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Navigator VI on sale
- Thread starter cadmanpilot
- Start date
lee
Debbie's Servant
It integrates with the bike and displays a lot of bike info at a quick glance instead of flipping through multiple menu displays on the bike dash.
I have a 2018 R1200RT with Nav VI. I still use my $150 Garmin. I actually use both. I don't really care for the Nav VI, to clunky to enter information, screen is too small and to far away from the rider. I will plug in the end of day destination into the Nav VI and use my el-cheapo Garmin for the next stop or to "look around". This way at a glance I always know how many miles I have left to get to my destination without having to re-enter it.
Yeah, sure the Nav VI has a boat load of other information available that I have seemed to live without.
If I was looking for a GPS I sure wouldn't spend the $1K for the Nav VI when an off the shelf Garmin works well for 1/5th the price, or less.
gsinnc
Well-known member
I really like my Nav VI as not only does it integrate with both my bikes wonder wheel it has the best display I have ever seen especially in bright sunlight. Very happy with my upgrade from the V to the VI.
gsinnc
Well-known member
Yes you can! That is what is great about this country. You could also spend $5000 on a new Royal Enfield adventure bike or $20,000 on a new BMW GS and have $15,000 to in your farkle account.
akbeemer
SURVIVOR
Yes you can! That is what is great about this country. You could also spend $5000 on a new Royal Enfield adventure bike or $20,000 on a new BMW GS and have $15,000 to in your farkle account.
$5,000??? So they have gone up in price?
gsinnc
Well-known member
gsinnc
Well-known member
There really is no right or wrong answer here and don't believe this was about which product is better. The question being responded to are the benefits of buying the Nav 6 and there are benefits if you own a BMW with the GPS prep package. Some may prefer to not take advantage of those benefits and others may believe it is too expensive. All personal choices much like all things motorcycling. It is all about what make YOU happy!
You are right, that if you don't care about the systems integration benefits, then there are lower cost options, for example using your smart phone.
But first, if you sell your Nav V, and buy a Nav VI, as I did, then the difference was about $400. And for that I get the systems integration benefits which include a place to quickly dock the GPS without fussing with cables. In addition, the Nav VI has great bluetooth connectivity, including route-sharing with other riders. I have actually shared map routes while moving alongside another rider, and talking with them using a helmet-to-helmet comm. And speaking of bluetooth and integration, another thing I like about my Nav VI is that it can use the bike's onboard primary bluetooth channel to communicate with my helmet system, which saves me one channel on my headset. Some of you may have played with your helmet comm system, and discovered as I have that more than two connections will produce error-prone performance.
So, for example, if I reserve one channel on my Sena for communications with other riders, and the second for comms with my RT, then everything works seamlessly. But if I were to use 1 channel for bike, 1 channel for rider intercom, and attempt to use another channel for a link to a phone or a separate GPS, then everything becomes flaky. I imagine that this problem will get fixed before many years, but for now, the Nav VI provides a workaround: connect 3rd device (like a phone) to Nav VI, and allow it to pass audio to the helmet via the integrated interface.
As for the grip-mounted wheel, I agree. I don't use it to control the gps. Rather, I customize the user interface on the Nav VI to put big icons on the screen for my preferred actions.
In summary the Nav VI is a nice piece of gear with some unique benefits not available to separate gps units.
Cap
Where is it selling? For those who wish to criticize how someone else chooses to spend their money, pffft. I mean why buy a Rolex when a Timex does the same thing. I will invest in one. Eventually and I am not even considering alternatives after some review. Only alternative I will consider is if a Nav7 comes out before I buy.
I bought mine from a BMW dealer in Canada, selling on eBay. About $750 shipped. Also sold my used Nav 5 on eBay for about $400.
Cap
gsinnc
Well-known member
Sierra BMW is having a 20% off sale so that equates to about $760 for the Nav6 with free shipping and no tax. That is about the best I've seen them and also about what I paid a year ago. I sold my Nav5 for $500.
Nobody has criticized how anyone spends their money, the question was if what the advantage the Nav VI is over an over the counter GPS. Sure, tons of integration, if you find value in it. I don't. Like I said earlier, I have a Nav VI, I don't see where the extra expense is worth it. If someone does, then buy it.
