http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/ Engadget Comments for Garmin's zūmo 660 motorcycle GPS shipping this month http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/Apr 19th 2009 9:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/Apr 19th 2009 9:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/Apr 19th 2009 10:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/
That's something I did not want to know]]>Apr 19th 2009 10:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/
Alternately, To save time I could just buy a new laptop, strip off the screen and keyboard (and sell them), then buy a touchscreen and wire it up for the motorcycle. There's plenty of space under the seat, and I'll use SSD so I don't have to worry about data problems.

This is the story of "The First Windows 7 Enabled Motorcycle"

]]>Apr 19th 2009 10:58PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/Apr 20th 2009 1:21AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/
There's enough space under just my passenger seat for my bike tarp, bike lock, tools, etc.

Wiring is a breeze on this baby - especially when you have the shop manual with wiring diagrams. A touchscreen would likely require a parallel connection due to power usage - so I'll look for a 12V one and wire it directly to the battery. It won't be on unless the bike is already running - I don't want to kill my battery.

The touchscreen will either be mounted just hovering over the top triple on some medium-density foam padding or may eventually replace my instrument cluster, depending on if I can find a way to route the information from all of the sensors (ie. gas, oil pressure, spedometer, tachometer, neutral light, odometer) to be translated into something the system can understand and display.

This is just the first step, too. Once cheap OLEDs are on the market you can pretty well say goodbye to physical instrument clusters. With LED lighting all around and technologies like regenerative braking (not required, but useful) the E-Bike (no not iBike) will be a reality, to be followed shortly thereafter by fully electric motorcycles - just you wait to see what kind of designs will be coming out!

The convergence of the motor vehicle and the computer is just around the corner (less than 3 years, mark my words)]]>Apr 20th 2009 2:03AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/
I myself ride a '99 BMW K1200LT--with an instrument cluster that is wide, flat, and absolutely abysmal in terms of readability and accuracy. It is aching to be replaced with an LCD panel. It would neatly eliminate all the "farkles" that us supertourer pilots bolt onto the cockpit of our machines (like CBs, satellite radios, radar detectors, and the like) making it look like some absurd Mars rover.

The huge fairing can more-than-accommodate an ITX PC chassis, with an i-Pac controller from Ultimarc providing human input from the left grip-mounted 4-way and mute combo--a perfect input device--and the eight stereo control buttons on the faux tank.

There wouldn't be any need to modify any of the bike's senders--all pertinent data ends up at the cluster's existing harness. A Fusion Brain from fusioncontrolcentre.com would be able to provide the PC with four voltage inputs from the four analog gauges--speed, tach, fuel, and temp--and the nine on/off continuity detectors required to determine if any of the idiot lights are on--as well as input from my Valentine One remote (#@^&!* you, Virginia Highway Patrol!!!), all over USB.

The sunlight-readable LCD display (there are so many input buttons on the K1200LT that a touch-screen isn't really necessary) would be well protected inside the fairing, as would the ITX chassis. It would display a customized gauge cluster, as well as MP3 ID3 information or Sirius/XM channel information.

The only two components I'm missing is a PC-based interface for an XM radio receiver, and an instant-on OS with a decent GUI. I already know that the OS would NOT be Microsoft.

However, I hadn't decided whether or not to use it for navigation--I don't know how many turn-by-turn GPS apps are written for non-Microsoft OSs and am hesitant to roll my own; I don't have the time, experience, or patience for such an endeavor.

I've been thinking about this, too... :-)]]>Apr 20th 2009 11:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/
FOR THE PRICE OF ONE OF THESE MONSTROCITIES!
Die Garmin. Die a slow death.

P.S. You already are dying. Expand your offerings or perish]]>Apr 23rd 2009 10:58PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/Apr 19th 2009 9:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/Apr 20th 2009 1:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/Apr 19th 2009 9:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/
Now hand over your money and be happy. You know you want to.]]>Apr 19th 2009 10:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=135&pID=15000#specsTab

Do you even ride?]]>Apr 19th 2009 11:59PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/Apr 20th 2009 11:18AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/Apr 20th 2009 12:49AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/
loud pipes save lives]]>Apr 19th 2009 10:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/Apr 19th 2009 11:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/Apr 20th 2009 1:18AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/Apr 20th 2009 2:05AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/Apr 19th 2009 10:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/Apr 19th 2009 10:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/
Uh huh. I thought so.]]>Apr 20th 2009 1:21AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=168512&l=55af470679&id=1240633809]]>Apr 20th 2009 1:35AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/
So far condensation has not given me issues.]]>Apr 20th 2009 1:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/
I opted for a $1,000 Garmin 2730 with the integrated XM receiver--but being the cheapskate I am, I waited a few years until I could pick one up on eBay for $250. :-D Before that I had a Garmin 2610 that had a slew of condensation issues. Garmin finally corrected them with the 27xx line.

Cool bike, BTW.]]>Apr 20th 2009 11:07AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdvjbKdfv3E

Other Engadget-relevant info: The video was shot with a VZW BlackBerry 8330 Storm.

Yep. I'm nuts.]]>Apr 20th 2009 11:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/Apr 20th 2009 12:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/Apr 19th 2009 10:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/Apr 20th 2009 11:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/lol]]>Apr 19th 2009 11:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/Apr 19th 2009 11:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/Apr 20th 2009 12:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/
I personally wouldn't use the Bluetooth phone stuff, though. When I'm on the bike, I would rather save my concentration for the road, not answering the phone. Motorcycling is why God made voicemail! :-)]]>Apr 20th 2009 1:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/

and yellow and blue make green.]]>Apr 20th 2009 1:46AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/Apr 20th 2009 2:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/Apr 20th 2009 9:22AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/19/garmins-zumo-660-motorcycle-gps-shipping-this-month/
I'll stick to my 2750, thanks. :-)]]>Apr 20th 2009 11:36AM