RIDE ON | BMW Connected vs Beeline vs MyRoute-App Navigator | Phone GPS Shootout 

Thanks Greg, that's awesome and makes me feel so much better after some of the scathing comments I received the week before. Cheers and stay safe my friend!

By the dawns early light!

You and me too bro! I just feel so excited every time I ride the Rocket, it's just bursting with character. My GSA is faultless in terms of transport. But in terms of how it makes you feel, the Rocket is really, really, really, good - it's fun! Hopefully restrictions will ease from May 01 and I can get the 600 mile service done. For now it's just run it run the block once a week to keep me sane!

Tracks are best for off-road, but routes are best for on road. Garmin's Basecamp will let you create either from the other. For road use, when you import a GPX into Basecamp it looks like as the crow flies until you open it and select recalculate; then (assuming you zoom in 100% on each waypoint and adjust as necessary) all is good. So I stick to routes personally. Thanks for the feedback!

@@RichDunn Actually MyRoute will make both routes & tracks and the guys that do the MyRoute webinars say that tracks are the best way to go. Yes tracks are good off road but they can also be used on road without having many waypoints. The GPS will follow a track just as if it's a black line drawn on the street. A route may get recalculated especially if the maps in both the GPS and computer are not the same. I don't use BaseCamp, too hard to master. I came from MapSource, then Tyre, now MyRoute Gold. Try a track sometime and you may like it. I downloaded Beeline today after watching your video but haven't tried it yet.

​@@BillReitz I have hundreds of routes and tracks in MyRoute-App, and have seen all of the tutorials, so I'm very familiar with it. Basecamp is easy, but slow, hard not he eye, and clunky in it's reliability. But with a PC downloaded map (which really helps avoid crashes) you know that it is the same version that's on your GPS, so if it's perfect on screen it's perfect in the GPS too. You cannot get that by simply exporting a MyRoute file in the HERE (Garmin) format, because you'll see which waypoints are out when you get it into Basecamp. I like to use MyRoute-App for creation and Basecamp for confirmation, before loading (into the same map) in Garmin. But overall it's convoluted, which is why I'm looking at more options again. I have tried dozens of test with tracks before over hundreds of miles, and know the pros and cons. I used TYRE for a decade or so with TomTom Rider and it was always good, which is why I was attached to it for the Garmin. I had a great result with Beeline last week. But I tried it on a different mapped route locally and had a lot of problems. Definitely make sure the app is working as you expect before shelling out on the hardware. It's a neat, of simple, solution and I like the app. Another video on BMW Connect sot today, coming in the next few days.

American's don't want to pay for anything :-D

@@RichDunn unless it's a supersize for only 1.99... lol Be safe mate

@@eladarye9817 You're not wrong! ;-D

You can plan a route in google map, email it to yourself and when you open it you can associate it with BMW Connected. Thanks Tom. I've just done some additional testing and got the BMW Connected working well - look out for my next video I think it will help you - hit notifications if yis wanna.

Richard I was all excited when you wrote that, but I’ve just tried it and you don’t get the Motorrad Connected option to open it with. 😔

@@windinthewillows6248 I'll be realizing a video this week (probably Friday) showing exactly how to do it. But you 'do' need access to a computer unfortunately. The synopsis is: create route in MyMaps section of Google Maps (not available in the phone app it seems?), select share and change rights to 'anyone with the link', copy the link into URL field of the GPS Visualizer site and select Convert. Download the created GPX. Email it to yourself. Open the email and click on the file. Go to top right of screen and select forward icon. At bottom of screen scroll and select open with BMW Connected app. Now turn the bike on and select the route / start the route. It will take a few seconds to connect to the bike - you'll know because you'll see a white square on the TFT (speed limits). Then go into the TFT menu and select Navigation - the turn-by-turn route will be displayed. Follow my dedicated BMW Connected video later in the week and you might be able to access the same areas in the Google Maps phone app - I didn't see it when I had a brief look yesterday though!

Hi Shaun, what impeccable taste you have! I tried Scenic a couple of years ago and couldn't rely on it then. I must give it another try. I found the BMW Connected app works well with the TFT, but have discovered a conflict which then annoyingly stops my Cardo Packtalk Bold intercom providing music audio via Siri. The MyRoute-App website, coupled with the (MyRoute-App) Navigation app works really well, for those that want a phone GPS, as the two are auto-synched, with no GPX transference required. Creating GPX using the MRA/HERE/Garmin map in MyRoute-App works pretty well with the Garmin. It's usually easier not he eyes to use the Google map overlay, plan the route, switch to the Garmin map and then zoom in 100% on each waypoint before exporting as a GPX for import into the Garmin device. The problem is, the version of the Garmin map that MRA are using, that you may have downloaded into Basecamp, and have on your physical device may be three difference versions., And this is what causes the most common conflicts that people bemoan about. Ultimately you cannot beat having the same downloaded map in Basecamp on your laptop, as you have on your Nav 6 unit itself, and then adjusting each waypoint in Basecamp to be spot-on dead-center in the road for each point. But naturally this is time consuming hassle that we'd all sooner not have to do. So, in conclusion. (a) If you don't have an intercom/don't use it for Siri/music, pair your phone with the GSA's TFT, create GPX in MRA using the Google map overlay, and import it into the BMW Connected app; note: it will complain there is 'some' problem, if you don't download the free offline use maps for the states/areas your route covers. Or (b) if you're happy to just use a phone, MRA with Garmin map overlay, loaded via Navigation app - best option for R3, unless you have the Triumph comms package; or prefer to stick to Scenic. Or (c) Any GPS source (MRA is as good as it gets) to import into Basecamp, re-check/adjust waypoints, and send to device. I hope that helps?

@@RichDunn Thanks for the comprehensive reply Richard! Im was lucky enough to get the TFC R3 and totally impressed by the way it performs, they sure are a beast of a bike!. Ive wrestled with many GPX file creators, mobile phone apps and many bluetooth frustrations along the way! Many of the apps/combinations I've tried all start off well and good but its the little 'quirks' that you come across after using for a while that tend to be deal breakers sadly. Scenic went through a big overhaul recently and I find it ok so far although not the most intuitive UI. My current workflow is to download a GPX file from a site like BBR (British routes), import into MyRoute app to manipulate and then send to Scenic, which is the best Ive had so far. However after seeing your videos and taking on your thoughts Im tempted to go try the MyRoute Navigation (yet another app/subscription😂) as its a little slicker with the syncing and obviously nothing should get lost in translation between the two apps. I have however given up on the 3 way bluetooth between Sena 30, iPhone and Nav 6, just too much pain and instability, I found myself spoiling rides by pulling over to reset stuff and its just drove me mad! I now only connect bluetooth between my phone and the Sena as I do use Siri and play music, in fact a recent trip to Switzerland the Siri and Apple maps proved to be a superb combo, 1 touch of a button in the Sena, ask for directions for a campsite near me and job done - loved it.... Thanks again for taking the time doing these comparison videos, there's a lot of people in the same boat with similar issues and they will benefit from this. Oh, lastly Basecamp is a big no-no for me, I seem to forget how to use it every time I turn to it! Shame as I know its a powerful piece of software if you master it but I haven't got the patience for it. Cheers, Shaun. (UK)

@@shaunbknight1 One of the Ride On crew Erik has the TFC R3. It's stunning, I agree. I just created a route for this weekend and imported it into Scenic, but there are a number of missed waypoints unfortunately. I do agree the interface for it is too confusing; the basics should always hit you int he face, everything else is just gravy. It's very clear and easy in the MRA Navigation app. And creating Events to share is also easy too. I hated my Sena unit 'say a command'! and trying out 55,000 permutations to make everything work right with the TFT sucked my will to live. The mesh Cardo Backtalk Bold has been a breathe of fresh air. Really clear sound quality with the large JBL speakers, no dropped connections, Cardo and Siri commands working perfectly - playing music, making calls, setting reminders, sending text messages, all with natural voice commands. It's a winner. Like me, you don't want to mess everything up by connecting to the TFT, so BMW Connected is out. And like me, you hate Basecamp too, and the hassle of dealing with the GPS to get routes across too. So I'd say you're a perfect candidate for MyRoute-App website and Navigation app combo, using the Garmin map overlay. Checking each waypoint is easy - zoom is 100% and arrow toggle between them. And I can say that on several 200 mile plus trips it has proven pretty reliable for me, at least on US roads. The only dislike I have is recalculate is beta, as twice I've had to restart a route manually from a specific waypoint. No big, but can't be done while riding like the Garmin skip next waypoint squiggly arrow. I'll accept your MRA friend request. Let me know how you get on with the Navigation app. We'll crack this thing - we're in it together! 😆

@@RichDunn Thanks again Richard, Its good to get advice from somebody that has gone through the pain and also understands the pain! Well, Ive pushed the button on a 3 year subscription of Myroute Navigator (my only option as Id had the free trial period a while back), but unfortunately not had the best of starts as it locked out and I had to delete the app and reinstall but all seems to be working so far so fingers crossed when I get a chance to try it out, the it certainly seems more polished than Scenic. Interesting to here your points on Scenic, I always found int clunky but reliable in the past although I have never liked the interface so would like to move away from it if possible. Just one question, with regards to getting a GPX onto the Nav 6, I just watched your video where you went via Basecamp (nicely done sir!), whilst I understand the benefits of producing an accurate route and the relationship between the Nav and Basecamp, have you had any experience with sending a route to the Nav straight from MyRoute App (desktop)? I have sent a route onto it myself but haven't tested it for accuracy yet....oh and another question (sorry!), when I last tried to follow a GPX route on the Nav6, when I deviated from the route at all it automatically recalculated to the fastest route and ignored the original GPX route, drove me mad as if you missed a turn it was game over, had to pull over and launch the route again, is this your experience? Hope you don't mind me asking you but you're helping me solve a long standing problem! 😂

Forgot to add, after watching your video, Ive just ordered the beeline, as I think it will look nice on the R3 and would rather not have the damn phone in front of me sometimes 👍