The Garmin Zumo was first introduced in 2006 for motorcycles. Garmin realized that TomTom was dominating the motorcycle spaces with their TomTom Rider and introduced these to compete with TomTom. This line of GPS has been very popular with motorcyclists and Garmin has introduced ten Zumo models to date. Surprisingly, not all Zumo models come with a motorcycle mount in the box which never made a lot of sense to me. This article will discuss mounting options for the Garmin Zumo line of GPS devices.
Mount Analysis
All Garmin Zumo cradles use a motorcycle cradle with a 4-hole pattern called the AMPS pattern. It’s as close to an industry standard mounting pattern there is so a lot of other manufacturers make these types of mounts. You could certainly stick with Garmin as they have come up with a fairly robust series of mounts for the Zumo, but there are alternative sources.
The Garmin Zumo motorcycle mounts we will discuss in the following few paragraphs apply to practically any Zumo GPS model made over the past decade.
Garmin Zumo Mount Recommendations
The most common option is as included with the Zumo in the box when you buy it is The Garmin Zumo Motorcycle Mount. This mount will attach to the back of the Zumo cradle using the bolts and screws that came with the motorcycle cradle that you likely received in the box with the GPS.
The square plate uses the standard 4-hole AMPS pattern. Use the square metal top of the mount to line the screw holes up with the back of the cradle. There is a metal arm that supports a ball and socket system. The base has a dual mounting option. Most will use the u-bolts that comes with the mount to attach to the handlebar. Some, especially those that ride Honda Goldwings as well as some Harley owners will use the brake or clutch options. The brake / clutch options will require you to remove the factory installed bolts and replace them with the bolts that are included with the mount. You may also use the spacers that are provided depending upon your model of bike. Instructions to do this are included with the mount.
There are many other options for mounting a Zumo to a motorcycle. Another popular option is to use a RAM Fork Stem Motorcycle Mount. This mount will attach to the stem hole on many motorcycles. The mounting kit includes a bolt and a plastic cone that you can cut to fit the stem hole. The plastic cone can be cut from 12 -20mm and 28mm or .5” – 1.10”. You can use the mounting diamond of this mount kit to attach to the upper right and lower left holes of the back of the Zumo motorcycle cradle or if you prefer, replace the top of the mount with the Ram Mount 2 x 1.7 Inches Base with 1-Inch Ball that Contains the Universal AMPs Hole Pattern. Another popular mount for a motorcycle is the Ram Mount Double Ball Motorcycle Mount with Offset Base which is very popular with many BMW models.