Two things.....Calvin, ask Sidecar Willie for assistance. He has been watching you long enough, he probably has an answer to your dilemma.
Scott, funny you mention the Zumo XT, as mine was just delivered today, less than 2 hours ago, and mine is done...completely installed and mounted on the bike, and wired in. But, in all fairness, I am not pairing my Zumo XT to anything.....none....nada.....zilch. I am using it simply as a tool for navigation, and nothing more.
What is really cool (I think) is that rather than buy a Garmin Zumo XT here in the US, with North America City Navigator maps on it, for $ 450.00 +.....then also have to buy the SD card for European Navigation, for an additional $ 99.00........I said to myself, "what would Scott do?".
Ergo, I ordered a brand new Garmin Zumo XT from the Amazon Germany website, with the European Navigation already on it, as the primary mapping, and had it shipped to me here in the US, for a total, all-in cost of.....$ 438.99. That's USD, and it's brand new, not refurbished.
Shipped out of Italy, to Amsterdam, to London, to Los Angeles, to Portland, to Seattle, and finally to me....all in less than a week.
I already had the USB port and Cigarette lighter power port.....with turn on/off switch....in the left fairing pocket, so....plug 'n play.
Two Million Mile Rider...All 7 Continents
Exploring the World in Comfort
Tomorrow I'll make a simple route on Google maps, see if it can be ported into the Zumo XT and go for a ride to try it out.
Wish me luck. I'll need every bit available. lol
Scott -
I found it much easier to just use Garmin's BaseCamp for route planning. (Ok, maybe using easier and Garmin in the same sentence is a bit like... I don't know, doing something that doesn't jive.)
Pro tip. Click on many, many points along the route so that it stays where you want it to go.
This guy's videos helped
This guy clearly worked on the Garmin software after he invented the Turbo Encabulator
This is kinda where I'm at also. I'm trying to pair up my iphone and talkpac to my android tablet that I want to use for as a gps. It's very frustrating right now,,,lol.
I've learned to fail the first time, let things sit, and on the second attempt it seems to work. lol
Washed the bike a while back, and noticed the oil cooler was almost completed clogged with dehydrated bug guts, wings, torsos, etc.. Was able to get it all cleaned out, and got me thinking an easily removable screen might be worth trying. Finally got around to making one. It just holds in place with magnets, so I can remove it while fueling up, washing the bike or just during a quick inspection tour.
Piece of scrap poly-carbonate with stainless wire mesh glued to it via super glue and baking soda. Then a couple of round magnets superglued to the screen. Holding it in place: * Two magnets held in place with double sided tape to the the headlight surround. * Two more stacked with double sided tape to the fender.
I was a bit concerned with three things (hence why it is a "science project"). - Screen would just blow off the bike. - The mesh is pretty fine, restricting air flow. - Normally putting a screen into an air flow creates a smoother (laminar flow). Turbulent air flow through a radiator is more efficient.
Sits a good distance in front of the radiator
Went for a short ride up to about 65mph. Screen didn't move, so that was good. I didn't notice a change in the RID oil temp gauge, if anything it might be a bit lower, so hopefully the air is roiling behind the screen. Time will tell. It is very quick to remove for cleaning. Only have a couple of bucks invested, so it is worth the try. Heading out on a big summer vacation through what should be some pretty insect infested parts of the U.S. So it will get a good test. If it works out, maybe it will get some "pretty-fying". Definitely will need to paint the magnets so they don't leave rust trails down the fender. lol
Tomorrow I'll make a simple route on Google maps, see if it can be ported into the Zumo XT and go for a ride to try it out.
Wish me luck. I'll need every bit available. lol
Scott -
I found it much easier to just use Garmin's BaseCamp for route planning. (Ok, maybe using easier and Garmin in the same sentence is a bit like... I don't know, doing something that doesn't jive.)
Pro tip. Click on many, many points along the route so that it stays where you want it to go.
This guy's videos helped
This guy clearly worked on the Garmin software after he invented the Turbo Encabulator
I'm looking forward to playing with some of this stuff. Google Maps and Waze truly spoil a person. Having to type something in rather than just talk into a mic, reminds me of the scene in Star Trek IV where Scotty is creating transparent aluminum, having to type into a computer and he says "Oh how quaint."lol
Alright! I've just ordered this new throttle lock. It's plastic, and cheaper than the fine aluminum lever purchased last time. It will probably last forever, and work absolutely horribly. 🤣
The best part is it will be here before leaving for the Rally. So I can curse it the whole way there. 😍
Currently working on making a mess of a beautiful piece of polycarbonate. Still to come is drilling irreparable holes in the BMW. There is nothing like watching a train wreck in the making.
I chickened out on drilling holes. Not confident in my "fine" work. 🤣
So I have used a couple of Command strips to hold them in place, while testing their function, and more importantly durability. If they function properly I'll drill the holes, and make them look more presentable.
A bit too much heat here. A bit too aggressive with the saw there. Viola! they are ready for testing. Will get out for a test run today. Seems like a great day for another Peanut Butter Cup Perfection at the not quite local ice cream parlor. 😎
I'm not expecting much, but really don't need much. The cardboard templates provided just enough wind noise reduction that I could hear the exhaust at freeway speeds for the first time. I'm happy with that. Paws crossed these provide the same attenuation.
Well the Bernoulli Smooth-a-Laminators did not work well enough to be worth keeping on the bike. At least in this shape. First thing I noticed was the little forward roll at the top was creating super turbulent air about an inch off each side of the helmet. The turbulence was so sharp it made a pretty loud thunder type noise. Cut those off, and went back out for round two. In this fashion it was pretty nice up to about 62-ish mph. Above 62-ish mph the air isn't as turbulent at the side of the helmet, but it makes such a little difference the "goober factor" isn't worth it. Very glad I didn't drill holes. Side note: Command strip 5 lbs capacity double faced tape worked incredibly well.
I learned a valuable lesson during the test loop, in of all places Cold Stone Creamery. I've learned the "Circle of Sidecar Life" (and it didn't require watching a Disney movie). It starts here:
The sidecar revelation is: Happy Sidecar riders kill bugs with their teeth. Less bugs to get on cows make them happy. Happy cows are priceless.
On another note. The new version of a cheap arsed throttle lock (CATL)showed up today. So it was modified to work around the mirror stem by shortening the lever. It works just barely okay. Pretty sure there is no way it can fall off when I'm not paying attention. Now I have something to grumble about on the big EESV starting next week. It will see as much use as possible.
#1: if I visited a Cold Stone Creamery as often as you do, I would be happy too. I would weigh 50 lbs more, but I would be happy.
#2: Whilst all of my motorcycles have factory Cruise Control, I rarely ever engage it, as I adamantly believe in keeping a neural link between my throttle hand and my brain.
And....YOU too are welcome
Two Million Mile Rider...All 7 Continents
Exploring the World in Comfort
#1: if I visited a Cold Stone Creamery as often as you do, I would be happy too. I would weigh 50 lbs more, but I would be happy.
#2: Whilst all of my motorcycles have factory Cruise Control, I rarely ever engage it, as I adamantly believe in keeping a neural link between my throttle hand and my brain.
And....YOU are welcome too
Brain freeze from so much ice cream, frozen Yogurt and way too many Cadillac Margaritas has eliminated any neural link between the brain, and any other part of the body years ago. Thankfully AI is taking over.
Unfortunately my request for a Neuralink was turned down due to no neural network to link with. I asked if they could Bluetooth (I have both wisdom teeth still). No reply was received.
Just heard back from the FAA, on my request for IFR rating. It was declined because, while I have all the instrumentation, lights etc. required, I don't meet the minimum flight speed. For that I'd need a Goldwing/Hannigan rig. Evidently my previous STOL flight did not impress the examiners. 🙄
They were however satisfied with the instrumentation. 😎
Hope you like the Zumo XT. I enjoyed one quite a bit, on my old AT, but let it go with it to my son, when he acquired it. Old AT did not have Car Play/Android Auto. I did learn to despise BaseCamp, through the experience, but I think that is just a rite of passage.
New AT has both, so I am still in the Gooble Matrix, using Maps, etc. My phone seems to be holding up, over the past couple of years, on a Ram mount on the bars. I download "off line maps" for a pretty large area, before a trip, also plot a lot of points to keep Gooble from re-navigating away from where I actually want to go, to "save time." I find that creating multiple legs of a trip works better than one long set of points, just as a way of minimizing arguing with Gooble about better route alternatives...
I have used both Cardo and Sena units with the set up. I hate Sena, but have tamed the "custom fit" unit that was made to fit inside the mounting area of a Shoei Neotec 2, by adding an enormous battery to the exterior of the back of the helmet. For the Android auto to pair up consistently and reliably, along with all the apps on the phone working on the MC display, I find a specific sequence of startup is required.
1. Power on Sena.
2. Plug phone into bike with USB cable.
3. Turn on bike.
This seems to be the consistent process for success. I unpaired the Sena from the phone bluetooth, completely. It pairs to the bike AA system. This sequence also restarts Media Monkey music automatically, where ever I left it playing at shut down. Shut down process is not too important. I have enough battery in the headset to leave it on for a week or so, if I want to, so just leave it on during gas stops, lunch, etc. It picks back up when the bike starts, fine.
Interestingly, the phone is paired via bluetooth, also, to the AT. It does not work for AA operation, per se, but I find that if the USB plug gets unplugged, I still get music... go figure. Honda's implementation of AA requires either a USB connection, or some bluetooth adapter that plugs into the bike USB port to adapt a cable free connection. I have not bothered to buy one, yet.
Your ride pics, earlier in the the thread are outstanding! You need to come visit in AZ, when things cool off a little, in the next month or so. We could find some interesting places...