BMW Navigator V and V1

[Nick Dawson]

Hello everyone,

I develop routes for a number of tours through Europe each year - usually three week trips with a group of fellow riders using a combination of Garmin and TomTom.

I usually start in Tyre then move onto MyRouteApp uncheck everything is okay and to compare routes on both device types.

I then strip the files that have been created manually using a text editor (for Garmin) to hide shaping points, put in symbols for hotels, coffee stops, POE's etc. within the limited functionality that the Garmin scripting allows.

I then use these stripped files as the routes (just waypoints and not tracks) and distribute accordingly.

I also distribute the original file without the hidden points just in case there is a diversion and we need to skip a point.

MyRouteApp also has some of the above functionality but, even though I go to the 3 dots and change the waypoint type to hidden or a building symbol etc. they do not work on the Garmin Nav V.

I also see some of the "experts" shared routes have more symbols than I normally find on the software yet, if I download their files and look st the code or try to use them, the symbols are not there.

What am I missing and what is the secret?

Thank you in anticipation

[Hans van de Ven MR.MRA]

Hi @Nick-Dawson

As of today, both a route with both formation points and waypoints (Garmin Zumo gpx 1.1) and a route with waypoints only (Garmin Zumo 1.2) are available
This currently works on Devices with the NTU card, such as the Zumo 346, 590 and the XT as well as the BMW Navigartor 6

For the older Devices such as the Zumo 550 and 660 as well as the BMW Navigator 5, these use the NT card, this does not work at the moment, it is being worked on.

The extra icons are not sent to the gpx file.

[Nick Dawson]

@Hans-van-de-Ven-MRA-Master Thank you for your response - this is what I found but thought it worth clarifying.

When I create the file manually (using a text editor and basically stripping the excess information from the files created by Tyre or MyRouteApp) I can create the hidden points quite successfully but not carry through the symbols.

I did use another application some years ago (MotoGoLoco) and this did carry through the symbols but, I have not been able to replicate that.

Ideally this is what I am after - the ability to create hidden points (shaping) and place symbols such as hotels, coffee, POI etc.

I will look at exporting using Garmin Zumo 1.2 format if this will strip down the file to using just the waypoints - much less info and clutter.

Thank you again

Nick

[Hans van de Ven MR.MRA]

@Nick-Dawson

Nick, you already can add symbols for hotels, coffee to youre route. Open in the drop down list the POI, tick on the POI that you want to be visible. Zoom in on the route and the POI wil appear. Tick on the POI, add them as POI (not as routepoint). The POI's that you add will be in the gpx file.

[Nick Dawson]

@Hans-van-de-Ven-MRA-Master thank you for your response - I will look at that tomorrow as I had thought I had already tried that.

If that works then it will save me a lot of time doing this manually!

[Nick Dawson]

@Hans-van-de-Ven-MRA-Master - I think that I should now move away from Tyre and start to learn in earnest the obviously more feature rich MyRouteApp product. I have shied away from this in the past only using MyRouteApp as a "sense check" but given that this product can do much of what I used to manually carry out to the files - I can see great benifits.

The limitation now seems to be more the Nav V rather than the planning software!

[Nick Dawson]

@Nick-Dawson said in BMW Navigator V and V1:

@Hans-van-de-Ven-MRA-Master I ran a small experiment this morning by creating a small local route (less than 1km) from my house and putting in a waypoint (shaping but marking it as a coffee stop). I also put in an imaginary camping ground on the route.

Both show up very well on the MyRouteApp software (Windows 10) and I am very impressed how this works (I should have delved further earlier).

I then saved the file as Garmin V1.0, V1.1 and V1.2 to see what was actually created (opening the file in a text viewer to strip out the track code and rename each file test 1.0, 1.1 and 1.2 accordingly so that I could then differentiate in my BMW NavV GPS).

The file format is certaily different and I can see the progression between versions.

None of the formats however carried through the POI (coffee stop or campsite) to my BMW Garmin (you covered this earlier and it is down to the NT card) and the most useable format to me seemed to be V1.1 as this looked similar to the routes I created using simply a text editor.

How did MOTOGOLOCO manage to carry through the POI's on their software as I have not managed to replicate that yet?

Are you also looking at an export type that simply provides the waypoints and POI's as, for me, the track data is superflous to my needs?

thank you in anticipation

Nick

[Nick Dawson]

@Hans-van-de-Ven-MRA-Master - anothere quick attempt as I realised that I had saved the point with the symbol as a shaping point and that was obviously not going to show a symbol.

Changed that point to a stop (with a symbol) and added another shaping point.

Exported to my Nav V but it treated both waypoints (the waypoint which should have been a stop and the waypoint that is marked as a shaping point) exactly the same.

I checked the code again and compared it with the code I used previously and there seems to be additional code in the MyRouteApp file in comparison with my own stripped version (I could not get symbols to feed through either but had shaping points and stops/waypoints).

I also checked an older MotoGoLoco file and this is pretty simple in comparison as well although I did not manage to replicate that.

I will try and work on the MotoGoLoco file in a text editor and use it as the basis to create a new file using the waypoints that I created for my test - perhaps that will show me where things differ and what does and does not work for the Nav V.

Enough for today though...

[Nick Dawson]

@Hans-van-de-Ven-MRA-Master - I could not resist another go when it started raining so copied an existing lotogoloco file then modified it using the coordinates that I used for the earlier test files.

Checked that the file worked on both Tyre and MyRouteApp then copied it into my BMW Nav V.

Not very successful with this either!

It showed the start as a restaurant (which is how I described it) sonthst was promising but skipped the waypoint and showed the shaping point.

I double checked the code and can't figure out that one !

Amazing that the most popular touring motorcycle in the World uses a GPS that appears to be less adaptable than it's less expensive Garmin brothers and sisters.

At the moment, I am inclined to simply continue to use Tyre and MyRouteApp to do the donkey work on the routes then strip them manually by hand as I have been doing these last two years.

I know that this works on the Nav V and the fact that the symbols (POI's) do not pass through is something I can live with.

Always open to suggestions though...

[Steve Lynch]

@Nick-Dawson

I was intrigued by this so I did some tests on MRA Navigation and on my Zumo XT.

If you save the POI as a POI not as a waypoint then the image Icon will be visible in MRA Navigation but in the Garmin XT it does pull through but it is created as a Waypoint in Explore.

[Hans van de Ven MR.MRA]

@Nick-Dawson

Much more

[Hans van de Ven MR.MRA]

@Nick-Dawson

Save your route as gpx 1.1 route, track poi

[Nick Dawson]

@Hans-van-de-Ven-MRA-Master I do that already as I have tried all 3 types of export (save as) and found this one to be best.

I really think it is down to the Nav V. When on tour with other clients (Magellan) and friends, I notice that the Nav V is probably the worst GPS device for routing amongst out there (Garmin and TomTom) but, the obvious advantage is that it works with the BMW scroll wheel and is pretty functional.

I can live with manually creating files if this ends up then best way for me to get the device working in the manner I would prefer.

[Nick Dawson]

@Steve-Lynch I will check that on Friday when I next have a chance although am pretty sure that I have already done this to no avail.

I think that the BMW Nav V is the culprit as a pal of mine has a Garmin and I am almost certain that it pulls through symbols from the routes I create (almost certain but not completely so...).

Thank you for your help and screen shots. Very useful.

[Nick Dawson]

@Steve-Lynch I just did some more testing using the app on my phone then looking st the code it produced;-

</metadata><wpt lon="4.8144764" lat="45.191285"><name>Esso</name><type>user</type><extensions>

I cannot check this on the GPS at the moment but it looks like the lat and lon if the ESSO garage will be carried through as metadata and shown as a POI - which you also found.

I chose the option to save as a waypoint and a POI so hopefully the garage will come through as a destination and show a nice symbol.

We will see but this certainly looks promising.

[Nick Dawson]

@Nick-Dawson said in BMW Navigator V and V1:

@Steve-Lynch
@Hans-van-de-Ven-MRA-Master
This morning I used the file I had created on Wednesday where I had saved a POI as a POI (and a waypoint as both these options were available). On MRA these show as you woudl expect:-

I also have two shaping points and one viaPoint on the file.

I had high hopes for the symbol for the service station pulling through given that the information was saved as metadata (see previous message) but it did not.

Below is the Esso Station on the Nav V

Conclusion:-
I am quite certain that the problem is due to the chip (as mentioned by @Hans-van-de-Ven-MRA-Master) in the BMW Navigator V - as far as I can see, I am doing everything correctly with regard to the software however the POI simply does not pass through using the code from MRA (or possibly any other code).

I know for certain that I did used to see the POI's when using MotoGoLoco a number of years ago but cannot now seem to repicate this.

At the end of the day, it is simply a nice to have rather than a necessity and the main functionality I use is simply shaping and via points both of which pass through without any issue.

I wish that the Navigator V's mapping followed more closely that of MRA (I use HERE but even on the simple test I carried out for the POI, the Garmin chose to double back from a shaping point to get to the next one whereas MRA continued - this is a problem I see often on tour and is very frustrating given the amount of planning that goes into route creation!).

MRA is a fantastic product and very functional - all credit and thanks to the developers and experts who support it.

I will accept that the Navigator V has limitations and work within gthe paramaters that I know work .

BMW are not going to be releasing a Navigator V11 and are moving along with the motor industry to mapping and routing linked to the phone and this is the future.

There are however a lot of BMW motorcycles out there and the Navigator V will be with us for probably another 5 years before it becomes completely obsolite.

thank you again

Nick

[Hans van de Ven MR.MRA]

@Nick-Dawson

I tested the BMW R1250RT with the BMW Motorrad connect app. BMW uses the TomTom map for this.
I emailed the gpx 1.1 (Track and POI) to me, opened the app on the phone and loaded the gpx.
The route / track is then visible on the big screen and you can start the route.

[Nick Dawson]

Yes - I have done the same and this works absolutely fine.

That was not my query though - I use the BMW Navigator V and this is what I have been discussing.

When I take clients on tour (I have 25 on a trip next May), there is a mix of TomTom, Garmin and BMW Navigator GPS'. Hardly anyone will use the BMW app but, over the next few years, as more motorcycles come with this as standard and the app itself improves, this will be the way forward.

I have the R1250GS which has the BMW app (more like the Beeline navigaion systems which I use on another motorcycle) - the app works but you need to understand what you are doing, what it is really telling you and where you are. If creating routes for clients or friends, you need to work on the basis that the level of understanding or even interest is low. Most clients trust the GPS and only briefly look at maps to find out where they are going. They are more intersted in the riding, country and experience.

It is the people on this forum who are the ones interested in getting it right and as easy to use as possible for others.

[Nick Dawson]

@Steve-Lynch
@Hans-van-de-Ven-MRA-Master

I am going to see if I can find a BMW Navigator VI for a reasonable price and test this over the winter!

[Nick Dawson]

Got one on Ebay but, because it is in the UK and me in France, I will not physically get it until next year when I meet my pal who I had it sent to..