My first thought of my new 2018 RT Limited

[Jim&Melissa]

First off, I would like to say that the bike is fun to ride. It is a very comfortable ride. Easy to handle compared to to my previous bike(Harley Triglide).

There a few things I think Can-Am should have thought thru was the BRP Connect. When i go to plug my phone in with BRP Connect app open, it will connect and work ok for awhile. You can't stream music without it skipping in the song like a bad scratched CD. When i start the GPS app, it works good if you don't switch from it to something else while it's running. I did a 750 mile trip with my wife and when i switched from GPS to radio, that half of the screen blacked out. I couldn't go back to my home screen or anything. I could even bring back up my RPM gage. I had to pull over and turn the bike off and let it reset to get it back working. It would also would mess with the screen on the left that has the speed odometer. When i try and stream the FM radio thru my bluetooth headset, i get a message saying: FM and AUX in not available to stream in BT headset. I sent i back to my dealer and a BRP rep showed up and said,. "that they are working to solve that issue." When my GPS is up and running on the bike, it won't even stream the directions thru my Bluetooth Headset.

I love the bike, and happy with the ride, but just to many issues with the BRP Connect. If i would have known that, I would have went with 2017 model. I would stream the radio and other things thru the bluetooth with the dongle. I guess i am going to have to by a stand alone GPS unit and mount to it i guess

But i am looking forward to doing more trips with my new Spyder

[bhern]

... that's got to be a pain. (Thanks for making me feel a bit better about going for the 2017 instead of the 2018, though.. )

Hopefully they'll get the bugs squashed quickly.

[ARtraveler]

Thanks for the evaluation on your new 2018.

The "new" system seems to come to the forefront with the "bugs" in it.

[Pirate looks at --]

First off, I would like to say that the bike is fun to ride. It is a very comfortable ride. Easy to handle compared to to my previous bike(Harley Triglide).

There a few things I think Can-Am should have thought thru was the BRP Connect. When i go to plug my phone in with BRP Connect app open, it will connect and work ok for awhile. You can't stream music without it skipping in the song like a bad scratched CD. When i start the GPS app, it works good if you don't switch from it to something else while it's running. I did a 750 mile trip with my wife and when i switched from GPS to radio, that half of the screen blacked out. I couldn't go back to my home screen or anything. I could even bring back up my RPM gage. I had to pull over and turn the bike off and let it reset to get it back working. It would also would mess with the screen on the left that has the speed odometer. When i try and stream the FM radio thru my bluetooth headset, i get a message saying: FM and AUX in not available to stream in BT headset. I sent i back to my dealer and a BRP rep showed up and said,. "that they are working to solve that issue." When my GPS is up and running on the bike, it won't even stream the directions thru my Bluetooth Headset.

I love the bike, and happy with the ride, but just to many issues with the BRP Connect. If i would have known that, I would have went with 2017 model. I would stream the radio and other things thru the bluetooth with the dongle. I guess i am going to have to by a stand alone GPS unit and mount to it i guess

But i am looking forward to doing more trips with my new Spyder

I think a lot of folks feel like you do if I had known what a pain BRP connect was, I would have saved the money and bought a 2017 model!

[bcer960]

I think a lot of folks feel like you do if I had known what a pain BRP connect was, I would have saved the money and bought a 2017 model!

When did you upgrade? and to what??

[DGoebel]

I think a lot of folks feel like you do if I had known what a pain BRP connect was, I would have saved the money and bought a 2017 model!

Yes, your sig still says White 2013 Spyder RT Limited. and 2016 F3 Limited Intense Red Pearl.

[bcer960]

Yes, your sig still says White 2013 Spyder RT Limited. and 2016 F3 Limited Intense Red Pearl.

I've ridden with him at the Norcal rally, he had the red one then

[Flamewinger]

I’m learning how it works every time I ride. I have the phone mounted to the dash so I can access it easier. I notice that when I change screens the phone flashes the new app then goes black again. I need to activate Rever first otherwise BRP Connect will crash when I open Rever on the bike. I mute the Genius Maps so I can continue to listen to music. If not muted, the first time it gives me a direction the music stops and I have to shut the bike off to reset. FOBO works but the display is squished. Would love to have SiriusXM. Living in the SF Bay Area I would love to have Waze.

Basically play with it and you will learn it. Hopefully the update will fix a few things.

[jcthorne]

I have to agree that BRP Connect is a half finished proprietary system that was not ready for prime time.

GM, Toyota, Honda, Ford and others ALL tried and have mostly failed to build their own proprietary mobil interfaces. Why does BRP think they have the programming prowess to succeed where companies with entertainment system budgets bigger than the entirety of BRP have given up and gone with the mainstream Android Auto and Apple Car Play systems? BRP is nieve and vastly under estimates the task they have set off to do. Not only does the system not work, they do not even understand the immensity of the task ahead to get it working and KEEP it working.

BRP Connect is destined to fail in the market because they simply will NEVER be able to fix enough of the systems and keep them working as the rest of the industry they cannot control moves on and continues to evolve....without them.

Buy a 2018 model for what it can do TODAY. That is to say the speedo and instruments work fine. The radio and music player work fine on the bikes speakers. Forget BRP Connect and use a GPS and phone like you have for years on Spyders.

They sooner they abandon BRP Connect and go with one of the mainstream mobil OSs, the sooner the bikes will have the connectivity they desire. Not before.

[Pirate looks at --]

When did you upgrade? and to what??

Sorry for the confusion, I should have used "" on that. I have had an 18 in the garage this year but it was a loaner. My wife is in love with her 13 and even if we do upgrade, we will still have "Buster" in the Garage! I just have not heard too many 18 owners jumping up and down about the new BRP connect. If anyone can figure it out Flamewinger will!

[bcer960]

Sorry for the confusion, I should have used "" on that. I have had an 18 in the garage this year but it was a loaner. My wife is in love with her 13 and even if we do upgrade, we will still have "Buster" in the Garage! I just have not heard too many 18 owners jumping up and down about the new BRP connect. If anyone can figure it out Flamewinger will!

Well that clears it up.......

[Pirate looks at --]

😄

Well that clears it up.......

Got your message Ray! Looking into it again!

[Jim&Melissa]

I hope to hear something back from BRP soon. I am planning a rally trip in June for 3 weeks. I would like to see some of the issues resolved.

[bcer960]

��
Got your message Ray! Looking into it again!

Thanks Larry

[L_r_g]

That's unfortunate to hear but I'm not super surprised either. Vehicle infotainment systems are usually way behind the tech curve. Going proprietary never helps either, which they pretty much all do. It also irks me that in the case of cars/trucks, you pay a big premium, a couple thousand in many cases, for the high spec system with navigation. Then a couple years later you start seeing that nav system and thinking that's terrible compared to what you have on your phone.

It's interesting to see that after so many years of trying to do their own thing, auto makers are now basically throwing in the towel and including Apple Car Play and Android Auto and saying "Fine, we give up, just use our screen to hook your phone up to." I think it's the right idea as phones/tablets always have the latest tech and apps in them. With a vehicle system, you're locked into the hardware (there's no way to pull out the system brain to upgrade it with more processing power and capabilities), the apps are always limited, and after a short time development grinds to a near halt as all their engineering resources are reallocated to whatever new platform they're developing and launching.

I think it would be cool if BRP did something similar and included Apple Car Play and Android Auto in the Connect system.

[Chupaca]

But you and those first buyers of the 2018's are the test bunnies for this untested new system. I say untested as it has not been used by Joe public and that is where the true test lies. They will get it fixed but it is a pain in the...... Love the old 2012 RS manual bare bones spyder....

[Fat Baxter]

It's interesting to see that after so many years of trying to do their own thing, auto makers are now basically throwing in the towel and including Apple Car Play and Android Auto and saying "Fine, we give up, just use our screen to hook your phone up to."

I have a cell phone, not a smart phone. Given the privacy risks associated with these gadgets (i.e., the software manufacturers scraping all your personal info off the device), I won't be in a hurry to upgrade my phone.

And if I read some discussion in other threads correctly, I can't make use of the 2018's GPS, because it actually relies on your smart phone's GPS. Is that correct?

[jcthorne]

I have a cell phone, not a smart phone. Given the privacy risks associated with these gadgets (i.e., the software manufacturers scraping all your personal info off the device), I won't be in a hurry to upgrade my phone.

And if I read some discussion in other threads correctly, I can't make use of the 2018's GPS, because it actually relies on your smart phone's GPS. Is that correct?

You are correct. The GPS runs on your smart phone and displays on the cluster. At least its supposed to. The 2018s are far better off using a Garmin in a mount and forgetting the BRP Connect mess.

[BRPcare]

I hope to hear something back from BRP soon. I am planning a rally trip in June for 3 weeks. I would like to see some of the issues resolved.

Hi Jim&Melissa,

We'd love to look into this for you, please message us with your case # if you were provided one, otherwise your telephone, email and VIN.

Our email is: brp.care@brp.com

Best,

Karine BRPcare

[Jim&Melissa]

Hi Jim&Melissa,

We'd love to look into this for you, please message us with your case # if you were provided one, otherwise your telephone, email and VIN.

Our email is: brp.care@brp.com

Best,

Karine BRPcare

I emailed you my case#. Hopefully you can find something out

[safecracker]

Glad BRP is monitoring this site from time to time.

[Fat Baxter]

You are correct. The GPS runs on your smart phone and displays on the cluster. At least its supposed to. The 2018s are far better off using a Garmin in a mount and forgetting the BRP Connect mess.

So, to use GPS on a new Spyder, I have to buy a smart phone ($$$), then sign up for some sort of monthly data plan (more $$$). Then I pay by the month for as long as I own the Spyder (even more $$$).

This is great (not!). BRP, in it's pursuit of keeping the cost down, simply offloaded the cost of a GPS onto me. Moreover, it's not a one-time purchase, but a continuing expense for as long as I own the bike.

This is somehow cost-effective in BRP's calculus? It's cheaper in the long run to install an aftermarket GPS. What were they thinking? This makes even less sense than putting a power outlet in the frunk.

One less reason to move up to a new bike.

[Warlock]

But you and those first buyers of the 2018's are the test bunnies for this untested new system. I say untested as it has not been used by Joe public and that is where the true test lies. They will get it fixed but it is a pain in the...... Love the old 2012 RS manual bare bones spyder....

Me too. Of course mine is a 08. My Sena has not failed me yet.
David

[RichardRubin]

So, to use GPS on a new Spyder, I have to buy a smart phone ($$$), then sign up for some sort of monthly data plan (more $$$). Then I pay by the month for as long as I own the Spyder (even more $$$).

Actually, no monthly data plan is required for the navigation functionality: the software works offline (you just download the maps for your region). You would need a data plan only if you utilize the live traffic monitoring, which can reroute you based on traffic conditions.


Hope this helps,

Richard

[stmike 1800]

I fixed mine, i installed my zumo 550 . I have it on auxiliary ,does not look like i can have it with the music and also have mute when the gps speaks . I needs Bluetooth head sets but running out of money.