What is meant by GPS miles?

Jim Craig

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#1
I ride a 2016 BMW R1200GSA with a Navigator V GPS. I can't figure out how to find GPS miles on my Navigator. I've search the manual many times and done numerous internet searches on the topic. I'm attaching a picture of my GPS after a recent SS2000 ride. The Odometer shows 29086 (it was at 27066 when I started the ride. You can ignore tripmeter 1 since I use that to track mileage on a tank and tripmeter 2 since I didn't start it until I was already on the ride. Tripmeter Automatic's mileage matches the ending minus beginning odometer readings. Trip A was reset on my Navigator V before I started the trip. Is Trip A the GPS miles? Why would it be greater than the odometer miles?


gps settings.png
 

Ira

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#2
Normally, one's odometer calculates mileage using some kind of electomechanical sensor counting something on the bike (e.g., wheel revolutions). It is common for the odometer reading to be off by something like 2-5% or more.

The GPS, on the other hand, uses a completely different method that is generally more accurate than one's odo. When we talk about "GPS miles", we are simply referring to one's GPS mileage reading, as opposed to the odo reading or the mileage calculation from a routing program.

Ira Agins
Iron Butt Association
 

Jim Craig

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#3
Thanks Ira. What you mention is exactly what I suspected was true. The odometer mileage could be affected by tire wear or inflation slightly changing the circumference of the wheel, I get that. I can't locate any reference in the BMW Navigator V manual or on the internet which tells me which box on the GPS shows GPS miles or what button I need to push to display GPS miles. Is it Trip A on the picture above or is it somewhere else buried in a menu that I haven't found yet?
 

Stephen!

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#4
Do the math. GPS Odometer at the end minus GPS Odometer at the beginning equals total GPS mileage for that trip.
 

Jim Craig

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#5
On a BMW motorcycle using a BMW Navigator V GPS, the GPS is connected to the motorcycle electronically so, the odometer on the GPS (the Navigator V) is exactly the same as the motorcycle’s odometer.

That’s a great point though, perhaps the IBA assumes that the GPS is not interfaced with the motorcycle and therefore the GPS odometer is separate from motorcycle’s odometer. In that case the GPS odometer could be different from the motorcycle’s odometer.
 

Ira

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#6
. . .perhaps the IBA assumes that the GPS is not interfaced with the motorcycle and therefore the GPS odometer is separate from motorcycle’s odometer. In that case the GPS odometer could be different from the motorcycle’s odometer.
Exactly so, considering that BMW may be the only motorcycle that connects the GPS to the odo.

Ira Agins
Iron Butt Association
 

Stephen!

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#7
Granted, my Nav IV is not a V or VI and does not have the "My Motorcycle" information page. However, from the images I've seen of both V & VI, there is a "Trip" page that uses GPS data separate from the data it receives from the bike. I find it hard to believe the GPS would not continue to track its mileage if used away from the bike's influence... That said, it is getting pretty late in the year so I am about due to be wrong. :p
 

Stephen!

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#9
I think you’re right. Trip A is probably the gps miles.
I think that is probably so... and I believe the "Trip Automatic" is the number of bike registered miles rung up since the last time the engine was shut off for >8 hours. It resets after 8 hours of inactivity. At least it does on the K16. That can be a fun one to try to keep from resetting over eleven days. :D
 

Gerry Arel

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#11
On a BMW motorcycle using a BMW Navigator V GPS, the GPS is connected to the motorcycle electronically so, the odometer on the GPS (the Navigator V) is exactly the same as the motorcycle’s odometer.
Not always true .. ODO readings are completely independent on my Nav V and my R1200R and my Nav is wired directly into the bikes GPS outlet.

But my R is old and has no wonder wheel thingy
 

RFlagg42

IBR Finisher
#12
On the Nav V, Trip 1 and 2 mirror the values from the motorcycle's trip computers. Trip A and B are GPS miles and can be reset independent of Trip 1 and 2. To reset A and B, from the map page hit the menu button in the lower right, scroll down and select the "Trip Computer" icon, hit the menu button in the upper left and select "reset values".
 

Tele

Premier Member
#13
2017 R1200GSA and a 2013 K1600GT before that with the same BMW Garmin Nav IV. Admit that later Nav versions may be different.
If you are searching for "GPS Miles" (or kilometres as we use in Australia) then you access that view via the 'wonder wheel' scroll function. Once on the actual view map page, I scroll once across and it brings up the first data screen. Top left is a directional compass which tells me the actual direction I am travelling. At the top of the compass is the "GPS" odometer digital reading which is completely independent of the bike. this only resets when you re-set it. The re-set function is within the GPS unit.

Do you have a GPS data screen on the Nav V which shows the compass? (maybe need to scroll across using the magic wheel). On the Nav IV, GPS odo is directly above this. I could post a photo but might be useless given that you have a Nav V whilst mine is a Nav IV
 

Jim Craig

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#14
2017 R1200GSA and a 2013 K1600GT before that with the same BMW Garmin Nav IV. Admit that later Nav versions may be different.
If you are searching for "GPS Miles" (or kilometres as we use in Australia) then you access that view via the 'wonder wheel' scroll function. Once on the actual view map page, I scroll once across and it brings up the first data screen. Top left is a directional compass which tells me the actual direction I am travelling. At the top of the compass is the "GPS" odometer digital reading which is completely independent of the bike. this only resets when you re-set it. The re-set function is within the GPS unit.

Do you have a GPS data screen on the Nav V which shows the compass? (maybe need to scroll across using the magic wheel). On the Nav IV, GPS odo is directly above this. I could post a photo but might be useless given that you have a Nav V whilst mine is a Nav IV

If I scroll on the map display screen, it zooms the map display. I've been through every screen on the Nav V that I can find and there is nothing labeled GPS miles. Although, based on previous posts, it appears that Trip A mileage displays the GPS miles for the trip.
 

lakota

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#15
Anything related to the wonder wheel is an odometer reading. The odometer reading is unrelated to the GPS.

Turn on the Nav 5
Go to view map
In the lower right corner are 3 bars
Select the bars
At the display scroll down till you find trip computer
Select
The miles displayed are GPS miles. They can be reset by hitting the 3 bars in the upper left.
 

Jim Craig

Premier Member
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#16
Anything related to the wonder wheel is an odometer reading. The odometer reading is unrelated to the GPS.

Turn on the Nav 5
Go to view map
In the lower right corner are 3 bars
Select the bars
At the display scroll down till you find trip computer
Select
The miles displayed are GPS miles. They can be reset by hitting the 3 bars in the upper left.
That's how it works for me. I wish Garmin had the trip computer as one of the main screens (accessible via a right/left press of the wheel) instead of buried in a menu behind the maps screen.
 

Tele

Premier Member
#17
My Nav IV has the trip computer as the first wonder wheel swipe across from the map screen. I am surprised they changed this in subsequent upgrades. Very easy to view and and access whilst riding.