Garage reorganisation

[runnerboy]

I could be tempted out too!

Just magic it to 10C or more. 

Nice Bike Andy! Could be the weekend for the run to British Camp gents!

[Matt]

I could be tempted out too!

Just magic it to 10C or more. 

Nice Bike Andy! Could be the weekend for the run to British Camp gents!

Aah I just finally googled this. Interesting! I'm reading some Roman history stuff at the moment and how I imagined the British Hill forts to look matches what's left there. Amazing. I shall indeed have to go see it for myself!

[andym2]

Nearly 3 litres of K loveliness, even though the K13 needs a wash.

The K16 is sooooper comfy and has lots of toys. I think we might need to come back from British Camp via Maiden Castle.

Which day would work for everyone, if we''re doing a run this weekend?

[raesewell]

You might want to start another thread in the Short notice rides section, so as not to confuse.

[fjtwelve]

Mmm nice. May yet be tempted

[Matt]

How's the big screen by the way? That's the thing I almost forgot (until I went to the BMW website just now to spec one up, oh lord I want that light brown fake stitched seat thing!) about.

I think everyone is hoping the new GS will get the wider screen, though with doubts it'd fit. Does it actually show the map finally? On my GS I used BMWs turn-by-turn and then combined with my TomTom on the device bar thing above, to gain context. If the bigger screen allows both I'll be very happy as - a year or so ago, god damn continuous deployments - the BMW app was pretty great.

Compared to the KTM one at least.

[andym2]

Yes you can get the map on the screen, either fullscreen or in split screen. The app needs to connect both bluetooth and wifi though, otherwise you only get directions. The phone only works if you've got a helmet connected via bluetooth too, which sort of makes sense. The box for the phone isn't very big and you don't get a charge cable; you really need a short one with an angled connector (£40 from BMW).

Once it's setup though, it does work really well. You can do navigation, music, radio, phone, plus all the other settingsl using the screen with the wheel and menu button. The 4 programable buttons on the fairing are useful for getting to things quickly that would otherwise be buried a few layers down the menu structure. I just need to put a 'Missile Launch' sticker next to them so people don't ask what the 1, 2, 3, 4 buttons do.

[Matt]

Aah interesting thanks Andy. My ktm has a silly little pocket for the phone but I'd need a... I don't know, a tiny phone to fit in there and use the USB!

Which packs did you go for? The one with keyless etc is that Comfort? That's all I think I thought would be fun. Says central locking, is that for panniers open close?!

[andym2]

Comfort (Quick shift, central locking, alarm) and touring (engine bars, radio & fog lights) packs, plus floor lighting. Central locking does the panniers, a top box if fitted (I didn't get one) and the two little cubby holes in the fairing. Floor lighting is a bit gimmicky, there are some LEDs in the bottom of the fairing that come on for a few minutes when you turn the ignition off, but the one that was available had it.

[Matt]

Sounds excellent. Thanks for you patience answering all my questions

[Phmode]

I think that floor lights are a great idea. It depends what else lights up. I am sick of parking my bike somewhere totally dark and having to scrabble for a torch to see the case locks and then when you come back trying to find the ignition lock is an exercise in futility especially in the rain when you already have gloves on. Why can't the ign. and coming home/leaving home things light up like a car that costs less than a K?

[andym2]

You can turn the lights on by pressing the button on the key fob, and you can set them to stay on for a while after you turn the ignition off. Keyless ride means the ignition, steering lock and central locking work as long as you have the key in your pocket. The only thing you need to actually insert the key for are to remove the panniers or the seat.

[Phmode]

Yeah! I was referring to the small block K's. The big block is a much more modern design.

However my other car, an Audi A4 from 2012 (same year as my K13S) does it all; keyless ignition, coming/leaving home lighting, courtesy floor lighting so you don't step in a puddle right up to your middle in your Gucci loafers etc. etc.

T'was designed in 2004, so basically a Cortina Mk IV...

[andym2]

Having ridden it for a few times now and had a chance to play with some of the toys there are a couple of niggles with the TFT / App.

To get the Map to display on the TFT needs a WiFi connection. So what happens is you start the app, turn on the ignition (order doesn't matter), app connects to TFT via Bluetooth. Then you need to start Map Mode on the App, which pops up a 'Connected wants to connect to WiFi .....' message. Click OK to that, then plug the phone into the charge cable in the box, shut the lid and good to go. That's all fine, until you stop say for fuel. When you turn the ignition off, the WiFi disconnects. When you switch on again the App connects OK to Bluetooth, tries to restart Map Mode but sits there waiting for you to OK the 'Join WiFi message'. Net result is that you need to get the phone out , click Ok and put it back in again. As you can't open the fuel cap with the ignition on, just leaving it connected to refuel isn't an option.

The other thing is that you can't change the headset volume (Sena SRL2) with the multi-controller (aka Wonder Wheel). You can with BMW headsets, which are Sena rebadged, but apparently not with any 3rd party ones. Not the end of the world to press the button on the side of the helmet, but I've never found that very easy to find with gloves on.

On the plus side, it does work really well playing Media from the phone, Radio Fm & DAB, Telephone, Navigation all controlled with the WonderWheel.