Sat Nav

[Morety]

Been pondering which way to go. Nav V or VI or Tom-Tom rider.

My experience with Garmin sat navs is that they're not as user friendly as Tom-Tom and not as good.

Whilst I'd like the convenience of a Nav V/VI for the extra info provided, is it worth splashing the cash for just this? (my gut instinct says no).

If I go down the Tom-Tom route, Has anyone mounted an after-market satnav somehow (conveniently) to the factory mount provided for the Nav series ie just using the bracket and cobbling something up like a couple of posh elastic bands or using a 3-M double sided pad to stick the Tom Tom to the plastic cover of the mount (which conveniently can then be unclipped and taken away when needed). Don't want to spend any more on other fancy mounts if there's already a convenient bracket handy.

 

[Blackal]

If you have the thumbwheel control on your bike - then the Nav5 second hand could prove a good buy?

Around £300, and should still be worth something if you decide not for you?

 

[squibb34]

My experince has been that Garmin have always proved more solid & reliable, although a tad clunky.

Frankly I preferred the TomTom logic, but mine failed just out of warranty when the touch screen became uncoordinated. I tried various fixes from Dr. Google, but it just wouldn't respond. Very annoying.

 

[Sea Dog]

I went for an almost new Nav V immediately after buying the bike and I'm glad I did. On top of the well known stuff, the "dashboard" on the map view is selectable and this gives me a much appreciated easy to read digital speedo. The whizz wheel functionality makes the unit the de facto choice imho.

 

[Pablo1]

I have a zumo 660 which is perfectly fine and fits in the factory fitted mount, no thumb wheel functionality but hey ho, if buying a used one try to get one with lifetime maps.

 

[Morety]

I have a zumo 660 which is perfectly fine and fits in the factory fitted mount, no thumb wheel functionality but hey ho, if buying a used one try to get one with lifetime maps.

Interesting option that...I had thought ony the Navigator series ones fitted into the powered bracket mount. I can get a new 660 for under £300 which makes it a contender. Whilst the speedo is hard to read, there's the digital speedo reading on the trip information so not too bothered about paying over £600 for (effectively) a TFT screen. Shame about the lack of thumb wheel operation but that's not a deal breaker.

So, consensus says used Nav 5 (with wheel functionality and data display) or Zumo 660 as both mount straight onto the factory power/control mount?

Re other replies...Reliability is a must. If Tom-Tom are still having reliability issues at a few years old, I won't be going there (had the use of a few work ones some years back....all had screen or battery faults within the first year of use) but I whole-heartedly agree that they're way less clunky in operation and have easy access to things like dismissing way-points unlike the Garmin that I use.

 

[Blackal]

Get a used 660 for around £140, don't buy a 'new' one.

Nav 5 would still be my recommendation.

 

[dave hendy]

Nav 5 would still be my recommendation.

And mine



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[fredaroony]

The Tomtom Rider 550 is a far better GPS than the Nav V or VI in my opinion. The only added benefits to a BMW Nav is bike integration, topo maps compatibility, better screen on the Nav VI and a music player.

Tomtom's MyDrive website for routing is leaps and bounds better than anything Garmin has produced. I was in a hotel last weekend modifying a route on my iPad and it automatically synced to the Tomtom once the bluetooth connection was active with my phone. No need for a laptop or stuffing around on the GPS itself.

If you are looking for a mount, check out this thread http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php/473780-BikePenR-GPS-Mount This is if you want a proper mount and not some bodged up thing of course. To me it was worth it as the mount in this thread was not cheap.

I've moved my Nav VI to the handlebar bracket and only use it as a music player and bike dashboard.

 

[Cliffbase]

I have the Nav VI and yes its sits nicely in the bracket & can be used with the thumb wheel but....
I found my Tom Tom Rider (400?) a significantly better sat nav. Options for how twisty etc whereas the garmins options are limited and seems to think goat tracks are ok (not so good if you are out with sports bike bikermates. I find the garmin cumbersome and to me the tech seems very dated. Agree with Fred as above.

In hindsight i should have saved the £600 and fitted my tom tom.

 

[fredaroony]

I have the Nav VI and yes its sits nicely in the bracket & can be used with the thumb wheel but....
I found my Tom Tom Rider (400?) a significantly better sat nav. Options for how twisty etc whereas the garmins options are limited and seems to think goat tracks are ok (not so good if you are out with sports bike bikermates. I find the garmin cumbersome and to me the tech seems very dated. Agree with Fred as above.

In hindsight i should have saved the £600 and fitted my tom tom.

Rider 550 is the latest and much improved over the 400 or 450.

 

[Cliffbase]

Cant remember which it is, its about 18 months old but IMHO much better than the Garmins offering.

From what one of the guys said at my BMW dealer, BMW are still in contract/license with Garmin, once thats expired we can expect sat nav in the TFT. (hopefully not Garmins software)

 

[fredaroony]

Cant remember which it is, its about 18 months old but IMHO much better than the Garmins offering.

From what one of the guys said at my BMW dealer, BMW are still in contract/license with Garmin, once thats expired we can expect sat nav in the TFT. (hopefully not Garmins software)

No major differences to the interface but the 550 is much faster than the 400/450. 550 was released around 4 months ago.

I'd love to see them move away from Garmin.

 

[Morety]

Well, I've decided not to bother with a Nav or a garmin. I refuse to invest in anything "bmw" as I have no intention of ever buying another after witnessing such appalling quality issues on bmw R series bikes. I'll stick with a Tom-Tom I think (providing they have their act together now and don't supply something with a life expectancy of just the warranty period) so I can take it with me when I replace my GS after I've had some good use out of it.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Well, I've decided not to bother with a Nav or a garmin. I refuse to invest in anything "bmw" as I have no intention of ever buying another after witnessing such appalling quality issues on bmw R series bikes. I'll stick with a Tom-Tom I think (providing they have their act together now and don't supply something with a life expectancy of just the warranty period) so I can take it with me when I replace my GS after I've had some good use out of it.

Good advice
£550 for a Nav6 is a stupid price
When most phones will do the same job
I refuse to pay more than £100 for a SatNav
The Garmin Drive I put in the car was £79 New from Aldi, last year and is very similar in design and use to a Nav5 or 6

 

[john-g]

I've not used the Nav5 or Nav6 as Bike came without SatNav but already had a TomTom 550 so fitted this to my GS. I removed the Garmin Mount from the Support bar and replaced this with a Ram Mirror Clamping Mount RAM-RAM-B-408-37-62U though needed to put a piece of course Wet and Dry paper between Ram Mounting and Support bar for extra friction. Connected into the BMW Loom using adapter connecting wire GAR-CANBUSZU660 to the same connector that the Garmin Base was fed from. You might also need a Ram Double Socket RAM-B-201-A but one comes with the TomTom 550. All three parts came from Nippy Norman's. BTW you only use two of the three wires in the wiring adapter cable when connecting the TomTom Mount.

 

[Blackal]

TomTom with a decent remote control that fit close to the LH grip - might be very attractive. The ability to do routes on a tablet to transfer to the unit - could be important for many people too

 

[Morety]

I've not used the Nav5 or Nav6 as Bike came without SatNav but already had a TomTom 550 so fitted this to my GS. I removed the Garmin Mount from the Support bar and replaced this with a Ram Mirror Clamping Mount RAM-RAM-B-408-37-62U though needed to put a piece of course Wet and Dry paper between Ram Mounting and Support bar for extra friction. Connected into the BMW Loom using adapter connecting wire GAR-CANBUSZU660 to the same connector that the Garmin Base was fed from. You might also need a Ram Double Socket RAM-B-201-A but one comes with the TomTom 550. All three parts came from Nippy Norman's. BTW you only use two of the three wires in the wiring adapter cable when connecting the TomTom Mount.

How do you know which wires go where of the three tails in that adaptor? Have you any details or photos of the tom-tom mount as a picture paints a thousand words. I'm struggling to see how a short connector wire (adaptor) works here....is the plug it fits into at the existing bike mount end as Nippy Normans only show the arrangement for the F800gs which has it close to the battery.

 

[john-g]

How do you know which wires go where of the three tails in that adapter? Have you any details or photos of the tom-tom mount as a picture paints a thousand words. I'm struggling to see how a short connector wire (adapter) works here....is the plug it fits into at the existing bike mount end as Nippy Normans only show the arrangement for the F800gs which has it close to the battery.

Just taken the attached photo's. For the 1200GS Wire 2 is not used - see the notes on N.N. item page. The Harness connector that the Garmin cable comes from is tucked into the right side panel by the Front Forks, so after disconnecting the Garmin lead just plug in the new one that in turn, you splice wires 1 and 3 into the TomTom Base power lead. The TomTom then powers on and off with the ignition.

 

[Morety]

Just taken the attached photo's. For the 1200GS Wire 2 is not used - see the notes on N.N. item page. The Harness connector that the Garmin cable comes from is tucked into the right side panel by the Front Forks, so after disconnecting the Garmin lead just plug in the new one that in turn, you splice wires 1 and 3 into the TomTom Base power lead. The TomTom then powers on and off with the ignition.

Fantastic..thanks for the pictures and explanation. I'd completely forgotten that the 550 comes with it's own base