Our Verdict:
Take on the roads confidently with the best, hand-picked routes worldwide that have been optimized for your tomtom Rider 550. The TomTom Rider 550 has a new and improved connection that enables wireless firmware upgrades and the import/export of routes. With the introduction of voice control, you can now use either Google Now or Siri to operate your phone.
Reasons to buy
- Systematic satellite navigation
- Weatherproof
- WiFi eliminates the requirement for a physical connection between devices to get software upgrades.
- Connectivity to mobile phones and other audio devices
- An easy-to-use calendar that fits your gloved hand and keeps track of all your “Thrill Rides.”
Reasons to Avoid
- There is a price premium associated with luxury goods due to their superior craftsmanship.
- A learning curve is associated with using a sat nav for the first time.
- Some sportier bicycles may have a shortage of mounting options.
Tomtom Rider 550 Review: Pricing and release date
The TomTom Rider 550 was made available for purchase as of the 5th of December in 2020. Someone was willing to pay $399.99 for it. The pricing is fair considering the high quality of the item being sold. However, shipping can be included in the price for certain countries.
I decided it was time for an upgrade after using my TomTom Rider 40 trouble-free for several years. There are many rave reviews for the Rider 550, which has been on the market for some time. Should I consider buying it since it has been praised so highly, should I consider buying it?
The key selling point is the increased flexibility to discover new and exciting riding routes. You may choose from three different levels of winding, hilly routes. There needs to be a challenging route reserved for the most skilled cyclists at the maximum difficulty setting. In contrast, novice bikers may choose the easier-to-handle bends at the lowest difficulty level. It’s ideal for enjoying the views while relaxing on a Sunday afternoon cruise.
TomTom Rider 550 Review: Features and What’s New
TomTom’s success in the GPS market as a trusted motorcycle companion isn’t a fluke. TomTom has partnered with motorcycle OEMs to deliver in-built navigation systems on premium bikes. TomTom may not be as well-known as Garmin, but they still provide quality motorcycle GPS systems like the Rider 550.
GPS Rider 550 subscribers get access to TomTom’s maps, traffic, and safety camera alerts for the length of their subscription. Bluetooth-enabled smartphones can make and receive calls and texts and use voice control apps like Google Now and Siri from the Apple App Store. Like Garmin’s adventure routing, TomTom’s allows riders to tailor their experience by modifying factors like elevation gain and the frequency of hairpin bends.
You may share your route with others with GPS devices by publishing it online, sending them an email, or providing them with a GPX file. WiFi wireless updates make it easy to keep your maps up to date. The user may adjust touchscreen sensitivity settings to function with either thick or thin gloves. The TomTom Rider 550’s performance is unparalleled by other GPS devices in its price range.
Selecting more complex routes will force the TomTom 550 to magnify certain routes, making them easier to read and navigate.
With WiFi, you may have updates downloaded and installed instantly. This means it includes built-in WiFi, so you can utilize it to get the latest versions of its features, OS, and other apps.
TomTom also facilitates road trips as a vacation option. Your TomTom 550 GPS may be customized to suit your needs and used for any trip. Mountains are not required, nor are hills, deserts, or dunes. Input the addresses of the places you wish to visit into your reliable TomTom 550, which will lead you there.
What’s in the package will change depending on whatever model you get. You have three variants from which to choose. There is no discernible difference between the devices; the only distinctions are in the extras that come with each model, such as cables and maps.
The premium package includes your choice of three different mounting configurations. A few examples are:
- A Motorcycle-Specific Mounting Bracket
- Motorbike Theft-Prevention System Car Mount
Helmet for Motorcyclists
A few stages are involved in mounting the device onto the bike to ensure it stays there. The mount’s gripping mechanism is safeguarded by a rubber cover supplied in the box. Protecting the grips from wear and tear prevents the arm from sliding. You may need to protect the handlebar’s finish by wrapping electrical tape around the area where the mount is attached. This strategy seemed to work since it increased the mount’s grip and prevented the bike from deteriorating.
Adjustable Mounting Bracket for Automobiles
Using it is a breeze. The suction cup, similar to previous models, ensures that it stays on the glass. The GPS is hidden under the sleeve. The installation in the car went off without a hitch, which is encouraging. No matter who was driving, it remained cheerily and firmly in place.
This is an enormous step forward for many reasons on how to Prevent Motorcycle Theft (RAM). You may secure the anti-theft mount on your GPS and leave it there. The device is weatherproof and simple to install on the bicycle.
TomTom hired experts to make this mount is also a big plus in my book. They have made no effort to create their variety. They have outsourced the construction of reliable horses to RAM so that they may concentrate on what they do best: developing satellite navigation equipment. That is, play to your strengths while recognizing the talents of others. Overall, it’s rather remarkable and beneficial to the buying public.
The Live Traffic function has proven to be quite helpful for commuters. If there are any impediments ahead, alerts will be delivered. You may avoid the hassle and choose a different road. It helped me get to work yesterday by giving me a faster route that saved me four minutes of driving time.
Alerts about speed traps in the area are also quite helpful. Before approaching a zone containing speed cameras, you will get a warning. The road ahead may be patrolled by speed cameras, either fixed or in motion. The knowledge of this data and the locations of any possible hazards is essential. Knowing when to come to a complete stop is crucial for staying out of danger, especially in areas where accidents often occur.
Tomtom rider 550 Review: Specifications
- Integrated power supply; rechargeable lithium-ion battery located within.
- The display’s width is 11 cm (4.3 in) “(LCD, n).
- Flash storage – 16 GB; microSD card slot.
- Waterproof (IPX7) – (1 meter submerged for 30 minutes) (Thirty minutes at one-meter depth).
- Long run time on a single charge: Up to six hours of autonomy.
- Has an 11-centimeter (4.3-inch) screen, the “electronic touchpad.
- Capacitive touchscreen, glove-friendly, and readable in bright sunlight.
- With WQVGA, the picture may be seen at a resolution of 480 by 272.
- Flash storage. – 16 GB; microSD card slot
- – Bluetooth for Smartphones, Yes
- Utilizing a Micro-USB connector and USB 2.0 connectivity, this device may be plugged in and used immediately.
- Positivity on the presence of wireless internet access
- It measures 136.8 by 88.4 by 30.5 inches (HWD) (W x H x D).
- It weighs 280 grams.
- Yes, the speech engine uses Nuance’s text-to-speech (TTS) technology.
- Regarding ASR, this is not a Speak & Go (VC+WUW) implementation (ASR).
- Tilt Sensor: – Not
- The light sensor reads “not relevant” since TMC is devoid of traffic.
- Get all the cornering, hills, and thrills you can handle with TomTom’s rider motorcycle GPS
- Tom-Tom’s rider motorcycle GPS has a rugged, ipx7-certified weatherproof design and capacitive touchscreen
- The TomTom rider GPS’s quad-core processor runs commands simultaneously
- See more of the road ahead with the TomTom rider motorcycle GPS’s high
- Secure and protect your TomTom motorcycle GPS with the specialized RAM mount
TomTom Rider 550 Review: Overall Design
The device gives off an air of solid construction. It seems to be durable enough to stay on your handlebars indefinitely. Following the IPX7 requirements, it has been tested and proved completely waterproof. It is impermeable up to one meter for half an hour. Attempting to understand why someone would want to do that is beyond me.
The size of the screen, at a little under 4.5 inches, makes it ideal for reading while pedaling. Because of its diminutive proportions won’t take up too much space on your bars, saving you both time and money. The somewhat larger Garmin Zumo XT is a suitable size comparison. The display is easily readable in a variety of lighting settings. However, the key test is how effectively these gadgets work when the low afternoon light is behind you. I’m relieved that this gizmo survived the sun with flying colors. Since the anti-glare function works, I didn’t have to squint or use my hand as a sunshade.
The screen’s resolution is 480×272, which is WQVGA for those interested (as stated in the user manual). Such technical details are worthless to the common person but be assured that the screen’s resolution is enough.
Tomtom rider 550 Review: Performance and Efficiency
Whatever other features it may have, the basic function of a sat-nav is to guide you from one location to another. As a mode of transportation, this is the device’s primary function. The remaining content might be considered a bonus. Free lifetime updates are included with the 550’s Lifetime World Maps.
Testing showed that this touchscreen’s performance was reliable. We tried using the screen while wearing heavy riding gloves and had no problems. In this option, you may also change the sensitivity of your screen. Great for changing from your lighter summer gloves to your heavier winter gloves.
This device can connect to any available WiFi hotspot without a personal computer. If any newer versions are available, it will check for them when you connect it and alert you.
The Rider 550 may connect with your mobile device or stereo headphones through Bluetooth. Google Assistant and Siri make it possible to multitask with music playback, phone conversations, text message reading/writing, and more.
To put it simply, the battery performed very well in tests. The extra battery I brought along, just in case, wasn’t necessary. TomTom claims that you can go six hours between charges. Reports from users suggest the battery life might be as high as 8 hours.
In addition, you may connect the device directly to your bike’s wiring via a hardwire. You may use this method to ensure your phone is always powered up. If you’re utilizing the Anti-Theft Ram and plan on keeping everything wired together, this is something to think about. I haven’t gone down this road because I plan on selling or trading my motorcycle soon.
Planning out your tour routes will be a breeze with the help of a satellite navigation system. As a result, any difficulty is completely avoided. The last step in getting where you need to go is often as simple as typing in the address. That’s the primary function of a GPS device.
TomTom However, a new level of planning is required for road trips. From a small selection of predetermined itineraries, choose a road trip to go on. The Mosel River path in Germany is one such trip that I’d want to do. This seems like a fantastic 4-hour, 200-kilometer trip through rivers, forests, and up and down winding roads.
Some fun rides might result from making the route more hilly and windy than originally planned. These are weird phrases, but I believe they make sense: there are three tiers of hilliness and three tiers of windiness. Therefore, the steeper the terrain, the more difficult the routes. It was challenging to use the planner when cycling across Northern Italy. The scenery, though, was breathtaking.
TomTom markets this product with the promise that it features a better central processing unit (allegedly a quad-processor, no less!) and can thus calculate routes at a considerably faster pace. This becomes evident when one wanders off course or otherwise disregards established protocol. In all honesty, the recalculation of the route takes far less time than it did with my other sat navs.
Your TomTom will automatically reduce your average speed when you reach a speed restriction zone. This is a great improvement since similar average speed zones have been installed in several other tunnels. This feature was helpful while I traveled via the Dublin Port Tunnel in the Republic of Ireland. There are signs stating a 50 km/h speed restriction across the whole length of this 5 km tunnel. This feature, which allowed me to stay within the speed limit, is awesome.
How to find it
This TomTom cares about more than just getting you where you’re going; it also wants to make the journey pleasant. TomTom Rider 550, a motorcycle-specific GPS, is now on sale for $106 on Amazon. The product is still $349.99 on the TomTom website. Even eBay has it up for grabs. Online shopping is convenient and inexpensive, thanks to places like Amazon, the official website, eBay, and many more.
Summary
There’s no denying that the TomTom Rider 550 is a top-notch navigation device. Installing the devices on the motorcycle is straightforward, and they will remain in place once done. Briefly said, this is the GPS device every biker needs. It does its job properly and is quite durable.
It has opened up some unusual avenues for me to explore, and I have had difficulty finding significant defects in how it functions.
The price tag is more than that of similar products, but the superior quality is evident from the get-go. A dependable device with helpful features like lifetime worldwide maps lives traffic updates, and warnings for neighboring speed traps. The advanced itinerary generator is another reason this is a great option.
