About to buy

[Dabba]

So I've spent a few evenings now trawling the threads and checking out prices.

My thoughts are....

Garmin 2610 bike bundle, fit it myself. (gps warehouse £549 inc vat) all the spec of the navigator II at half the price.

Everything's included in the deal and according to posts here fittings a doddle. I've lifted the tank and think I've sorted a route to get the wire back to the battery.

I have no experience in such things whatsoever.

Have I got it right?

Anybody with any helpful pics of how where to route the cable?

Sorry if I'm going over old ground - just a bit nervous about it all.

 

[gfspencer]

Well, it’s not quite the same – close but not the same. The Navigator II comes with a dedicated mount (which – in my humble opinion) is much better than the RAM mount. The BMW mount includes an extra set of buttons which make it easy to use the GPS with gloves on. Also included in the BMW kit is a dedicated wiring harness which makes power hookup easy. The new Navigator II Plus includes a 2GB memory card in the US. Don't get me wrong, you're getting a VERY good GPS in the 2610 but it's not quite a Navigator II.

 

[BurnieM]

Its easy - do a mix and match;
Garmin SP2610
plus 2 GB Sandisk compactflash card
plus BMW mounting bracket
plus Garmin motorcycle cradle (same as BMWs but without the buttons)

For wiring you can use BMWs plug in wiring (which will leave you with a left over plug for the button pad)
or
Garmins motorcycle wiring with 2.5 mm audio socket and 2 bare wires for power

Note that the BMW wiring and mounting bracket are an add on cost for the Navigator II as well.

The button pad is a personal choice.
Yes it is handy for zoom in/out and if it was 70-100 pounds more then I would buy it.
The unit is perfectly usable on a bike without it however.

Note that the only differences between the core Navigator II and SP2610 are;
additional compass screen,
black case on Nav II and dark grey case on SP2610
and BMW/Garmin logo
Otherwise they are IDENTICAL units with IDENTICAL features and IDENTICAL quality

How much are you paying for that BMW badge (screen printed in Taiwan) again ?

 

[Airfan]

What does the BMW mounting bracket look like?, and how much is it?. Do you have a part number?.

Thanks

Rob

 

[Greg Masters]

but it's not quite a Navigator II.

With the exception of identifying BMW dealers, these units are functionally identical.

The extra button on the Nav may make those functions easier to use with gloved hands, but very many manage very well with the 2610.

I'd have to be a very rich man to justify the Nav II over the 2610.

Greg

 

[Dabba]

Got to say I'm with Greg on this one - its over £500 for the (marginal) extras you get with the Navigator (and that 2GB card can only count for about £80 of it).

By the way I got it wrong before the deal is £595 (inc vat) to include the Ram mount and wiring.

I had thought I'd try and be clever and get my dealer to fit the navigator II mounting bracket and wire it in and then I'd just pop the 2610 in. This would still be way cheaper. The holder is around £165 (not sure if vat was in this) + labour (probably £30-40 I guess).

Another thread suggested that the buttons don't actually work with the 2610 though, so that scuppered that.

I never thought about whether the wiring loom was available seperately though, anybody comment on that? - would it still plug into the 2610?

I shouldn't have thought that in any other respect the BMW mount was any better than a Ram one (neither will be as good as a Touratech one, but then that needs an extra antenna as it covers the units up)

I ended up thinking that maybe the Quest is finally the way to go (save another £200) and avoid the hassle of wiring at all (just recharge using the bikes accessory socket). But then I'd rather just have everything on the unit rather than be downloading maps and routes and stuff if I go abroad.

No the 2610 is still the way to go ..... isn't it?

 

[Dabba]

Just read BurnieM's reply again and will check out the details for the bracket and wiring bits with my dealer.

 

[gfspencer]

Yes, for just about everything the two GPS's are esentially the same - same navigation, etc. But the Nav II has a few BMW specific differences. To name a few: (1) It comes with slightly different software to make the touchpad work (you don't get updates from Garmin - you get updates from BMW), (2) a BMW specific mounting system with a touch pad and (3) a "plug-in" wiring connection.

I bought the Nav II Plus because (1) there has been a recent price reduction, (2) it comes with 2GB of memory, and (3) the mounting system is much better than anything else I have tried. (Touratech and Ram mounting systems look pretty sad. I know, I tried both systems with a Quest. I didn't like them.)

Does the Nav II cost more? Yes, but I think it was worth it. You may not. If you don't, don't spend the money.

 

[Dabba]

Hmmm....... Rainbow say BMW hard wire not available separately.

 

[Mrs C]

It would need to as it doesn't come bundled with the NavII.

I believe it ends in 670 (72.60.7.685.670 ... not sure about the penultimate batch of digits so willing to be corrected!)

This is the cable used on the majority of beemers when hardwiring the NavII.

 

[gfspencer]

It would need to as it doesn't come bundled with the NavII.

I believe it ends in 670 (72.60.7.685.670 ... not sure about the penultimate batch of digits so willing to be corrected!)

This is the cable used on the majority of beemers when hardwiring the NavII.

When I got my NavII Plus (for a R1200GS) several weeks ago EVERYTHING was bundled.

 

[Dabba]

Allan Jefferies have ordered me one so maybe Rainbow were just being lazy.

£50 + vat seems a curiously round amount as well rather pricey, still I'm hoping for plug and play ease of installation.