BRP Connect question - should I bother to Bluetooth helmets to BRP Connect?
Just picked up my spider the other day and starting to play around a little bit with pairing everything to my helmet my phone and the spyder. I've decided I don't want to pay for a navigation app I'm just going to mount my smartphone on the handlebars and not use BRP connect. If I'm going to do that is there any purpose of going through the trouble to connect my helmet and passengers helmet to the spider via Bluetooth?
My helmets are not connected through BRP. In fact I do not use BRP at all. I mount my phone to the handle bar via Tackform, My phone is paired to my helmet, my wife's phone is paired to her helmet and the helmets are paired together. I use google maps for my gps which works great for me, I answer my phone if need be and listen to either fm radio or IHeart radio. We chat to each other through the Sena 50S Bluetooth and also have the mesh if we want to use that. I couldnt find anything useful about the BRP app myself.
Just picked up my spider the other day and starting to play around a little bit with pairing everything to my helmet my phone and the spyder. I've decided I don't want to pay for a navigation app I'm just going to mount my smartphone on the handlebars and not use BRP connect. If I'm going to do that is there any purpose of going through the trouble to connect my helmet and passengers helmet to the spider via Bluetooth?
This is only an opinion, I would not subject yourself to all the aggravation of trying to attempt to use the BRP connect, at this time BRP seems to be still learning how to make it work.
That is what I have learned from many many many folks here and other forums, simply use your iPhone or other phone paired to your blue tooth headset and use that for your entertainment
as well as for GPS and XM Radio. If yo have SeriousXM in your car the service on your phone is FREE just download the app to your phone...
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Last edited by Motorcycledave; 05-15-2021 at 11:43 PM.
The only time I link my phone anymore is to play military music from my phone to the spyder's speakers for Veterans Day Parade! I use google maps to Navigate and have a GPS as a back up. Mount was already on the trike when we bought it used. Once you learn some "things" about google maps it is really not that bad. I create routes on the desk top and send them to the smart phone. Open the route and go into settings and pin it to a home screen. Or I can use "Ok Google" to bring up a location and they navigate to it. I have stylus pen velcro'd on the dash to work with the phone with gloves on.
2018 RT Ltd - Asphalt Metallic - East Valley of Phoenix
2018 RT Ltd Chrome - Champagne Metallic - Lake Stevens, Wa
(Champagne/Hooker) Magic Mirrors, 360 LED head lights, BajaRon sway bar, H&R springs and shock adjusters, dash cam, foam grips, third brake light 4 LED strobe for 7 seconds and then on steady, rear LED turn signals/8 ohm 50W resistors, sequential turn signals on front fenders, Vredestein and PPA Orb wheels on front and General out back, and driver backrest.
Things that move between machines: Ikea sheep skins, Zumo XT GPS, and extra tools. Hooker is going to be my summer trike up North; and Hookie my winter trike down South.
(Asphalt/Hookie) Elka shocks on front - BajaRon sway bar, OEM driver's backrest, LED headlights, dual USB with voltmeter, dash cam, foam grips - Magic Mirrors - front tires Vredestein Quatrac SL on PPA ORB Chrome wheels.
Man, you guys are awesome! Pretty much what I was thinking already just wanted to hear someone else say it. Voice navigation was my biggest concern but if that works with Google maps, I'm golden!
I keep my hundred-dollar phone on my hip. It is paired to my headset, the wife's headset connected to mine. I will probably BT the Garmin 396 to the Spyder, but if it doesn't get along I will pair it to a BT receiver connected to the Aux port. No matter how paired or the order started, the 396 would take over phone and intercom, walking over it with school zones and speed limit changes, and not allowing the previous connections to resume. So, I won't allow the 396 to pair with the phones or helmets anymore. I suspect I'll do the same with BRP. They may be using Garmin's BT programmers.
"Love 'em all.... Let GOD sort 'em out!"
2021 RTL Dark Chalk Metallic with comfort seat
1978 GL1000 w/'75 engine show bike
1976 RD400c
I use my phone for music (XM radio )and Nav , Have my phone connected to Spyder
Via Bluetooth (spyder 2019 F3 Ltd ) helmet connected to spyder via bluetooth , that way I can use volume control on handle bar for all media to helmet .
I will 2up most of the time. My wife and I both have headsets and both have phones. But we might want to stream the same music to both our headsets at the same time. That's something I should be able to figure out how to do or is it getting complicated?
My android phone is mounted to the handlebars. I also have a usb power plug on the handlebars as well, when needed. My phone is paired to the Spyder and so is my headset. I do not plug the phone into the Spyder usb plug or use the BRP Connect app on my phone. For audio I stream XM most of the time. Any audio app will work. Controllable from the left handlebars joystick. I output to the Spyder speakers most of the time. GPS app I use most is Waze and use the phone screen. If a phone call comes in. The music will mute. The Spyder dash will display the number and if that number is in your contacts, the name will display as well. Right joystick to answer and left joystick to ignore. If you answer the phone call will go to your headset no matter how you have the output set. Works well.
My android phone is mounted to the handlebars. I also have a usb power plug on the handlebars as well, when needed. My phone is paired to the Spyder and so is my headset. I do not plug the phone into the Spyder usb plug or use the BRP Connect app on my phone. For audio I stream XM most of the time. Any audio app will work. Controllable from the left handlebars joystick. I output to the Spyder speakers most of the time. GPS app I use most is Waze and use the phone screen. If a phone call comes in. The music will mute. The Spyder dash will display the number and if that number is in your contacts, the name will display as well. Right joystick to answer and left joystick to ignore. If you answer the phone call will go to your headset no matter how you have the output set. Works well.
Thanks, this sounds like the route I'll take. I just need to do a little more research to figure out how to pair the headset to the spyder. I did it once on accident but then I deleted it while I was playing around with it and I can't figure out how to do it again
As others have said, BRP Connect is a big disappointment. It only connected successfully once for me. It would be great it it worked. I made the mistake of purchasing the updates for Genius Maps (a BRP Connect app) thinking it would work. I do not understand why BRP continues to highlight the it since based on what dealers and other owners are saying, BRP Connect is a flop. I hope they fix it. They have to know some good app makers.
As others have said, BRP Connect is a big disappointment. It only connected successfully once for me. It would be great it it worked. I made the mistake of purchasing the updates for Genius Maps (a BRP Connect app) thinking it would work. I do not understand why BRP continues to highlight the it since based on what dealers and other owners are saying, BRP Connect is a flop. I hope they fix it. They have to know some good app makers.
Yet, oddly enough, the core of BRP Connect is Bosch MySpin. You'd really like to think between Bosch and BRP they'd get things right. But sadly that just isn't the case. Connect isn't completely useless but it simply cannot do what it promises. I'm also disappointed that even "approved" apps refuse to appear on the screen. I do not recommend spending your money for any software just because it is lasted as "approved" by BRP.
If BRP would just allow us to use either Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, a whole lot of us would be much happier. Almost every automaker seems to have that working correctly so it can't be too difficult.
“There comes a time in the affairs of men... when we must seize the bull by the tail and face the situation.” - W.C. Fields
So many are missing out on what the Spyder came with. It’s improved over the years. I love it. I have Sygic, Genius, TomTom and all much less than one Garmin. Pair the phone to the bike, pair the headset/s to the bike. Enjoy phone calls, music, GPS, Tire pressure all with a joystick. Once easily figured out, it’s a snap. New easy to see screen too.
I'd just like to have it stop urging me to pair when switching from Aux to FM source. I'm using a Bluetooth receiver to route the audio from my Garmin 396 to the RT. The nag screen is unnecessary and annoying.
"Love 'em all.... Let GOD sort 'em out!"
2021 RTL Dark Chalk Metallic with comfort seat
1978 GL1000 w/'75 engine show bike
1976 RD400c
Wife and I have given up on BURP Connect. Extremely frustrating to say the least. We just pair our headsets, pair my phone to mine. Mount the phone on the handle bar. I can answer my phone as well as listen to Android Auto for directions. Never have to pay for maps, or do updates. I have found that the phone even works when left in the rear trunk. Tom
Baloo is my name. Spyders are my game. Well, it's a doo-bah-dee-doo, yes, it's a doo-bah-dee-doo, I mean a doo-bee, doo-bee, doo-bee, doo-bee, doo-bee-dee-doo. And, well, now. Ha ha! What have we here?
I'd just like to have it stop urging me to pair when switching from Aux to FM source. I'm using a Bluetooth receiver to route the audio from my Garmin 396 to the RT. The nag screen is unnecessary and annoying.
Just curious, are you using the factory harness to power the Garmin? If so it also pipes in any sounds the Garmin makes (like earlier Spyder models) so why have it Bluetoothed to the bike as well? Should only need headset paired to bike to get whatever sounds the bike makes either in external speakers or headset. Pair phone to bike for music.
Just curious, are you using the factory harness to power the Garmin? If so it also pipes in any sounds the Garmin makes (like earlier Spyder models) so why have it Bluetoothed to the bike as well? Should only need headset paired to bike to get whatever sounds the bike makes either in external speakers or headset. Pair phone to bike for music.
The 396 does not include any hard-wired audio out. Bluetooth is the only way. And Yes, I am using the Garmin factory harness.
"Love 'em all.... Let GOD sort 'em out!"
2021 RTL Dark Chalk Metallic with comfort seat
1978 GL1000 w/'75 engine show bike
1976 RD400c
The 396 does not include any hard-wired audio out. Bluetooth is the only way. And Yes, I am using the Garmin factory harness.
I’m talking about the BRP factory harness that works with the earlier Models that came with a Garmin. I heard everything through the speakers or headset. Would be less confusing than trying to pair this to that and that to this. Duplication connections and causing confusion.
I’m talking about the BRP factory harness that works with the earlier Models that came with a Garmin. I heard everything through the speakers or headset. Would be less confusing than trying to pair this to that and that to this. Duplication connections and causing confusion.
2018 and later models do not have a GPS audio input to the radio.
If BRP would just allow us to use either Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, a whole lot of us would be much happier. Almost every automaker seems to have that working correctly so it can't be too difficult.
CarPlay (etc) require a screen of a minimum size. The screens on Can-Ams are not big enough to support it.
Recently completed an install on my 2018 F3Ltd. Did not use the BRP Connect all all. Have a Cardo Packtalk Black that is capable to pairing to multiple Bluetooth devices. Paired to my Android Phone on the right handlebar, and to the GPS on the left handlebar. Also, put my VHF/UHF Ham Radio on the center handle bar riser and can pair to that device as well. Music from the phone and the Cardo has a built in FM radio, so did not have to use the one with the BRP Connect. Am extremely pleased with the Cardo Bluetooth helmet device and would highly recommend that one. Here are a few snapshots of the setup:
The Cardo Packtalk does have lots of audio volume available and it does take voice commands as well. Just above the gear selector switch on the left handlebar is a velcro "Push To Talk Switch" to key the comm radio in the center. All the mounts were stock Ram devices that are readily available. Also, you can see the "Boom Microphone" on the left side of the helmet opening. Cardo supplies both a "Boom Microphone and a Stick On Microphone" for closed face helmets as well. So far, this has been a very nice package to run down the road and select what you want, most of the time with just a voice command.
As others have said, BRP Connect is a big disappointment. It only connected successfully once for me. It would be great it it worked. I made the mistake of purchasing the updates for Genius Maps (a BRP Connect app) thinking it would work. I do not understand why BRP continues to highlight the it since based on what dealers and other owners are saying, BRP Connect is a flop. I hope they fix it. They have to know some good app makers.
Genius Maps is a separate navigation app that can be used with or without BRP Connect. The same as Sygic, Tomtom and other GPS apps. They can be used as a stand alone GPS. Genius, Sygic and Google Maps can be used in the dash with BRP C just make sure everything is up to date. It actually works pretty good.
We have sena 20s synced to BRP connect. Phone is in glovebox so it cant be knocked off or dropped. Ise phone to play Sirius xm with the streaming app without buying a seperate reciever and paying that monthly fee. Use phone for 2000 songs on phone, spotify and pandora for music, and iHeart for podcast. All phone calls music, and Sygic gps go through BRP connect, along with FOBO for the tires. All controled with the joystick and buttons on the bars without ever getting the phone out to drop it.
It takes a while with hands on playing to learn it, but it does work great when you invest the time to figure it out.
I just got a 2021 Spyder limited and agree the BRP Connect software is as bad as the rumors. I agree that its inconsistency precludes using it with helmets. It is a shame to pay so much for a bike and not be able to take advantage of it tech. I just stick with my iPhone connecting to a cardo on my helmet. I used to think it was silly to Apple car play on a bike (Goldwing) but now I am jealous of that system because it actually works consistently. If anyone has a miracle wait to get this software to behave please share it!
Originally Posted by Valiant
Just picked up my spider the other day and starting to play around a little bit with pairing everything to my helmet my phone and the spyder. I've decided I don't want to pay for a navigation app I'm just going to mount my smartphone on the handlebars and not use BRP connect. If I'm going to do that is there any purpose of going through the trouble to connect my helmet and passengers helmet to the spider via Bluetooth?
BRP Connect question - should I bother to Bluetooth helmets to BRP Connect?
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Originally Posted by Valiant
Extremely frustrating to say the least. 
We just pair our headsets, pair my phone to mine. Mount the phone on the handle bar. I can answer my phone as well as listen to Android Auto for directions. Never have to pay for maps, or do updates. I have found that the phone even works when left in the rear trunk. 
Tom 
Baloo is my name. Spyders are my game. Well, it's a doo-bah-dee-doo, yes, it's a doo-bah-dee-doo, I mean a doo-bee, doo-bee, doo-bee, doo-bee, doo-bee-dee-doo. And, well, now. Ha ha! What have we here?
