• There were many reasons for the change of the site software, the biggest was security. The age of the old software also meant no server updates for certain programs. There are many benefits to the new software, one of the biggest is the mobile functionality. Ill fix up some stuff in the coming days, we'll also try to get some of the old addons back or the data imported back into the site like the garage. To create a thread or to reply with a post is basically the same as it was in the prior software. The default style of the site is light colored, but i temporarily added a darker colored style, to change you can find a link at the bottom of the site.

Having trouble wiring a Garmin XT, so should I just run it on its battery? If I do, will it still show traffic?

I am having a tuff time running wire for the GPS on my 2014 RTL, and was thinking, maybe I should just fully charge and see how long it will last, time wise. Anyone try that? And what is the black box on the wire harness for the XT? Is that for traffic? If so, will it pick up traffic if I just run off of battery.
 
Did your bike come with the GPS or are you adding a new one? If the bike came with this GPS the black box sounds to me to be the docking station and charges and connects it to your sound system.
 
Last edited:
The black thing on the power cable is not for traffic. Google think it's a ferrite core that filters electrical "noise" on the power line.

As for power for the GPS consider a USB power bank. It's basically an external battery that connects to a device through a USB port to provide additional power. You would plug one end of the Garmin cable into the GPS and the other into the USB port on the power bank.

And yes, you'd need to recharge the powerbank after using it.
 
Did your bike come with the GPS or are you adding a new one? If the bike came with this GPS the black box sounds to me to be the docking station and charges and connects it to your sound system.
It already has mount and wiring for current Zumo 660. XT will mount to my handlebar GPS cradle, so I can mount on that. The Dealer said it's just easier to cut the wire and pull it out, but I can leave the 660 wiring harness connected, and run new wire for the XT. That way, if someone should buy the bike in the future, it will be equipped already. I will have to call Garmin about the box. It's not for audio, because the dealer told me when I go to XT, I will lose the audio ability. Think a 16ga wire is too small to run?
 
I think the box drops the 12 volts down to 5 volts. Some of the car Garmin's received traffic in some locations using a small antenna that was built into the power cable. Now it happens thru an app on your phone.
 
The Garmin Nuvo XT does not have an audio out port.

But it does support Bluetooth audio.
I was using an XT with my 2024 Spyder before CAN-AM got Apple CarPlay to work correctly, and had my helmet headset bluetooth paired to the XT so that I could hear directions while riding.
 
No audio on the XT for the 2014 spider. Going directly to battery will power it up. But it will stay powered up all the time and drain the battery. You need to wire to switched power for the power to shutdown.
 
There was a Garmin OEM support phone number, 855-607-2536, that may be of use, I don't know. When I bought my Spyder I purchased a Zumo 590 because I knew the 660 was old technology and the dealership mounted it to my Tri-Axis handlebars.
 
It's been a while, back when the XT's first came out, but I've removed the base plate for the Zumo 660 or whichever version GPS the particular Spyder came with off the centre handlebar bracket/mount; taken the LH side tupperware off; disconnected and unthreaded the 660/original GPS wiring; and replaced it with the XT's wiring and base plate on the bracket between the handlebars to upgrade/install an XT onto more than just a couple of Spyders (2012 thru about 2017/18 Spyders, I think? IIRC, I did hafta unscrew & remove the ram mount ball that came pre-installed on the XT base plate too, so that I could then screw the base plate onto the centre mount) and I'm now looking into doing the same for some XT2's. Unless something has changed significantly between the two XT versions, it shouldn't be impossible to do - fiddly, and a bit of a pain maybe, but not impossible. 😉

The base plate the 660's/other GPS's clip onto simply unscrews from the bracket/mount between the handlebars, then you need to pull it and all of the trailing wiring that's attached out (after disconnecting the other end, of course; which is why the LH side tupperware hasta come off :sneaky:) before threading the replacement XT wiring in; connecting it up to power where you disconnected the 660; and finally screwing the XT's base plate (minus the ram mount ball thingy they come with) into place on the centre handlebar bracket. IIRC, the screw holes even match up AND the original screws or the screws holding the ram mount ball worked, so you'll have spare screws once you've finished! And if/when you decide to sell the Spyder, the new owner is probably going to want a GPS anyway, so an XT/XT2 GPS will be a more attractive selling point than an older/outdated 660 or any other superseded GPS, and you'll be wanting to upgrade to the latest & greatest by then anyway, won't you?! :unsure:

Just Sayin' 😁
 
I am having a tuff time running wire for the GPS on my 2014 RTL, and was thinking, maybe I should just fully charge and see how long it will last, time wise. Anyone try that? And what is the black box on the wire harness for the XT? Is that for traffic? If so, will it pick up traffic if I just run off of battery.
The black box is a 12V to 5V converter.

From the manual:

Receiving Traffic Data Using Your Smartphone​

Your device can receive subscription-free traffic data while connected to a smartphone running the Garmin Drive™ app.
  1. Connect your device to the Garmin Drive app (Pairing Your Phone and Headset).
  2. On your zūmo® device, select Settings > Traffic, and verify the Traffic check box is selected.
 
Thanks everyone. I have the wires finally run and all I have to do is hook up to the spare wires in the frunk or to the battery. The mount that held the 660 fit the new XT. All I had to do was take out the four screws that held the bracket that your GPS clips to off of the mount, and put the new bracket onto the mount. I left the old bracket and the 660 wiring in place, in case I ever sell the bike, and I'm just going to zip tie the old bracket to back side of the handlebars.
 
Back
Top