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[WaSEEG]

My wife and I are somewhere in the middle of our annual 3 week M/C vacation.  I had a 2610 for several years but upgraded to a Zumo550 for this trip.  I like some things about the 2610 better (transparant user selectable tabs, i.e. elevation) but the Zumo is hands down easier to operate on the road.  Is there any way to program in gas stops, about every 150 miles, or do you have to estimate the distance and then search for fuel?  I plan our daily routes on Mapsource by selecting a starting waypoint and an ending waypoint and then using the arrow to "shape " the route to my preferred roads.  Hence I have very few  waypoints and we are often on a single highway for more than 150 miles so using directions in route properties isn't really helpful.  Any suggestions?  Another problem I keep having is that the Zumo keeps routing me off the main highway to places like Podunk, Ariz which is close to our route but not right on it.  A couple of time we were running the interstate to get from point A-B more quickly and the Zumo routed me off an exit and brought me right back on.  Other than these annoying quirks I'm looking forward to a new 650 which will be coming out shortly now that I bought a 550.  I should mention that I plug the same route into Mapsource Ver 7 and then into the  2610 which I mounted on my wifes bike and she doesn't have the routing difficulties. I have the latest software upgrades to my Zumo,mapsource, and am using the 2009 maps.  It does get rather annoying for me to signal a turn and have her blow by me shaking her head and indicating I should follow her.

[Fired00d]

There is no way to my knowledge to program in gas stops, but what you can do is use the Fuel Gauge on the Zumo that you can program to show low fuel at a certain mileage. When this happens you will get a low fuel warning, and after you hit "ok" you will see a fuel pump icon. You can hit that icon and it will give you a list and direction of the closest gas stations. You then can select one and it will give you directions to it. Just have to remember to reset it when you refuel so it will warn you again.

A lot of times when using the arrow to reshape your route and you are not zoomed in close enough you can inadvertently place the new shaping point on an exit ramp, wrong side of the highway, etc., which would take you off the road (exit/entry ramp), have you making U turns, etc., then back on the desired road. Little confused why if you're loading the same route up in both units (Zumo/2610) how it's not doing the same in both. You sure your wife isn't just realizing that route is taking you off/on road because of the level she's zoomed in, and taking this opportunity to give you the "business"?

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[greglyon]

Another problem I keep having is that the Zumo keeps routing me off the main highway to places like Podunk, Ariz

Podunk, Arizona the jewel of the Southwest.  Regard this as an undocumented feature of the Zumo!

[Fired00d]

While playing around w/Mapsource this morning I found out something that may help you in regards to gas stops. If you open Mapsource click on "View" scroll down to "Map Detail" then set that to "Highest" it will show gas stations along your route (you will have to zoom in to approx 500ft to see them). Don't know how difficult or time consuming it would be but if you could determine where on the map (route) you'd be at +/- 150 miles then you could zoom in and find a gas station. My only concern would be that the data was up to date and those stations were still in existence/open.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[WaSEEG]

d00d

Thanks for your responses.  I continue to learn the program and things are going better.  You were right about zooming in to make a shaping point.  I've also learned to trust the program.  We used the Sedona routes and I tried to clean the one that takes you through Jerome up a bit.  I was able to make several changes but  the program would not let me take a direct route in the town limits.  When we got there I learned that the program had refused to let me go the wrong way on a one way street.  Fuel is not as much of an issue in the east.  We've traveled through Louisiana, Mississippi and now Alabama and there's a gas station at literally every intersection.  I've found that the Garmin POI's are not extremely accurate.  In some cases changes were made several years ago and haven't found there way into the latest version of map source.  We usually elect to stay in Fairfield Inn's, Holiday Inn Express , Hampton, etc and have learned the hard way to confirm the address if we make reservations.  On two occasions the hotel had built a new one and we routed to the old address.  Sort of a pizzer in 95 degree heat to track down a phone number, call, get an address and then re-route the Zumo.  We're learning though.  Now, if I could only keep Pam's bike out of the dealerships, but more on that in another post.

[Coyote.]

I know it's seems like a bit more work but buy a copy of Streets and Trips. Do all your route planning there (it will mark your route every so many miles). Once you have it planned in S&T, just re create it in Mapsource. It's actually faster to do it this way than just from Mapsource.

[WaSEEG]

I've got Streets and Trips at home of course.  I'll try your method after we return from our trip.

[WFP]

I completely concur...I use S&T for the planning and timing.  Then use Mapsource to get it in the GPS.

/Bill

I know it's seems like a bit more work but buy a copy of Streets and Trips. Do all your route planning there (it will mark your route every so many miles). Once you have it planned in S&T, just re create it in Mapsource. It's actually faster to do it this way than just from Mapsource.

[iski]

I completely concur...I use S&T for the planning and timing.  Then use Mapsource to get it in the GPS.

/Bill

Do you use a converter file, or manually enter it into Mapsource?

[WFP]

Completely manual...no converter exists that I know of.  S&T just provides more flexibility in the planning and more tools like adding a rest stop of 15 minutes every 90 minutes...

Do you use a converter file, or manually enter it into Mapsource?

[iski]

Completely manual...no converter exists that I know of.  S&T just provides more flexibility in the planning and more tools like adding a rest stop of 15 minutes every 90 minutes...

A friend of mine uses this converter:  http://www.gpsu.co.uk/

He has to break the files up from S & T into parts & then re-combine them.  Have not figured that out yet. 

GPS Babel is supposed to do that also, but it remains a mystery to me.  S & T is MUCH easier to use for ride planning - wish there was an easy way to get that info into Mapsource.

[roadrunner]

I seem to remember reading that when you move the Zumo from the auto mount to the bike mount the bike/auto icon will change.  Mine however stays on the bike icon or the auto icon.  Anyone have clues?  Thanks

[Fired00d]

I seem to remember reading that when you move the Zumo from the auto mount to the bike mount the bike/auto icon will change.  Mine however stays on the bike icon or the auto icon.  Anyone have clues?  Thanks

The icon doesn't change unless you manually change it.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[Fired00d]

Couldn't remember how to change the vehicle and had to look it up...

To change vehicle icon click on "Wrench" > "Map" on the left side you'll see "Vehicle" and to the right of that "Change". Click on Change and the vehicles preloaded on the Zumo will appear and you can pick one.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[roadrunner]

Thanks, I must have dream' t that one up!