Connected Ride

[divndave57]

Does anyone with a BMW with the 10.25 TFT display and connected ride feature actually use it?   Found it useable?  For me it's just a ton of frustration.  

[Bernie]

I freely admit that I have been using it as it was intended for the last 12537 miles with full use of navigating directions.

The only problem I have is that I can’t use XM radio or Sirius Radio, since it constantly looses the signal. I even tried a aftermarket antenna.

I make very convoluted GPS routes in BaseCamp and the BMW Connected App will display these routes and give me voice directions through my Cardo Edge Bluetooth Headset installed on my helmet.

For the last 2K miles I have a BMW Nav 6 GPS unit running parallel with the same route and the BMW Connected App actually displayed the routes more accurately on several occasions during the START 2024 event. Also the directions instructions are more precise, than Garmin’s.

Please understand that I do not use my GPS or BMW Connected App to look for a motel or gas station. But I use it to work a route that I created in Garmin BaseCamp.

Sorry to disappoint everyone, but My 10.25” TFT on my BMW 2023 R1250RT works great.

I just wish the Radar Cruise control would have told me to avoid this huge rock. 

[simskid]

Now that I’ve learned how to use it , with help from folks on this forum, I have very few issues with it. 
 

john. 

[Hati]

Used it for over 60k kilometres myself. First with my wok iPhone, than a cheap Android phone and now with a Pixel 6A. Pixel made the whole experience just how it should be and probably how BMW intended.

 

Very convenient to have nothing extra to add, like a dedicated GPS for example. Admittedly my trip planning does not require random access to fuel and such, all is planned prior to getting the gpx file in the app.

[IndyRob]

Bernie, today I added a small XM "puck" radio antenna (about 1" X 1") which I mounted to the rear "pillion" area on my bike using double faced tape.  I di not have the top box.  Rode 140 miles with ZERO dropouts on XM!  I did get a few "No XM radio signal" messages popping up on the TFT but I never lost audio, so apparently there is sufficient buffer in the radio to prevent dropouts until the signal loss exceeds several seconds.  A great $35 investment IMHO.  Also, I use the BMWConnect App all the time for navigation, phone etc. via my iPhone 15 and it pretty much works flawlessly.  I do have a Garmin Nuvo mounted amid the handlebars via a Telferizer mount just as a backup, but frankly have never needed it so far.  

[Bernie]

I tried the small XM antenna, but it didn’t work for me and I send it back.

I just wanted to see if it made a little difference.

I have plenty of music choices with Apple Music, I been listening to same songs for years.

 

[Steveyacht]

I've been using the TFT combined with my Google Pixel 6 for nearly a year now.  I have a mount for my phone on the bars and run the power cord from the USB port in the "phone garage" to the phone.  While I find that the process of looking up a route on Google Maps, then converting it to GPX fine a real pain in the A$$, once I get it to convert, it works pretty well.  I just wish I didn't have to go through the hassle of converting to GPX files.  I long for when I  could pull off the road, google a location, click on it, click on directions and bada bing, I'm on my way. None of the BS of having to look up GPX converter, then (hopefully) copy the URL, copy it onto the converter, then hope and pray that it will work.  

I've never tried Sirius Radio, preferring to use music on the phone, Pandora or just seeking local radio stations as I'm on the road.

[Bernie]

Have you tried to just look up a location on the Connected App and have it route you there? If it is a simple one stop route, it should work well. I have only tried that a few times with previous saved Favorite locations. 

[Steveyacht]

20 minutes ago, Bernie said:

Have you tried to just look up a location on the Connected App and have it route you there? If it is a simple one stop route, it should work well. I have only tried that a few times with previous saved Favorite locations. 

I have a few locations saved in my favorites.  My issue comes when in Turtletown, Tennessee and want to get to Tellico Springs, it durned sure ain't gonna be in my favorites....... this is a true story....... I was with a group of riders in this town when we pulled into an abandoned car wash and had to look up the directions.  If I had the TFT at that time, I may still be waiting for the GPX converter.

[divndave57]

For one way uninterrupted travel I can get it to work most of the time without drama.   But that is useless to me for what I bought the motorcycle for.  Multi day touring with multi waypoints.   Per trip planning with software, loaded and go.  Thanks for the reply.  

[divndave57]

FWIW..........I'm using iPhone 15 pro and MacBook for planning.  Both seem to have issues with Connected App and Garmin.  I have spent quite a bit of time with Garmin and could not get base camp to work.  Came down to buying a different computer or possibly trying a hub to make the connection between the ZumoXT and Mac.   Another suggestion on this thread is getting a Pixel 6.  BMW has admitted to me problems with iOS phones.  The charging compartment is a no go with new iPhones.  Nowhere in this equation is the word "simple".  I long for the days of a map taped to the tank.  Unfortunately my eyes will not allow it.  I appreciate all the feedback and will join the Connected App support group when one is created.  IMO BMW really made this difficult when they didn't need to.  

[RPG]

The Navigation seems to work pretty well via my Iphone. The only complaint I have so far with that is I would like a rendered map to appear. But it seems I have to have the phone in Map Mode to show a map on the display.

 

With the media, I can use it to play the Music list on my phone through my helmet speakers (older Sena SMH-10), and even that sometimes won't highlight "Helmet" as an output, but I can never get Pandora or any of my Podcasts to play in the helmet.

 

 

[Bernie]

For the Map to display on your 10.24” TFT, you have to have your phone establish a WiFi connection.

Navigation and music or Media is transmitted through BlueTooth.

[Camhead64]

13 hours ago, RPG said:

The Navigation seems to work pretty well via my Iphone. The only complaint I have so far with that is I would like a rendered map to appear. But it seems I have to have the phone in Map Mode to show a map on the display.

 

With the media, I can use it to play the Music list on my phone through my helmet speakers (older Sena SMH-10), and even that sometimes won't highlight "Helmet" as an output, but I can never get Pandora or any of my Podcasts to play in the helmet.

 

 

I can get mine to play spotify IF I have the app open to my music selection.

[RPG]

On 5/23/2024 at 7:55 PM, Camhead64 said:

I can get mine to play spotify IF I have the app open to my music selection.

I now see that if I open Pandora and have it playing, it will then connect through the speakers.

[RPG]

On 5/23/2024 at 6:32 AM, RPG said:

The Navigation seems to work pretty well via my Iphone. The only complaint I have so far with that is I would like a rendered map to appear. But it seems I have to have the phone in Map Mode to show a map on the display.

 

With the media, I can use it to play the Music list on my phone through my helmet speakers (older Sena SMH-10), and even that sometimes won't highlight "Helmet" as an output, but I can never get Pandora or any of my Podcasts to play in the helmet.

 

 

I made some progress with the Media stuff. If I turn on my Sena after the bike starts, it retains the "Helmet output" setting and the music plays perfectly through the Sena. The navigation stuff on the App does work, but I think of it like the in-house GPS on my Ford Edge, and opt to use Apple Play. Would be nice if BMW did the same but not a deal breaker. I added a handlebar phone mount and use Waze on my phone, like I did with my old R1150RT. The rest of the bike has surpassed my expectations btw.:)

[divndave57]

I'm wiring in a Garmin tomorrow.   The Unconnected App is junk.  BMW knows this.  

[professorb]

The latest in my ongoing saga... finally, with a (mostly) happy ending?

 

Had upgraded the Connected app to 5.3.1, which promised improvements but still had some stability problems. The bike's software was still on version 013_013_020. A few weeks ago I had the bike in the shop for service and asked for the latest software to the RT... dealer was not <thrilled> to run the update (BMW makes the process damnably inefficient and time-consuming for the shop), but perhaps because I have been in constant contact with Customer Service regarding the poor performance of the TFT-to-Connected app the Borg of Berlin allowed the update. Now I am running 014_012_021.

 

HUGE DIFFERENCE!

 

Now the iPhone/Motorrad Connected side connects up without fuss or frustration. Most of the time (not always) the Map Mode is invoked and connects without my needing to tap the "Allow to Join Wi Fi Network" prompt, within about 30 seconds. And there is a new feature -- if the Map Mode is interrupted, a message prompt appears on the TFT allowing me to "...Try to connect again?"

 

Stability is improved, random disconnects are vastly reduced, and the system will almost always re-connect itself within a reasonable timeframe. This only took BMW three riding seasons to make possible! ;-)

 

That's my story and I am sticking to it...