Another GPS Thread - Can You Stand It?

[sharpestjim]

Rather than resurrecting one of the myriad of navigation threads on this site, I opted to start a new one. There seem to be many, many opinions regarding this subject. And we all know what opinions are like, right?

So, I have this brand-new R1250RS in my garage. It's all set up for navigation. It's not that I particularly NEED it; but I'm thinking that it would be cool to have, especially since BMW was kind enough to provide it, right? So, what do I get? Have they worked all of the bugs out of the Motorrad NAV? Do I get a NAV VI? People seem to love the Zumo XT. Lots of places are still selling the XT. Is the XT 2 that much better than the XT? I don't mind going for the Zumo. But then, of course, I'll need one of the adapters. Are the adapters from Italy the best? People seem to be very pleased with them.

Shifting gears (pun intended) a bit...

I really have zero interest in talking on the phone whilst riding. Call me old-fashioned. But that's part of the allure of riding, for me, anyway. I carry my cell phone with me, for obvious reasons. But talking while riding? Nope. Leave me a message and I'll call you back when I'm done riding. I have an old helmet. No built-in speakers and certainly no Bluetooth. I'm thinking that I should be able to find a pair of inexpensive Bluetooth earbuds and wear them so as to hear my GPS "talking" to me.

Any and all suggestions would be welcomed and appreciated.

Sorry for all of the newbie questions. But, coming from a 1977 Yamaha, all of this stuff is new to me. So is fuel injection, I guess. LOL.

 

[lee]

I really have zero interest in talking on the phone whilst riding. Call me old-fashioned. But that's part of the allure of riding, for me, anyway. I carry my cell phone with me, for obvious reasons. But talking while riding? Nope. Leave me a message and I'll call you back when I'm done riding. I have an old helmet. No built-in speakers and certainly no Bluetooth. I'm thinking that I should be able to find a pair of inexpensive Bluetooth earbuds and wear them so as to hear my GPS "talking" to me.

.

I rarely get a call when riding and when I get one I usually reach up and hit the ignore button.
If I know the person, I call them back later in the day.

For GPS sound I usually have Bitching Betty muted.

 

[sharpestjim]

I rarely get a call when riding and when I get one I usually reach up and hit the ignore button.
If I know the person, I call them back later in the day.

For GPS sound I usually have Bitching Betty muted.

Solid suggestions.

I remember in the mid-80's, I had an early Sony Walkman. This was years before earbuds and close to 20 years prior to Bluetooth. I took a pair of micro headphones apart and merely stuffed the speakers up in the earcups of my helmet with the wires coming down to the Walkman on my belt. Rather crude, but it worked OK. However, it sort of s***ed having to stop every 45 minutes to turn the tape over.

 

[senseamidmadness]

I'm 29 and have grown up with plenty of digital gidgets and gadgets and things, and I agree with you about wanting to "check out" while riding. I have a pair of speakers in my helmet that connect to my phone. The GPS app can talk to me with audible directions, but I can't look at the display while riding. I plan to keep it that way.

Personally I won't ever be owning an ultramodern bike with integrated wizardry like that if I can help it. Too much stuff to go wrong and too much to be distracting while on the thing.

Your idea about the Bluetooth earbuds is a decent one, as long as you remember to charge them.

 

[brownie0486]

I don't connect my phone to the bike in any form. I use a Nav4 and 5 for directions only [ no sound, just paying attention to the screen and next "turn" information on that screen.

I pair the cardo unit on the helmet to two different mp3's that hold over 1K sounds each. At an average of 3.5 minutes per song, that's about 16-17 songs an hour. I don't ride without the music, it's a pleasure while riding I've come to appreciate. Why?

On the long trips where I've run from sun up to sun down, the hum/drone of the motor can lull me into a lack of concentration. It's happened in the past decades. When I ran a GW with speakers/radio in the dash, as long as I could keep the music playing the longer I could ride. I've done 1250 miles a few times [ in a days ride ] and many 900 to 1100 mile days. That would not have been possible except for the music playing.

Is music a distraction on a motor? Some will think yes it is, others think it's isn't. I can state that I've never been distracted from the music that resulted in even a close call. In fact, the music can be playing, I can come from running 80 for hours down to a crawl coming through a city at rush hour and once traffic flow is back to normal, I've can't remember the music playing. IOW, the second my concentration needs to be ramped up to what's going on around me, the music plays but I'm not consciously even hearing it. The brain sets safety priorities first and filters out anything extraneous.

Without the music, I'd be off the bike in hours, bored at the hum of the motor/road noise to the point of feeling "tired". Don't need to listen to the Nav, nor even have my phone ringing. Give me the music, I'll ride for 12-14 hours a day when necessary, no problem.

 

[The_Veg]

I can state that I've never been distracted from the music that resulted in even a close call. In fact, the music can be playing, I can come from running 80 for hours down to a crawl coming through a city at rush hour and once traffic flow is back to normal, I've can't remember the music playing. IOW, the second my concentration needs to be ramped up to what's going on around me, the music plays but I'm not consciously even hearing it. The brain sets safety priorities first and filters out anything extraneous.

Same here. I have no problem without it on casual day-rides up to the hills, but for long distance travel I'll go out of my mind with boredom without music.

 

[cajunrider]

I have no problem without it on casual day-rides up to the hills, but for long distance travel I'll go out of my mind with boredom without music.

Before I had a Cardo System in my helmet, I would sing to myself on those LONG stretches in order to no go crazy.

Needless to say... the Cardo provides WAY better quality music.

 

[cabnfvr]

Since your RS is set up for nav from BMW the only GPS that will fit the cradle is the Nav VI. Rumor has an updated version out this August. The Zumo XT has excellent reviews but won't fit. I'd wait for the updated Nav VI. On day rides we use the GPS just to see where we are and how far away home (or our motel) might be. Plus the weather alerts (vis Bluetooth phone app) are extremely handy.

 

[52184]

As noted, the only new gps that will drop into the Nav prep cradle is the Nav VI. A used Nav V would also drop in and would also work with the wonderwheel. But other options would include the Garmin Zumo XT, which with the Italian adapter WILL mount in the BMW Nav prep. However, that unit would NOT work with the wonderwheel so you’d be using the touchscreen to control it.

I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for a new version of the Nav VI to appear, as that so far has been as elusive as Charlie Brown’ kicking that football.

Best,
DeVern

 

[ramble]

Is the Garmin VI still in production or are the one's available old stock ?

 

[52184]

Is the Garmin VI still in production or are the one's available old stock ?

New units are still available from BMW and yes, there was a software revision a while back that can be identified by the new black and white startup screen. I think Bob’s and a few other dealers ran specials to roll their inventory over to units with the new software revision.

Best,
DeVern

 

[marcopolo]

The latest version of the Nav VI came out in 2021. It's more than just slightly different firmware. The display is different too. Don't know whether that cured the display problems with the earlier version, or not, but I have not had any issues. I also have an older Nav VI version (warranty replacement) that I carry as a backup.

 

[lee]

This video shows a Nav VI with the new firmware mentioned above.

<iframe width="1920" height="1080" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3Bef1NxScIo" title="BMW MOTORRAD NAVIGATOR VI REFRESH WALKAROUND | BMW R1250GS ADVENTURE" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[ramble]

Are all the 2021 and up BMW models using TFT or do some have the cradle for the NAV VI?

 

[lee]

Are all the 2021 and up BMW models using TFT or do some have the cradle for the NAV VI?

I have a 2022 R1250RS with TFT and the locking Cradle for a BMW Navigator V or VI.

 

[ramble]

Thanks Lee.

 

[rbourey]

I still run my R1200 RS with the smaller screened but more reliable NAV V.

Like Lee, I no longer listen to Bitchin Betty - or in my case English Jennifer - much more civilized, thank you. In fact I sold my Sena 20S with my last helmet and now go noiseless with custom ear plugs.

I check my phone for emergency calls at the gas stops.

As one of my lifelong buddies points out in his audiology research - it's not so much the distraction of the phone call as what the visual portions of the brain do when we are talking to someone we know and for whom we have visual memories. In general, one should not have images generated by a phone call in competition with the visual search for that next apex - perhaps filled with road debris....

(Of course, if you're a slabber, crank up the tune and ride on.)

 

[jsd]

I purchased a used Nav V and am very pleased. I use it in the factory cradle and use it 80% of the time. I have all my favorite pubs and routes preprogrammed and find it works very well. I do not have it blue toothed to my helmet, I found it did not integrate very well and did not like how it interrupted my intercom conversations to tell me to turn right 6 times before my turn. I also have my Iphone mounted on my tank bag for when going someplace with heavier traffic so I can use a mapping app with live traffic (I know Garmin has it as well but I dont want to pay for it). The phone is blue toothed to my Sena 50R and Wife's, however it does not interrupt conversations merely talks in the background just like being in the car. This way when in unfamiliar or busy areas I do not have to look at the screen. I would use the phone all the time and tried with an older iphone xs in the cradle but they dont like the heat or the vibration much also easy to steal.