away somewhere safe. There is a slight question of reliability, which hinders a perfect score, but given how well it’s performed apart from that I’d be very reluctant to give it up.