2018 gs with TFT display review

Dissapointed to hear it can't retro to a 2017GSA, I was planning to ask Santa for one, might ask for a nav instead
 
WEE BOAB said:
Dissapointed to hear it can't retro to a 2017GSA, I was planning to ask Santa for one, might ask for a nav instead
Click to expand...

Why are you disappointed? It doesn’t work properly yet.
 
This is nothing short of TFT Rust !!
 
We gotta be realistic here all. I have my phone bluetooth`d to my car and its problematic, same as bluetoothing my surface laptop to my bluetooth keyboard. The TFT display is terrific. I can actually see what speed i am doing in a second. This was never possible squinting on the analogue. rev counter, Petrol, Tyre pressure , temp etc all work flawlessly. And the display is super crisp. Only issue is bluetooth. Hopefully a few firmware updates will fix this. IT SHOULD BE FREE.
Its pretty impressive listening to any radio channel i like whilst travelling to work, and controlling everything from the left switches.

It would be nice if the tft was upgradable by the user. Hopefully the gs911 people will get onto it. Don`t fancy a trip to bmw for these updates. All the hassle of leaving bike with them for a day for a 5 minute job, which will probably cost £150.00. then consider 3 firmware updates per year, plus servicing. Jeez
 
Why wouldn’t a software update be free?:nenau
 
It may be included on a standard service. Can't see my local stealer, saying, pop down anytime and we will do this for free. Sure it's only a 5 minute job.
 
Hello felloow GS'ers. Just took home my brand new 2018 Rally GS a week ago, and I must say I'm torroughly impressed with what they achieved, the whole package is just out of this world awesome! Super duper happy camper!!! :-D

The new TFT display is crisp, the animations are super smooth, the operation makes sense and the cohabitaion with the NAV is, well, rudimentary but not that annoying, I just can't fathom why there is not more synergy between the 2 pieces of equipment. Oh well...

One of the standout features of the display in my opinion, is the readability in direct sunlight. I don't know how they achieved it, but the bright colors used to display the most important informations pop and kind of shimmer in direct sunlight, while the dark background just gets mat as a plastic slab... Super slick! Good job on BMW part (never tried the display of the KTM so maybe it's a BOSH thing).

Now, I have ONE major niggle about the display, and it also has to do with the cohabitation with the NAV... Due to my height, most of the times when I'm riding, the topmost part of the TFT is obscured by the bottom of the GPS, meaning I have to slightly lower my head to read the first line(where the status info is displayed), which is a little annoying. Is there a way to change the height of the GPS mount or TFT display? I know it's possible to change the latter's orientation but I'm pretty happy with the current angle.
 
The Nav is mounted on a black metal arm which is secured at both sides by two bolts. My bike arrives tomorrow and I plan to remove this bracket and elongate two of the holes which will allow you to raise the height of the Nav and that will solve the problem for us both
 
AP11 LAD said:
The Nav is mounted on a black metal arm which is secured at both sides by two bolts. My bike arrives tomorrow and I plan to remove this bracket and elongate two of the holes which will allow you to raise the height of the Nav and that will solve the problem for us both
Click to expand...
I had a similar issue with the satnav blocking the top of the clocks (rev counter on a 2017 bike). I remedied it by removing the upppermost bolt from each side and slackening the lower two and tipping the bar back until the edge of the uppermost bolt hole of the bar was in line with the uppermost bolt hole of the outer brackets. This edge can then be captured with a cable tie on each side. The head of the cable tie sits in the recess where the bolt head used to be. Pull it tight, snip off the excess tie and tighten the lower bolts. Solid as a rock and reversible without altering the bracket.
Check the full range of movement of the screen to ensure it doesn’t foul the new position of the upper edge of the satnav: adjust the satnav seat by slackening the four small torx and tilting as necessary, retighten. Job done.
Alan R
 
Congrats on new GSA mate. I sold my 50k 2014 LC and just bought a 2018. Miles better. Gearbox is a delight in comparison. Shift assist is also pretty impressive as is TFT and I seem to have more power. I take scenic route to work as it's such a joy. Her indoors thinks I,m up to something, it takes me an hour to go to the shop.
 
AP11 LAD said:
The Nav is mounted on a black metal arm which is secured at both sides by two bolts. My bike arrives tomorrow and I plan to remove this bracket and elongate two of the holes which will allow you to raise the height of the Nav and that will solve the problem for us both
Click to expand...

Photos before and after please :thumb
 
Nutty,

simple answer, I like the TFT display for speedo, rev counter, gear indicator etc. I don't use a phone or any other devices while riding my bike, so have no interest in Bluetooth connectivity. The time I manage to spend on my bike is the only bloody time I get away from phone calls and I've no interest in listening to music, so being on the bike is an escape from all that shite for me......
 
WEE BOAB said:
Nutty,

simple answer, I like the TFT display for speedo, rev counter, gear indicator etc. I don't use a phone or any other devices while riding my bike, so have no interest in Bluetooth connectivity. The time I manage to spend on my bike is the only bloody time I get away from phone calls and I've no interest in listening to music, so being on the bike is an escape from all that shite for me......
Click to expand...

Don’t worry about it. Let them iron the bugs out first, by then there will be a new model GS/GSA on the market, so you could either get one of those or a late current model with the TFT.:thumb
 
I’m not sure what to think...
I went to my local dealer today and we test my TFT with their BMW Communication helmet system, and connection were fine . Sending and receiving sounds was fine.

I’ll be really pissed off if BMW forces TFT owners to buy their helmets
 
TheWitcher said:
I’m not sure what to think...
I went to my local dealer today and we test my TFT with their BMW Communication helmet system, and connection were fine . Sending and receiving sounds was fine.

I’ll be really pissed off if BMW forces TFT owners to buy their helmets
Click to expand...

The problem with BMW comms is if you have a system 6 or system 6 evo the comms fit either helmet.
If you change helmet to system 7 then the comms from the system 6 are different.
Also as far as I am aware you cannot Bluetooth to the TFT and the Navigator 6 at the same time. Please correct me if I’m wrong.
So in a nutshell you cannot have Navigator prompts and use the TFT for Media and phone?
May be a firmware update may address this.
But as others have stated I’m very happy with the TFT.
At the moment I am bluetoothed up to the TFT and when following a route I have no audio prompts from Navigator 6.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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