• Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password.

    If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?

BMW Navigator Integration

cpallenjr

New member
The BMW Nav V on my 2016 R1200GSA has a significant integration with the bike via the wonder wheel. You can interact with the GPS (Zoom in and out, switch pages, change screen configuration), and the GPS can display info from the bike such as tire pressures, engine temps, trip odometer readings and more.

My first question - does the K1600 have a similar degree of integration between the bike and GPS?
Second question - does the Nav VI offer more or better integration than the Nav V?

I'm trying to decide if I should spring for a Nav 6, keep my Nav 5, or use Wonderlinq and an Android or Apple iPhone/Tablet, or something else? I probably won't be travelling very far out of my area or very often.

I use Waze or Google Maps in my car and bike for most of my trips but have also usually had navigation or a dedicated GPS available.
 
The GPS to motorcycle integration is dependent on the software installed on the motorcycle; not the GPS.
So a Nav VI might not give you additional features.
I have a 2012 and only get a handful screen interface for Navigation. I don't have any Motorcycle info at all.
That said, different years have different capabilities. The upgrade is on the motorcycle; not the GPS

Hope this helps.

Joe
 
The GPS to motorcycle integration is dependent on the software installed on the motorcycle; not the GPS.
So a Nav VI might not give you additional features.
I have a 2012 and only get a handful screen interface for Navigation. I don't have any Motorcycle info at all.
That said, different years have different capabilities. The upgrade is on the motorcycle; not the GPS

Hope this helps.

Joe

Thanks - I should probably be more specific - my question is wrt a 2019 Bagger and Nav 5, 6, or smartphone.
 
I have newer nav on my 18 gt and the screen is very visible during the day I understand previous we’re not as good in daylight also the nav is able to show bike info ie motor temp , tire pressure, ambient temp, top speed ,average speed, gas mileage ect.
 
I have newer nav on my 18 gt and the screen is very visible during the day I understand previous we’re not as good in daylight also the nav is able to show bike info ie motor temp , tire pressure, ambient temp, top speed ,average speed, gas mileage ect.

Thanks for your reply. That's the stuff my GSA displays on my Nav V. I'm glad that it also shows up on the K1600.
 
I have a 2014 GT and all that info is available on the dash and is controlled by the menu switch, not related to which Nav you have installed.
 
Navigation

I have a 2014 GT and all that info is available on the dash and is controlled by the menu switch, not related to which Nav you have installed.

Thanks for your reply. I know the "My Motorcycle" info is available elsewhere on the instrument panel - I am trying to decide if I want to keep my Nav V or spring for a newer tech Nav VI. The salesman told me my Nav V would work normally as a GPS but the bike integration - wonderwheel, my motorcycle, etc - would not work; I need to buy a Nav 6 for that. I'm not necessarily "buying" that explanation.
 
Thanks for your reply. I know the "My Motorcycle" info is available elsewhere on the instrument panel - I am trying to decide if I want to keep my Nav V or spring for a newer tech Nav VI. The salesman told me my Nav V would work normally as a GPS but the bike integration - wonderwheel, my motorcycle, etc - would not work; I need to buy a Nav 6 for that. I'm not necessarily "buying" that explanation.

The "bike integration" on the Nav V is identical to the Nav VI's.

I switched from the V to the VI on my '17 GS and frankly was somewhat disappointed that the screen brightness was only slightly improved. Knowing then what I know now, I would not have updated. But there was no difference in the wonderwheel functions.

What is not at all identical however is the bike part of the "integration" between different bike models. For example, the same Nav VI on my new R1250RT does not seem as well integrated as it was on my older GS. The RT wonderwheel has fewer functions and is more cumbersome in displaying useful info than on the Nav VI. I suspect that the integration scheme on the RT (and 1600's) is older and less developed than what's on somewhat newer GS's.

So, yes, the salesman's comment was incorrect. For a given BMW the Nav V and Nav VI will "work" identically with its wonderwheel.
 
The elephant in the room is.....

for general navigation duties, a $100 Garmin or your iphone will outperform the factory unit hands down. Same with my car; M235i. Often the factory unit, (especially in the car) refuses to allow me to input data and decides what it thinks is the right answer, leaving me no choice but to use my phone. That having been said, the motorcycle units are made by Garmin which are a damnsite better than the units in the cars.
 
Back
Top