Dumb questions about 2610

[bonjeroo]

I have spent a while reading some of the posts about the 2610 and have a few dumb questions. Please bear with me!

How do I power the unit? I assumed I could get a lead that plugged into the front accessory socket, but I have read a few people saying they hard-wired it to the battery. I assume I need to buy an additional lead for this, as it only comes with a car lead. Does Garmin's motorcycle lead connect to the battery? Does the lead need to be fused? If so, is a fuse included on the Garmin lead?

Is the external antenna really necessary? I live in London and would like to be able to use the GPS in town as well as out on the open road.

Should I be worried about how robust the unit is? BMW market the Motorrad Navigator as being tough enough for bike use. Is this just marketing rubbish, or is the 2610 really much more delicate?

Is there anything I should buy to get it working other than the unit itself, power lead and some kind of mounting bracket?

thanks,

Bonj

 

[shready]

I've recently taken delivery of a 2610 unit. Ignore the car power lead, leave it for the car and get one from GPS Warehouse here http://www.gpsw.co.uk/details/prod2018.html .

It has the connector for the back of the unit and a 2.5mm headphone socket for you to plug into, you may need a convertor as most headphones are 3.5mm (try here http://www.beststuff.co.uk/headphone_accessories.htm). The opposite end has 2 stripped wires that you need to connect to the bike in some way. I have simply soldered and crimped 2 connectors and attached them straight to the battery. It does need a 5amp fuse but this is in line on the cable iteslf, so you are protected.

I have ordered a Touratech (TT) mount and am awaiting delivery so I cannot comment further yet, however, Paneuropean (the GPS master you will discover and very helpful) has commented that the TT mount covers up the internal antenna so an external one may be required. Mutley, also a recent buyer of the same bits of kit has I believe gone down the external antenna route.

As regards the BMW Navigator and the 2610, thay are the same build pretty much. I think software wise the BMW model is slightly different (cue Pan) but physically it's the same unit made by Garmin.

Hope this helps.

Jon

 

[Mutley]

Bonj,

As Jon said, its as tough as old boots but don't drop it on hard concrete I did got the external antenna route and it has been worth the it £14.99 from a guy on ebay that supplied it with 1m cable and a straight mcx plug rather than the normal 90% version, very simple to unplug. I use it also in the car with an internal windscreen mount that cost a fiver so it really has got to be worth it, seems to pic up more sats and I am now hardly ever lossing the Sat signal.

I already had an autocom so my unit although I had to buy a splitter from them plugs into the autocom unit and works brilliant through my helmet.

IMOP this GPS is brilliant

Mutley

 

[bonjeroo]

I've recently taken delivery of a 2610 unit. Ignore the car power lead, leave it for the car and get one from GPS Warehouse here http://www.gpsw.co.uk/details/prod2018.html .

It has the connector for the back of the unit and a 2.5mm headphone socket for you to plug into, you may need a convertor as most headphones are 3.5mm (try here http://www.beststuff.co.uk/headphone_accessories.htm). The opposite end has 2 stripped wires that you need to connect to the bike in some way. I have simply soldered and crimped 2 connectors and attached them straight to the battery. It does need a 5amp fuse but this is in line on the cable iteslf, so you are protected.

Thanks very much - very helpful.

So is a lead available that just provides power to the unit?

Know what you mean about PanEurope - it was reading all his posts that convinced me to get the 2610 rather than the Quest.

I already had an autocom so my unit although I had to buy a splitter from them plugs into the autocom unit and works brilliant through my helmet.

Is there a socket on the 2610 to connect to an Autocom? Or is the only way of connecting to do it via the power lead?

thanks,

Bonj

 

[bonjeroo]

Found this article about the difference between the 2610 and Motorrad navigator:

http://www.adventure-motorcycling.co.uk/news/?id=40

 

[Greg Masters]

I assume I need to buy an additional lead for this, as it only comes with a car lead. Does Garmin's motorcycle lead connect to the battery? Does the lead need to be fused? If so, is a fuse included on the Garmin lead?

You need this lead from a Garmin dealer:

It'd be a neat idea to add a fuse and perhaps a switch. I run mine without any switch, but use a plastic cover over the plug when not using the 2610 to avoid short-circuits. I would NOT recomment that you wire the GPS to an idnition-switched supply.

Is the external antenna really necessary?

Not unless you are using a Touratech mount...

... in which case an external aerial is certainly beneficial.

Should I be worried about how robust the unit is?

Don't use a micro-drive memory card if you can avoid it. Generally, it's not a bad idea to treat the unit as being an item that will cost you several hundred pounds to replace. I keep mine screen down in it's Garmin bag and wouldn't let my kids or dog treat it as a toy. Once it's in it's Touratech mount, I feel that it would come through unscathed most accidents that I come through alive.

Is there anything I should buy to get it working other than the unit itself, power lead and some kind of mounting bracket?

No, but a case will probably keep it working longer.

Greg

 

[PanEuropean]

What BMW has done with the BMW Navigator II is as follows: They have taken the Garmin SP 2610, and added a number of tangible items to it in order to provide a "complete and ready to go" kit for motorcycle installation. They have also made a few cosmetic changes to differentiate the Nav II from a SP 2610.

The tangible benefits are as follows (in no particular order):

1. A larger CF memory chip, double the size of what ships with the SP 2610. This enables you to hold more maps, for those long tours.
2. A mounting bracket that incorporates a few more 'physical' buttons (zoom in, zoom out, etc.) to make operation on a motorcycle slightly easier.
3. A cable bundle that enables you to hook everything up quite easily. You will still have to buy (at additional cost) a wiring harness interface for your specific BMW model moto.[/list=1]
   The cosmetic benefits (the changes I personally consider to be really of no value) are as follows:
   1. The colour of the case is black, rather than dark grey.
   2. When the GPSR is turned on, it displays a BMW Roundel, rather than a Garmin logo.
   3. There is one additional screen available, which shows a compass pointer similar to an aircraft RMI. It's cute, but of no practical use.
   4. It has one additional command available that enables you to turn off (disable) the touch screen. This is very useful when riding in a hailstorm.[/list=1]
      The article that Bonjeroo linked to (at Adventure Motorcycling UK) contains one error, that is in point 4. The Nav II and the SP 2610 use exactly the same colour palette and display exactly the same information. The only "colour difference" is the splash screen you see when you turn it on - it shows a BMW logo rather than the Garmin splash screen.
      
      If you want a turn-key solution (as in "Oh, by the way, have one of those Nav II gizmos installed on my new BMW 1200 LT before I pick it up, will you?"), the BMW Nav II is the perfect answer.
      
      If you would rather save the dosh, just buy a SP 2610, then buy a larger CF card (512 meg or 1 gig, you don't need more than that), stick the Garmin remote on your clutch reservoir with Velcro, choose one the various mounts that are available - including Garmin, MiGSel, or third party - and enjoy the fun that comes from installing and wiring the thing yourself.
      
      PanEuropean
      
      PS: Greg's advice about caring for the unit is spot-on. It's a tough unit, not a delicate thing, but the touchscreen is susceptable to scratches if you are careless. Garmin has historically been very good about repairing or replacing GPSR's that get damaged in moto accidents - the most I have ever heard that they have charged, for repair of a completly destroyed GPSR, is about $50 for "replacing the outer case". Truth was, for that particular rider, they replaced the whole darn GPSR but said they only replaced the case.