Garmin zumo 396 LMT-S, Motorcycle GPS with 4.3-inch Display, Rugged Design for Harsh Weather, Live Traffic and Weather

As usual, the Garmin GPS does not disappoint for the most part as far as features go, but the split screen keyboard is awkward and cumbersome. Makes no sense to have it that way. Honestly I would not buy another knowing how the keyboard is, but am keeping this one since it’s already installed. Perhaps using voice or map searches makes things better, but the split keyboard really disappoints. Still overall the unit is solid and has other great features that make up for the lack of a good keyboard setup. The quick release bracket and weatherized/ruggedized housing is really nice. Includes plenty of mounting options and proper wiring connections. Did I mention that I really don’t like the keyboard? Other than that, it’s a great unit just the same.

I would have bought a newer version, but the most important feature on this model is the awesome mount. Newer ones seem to have the traditional Garmin pinch mount, and if you have a Harley, I don't see that holding up the greatest if there's vibration through the mount. This mount LOCKS it in place, superb design, Easy on and off. I used a RAM ball mount with and aluminum handlebar clamp and it is SOLID.I also have a cloth sleeve from something else I use to put it in when I put it in my pocket off-bike. Clip it in its mount and it powers up. Stop using you phone for GPS, this is way better. Very Pleased.

Got this to replace my aging Zumo 660 that I bought 12 years ago. My initial impressions are that this is smaller (but same screen size as 660) and lighter and wow, is it so much faster locking on to satellites. It tracks well with faster updates and I think I like the Wi-Fi updates instead of plugging in to computer. Haven't really put it through its paces as far as what kind of curvy road navigation it offers so we'll see what happens. It only comes with a motorcycle handlebar RAM mount and no home charger or car mount (like my 660 came with) so that's why only 4 stars. But admittedly, I paid less for this on sale than I did for the 660 years ago so I shouldn't complain too much. I just hope I get at least another 10 years out of this device. I haven't yet installed the app nor paired this with my fone so can't comment on how the various traffic/weather features work.Update 7/24; So now that I've used this for a few months, some comments. First, this is not as intuitive to use as far as entering/searching for address locations, especially when compared to my old 660 unit. I never really had any challenge when performing such tasks with the 660 but this 396 is definitely programmed differently and it is frustrating sometimes. It defaults to several states when beginning a search and it's not really easy to get that changed if need be. Looking through several states also takes awhile to complete. Not a great design in my experience. Also, the touch screen sensitivity is variable depending on where I press the screen, especially with gloves on. Often times it takes several repeated presses and still it doesn't respond, which is really annoying while moving. The ram mount is okay but the little rubber cap is a bit tricky to get over the two power points, unlike the 660 mount which had a cover that snapped over the connection. Yes, the cover was separate and could get lost so I guess it's a draw there. Some plusses; I really like the WiFi update feature. So much easier than plugging in to computer and having to access and download everything. It was that particular tasking that I had delayed for so long that Garmin assumed my lifetime map 660 was dead and locked me out of map updates. Overall, I kinda wished I contacted Garmin to see if they would resume my map updates for my 660 since that was a better unit to operate than this 396, but I've already given the 660 away so I'm stuck with this 396. I do notice that this 396 is much faster to lock on to satellites and is very fast with location updates. Sometimes the 660 was so slow I'd ride by a turn which it wouldn't show until afterwards. I've also loaded the off-road map SD card into this unit and it's interesting to have that, but I'm not sure about its accuracy yet. Still testing that out. Also, my old 660 had an easily replaceable battery so I could carry a charged spare but this 396 has an internal battery that requires disassembly to replace. Overall, it's a bit frustrating to enter info, but it works, is smaller and I got it for a good price.

I was looking for something to replace an older Garmin 1300 GPS that I have used on past motorcycles. I was using a Ciro perch mount and really liked it, so when I opened the box for the Zumo 396 and saw how thick it was, I was seriously considering returning it as it would not fit the Ciro mount. As I looked through the contents of the box, much to my delight I found that it contained a perch mount option too. It was really easy to swap out the Ciro mount for the Garmin mount. Note: There is also a handlebar mount included.The next step was to route the power cable. I routed it under the tank and up to the handlebars. There's plenty of cable, and once I determined where everything would fit, I assembled the mount. The included instructions are black and white are not very clear, I downloaded the owner's manual from the Garmin website and the color illustrations and text were much easier to follow. There is an in-line fuse on the end of the cable that attaches to the battery. I ended up trimming off about eight inches of wire to connect to the battery terminals.Before I mounted everything on my bike, I had used the GPS just to see how it worked. With the brightness on 100% and the display timeout on Never, the battery lasts about 3 hours of continual use. The GPS mount is always hot, even with the ignition off. I guess a mechanic could wire it into the ignition circuit, but I'll just pull the GPS out of the mount and not have to worry about the battery draining.I've used Garmin GPS units since the late 90's and I'm very satisfied with their performance. I'm hope this one will be just as good as the others.One last thing, there are a lot of extras on this unit including BlueTooth compatibility, alerts, etc., some which you have to pay for. It would be best to download the owner's manual before you buy to see if this is what you want/need.

I should have gotten this long ago after going thru so many car units for my bikes. The Motorcycle units are much better for motorcycles and the mounting hardware is awesome. The unit took a little time to settle into the cradle and would cut off a few times after initial installation on my bike with it being a buzzy little single. but after a few rides it is now rock solid. The adventure riding mode will take you thru neighborhoods if not set correctly but is so fun when your just out riding. nice unit.