Dutchblog

BMW motorcycle owners are about to have a new BMW-customized navigator at their fingertips. Garmin have joined with BMW to announce the next generation BMW Motorrad Navigator, the Navigator IV. This portable GPS device is based on Garmin’s zumo 660, but it has customized features specific to the BMW such as a customized four-button mount, unique Bluetooth capabilities and preloaded BMW dealers. This is the fourth generation BMW Motorrad Navigator product, and the previous version, the Navigator III, was based on the StreetPilot 2820.

The BMW Motorrad Navigator IV is a top-of-the-line Garmin navigator designed exclusively for BMW motorcycles. Ready to go right out of the box, it has everything a rider could need. The portable, 4.3-inch navigator has a bright touchscreen display that is glove-friendly and comes preloaded with detailed street maps with millions of points of interest that include locations like restaurants, gas stations, ATMs, hotels and specific street addresses.

After the rider selects a destination, the system calculates the best route and gives turn-by-turn, voice-prompted directions to the final destination. This feature can also work with a compatible Bluetooth enabled helmet or headset. The BMW Motorrad Navigator IV’s stereo (A2DP) Bluetooth wireless technology makes it possible for riders to pair their phone to a Bluetooth enabled helmet or handset so that they can safely talk on the phone or listen to MP3’s without having to remove their gloves or helmet.

More images may be found here.

PDF manual for BMW Motorrad Navigator IV may be found here.

For the past four years or so custom moulded in-ear audio monitors, manufactured by Ultimate Ear, have been an integral component of my motorcycle navigation/communications/entertainment system.

During this time I’ve covered over 36000 miles during which time these monitors have proved extremely effective, trouble free & reliable.

Last week I started getting a broken signal to my right ear & subsequently noticed that the cord had become fractured & frayed just as it entered the silcone monitor moulding itself.

Currently the technicians at Ultimate Ear are examining my monitors before deciding whether they are repairable or not. Please see update below.

I made it quite clear that I was simply treating this as a ‘fair wear & tear’ issue rather than a complaint about a manufacturing or materials defect.

I should say at this point that Ultimate Ear have been extremely prompt & efficient at dealing with this issue despite beinq very busy at this time of the year so I’ll await their judgement with interest before deciding on a replacement.

Meanwhile I’m left with the considerable problem of delivering audio to my ears whilst riding the ‘bike.

As I have no speakers built into my helmet I needed to find a temporary, comfortable, effective and low cost alternative to the custom moulded monitors.

I’ve tried many different generic ear buds, earphones & monitors in the past, none of which have really suited my requirements but extensive research of current products  revealed a potentially viable solution in the form of JVC HA-FX66 in-ear canal headphones.

Supplied with three different sizes of silicone rubber ear pieces & one set of ‘memory foam’ ear pieces it didn’t take long to get them to fit snugly & comfortably in my ear canals.

Yesterday I tried them on the bike for the first time & was extremely surprised at the high quality of both speech & stereo music reproduction, especially bass & treble response.

These headphones really are tiny and the soft silicone ‘Air Cushion’ does a fair job of eliminating background noise, certainly up to about 70mph, after which wind/road/engine noise takes over, despite the automatic noise sensitive volume controls on my Baehr communications system.

I’m not sure I could live with these JVC headphones long-term as they are a compromise over the custom moulded monitors but at  £16.00 they are about a tenth of the cost and certainly a viable temporary substitute.

UPDATE: Ultimate Ear decided that my monitors were repairable & for £45.00 they replaced the entire cable & plug using much a higher standard of parts than those used originally. They are now fit for another few years use. Great service from Ultimate Ear!

The hub of my motorcycle communications system is the German built Baehr Ultima XL.

It is linked by a custom Baehr cable to the factory fitted BMW stereo radio/CD player/MP3 (iPod) connection.

This enables full integration to the on-board sound systems which can be controlled from both the handlebar & fairing mounted audio controls.

Additionally, the iPod can be individually controlled via cabled remote located in the tank-bag map pocket while the iPod itself is secured safely inside the tank-bag.

Principal features of the Baehr Ultima XL include:

• Permanent installation in motorcycle
• Watertight aluminium housing
• Watertight plug-in connection
• Clear audibility up to 120mph/200km/h
• Automatic wind noise compensation
• Automatic voice activation
• Automatic microphone sensitivity adjustment
• Intelligent stereo audio input
• Music signal amplification
• Automatic music volume adjustment
• Automatic music volume suppression for intercom
• Automatic music/intercom suppression for radio
• Automatic sound mixing (“sing-along”)
• 4 x stereo universal interface
• Adjustable signal priority
• Individually adjustable audio level parameters
• Completely hands-free operation

Full details of Baehr products & technical explanations may be found in English language here.

Neither my pillion or I have conventional speakers within our BMW System 5 helmets.

Instead we each have custom moulded earphones from Ultimate Ear, the 3.5mm stereo plug of which are plugged into a custom made harness from Baehr in Finland before we plug the helmets directly into waterproof panel mounted sockets on the bike itself.

The result is hi-fi quality sound delivered directly into the ear canal while extraneous wind, road & traffic noise are virtually eliminated by the custom moulded rubber body of the earphones.

Also built into our helmets are Baehr boom microphones enabling clear speech whether the helmet visor chin bar is raised or lowered.

I am also able to effortlessly make & receive telephone calls whilst on the move courtesy of a Motorola Razr V3i paired with the Garmin Zumo 550 via Bluetooth. The phone simply stays in my bike jacket and automatically pairs with the Zumo as I get on the bike.

There is zero interference from any source and with the automatic volume adjustment compensating from any increase in ambient noise associated with increases in road speed etc this surely is the Ultimate motorcycle communications system.

In conclusion I believe I have completed a totally integrated communication & entertainment system discretely & efficiently installed within the bike whist maintaining total control of the bike, the sound systems and rider to pillion communication.

Sincere thanks to everyone at Baehr in Pirmasens, Germany, and their distributors in Finland & the Netherlands for supplying the entire ensemble.

Previous experience with Garmin satellite navigation products made my choice of satnav for the new bike extremely easy.

The Garmin Zumo 550, with City Navigator NT 2008 (also known as Version 10) is fitted to the bike using a custom designed mount on the dash panel in an easily visible position above the bikes instrument panel.

The mount is beautifully designed & manufactured by GPS-Mount.be in Belgium & is extremely easy to fit, especially with the bike screen temporarily removed.

Principal features of the Garmin Zumo 550 include:

• Glove-friendly touchscreen with left-handed controls makes it easy to operate
• High brightness, sunlight-readable, UV-resistant display makes it easy to view your screen
• Motorcycle console for trip information, including fuel gauge to warn you when it’s time to fill up
• Motorcycle mount with universal mounting hardware so you can mount it anywhere
• Included motorcycle and automotive mount (with integrated speaker) for riding or driving
• Custom caps available in a variety of colors to reflect your style
• Vibration-tested, waterproof and built with fuel-resistant plastics to withstand the elements

Full specifications may be found here.

Also incorporated into my navigation system is the Garmin GTM 12 FM Traffic Management Channel (TMC) receiver which, when coupled with the Zumo, warns of traffic hold-ups ahead on your chosen route.

In my particular application the metre long FM antenna has been taped to the back of the plastic instrument panel surround so it’s completely out of sight but still able to receive the FM signal on which the TMC is broadcast.

Full details of the Garmin GTM 12 may be found here.

Full details of TMC in the UK may be found here.

The Garmin PDF user manual for the Zumo 550 is here.

A very useful independent Zumo resource are the Zumo Forums.

Images of my Garmin Zumo 550 installation may be found here.

Audio navigation commands given by the Zumo 550 are provided to both rider & pillion via the Baehr Ultima XL motorcycle communications system, written about separately here.