The Garmin Zumo 550 Motorcycle Gps. Motorcycle Navigation at It's Finest

Motorcycle GPS is like auto GPS. It's fast becoming an essential accessory for any biker who likes long rides without getting lost.

Because it's not quite as easy to navigate on a motorbike. You can't just hand the map over your shoulder to your girlfriend behind and ask her to tell you where to turn. Navigating on a motorcycle involves stopping. You need to take the map out, work out where you're going and put it away. While you're stopped.

Not so good when it's raining, for example, or on the side of a busy road, or even just when you're in a real hurry.

A good motorcycle GPS unit can take all that away and make motorcycle navigation a breeze. And the Garmin Zumo 55o is a good motorcycle GPS unit. A very good motorcycle GPS unit.

Why? Well first up is it's design. It's not an auto GPS device that's adapted for use on a motorcycle. It's designed specifically with the motorcyclist in mind. For example it has a simple user friendly touch screen with large icons so it can be operated on the ride with gloves on. And with the left hand.

And unlike someone using a car GPS, a motorcycle GPS unit has some other requirements for bikers as well. For example you're trying to read the screen in the sun, so it's usually harder to read.

Not the Garmin Zumo 550 motorcycle GPS. It's designed to be readable from the saddle even in bright sunlight, so the motorcyclist doesn't need to do contortions to read it. And it's UV friendly so the sun won't break it down. And it's waterproof so the rain won't kill it. And it's fuel resistant too.

After all you don't want your bike GPS to break down from something like the effects of the sun do you?

Another issue specific to motorcycle riders is the mount. In the past a good mount was quite in issue, and many motorbike riders had to adapt some type of car GPS mount to mount the motorcycle GPS unit on the handlebars, or anywhere.

But the Garmin Zumo 550 comes with it's own motorcycle mount for the handlebars. And it's vibration resistant too, an issue for bikers but not for car drivers. It's got integrated speakers so you can listen to your directions via bluetooth technology so you don't even need to look down.

City navigator maps are loaded from the start so all your maps are already right there. There's a comprehensive database of points of interest like motels, fuel stops, restaurants and more, and you can even load your own points of interest, or maps.

with an XM subscription and an antenna you can even get real time traffic and weather and radio, so you can avoid all those pesky traffic jams. Traffic jam ahead? Push a button and your Zumo will calculate a new route for you without even needing to get off your bike.

Use your phone via the 550, and you don't even need to take off your gloves or helmet. And you get the voice commands right to your helmet too. Need to turn left soon? Just wait for the command. And why not upload your favorite music and listen to that while you ride as well?

A good motorcycle GPS unit like the Garmin Zumo 550 will allow you to plan your rides, store your best rides and even share them with your friends. If you've found motorcycle navigation a drag in the past, invest in a great motorcycle GPS unit and motorbike navigation becomes a breeze.