BMW Navigator 2 info..

[gasman]

I was in North Oxford BMW today.
Looks like the BMW Navigator 2 will cost £1350 inc VAT. It also looks like it will have a rechargeable battery in it, presumably in the add-on bit. I think the price will include a motorcycle mount and BMW compatible power lead. It is starting to look competitive with the baseline 2610.

 

[John Armstrong]

Competative

Against the UK price?

Or the just above £400 if you buy in America price?

That's been covered elsewhere though! Are the Nav 2 extras's worth the extra £500. If you're interested, have a look at the latest BMW bikes mag. Seems strange that the "garmin" 2610 isn't "waterproof" whereas the Nav 2 is.

 

[roadrider]

Re: Competative

Seems strange that the "garmin" 2610 isn't "waterproof" whereas the Nav 2 is.

The Streetpilot 2610 and 2650 , ARE WATERPROOF PROVIDING THE COMPACT FLASH CARD DOOR IS CLOSED. They have the same waterproof level as the SP3.
John

 

[PanEuropean]

I can second the comments about the SP 2610 and 2650 being waterproof. The hardware engineers asked me to really abuse the unit last summer when I got it for testing. I would wash my moto using a high pressure wand, without removing the SP 2650 from the handlebar mount. Although this is clearly not recommended (and contrary to common sense), I never had any water problems, and I rode coast to coast and back in North America with the 2650 on my handlebars.

Even today, if I am washing the moto with a bucket of soapy water and a garden hose, I (personally) don't bother removing the GPSR from its mount. However, I am only talking here as an individual, I don't speak for Garmin (ever).

I am sure that if I stuck the garden hose right up against the CF card door and turned it on full blast, I might be able to "blow the gasket", but I doubt that many people would be that stupid - especially considering the cost of the unit.

PanEuropean

 

[(RIP) sherpa]

Navigator 2

Just been looking at the Navigator 2 in Rainbow with Swooper and Dave.
The battery pack is another add on unit which slides into a slot built into the extra 4 buttons back plate which the Nav.2 comes with.
The button bracket is a bit cumbersome and has 2 plugs - one which connects to the units original multi pin connection whilst the other connects to a multi pin round socket on the back of the button bracket. This then all routes to the standard BMW power plug. The bottom of the button bracket also has a 2.5mm socket for the speaker output - if you want to go through an Autocom or headset.
The case of the 2610 is not normally petrol proof but the Nav 2 is and also has an anti glare screen as standard.
If you have the button bracket installed then the unit wont fit into the Touratech bracket and will have to be mounted using BMW's little black box affair with 4 screws through the extra buttons bracket.
All in all, IMHO, it doesn't warrant the extra dosh over the cost of the heavily subsidised SPC III (or the American price of the 2610) as the touch screen seems to work perfectly with gloves on
Ta Ta
Sherpa

 

[PanEuropean]

Interesting info, Sherpa, thanks for publishing it.

I have never seen a BMW Navigator II. It's not available at the Swiss BMW dealer yet. What I do find notable about the information you provided is that it appears that BMW is actually adding quite a number of "useful" features to the Navigator II.

The original Navigator I was (in my opinion, anyway) not much more than a SP III with a list of BMW dealers added to the basemap.

But, the Navigator II will have all the additional hardware features you mention (pushbuttons, battery pack, sound output), and also some additional software features (display options) that are not part of the SP 26xx.

So, it does seem that BMW is making a good attempt to add honest value to their product. The final choice, of course, is up to the buyer - kind of like the choice of whether to buy a basic BMW 5 series saloon, or a 545, it is the buyer who decides whether the extra goodies are worth the extra $$ (or ₤₤, or €€, as the case may be). But at least they are doing a lot more work on the II than they did on the original Navigator.

I'm actually thinking that it might be worth considering getting a Navigator II for my moto. I'm looking forward to seeing the product when it arrives here in CH.

PanEuropean.

 

[timangus]

Used a Navigator 2 when delivering a bike (GS Naturally!) to the wilds of Spalding Lincs in the pickup. Touch screen a gem, much faster than old unit and much easier to load in addresses. Like the auto screen colour change when sunset comes. It navigated me through two sets of tracks between farms that maps would have got me lost. The petrol and waterproof case, anti glare screen and complete package mean it is better value than first unit. It 512mb memory can hold 16 countries apparently.
Waiting for brochures and bracket fitting details but they will be with dealers in a week. No doubt old Nav1 units going cheap in dealers anytime now!

 

[PanEuropean]

If they are shipping it with 512 megs of memory, then that is a significant advantage over the standard unit, which (I think) ships with a 128 mb card.

This should be considered when comparing the price difference between the units (Garmin product and BMW product). Not sure how much a stand-alone purchase of a 512 mb CF card is in the UK or in Europe, in Canada it costs about € 125 or so.

PanEuropean

 

[timangus]

Attended training today on Navigator and came away with the following facts. The BMW unit is petrol proof in case of fuel splash when refilling. The Garmin unit isn't, as it is designed for cars. It does not have a cradle (BMW USP) and therefore no sound on a bike from the Garmin version. BMW runs version 6 maps, Garmin is version 5. BMW unit has built in compass, Garmin doesn't. BMW has 2 year warranty, Garmin 1 year.

 

[ebbo]

512Mb CF card £79 inc vat at Digital Depot

 

[John Armstrong]

Just a thought

Attended training today on Navigator and came away with the following facts. The BMW unit is petrol proof in case of fuel splash when refilling. The Garmin unit isn't, as it is designed for cars. It does not have a cradle (BMW USP) and therefore no sound on a bike from the Garmin version. BMW runs version 6 maps, Garmin is version 5. BMW unit has built in compass, Garmin doesn't. BMW has 2 year warranty, Garmin 1 year.

Does anyone have comparison data for the sales of the SP3 against the "BMW Navigator"?

And will there be the same difference between the 2610 and the Nav 2? The UK price difference for the Nav 2 v 2610 does look more reasonable now, especially as it is not just a re-badged product. The facts that are mentioned do look rather like the ones in the latest World of BMW magazine, which seem to be at variance with what Garmin are saying.

 

[Greg Masters]

The BMW unit is petrol proof in case of fuel splash when refilling. The Garmin unit isn't, as it is designed for cars. It does not have a cradle (BMW USP) and therefore no sound on a bike from the Garmin version. BMW runs version 6 maps, Garmin is version 5. BMW unit has built in compass, Garmin doesn't. BMW has 2 year warranty, Garmin 1 year.

I suspect that someone is exaggerating some facts here!

What is 'petrol proof'? (I know what 'waterproof' means - Garmin uses an international standard).

The 2610 is designed for cars? Why then do Garmin offer a motorcycle mounting kit (part no 010-10495-00)?

No sound on a bike? Check out the Garmin power/audio cable (part no 010-10495-02).

Garmin uses v5 maps? There is a one-time free upgrade to v.6 if you registered your European 2610 unit after v.6 was released.

What you describe is typical of some of the stories that were doing the rounds when the BMW Navigator I was released. Stuff like free mapping updates for life etc!

The BMW Navigator II does seem to be a more enhanced product than the regular 2610, but I feel that you're still being asked to pay a hefty chunk for the badge.

Greg

 

[jenks]

TimAngus

It sounds like you’re in the trade? Could you explain what comes in the Nav11 (BMW) box?
i.e. mount, free mapping etc, compared to the Garman 2610.

I bought a Nav 1, which is good, very good but this does sound the business, and I’m thinking of an upgrade.

The one thing that many are not aware of is that the Nav 1 & 2 are insured (presumably only if you have BMW' insurance) whilst on your bike, where as a standard Garman product you are not, because it's classed as a BMW extra.

ANDREW

 

[PanEuropean]

A very minor correction to Timangus' post above - the BMW Navigator II does not have a built in compass, if you mean something that can determine where magnetic North is. What it does have is an additional display page (accessed by pressing the "PAGE" button repeatedly) that shows a compass rose with a bearing pointer overlaid on top of it. For those of you with an aviation background, it looks exactly like a RMI.

The compass rose will show your present heading (degrees true) but only once the motorcycle starts moving. It has no way of determining - for example, via a flux valve or similar - the heading of the motorcycle when it is not moving. The bearing pointer points towards your next turn when you have a route active. When a route is not active, the bearing pointer is not present.

It's clever design, and quite elegant, but it would be wrong to call it a 'compass'. 'Heading Indicator' would be a better term to use.

PanEuropean

 

[judge]

TimAngus

It sounds like you’re in the trade?

That's cos he is in the trade, salesman at Cooper MBW, no secret, it's in the profile. And as such has a job to do... i.e. convince Joe Blow to shell out over the odds for a re-badged and slightly improved product (but as before) no justification for the significant price difference.

 

[jenks]

Thanks Judge, I didn't read his profile.

What I am trying to discover is what do I get for my money? How it COULD be justifyed(?)

Garman 2610 BMW Nav' 11
£995(UK) £1350
mount £60? free
power lead £25 free
upgrades £120 free
carrying case £30 free
1 yrs Warranty 2 years Warranty
battery pack (NA) INCLUDED
insurance????£30?? free
tec support??? ??????

Total £1260 £1350

or am I missing somthing here??? because for £90 extra the Nav 11 is offering alot more

Bemused
Andrew

 

[Greg Masters]

or am I missing somthing here???

Mapping updates will not be free! And a RAM mount is only about £25.

Greg

 

[judge]

Jenks,

You've done more research than me on this in comparing UK versions of the 2610 with the Nav II.

For someone coming to this cold i.e. not owning a GPS V/SPIII/Nav I then it doesn't seem a bad deal. Bear in mind many of the guys here are upgrading and as such neither of the UK propositions sound anywhere near good. Oh and I was in Maplins where the 2610 was £899 - compare that against MBWs price £1350 and we are very much back into the SPIII vs NAV arguments.

 

[jenks]

Judge,

It does seem to be getting more and more complex.

If the mount is only £25, and no free mapping then it's close to £200 difference,

When I bought my Nav 1, i got a deal, so there was only about £110, in it, so for the insurance and the extra years warrenty it seemed worth it, and I have no regrets, however, with this 2610 I'm not going to get a deal from BVM s, and I'm still not clear what I get.

One thing I forgot was memory card. What with What.Any ideas

Andrew

 

[PanEuropean]

Jenks:

Not sure if you included this in your category of 'upgrades', but if the BMW Navigator II comes with a 512 meg chip (as it seems to - I'm not 100% sure of this, but about 99% sure), then this is a very significant advantage over the SP 2610. If you have a 512 meg chip, you can put one heck of a lot of terrain on it (e.g. pretty much all of continental Europe, north of the Alps, using CN 6).

So, when you are figuring out the cost-benefit, consider what it would cost you to upgrade to a 512 meg chip. Personally, I use a 1 gig chip, holds everything and I never need to load maps (except annually, when the map updates come out).

PanEuropean