Review Garmin Zumo 350LM Motorcycle GPS

Garmin Zumo 350LM - Motorcycle GPS systems are one of the most resilient types of navigational systems that you can use under any type of weather condition, may that be rain, sleet or snow and are considered as one of the most preferred navigational aides that any outdoors-man, adventurer or better yet, a motorcycle rider can have.

The Garmin Zumo 350LM was specifically designed to be used on a motorcycle as it features a fully weather resistant ABS polymer casing that was rated of having an IPX 7 grade, meaning that it can be immersed under water with a depth of up to 1 meter deep for a duration of up to 30 minutes. An IPX 7 rating also means that the USB ports, power input ports along with other external switches, are able to resist any water entry at this point.

Garmin zumo 350LM Motorcycle GPS

Garmin Zumo 350LM 

An IPX 7 rating also means that the Zumo 350LM’s shockproof casing can easily survive a 5 foot drop without cracking its protective casing. Besides being able to survive drops, the protective casing can also resist the corrosive effects of fuel based substances, acids and the destructive effects of UV (ultraviolet) rays. Since this GPS navigational system will be spending most of its time on a motorcycle’s handlebar, having a tough, resilient outer casing is of the utmost importance to ensure that the important electronic components are intact, safe from the damaging effects of dust and moisture.

Its protective casing features a rugged sporty design that was made to be seen on a motorcycle’s handlebar as its shape blends in with the existing instrument panel on your bike. Having a 4.3 inch LCD touch screen display can be very advantageous to any user as it can provide a better image quality compared to smaller GPS systems with a smaller screen. Although it has a big touchscreen, Garmin was able to keep the size of the 350LM to a minimal without obscuring the view of the instrument panel. Measuring 5.1 inches in length by 3.7 inches in width and with a thickness of just ½ of an inch, with its battery already included, the Zumo 350LM gives more emphasis on the size of its touchscreen to make it less bulky, while providing its users the best viewing advantage.

One of the best features that the Garmin Zumo 350 has might probably be its ability to efficiently calculate the amount of fuel that you have in your gas tank and notify you the remaining amount with regard to the distance that you already have covered along your route. This makes it easy for riders to adjust the amount of gasoline that would need to reach their destination, along with the distance and time that it takes to achieve it. This special feature works alongside the Zumo 350’s ability to guide you to the nearest point of interest such as a gas refilling station in order for you to adequately supplement the remaining amount of gas left in your tank until you reach your point of destination. Users will be able to calculate and plan the shortest, most economical route with regards to saving time and gas, making traveling time much more convenient.

Garmin Zumo 350LM Design:

When it comes to functionality and appearance, the Garmin Zumo 350LM is a combination of both as it has that rugged look without compromising its most important features as to give your exact location when you really need it, along with being able to function efficiently under any detrimental driving condition. Being IPX 7 rated means that this GPS system can be used under any extreme condition, even if it means for it being submerged in water. Another characteristic that IPX rated electronic gadgets have is its ability to easily resist shock with regards to accidentally dropping them from heights from up to 5 feet. The protective casing of this motorcycle nav allows it to be fully weather proof and being hermetically sealed around its seams and even in its connecting ports and external switches, it gives users the convenience of using it wherever they would like to take it. Having a dimensional measurement of 5.1 inches in length with a width of 3.7 inches and with a thickness of ½ of an inch, the size of this Garmin motorcycle GPS is comparable to that of the size of an average smart phone. Having such a streamlined design gives users the convenience of being able to put the Zumo 350 in their pockets after using it on their motorcycle or car.

Garmin Zumo 350LM Features:

The most prominent design feature that the Garmin Zumo 350LM has is having an IPX 7 rated protective casing that can easily survive a 5 foot drop along with being able to survive being immersed under water with a depth of 1 meter for a duration of about 30 minutes. This can be considered as one of the most important factors that determine the durability with regard to withstanding the harshness of any weather condition since it will be used on a motorcycle handlebar for the entire duration of its serviceable life. When it comes to functionality, the Zumo 350 features two very distinct navigational capabilities that will surely be a benefit for those who spend most of their time riding the open road. The Garmin Zumo features a lane assisting notification feature that automatically zooms the route that you are currently traveling on, and notifies you of any upcoming lane changes before you reach that point far back as a mile prior to making that important turn. The visual zoom in notification is followed with an audio notification that is relayed through the Garmin Zumo 350’s Bluetooth system that lets you effectively hear the audio notification through the use of any Bluetooth compatible headset device. Another special navigational feature is its ability to calculate fuel consumption with the distance that you are planning to travel. This even allows riders to set up a route planner that would allow them to find the shortest route, consuming the least amount of fuel and saving on both time and money while reaching their destination at the shortest possible time.

LCD Garmin Zumo 350LM:

The Garmin Zumo 350LM features a 4.3 inch LCD touchscreen that was designed using the latest resistive multi-point touch technology that allows users to access and control the user interface while wearing driving gloves which is quite advantageous compared to those GPS systems that utilize capacitive touchscreen. Its 4.3 inch wide angle touchscreen features an automatic back light system that adjusts accordingly to ambient lighting conditions as that of cloudy, overcast driving conditions or even while driving to the sunset as it automatically switches to night-mode to give a better and more detailed image resolution under dim lighting conditions. The Garmin Zumo 350’s touchscreen also has a glare free protective coating that enables its LCD touchscreen to be readable even under direct sunlight as it automatically adjusts it brightness and contrast to give a crispier image quality.

Final Thoughts Garmin Zumo 350LM:

With a price of $605.95, the Garmin Zumo 350LM comes with a free motorcycle handlebar mount, along with a car dashboard suction mount as well. Clearly, with the kind of quality that Garmin has put into designing this GPS system, which makes it completely weather proof and having a very responsive and high resolution LCD touchscreen seems to be a reasonable price to pay for quality and durability.

And as the same with all Garmin products that are backed up with their warranty, a price of $605.95 may seem to be expensive compared to other GPS system, but this is a Garmin GPS system which has proven itself as it is used by the world’s formidable explorers and adventurers. Frankly, would you rather pay for something cheaper if you’re touring safety and convenience is compromised with a lesser quality product?