GPS - I'm undecided, what would you do?

RD.

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Lower Normandy, France.
I've recently bought a 2013 KTM 690 Enduro R with very low mileage, Rally Raid kit (original parts supplied). The bike has a waterproof USB port and the top yoke / triple clamp is a small bar to mount a GPS or smartphone.

I would prefer to have both a dedicated GPS and a smartphone mounted, however I don't have a motorcycle mount for my BMW Garmin Navigator 5 which I also use in my car.
My Nav 5 is 8 years old this year and GPS designs and spec have moved on, but my Nav 5 has lifetime map updates.
I'm unsure whether to keep the Nav 5, buy a newer model or just use my smartphone with an application or Google Maps. I'm aware the later will use data which I want to keep to a minimum.

Poor circulation means I get cold quickly, particularly my hands, so I want to fit heated grips and I'm wondering whether the bike's electrical system is able to manage powering a Nav 5 (or another GPS), smartphone and heated grips.

So I'm currently considering all of the above and would like your constructive thoughts and opinions.

Thanks. :Thumb:
 
Constructive comments, as requested:


1. A phone / GPS will draw very little additional power.

2. Should yiu need one, you can buy additional mounts for the Nav V and / or the generic Garmin equivalent device from BMW / Garmin / EBay / UKGSer’s for sale section and other sources. Alternatively, if you want to use your existing Nav V mount on two or bikes, convert the mount. There is a thread on how to do it.

3. The Nav V is still a very capable device, better in many ways than the somewhat unreliable Nav VI.

4. The latest Garmin device is the XT.

5. You can download routes and maps to a phone, which will keep data use to a minimum. Many of the modern phone app’s do not need a phone signal at all, in order to display a vehicle’s position. For example, I ran BMW’s Connected app yesterday on my Samsung phone. The phone was in flight mode, with just Bluetooth and wi-fi turned on. The only reason I needed wi-fi turned on is because my 2023 BMW 1600 has its own wi-fi channel, necessary only to show the maps (downloaded to the phone) on the bike’s large TFT screen.

6. As Greg asked, do you really want / need a phone AND a GPS device mounted on your bike? If so, to do what and why?

Over to you for your constructive reply.
 
5. You can download routes and maps to a phone, which will keep data use to a minimum. Many of the modern phone app’s do not need a phone signal at all, in order to display a vehicle’s position.

Agreed - I am not sure it will do the clever route imports etc of a more complex solution, but I use Maps.me on my phone - download the basemaps at home through wifi and then on the road it just uses GPS data to present the maps correctly, no data usage.

I am not a lover of technology so this really simple solution works well for me.
 
If you are going off-road with the 690 you need a Garmin Montana

The Montana allows you to set different profiles for different activities (then you can select which maps you need for that profile (OS or Road)
Walking
Cycling
Off-road trail riding
Road riding

The new 700i can use OS maps (on a separate SD card) and has Garmin CN road going maps for life on the unit already
Best of all worlds and you can use it in the car

One GPS for all needs

I hear the Zumo XT is also good - but cannot support OS mapping
 
OS? Ordnance Survey? Open Source? Open Street? On Sale? Off Shopping? Only Sleeping?
 
OS? Ordnance Survey?

Open Source?
Open Street??

You know what it stands for, everyone knows OS in terms of mapping is Ordnance Survey
It’s world renowned
The rest is that Dutch effort

You need a Montana too
 
If you are going off-road with the 690 you need a Garmin Montana

The Montana allows you to set different profiles for different activities (then you can select which maps you need for that profile (OS or Road)
Walking
Cycling
Off-road trail riding
Road riding

The new 700i can use OS maps (on a separate SD card) and has Garmin CN road going maps for life on the unit already
Best of all worlds and you can use it in the car

One GPS for all needs

I hear the Zumo XT is also good - but cannot support OS mapping

A Phone will do all that, but much cheaper.

There are however disadvantages to a phone compared with a sat nav, mostly related to charging.
 
A Phone will do all that, but much cheaper.

There are however disadvantages to a phone compared with a sat nav, mostly related to charging.

For sure, but then there are
USB or Lightening Charging Issues
Camera damage issues
Potential vibe issues
Waterpoofing issues
Losing a phone

With an Iphone, north of £800, I would sooner have a GPS like my Montana 610 for £300 and know it'll do the job without failing potentially
 
You know what it stands for, everyone knows OS in terms of mapping is Ordnance Survey
It’s world renowned
The rest is that Dutch effort

You need a Montana too

Ordnance Survey (OS) will be dead handy for the fellow, as he apparently hangs his hat in Normandy.

PS Plenty of bods refer to Open Street as OS, too. :beerjug:
 
For sure, but then there are
USB or Lightening Charging Issues
Camera damage issues
Potential vibe issues
Waterpoofing issues
Losing a phone

With an Iphone, north of £800, I would sooner have a GPS like my Montana 610 for £300 and know it'll do the job without failing potentially

Good grief, don't use an iPhone!

My *rugged* nav phone cost £110, has no vibe issues, no waterproof issues (except while charging, a previously admitted weakness) and I've not lost it. It does have the number to ring of my iPhone on the lock screen in case it does come off though.

I wouldn't use my main iPhone for nav duties off road unless I had to in a pinch, but it goes straight in the same mount.
 
I bought a refurbished Samsung S10 phone *, for use as a navigation device on my 1600, which uses the BMW Connected app for its big TFT screen. It was about £100 ie a lot less than the £800 JB references. A lot less than an XT, too.

PS The Montana that JB refers to is a very good device, of course. Particularly if the OP wants to go properly off-road regularly.


* I have never owned an Android phone before.
 
.......
3. The Nav V is still a very capable device, better in many ways than the somewhat unreliable Nav VI.

4. The latest Garmin device is the XT.
........

I recently heard on the grapevine that there is a Nav VII coming out in March/April to replace the Nav VI. It is going to be based, heavily, on the XT. How true this is I do not know. :nenau Though we only have to wait 3 months or so to find out.
 
OS? Ordnance Survey? Open Source? Open Street? On Sale? Off Shopping? Only Sleeping?

OP? Original Post? Other Person? Otter's Penis? Orange Peel? Organ Pedal? Orchid Petal? 'Ot Potato?
 
Constructive comments, as requested:


1. A phone / GPS will draw very little additional power.

2. Should yiu need one, you can buy additional mounts for the Nav V and / or the generic Garmin equivalent device from BMW / Garmin / EBay / UKGSer’s for sale section and other sources. Alternatively, if you want to use your existing Nav V mount on two or bikes, convert the mount. There is a thread on how to do it.

3. The Nav V is still a very capable device, better in many ways than the somewhat unreliable Nav VI.

4. The latest Garmin device is the XT.

5. You can download routes and maps to a phone, which will keep data use to a minimum. Many of the modern phone app’s do not need a phone signal at all, in order to display a vehicle’s position. For example, I ran BMW’s Connected app yesterday on my Samsung phone. The phone was in flight mode, with just Bluetooth and wi-fi turned on. The only reason I needed wi-fi turned on is because my 2023 BMW 1600 has its own wi-fi channel, necessary only to show the maps (downloaded to the phone) on the bike’s large TFT screen.

6. As Greg asked, do you really want / need a phone AND a GPS device mounted on your bike? If so, to do what and why?

Over to you for your constructive reply.

Thanks for your comprehensive response and detailed information Wapping, very useful. :thumb:

The apps which don't need a mobile signal are useful, not only for being economical with data and data expenses but I reside in a rural valley and mobile signal is very big and miss.
One example, recently I advised my wife to use the old Zumo 660 which I gave her and she decided that she didn't need it and would use Google Maps on her smartphone but when she disembarked at Ouistreham, she successfully navigated around the Caen but shortly afterwards her smartphone lost signal, she panicked and took a wrong turn, followed by many more and ended up down a single track lane which led to an isolated rural cul-de-sac and several uninhabited touring pikey looking caravans. I had to go find her around midnight, which is about 90 mins drive.
During the 2.5hrs wait, she didn't see anyone and the train station nearby only had one express train pass through without stopping. Needless to say that she was pleased to see me, when I arrived.

Mobile signal is hit and miss in rural France.
 
If you are going off-road with the 690 you need a Garmin Montana

The Montana allows you to set different profiles for different activities (then you can select which maps you need for that profile (OS or Road)
Walking
Cycling
Off-road trail riding
Road riding

The new 700i can use OS maps (on a separate SD card) and has Garmin CN road going maps for life on the unit already
Best of all worlds and you can use it in the car

One GPS for all needs

I hear the Zumo XT is also good - but cannot support OS mapping

Thanks JB.

Decades ago, I had an Oregon with Ordnance Survey maps on an SD card which was useful and I used it for sailing too when linked to my Yeoman Sport XL Chart Plotter. I gave it to my dad and looked at buying a Montana but never got around to buying one.
 


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