Goodbye Garmin? Maybe the App has finally arrived?

[open1mind]

Full Disclosure- I am very Garmin challenged. I have sought out an alternative to BaseCamp at every turn (pun).

Pls see this post of mine that MAY be the end of motorcycle GPS units. We'll see.

http://advrider.com/index.php?threa...o-garmin-zumo-and-tomtom-rider.1161012/page-8

 

[Guest]

The only issue with apps is that the phone is not water proof or shock proof but I hear what you're saying.

 

[Steve]

Full Disclosure- I am very Garmin challenged. I have sought out an alternative to BaseCamp at every turn (pun).

I really enjoy my Garmin(s). I have tried Base Camp, but keep going back to Map Source. Not sure exactly why, probably just a lack of experience with the new program (Base Camp), but I like the 'feel' of Map Source better.

I have seen many threads on a Wing forum about problems with the Zumo GPS unit communicating with the laptop. Garmin's official 'fix' for the problem is to load Map Source, which has not been updated for three or four years.

My GPSes are all Nuvi 1490LMTs and work quite well. No, they are not waterproof, but a Zio-Loc bag takes care of that.

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[850 Combat]

I really want to plan a long detailed trip, and upload the plan into a GPS. To date, I have not been able to do that. Using my Garmin, planning a route is super tedious, unless you want to take the routes that trucks take. I use Delorme Streets to plan. On the last long trip, my brother brought his notebook, and we used that with the Delorme plan in it. I've used it with my laptop in the car. Garmin just bought Delorme, so I expect an increase in sucktitude to increase.

How do you upload a plan into your GPS?

 

[Steve]

How do you upload a plan into your GPS?

Using Garmin's Map Source program is super easy. Base Camp also works, but I have only done it once, so am not quite as familiar with the process.

Basically, you plan the route in Map Source (MS), then click on the "Send to Device" icon to send it to the GPS. When it's done (just a few seconds), you have to import the route so it can interface it with all of the "Points of Interest" that were stored on the last map update. Once the map is imported, you select it, then press "GO". After it calculates the route, your pink line appears and says "follow ME". :encouragement:

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[GS1150Pilot]

The only issue with apps is that the phone is not water proof or shock proof but I hear what you're saying.

Some phones are. One of the main reasons I still use an early Moto G is its relatively impervious nature.

 

[850 Combat]

I'll try that, Steve. I've had a heck of a time planning a trip on my Garmin. Even a sub-400 mile trip from Orange County to see my brother outside of Phoenix, at every turn, it keeps trying to put you back on interstate 10. Way too many steps to add a point of interest waypoint or stop, and in between those it is difficult and time consuming to even know what route it has chosen. The one I have doesn't have enough memory for all that many of them, either. I rarely use it.

 

[Gorminrider]

I hate garmins but they are still the easiest to use (and see! ) while actually riding a motorcycle or driving a car. Trying to sort out tiny buttoned software on a shiny smartphone screen (wearing gloves? hah! ) is hopeless, and incredibly dangerous unless you pull off the road. Even then, the gps is way easier to manipulate quickly.. Ps maybe A tablet would be better than a smartphone if you can find a good place for it in a fairing.)

Perhaps my automobile garmins are too old but I have never had much luck loading ROUTES onto them. . and anyways, neither mapsource nor the GPS will easily create a route I like- I must place special waypoints to ensure it takes the route I want... .Yes, I know Mapsource and the gps both may have ways to favour secondary roads("shortest or fastest" on the gps) but these will not get it right...Plus, my version won't export Routes that my Garmin Nuvis recognizes as routes. (it only sees "wpt" but not "rte" in the gpx format)

So, (IMO) the most successful way to "plan a route"In Mapsource is with exported and named waypoints (They must show up as "Favourites" on the Nuvi) on the route you really want to follow and export it as such.

Whether or not you have a gps that can make a real route, with multiple points, it is just as easy to pick the next waypoint in sequence before you reach it because Garmins order the waypoints in Proximity. .ie: since you have ensured you are on the road you want to be on, the Gps will usually keep you on it towards the next desired waypoint.If you have named your waypoints to be easily comprehended, it is simple to choose.
Given your gps is as clumsy as mine (a nuvi 1450) Mapsource is a pretty good test of what the Nuvi will do with your waypoints. Note that the Nuvi is going to do the calculation.

WITHOUT mapsource or any other external app, Your gps has a ton of preloaded POI so you can simply pick a gasstation in a town on your route and goto it or include it in your "route" if your gps is capable..

naming waypoints: Using 001,002,003 will fail without more info...even if it's just A001,A002 to differentiate routepoints from other routes But more info on names is better. "Hwy5-01 -coffee" etc is soo much better...


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[open1mind]

I really want to plan a long detailed trip, and upload the plan into a GPS. To date, I have not been able to do that. Using my Garmin, planning a route is super tedious, unless you want to take the routes that trucks take. I use Delorme Streets to plan. On the last long trip, my brother brought his notebook, and we used that with the Delorme plan in it. I've used it with my laptop in the car. Garmin just bought Delorme, so I expect an increase in sucktitude to increase.

How do you upload a plan into your GPS?

There are literally libraries of 'How to" videos and motorcycle forums on this topic. I gave up.
My feelings- if it takes that much effort/practice/expertise, and I am paying $ 500 for my allegedly motorcycle specific Garmin, then something is wrong. I know I should just devote more time to it, but Google/Scenic is making it too easy. I have great trip to CA coming up next week, and it took me about 5 minutes to load 3 dependable and customized routes into my phone tonight.
We'll see if it works as advertised.

 

[BurntKittyForge]

There are literally libraries of 'How to" videos and motorcycle forums on this topic. I gave up.
My feelings- if it takes that much effort/practice/expertise, and I am paying $ 500 for my allegedly motorcycle specific Garmin, then something is wrong. I know I should just devote more time to it, but Google/Scenic is making it too easy. I have great trip to CA coming up next week, and it took me about 5 minutes to load 3 dependable and customized routes into my phone tonight.
We'll see if it works as advertised.

Headed out for day, but
Yikes $500 (?) I paid $25 for my Garmin Nuvi and $5 for my Tom-Tom at two different local thrift stores.
It helps that where I live the median household income is $125K per year on the most recent report...

I mentioned the price to someone more "teky" (lol sp.? techy) than me and they said ,"well people use smartphones now [probably]"

Well it's great place to buy used but nobody stops for yard sales much , I noticed a while back.

I need the latest update for the Garmin because it told me to take "HOV Lane ahead" but it was actually "smart-pass" lanes now AND then I noticed a state police right after entrance , good thing I didn't turn. It has saved me time rerouting around traffic jams a few times though.

Got to run but be expecting an update w/ pics soon in my own GPS thread HERE soon since my speedo cable or gear broke recently and going to mount GPS until I get replacement...

Coincidentally, a [real] racer guy at a local MC shop was saying that GPS is used for speed checking on [their] race bikes and for route times, etc. these days over mechanical/actual speedos, interesting was all(?)...
Good day for now.

 

[Gorminrider]

yes, I'm with you there! Yard sales! (I go for the biggest screen.)

I recently have been fiddling with an old TomTom Go720 until the snow goes ...IT actually does do routes "properly" as "itineraries"and can be "loaded" using its own maps directly when plugged into a Windows computer so no "mapsource" is needed... but GPX or kml from other sources are also easily translated by gpsbabel... There is as usual a learning curve to grok it's software logic ( a bit like trying to outsmart fish- they are too stupid!)

The only thing I am not liking so far is that I can't use OpenStreetMaps on it, like I can with a Garmin....

 

[bwringer]

The only issue with apps is that the phone is not water proof or shock proof but I hear what you're saying.

My Samsung S6 Active (running Locus to act as a GPS) would like to disabuse you of the notion that phones have to be delicate little Faberge eggs... It's really too bad there aren't more tough, waterproof phones. Even if I didn't use it as a GPS on my handlebars, I'm klutzy enough that a waterproof phone is the only way a phone could hope to survive very long in my world.

The only issue in the rain is that raindrops sometimes make the phone freak out because it thinks it's being touched all over the screen. Enough forward velocity can keep this from happening unless it's really heavy rain. Or just throw a Ziploc bag over it.

When the phone was released, there was a "rain" setting for the screen sensitivity, but that disappeared somewhere along the way in one of the Android updates.

I experimented with a wireless (Qi) charging setup on the bike, but the amount of power used by the phone screen and GPS in continuous use and the heat generated by the inductive charging to keep up with demand led to overheating.

 

[Joe Garfield]

I've been using my iPhone but don't like to see it shaking/vibrating so much. I think it has affected my reception and GPS positioning.

 

[gordinho80]

Im in the market for a GPS to take with us on vacations. We often rent cars overseas and have used the iPhone but the data rates get expensive. Any suggestions for one with Europe maps?

 

[Baatfam]

So....
Am I the only guy that still just looks at a paper map, writes down the route, and sticks it in my tank bag pocket?

 

[Steve]

Probably not, Bob. I carry a GPS, a paper map AND some notes on the tank bag. :-\\\

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[Sandy]

So....
Am I the only guy that still just looks at a paper map, writes down the route, and sticks it in my tank bag pocket?

Not at all. I do usually have a GPS with me and maybe use it for some route planning but it rarely is actively running while I'm riding. Besides, I like sticking to mostly back roads and GPSs usually don't like that. They're good at telling me where I've been but generally have no idea of where I'm going. LOL.

 

[cowboyup3371]

So....
Am I the only guy that still just looks at a paper map, writes down the route, and sticks it in my tank bag pocket?

Nope, I still do that for all of my rides. I will look at the phone if I think my written directions might be wrong as I have forgotten some important parts - like turn right on hwy # but it's sign posted for "whatever rd"

 

[Sandy]

My Samsung S6 Active (running Locus to act as a GPS) would like to disabuse you of the notion that phones have to be delicate little Faberge eggs... It's really too bad there aren't more tough, waterproof phones. Even if I didn't use it as a GPS on my handlebars, I'm klutzy enough that a waterproof phone is the only way a phone could hope to survive very long in my world.

The only issue in the rain is that raindrops sometimes make the phone freak out because it thinks it's being touched all over the screen. Enough forward velocity can keep this from happening unless it's really heavy rain. Or just throw a Ziploc bag over it.

When the phone was released, there was a "rain" setting for the screen sensitivity, but that disappeared somewhere along the way in one of the Android updates.

I experimented with a wireless (Qi) charging setup on the bike, but the amount of power used by the phone screen and GPS in continuous use and the heat generated by the inductive charging to keep up with demand led to overheating.

Have you tried the OSMAnd app and if so how does the Locus compare? I assume Locus uses all the free open source maps and can run offline. I noticed the free version has advertising but you can get a paid version for cheap. Is there any other features on the paid version? Interested how well it works offline because we've been using a tablet without a SIM slot in the RV. OSMAnd works pretty good but it's not 100% user friendly, a little quirky but works great offline. OSMAnd allows a reasonable number of downloaded maps and modules before you need to buck up. Haven't hit that limit yet. It also has available the use of topo maps and a contours module which we use for planning hiking/biking routes, we need that more than the nav part.

 

[Spiff]

Im in the market for a GPS to take with us on vacations. We often rent cars overseas and have used the iPhone but the data rates get expensive. Any suggestions for one with Europe maps?

Lots of apps have offline maps, google maps is one, among the better are HERE for example. With offline maps and route planning.


I have a couple of Sony Xperia Z series smartphones which are waterproof. And one shouldn't be messing with a phone or a gps while driving a motorcycle anyways so stopping and taking of my glove is no problem. I do have a set of short gloves with a patch on the index fingers for touch screen operations, so problem solved. There are several manufacturers with touch screen compatible gloves in their collection.
Some android phones also have a "glovemode". I've also seen people buy sowing-thread with silver in it and sown in some threads in their thumb and index finger

I use a RAM-Mount on my SV1000 V-twin, haven't ruined my phone yet with all the vibrations that bike has