I came from a 2017 Kawasaki Voyager 1700 that I had mounted a large Garmin Drivesmart65. I had finally found a mount for the large screen for the Garmin and was very happy with it's performance. The Voyager is gone now and I have the 22 GA. Initially not happy with the look of the TFT as it makes the bike look more like a scooter, but it grew on my and it wasn't like I had a choice in the matter. Anyways, the navigation just seems so out of touch with how a person would actually use it. I have to have an app, that's connected, hopefully correctly, to the bike, on and on. I'm considering just simply remounting my Garmin. I don't want to as I paid all this cash for this fancy screen, I ought to use it. Maybe I'm just getting too old and the old ways work for me. ****, by the time I figure out BMW's setup, I'll probably be selling the bike. Lol. Just seeing if anyone else has simply remounted their old setup and ran with that?
Has anyone just given up on the TFT, especially the navigation?
M1A1Commander
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Hmmmm, point taken regarding screen mirroring. I’m only familiar with AirPlay, which I never use but in my experience you always control the display(s) with the master device and not the slave(s). But as you say perhaps the BT connection to the app circumvents that limitation.
In any case using a third party mirroring technology is just adding another element that needs to be synched in order to get ”all systems go” no? You would still need the WiFi to get the required bandwidth for map display unless you forced the user to plug their device into the bike AND you could supply the map data over the wire. I’m not sure that interface allows that outside of CarPlay and/or AA.
Edit: But then you just said it does and it’s a standard so yeah, I don;’t know why. I’m confident that there was significant internal discussion before they embarked on rolling their own though. This coming from a guy who rolled his own for decades. Oh yeah, I’ve spent countless hours in those meetings….
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I love the TFT for its brightness, sharpness and flexibility of info that can be displayed. Menus are easy to learn and use, but I don’t care to fiddle around with the Motorrad app and the connectivity issues every time the bike is shut down and restarted. So much quicker and easier to stay with Garmin XT.
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570 Posts
Good point, CR--!
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I’m done with it. I bought a new 22 RT and the app screen connection ruins the whole bike for me. Start Bike wait for app to connect. Now wait for Wi-Fi to connect to see if you’ll get your map. Now it’s been 5 minutes I can ride off Uh oh. Gotta stop for gas. Now do the whole thing again. Oh it didnt connect. Well back to step 1…. My BMW car has apple car play. Works fine so I know BMW can do it. I’m trading my new bike for an old one. Pre TFT. The nav unit on my 2018 K1600GA is simple and always works
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2022 MI/KM:
7100 Mi
That seems a bit radical, 1. Don't use the phone compartment. 2. Bluetooth connects straight away. 3. WiFi is a disaster, complain to BMW
Because otherwise it went get fixed.
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2024 MI/KM:
It’s not the miles…it’s the smiles!
2023 MI/KM:
eleventy billion
2022 MI/KM:
E=mc^2
I haven’t “given up” on it. But I’m not happy about the functionality of it.
Overall, I enjoy the TFT display. It’s very easy to read. But the layout could be much improved. Especially when you change “views” and key info changes location on the screen. An example is the gear indicator display changes throughout all the screen options with no consistency. Data that follows from view-to-view should remain in a consistent area! If I’m looking at said data on one view, I’d be looking for that data in the same general area in other views. Human factors engineering.
I do agree, being forced to use the BMW app is terrible. “Use our native app or this expensive yet nice to have technology is useless to you!” CarPlay/AA would have been nice. Seems like BMW is making a lot of poor choices lately; going against market desires. Example: heavily pushing the R18. Need I say more??
Overall, I enjoy the TFT display. It’s very easy to read. But the layout could be much improved. Especially when you change “views” and key info changes location on the screen. An example is the gear indicator display changes throughout all the screen options with no consistency. Data that follows from view-to-view should remain in a consistent area! If I’m looking at said data on one view, I’d be looking for that data in the same general area in other views. Human factors engineering.
I do agree, being forced to use the BMW app is terrible. “Use our native app or this expensive yet nice to have technology is useless to you!” CarPlay/AA would have been nice. Seems like BMW is making a lot of poor choices lately; going against market desires. Example: heavily pushing the R18. Need I say more??
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61 Posts
Have to use the phone compartment or my phone will overheat
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1,746 Posts
2022 MI/KM:
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I don't use the phone compartment, for starters on very hot days the phone overheats in that compartment. It is built above the cooling for the engine. I tried the compartment early on when it was 35/95 in Paris and my phone said it was overheating and shutdown.
On the very hot days I just leave the zipper on my cockpit bag open and this seems to be enough cooling as I never had that problem again on similar days.
The clue is that, if you leave the bike parked up somewhere on a hot day and then return and turn on the bike, the cooling fan for that compartment is already running. So it's already oven temperature before you even put a phone in having all the heat of the radiators gently baking it. I just ran a cable to my cockpit bag. On short trips I don't even plug in.
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did 10 days from NY to MI and back to NY using it and it is almost (almost) work flawlessly. had an issue when was playing music from my iPhone to my headset, then the map view got terminated (not sure why, since map mode is over WiFi and music over Bluetooth)
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2024 MI/KM:
It’s not the miles…it’s the smiles!
2023 MI/KM:
eleventy billion
2022 MI/KM:
E=mc^2
That happened to me once when I was approaching a major interchange on the interstate. Map went dead! I had no idea which lane I was supposed to be in and which exit I was supposed to take.
I know its not like flying a plane in the soup, shooting an approach at minimums. But relying on a wifi connection for the maps seems awfully risky. Shoulda been able to hardwire my cellphone to the motorcycle with the supplied USB connection in the phone storage area. Would be much more reliable of a connection.
I know its not like flying a plane in the soup, shooting an approach at minimums. But relying on a wifi connection for the maps seems awfully risky. Shoulda been able to hardwire my cellphone to the motorcycle with the supplied USB connection in the phone storage area. Would be much more reliable of a connection.
2022 MI/KM:
5250
While I respect the comment I’ll be the first to attest to the fact that most dealers will snub their noses at your position. Case in point is the below-grade audio system in the K series bikes. That’s supposed to be better for 2022 and newer but my 2016 audio SUCKS. When asking about Apple Car Play the response I got from 2 dealers was, ‘never gonna happen!’ The arrogance was clear and profound and now hearing about the lack luster TFT’s, it’ll impact global sales. BMW cars have Apple and Android car play so why not their bikes??
Please, oh please, tell us how you did this?!
2025 MI/KM:
13000kms
2024 MI/KM:
7000kms
2023 MI/KM:
6500kms
2022 MI/KM:
11000kms
Created daily map using Google Maps. Converted to GPX. Airdrop to iPhone with Garmin Explore app. That app syncs to Explore on Garmin XT. Done.
After reading all of posts about problems with the new TFT & connected app for navigation, I’ve changed my mind about trading up to a new K1600. Contrary to some posts saying the older systems are crap, I have no issues with my 2018 GA communication & navigation system. My iPhone, Nav 6, and SD music all interface perfectly via BT to my SENA 10C headset. The only issue I had with my Nav 6, was a jumpy screen a couple of times last year. Garmin replaced it free of charge over the winter, and the new one has been flawless all season. I’ve already mapped out a dozen routes on Basecamp and lead group rides with my Nav6. I think I prefer to jump on my bike and ride with my Garmin flawlessly leading the way, than waste time screwing around with a smartphone app & navigation that works intermittently, but that’s just me.
- Kevin
- Kevin
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In the RoW, Garmin don't replace, even if less than a year old. You are so lucky to have such good customer service from Garmin in the US.
FWIW this is NOT my experience. Building up a bit of time with this combo now and I have had exactly one error when I failed to wait for the WiFi to reconnect after a gas stop. Once connected I have experienced precisely zero lost connections.
Yes, in the US, Garmin hands out replacements like candy at Halloween 😉
Still, on my trip recent trip to the Rockies, I was reminded of how valuable that simple standalone little Nav box can be. WiFi/Internet access was horrible. I needed to research and create a few routes on the fly, so my phone was useless. The GPS on the Nav came to the rescue. No matter what rat’s nest BMW adopts, I’ll always want a Zumo XT or equivalent mounted. When you need it, you need it.
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Great to hear that at least one rider has a good experience with the Connected App / TFT.
I'm sure that some of the issues people experience are due to unfamiliarity, but there are definitely a number of usability issues with BMW's current "solution" that need ironing out, and a couple of fundamental issues that I don't believe can be resolved within the bounds of the current physical architecture. There is also core functionality (for those like me who want to travel a pre-planned route on the roads I decide) that is missing.
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