Garmin and Goldwings

[McAllister]

Interesting article on Garmin. I know Garmin supplies BMW units but the dealers install them. Sounds like Honda will do the install during the assembly process at the factory and integrate the panel into the dash. The 7 inch display sounds kind of large. I wonder if they are going to use it for other functions like speedo and tach, temp, electrics, ect......


GARMIN LTD ORD (Nasdaq-NM: GRMN)
<H1> Garmin Named Tier-One Supplier For Honda Motorcycle GPS SystemOct 03, 2005 (Satellite Today/Access Intelligence via COMTEX) -- GarminInternational Inc. said Sept. 29 it is now a tier-one automotive originalequipment manufacturer (OEM) supplier with its newly developed modular GPSnavigation system being used on the 2006 Honda Gold Wing motorcycle. Tier onesuppliers provide parts and systems directly to vehicle manufacturers and mustmeet performance specifications and quality requirements by the manufacturer.

The GPS system, dubbed the Honda Satellite Linked Navigation System, providescomplete North American mapping with nearly 6 million points of interest,including hotels, restaurants, tourist attractions and Honda dealerships andservice centers. The maps are displayed on a 7-inch integrated display and thesystem provides turn-by-turn, voice-prompted directions through the motorcycle'saudio and intercom system.

"This marks the first time that Garmin has provided a vehicle manufacturer witha factory-installed navigation system," Garmin Vice President of Marketing GaryKelley said in a statement.

Satellite Today, Vol. 4, No. 191





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[bmwhd]

There's a picture of the display on the '06 Goldwing Preview page on Honda's site.

I looked at an '06 at the local dealer yesterday. Having the GPS built in like that is really cool but I'm not sure if you could load routes and waypoints to it like with a Garmin portable unit.

[danbrew]

I'm not sure if you could load routes and waypoints to it like with a Garmin portable unit.

I'd bet you could - there's gotta be somebody at Garmin who does nothing but thinks about how to sell map upgrades. I'm really exicited to hear this as I like the Garmin maps and UI - it would be very cool to see this as an OEM offering with larger displays in cars and motorcycles in the future.

:)

[eljeffe]

Here is the preview site:

http://powersports.honda.com/preview/06_goldwing_model_index.asp

It still looks like that poor copy of a Honda Accord rear end.

I don't want an integrated GPS like Honda has done. I like the 7" screen, but I want to be able to move from car to car. I'd like more details on how to load routes and waypoints, because I don't want to take a laptop down to my bike everytime I want to load waypoints and routes. Currently, all Garmin units load routes and waypoints on the units themselves, and maps on the portable datacards or CF cards. And until I see HARD DATA, I want nothing to do with the airbag. I have experienced the safety benefits of the BMW telelever suspension (ejects up and over) and I think I'll stick with that over Honda's (front-end dive and deploy and airbag for me to slam into).

[meese]

I've never had a Garmin GPS, and there's something to be said about route planning on the computer and moving the GPS between vehicles.

But my GPS is theft-proof (unless they take the whole bike), has all map data available all the time (if I have all the CDs with), has a much bigger full color screen, and allows me to route to any address, point of interest, or intersection in the US or Canada. And I've had all that capability for almost 5 years now.

There are advantages to both types of units, but the point is most people are gonna be comfortable with what they're used to.