Garmin is shite. Get it off your chest here.

I bought a Tomtom Rider 450 and moved the Nav VI to the handlebars only to be used for the bike info dashboard.
 
The problem with Garmin is that they have been overtaken by the instant gratification generation ( of people and tech). They are not an intuitive device so are not as simple to use as an iPhone or Twitface etc. etc. and need the user to invest some time to gain understanding to get the best from it.

Shit like the map update issue is typical of companies cutting costs on software releases by making their users beta testers.

My long relationship with Garmin devices means I have a reasonable understanding. My Nav V is the most reliable and robust unit I’ve owned. :thumb

Then it’s a lazy design interface. Why should I invest time to get the best from it? It’s a tool not a home study course. TomTom Go app does everything the garmin basecamp does, except its simple to use and therefore designed for the end user and not some pc jockey nerd!

TomTom, like google maps, uses real time traffic data and has configurable traffic camera warnings instead of the garmin alarm every two seconds, or not at all choice.
 
Garmin’s chief mistake was to listen to blokes on motorbikes who demanded that their GPS device provided more and more functions and told them which roads to ride, whilst giving ‘bike info’. Mix in the rise of Bluetooth and the need to stay ‘connected’ morning, noon and night and it’s a muddle.

Take the devices back to where they were and everything will be OK again.

I have never fecked about with mine. I find BaseCamp no more difficult than Mapsource and the devices (Nav V and Nav VI) work just fine. I don’t worry about it not connecting to something, as I have nothing to connect it to, whiist on the way between A and B.
 
Garmin’s chief mistake was to listen to blokes on motorbikes who demanded that their GPS device provided more and more functions and told them which roads to ride, whilst giving ‘bike info’. Mix in the rise of Bluetooth and the need to stay ‘connected’ morning, noon and night and it’s a muddle.

Take the devices back to where they were and everything will be OK again.

I have never fecked about with mine. I find BaseCamp no more difficult than Mapsource and the devices (Nav V and Nav VI) work just fine. I don’t worry about it not connecting to something, as I have nothing to connect it to, whiist on the way between A and B.

Get rid of bike info, music players, weather apps and all the other shite, and have an avoid towns and city function, and then I’ll be happy.
 
My Nav keeps asking me to switch to car mode! Cheeky Ba*tard!
 
Googlemaps - it really is a clever piece of software. It knows whether i am in the car, on a motorcycle, walking or on a train.
 
For balance I use a Nav Vi, my iPhone, a map, MyRoute-app and google, they all fall down at one point or another, the root cause is usually my fault.

Time spent on reconnaissance is rarely wasted, this means if you are lost, your are actually reconnoitring a future trip.
 
Nav V not fit for purpose

So, I've been using the Nav V for some 4 years now. The mapping software has become so bloated that it needs to be on an SD card. This along with music and routes slows the device down so much that the refresh rate doesn't keep up with the map, so in town you're lost. My unit regularly reboots in use. The routing algorithms are crazy too. I can't remember how many times we've been sent up a single-track dirt road for no apparent reason. My old Tom-Tom was a better and more intuitive device. Shame as the Navigator promises so much but fails to deliver.
Garmin don't give a shit! They have not provided enough memory to cope with their bloated maps and need to allow minimal upgrades for older units. I dare say the VI will not be future proofed either.
They have offered me a replacement at a cost of over £120, for a refurbished unit. It’s a worry when my own V is in mint condition (apart from being worse than useless at times). Not funny when you have a group following you!!!
A recent trip to the Pyrenees was a disaster, as even although I had installed whole Europe map, only North Europe was visible? Another trip this year to Dresden and Prague I had no mapping when in towns - which was fun. I asked Garmin to upgrade me (and I'd pay the difference) but they are not in the least bit interested in customer loyalty. Be the last Garmin I use, and this may influence me not to buy another BMW. BMW take note!
The apps for route planning are also abysmal, in no way user friendly.
 
You’ve only loaded Northern Europe, common mistake - but your mistake.

There is a thread on that subject.

But - your thread title reads to me: “I’ll show BMW - I’ll damage their sales!”
 
Some bods on this site swear that the Nav V is much better than the Nav VI. If they are right, you are roundly fecked when and if you do upgrade.

Many of your problems seem self inflicted, suggest you give up leading the pack and follow instead.
 
Oh, have you heard the term - RTFM?

Just used the Nav V for 12000 miles across 22 countries ... and it behaved itself very well

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
 
Had my Nav V for a few years now ... one of the best sat navs ever.

I don't update the maps ... the roads I require have been around hundreds of years, and I don't have any music on it. Not updating the maps has never been a problem .... find myself on a new bit of road, a new ring road or whatever never been an issue.

Oh ... and it's a two second job in settings to avoid unsurfaced roads ;)
:beerjug:
 
We are still using a Nav V on one of our bikes, it works as good as the VI I have on my own bike. Yes its not quite as fast and you do need a memory card, but its been around a while. The VI has enough memory to have all the maps on the unit itself without a card, so think it is pretty future proof.

Long and short, think the user is the problem not the Nav. Guess what if my Nav wants to take me up an unsuitable road, I just ignore it, like I would a map. Only having half the maps was a Garmin map load issue, there were loads of threads about how to sort this and to check once the load was complete to ensure you had both North and South loaded. This has been sorted now.
 
Over 30,000 miles on my Nav V and apart from the Northern Europe only issue it was faultless, it’s now working on a bloodbike. The Nav Vi has improved screen and graphics. In my experience Garmin works well with the BMW navigator.

I know we all started somewhere, but I’m always suspicious of posts from people with tiny post counts, haven’t joined and who write like this. Craigiefort may join the long list of nobody’s, who try and stir the pot before either flouncing or evaporating.

Don’t get too lost
 
Nav V not fit for purpose

Had my Nav V for a few years now ... one of the best sat navs ever.

I don't update the maps ... the roads I require have been around hundreds of years, and I don't have any music on it. Not updating the maps has never been a problem .... find myself on a new bit of road, a new ring road or whatever never been an issue.

Oh ... and it's a two second job in settings to avoid unsurfaced roads ;)
:beerjug:

Same here
Only I use an old 2610 - still one of the best motorcycle GPS Garmin ever made & I refuse to use anything newer (especially when you can pick them up for £40 on here)
Old maps no problem - I read the signs on a new bit of road and not blindly see & follow the sat nav
I also always have a map in the pocket of a tank bag on display
Navigation is not just about a Sat Nav, it's better by map/signs and landmarks and nouse
If you are leading groups purely by GPS then you are doing it wrong
I am with Micky
 
Same here
Only I use an old 2610 - still one of the best motorcycle GPS Garmin ever made & I refuse to use anything newer (especially when you can pick them up for £40 on here)
Old maps no problem - I read the signs on a new bit of road and not blindly see & follow the sat nav
I also always have a map in the pocket of a tank bag on display
Navigation is not just about a Sat Nav, it's better by map/signs and landmarks and nouse
If you are leading groups purely by GPS then you are doing it wrong
I am with Micky

I have a Nav6 just use it as a giant speedo and tyre pressure monitor, and use the navigation only when totally lost, or in an unknown city and need to find a specific address, eyes should be on the road.
 
Oh, have you heard the term - RTFM?

Just used the Nav V for 12000 miles across 22 countries ... and it behaved itself very well

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Same experience - London to Beijing, 13k miles withGarmin maps to Turkey and OSM after that. Nav5 faultless...
 


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