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  • Thread starter Thread starter Jarrett
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Well really not for riding out on a cycle in rural TX but I use Waze for work. My boss is not happy if I don't use it and we get stuck in traffic. I plug in my Pixel3 and it pops up on the Nav. screen. I usually have the massage seats going too. :mrgreen:
 
I use Co-Pilot USA for paved and Osmand Pro for dirt work and street. Both apps work without cell service. Osmand does both routes and tracks and turn by turn directions via blue tooth. CoPilot does turn by turn via blue tooth and or on screen. Apps are I think less than $10 each and you can download to multiple phones with no expiration. These are for Android. Co Pilot is pretty easy to plan route on phone using addresses or map selection. Osmand is a little more jicky but not bad.
 
Jarrett said:
@misterk, hoping to hear your thoughts on this.

I'm fed up with Garmin right now.
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Galileo (guru) when I am on dirt. Everyone’s Garmin gave them fits to keep the Idaho BDR route. My iPhone with Guru saved the day.

We would pull up to a decision point. They would futz with their Garmin while I would ride up to the correct road and simply say “this way”. Same thing in the NM BDR.

Google maps point a to b, usually requires cell service, but not always.

Copilot - I can plan a route in the fly in 1 minute. Go point A to point B. Interesting road in between? Put your finger in that road and touch @route through here” option. I have saved many rides with this app when the ride leader was using Garmin:)

When I do a long distant rally I actually use 2 iPhones. One will have my route with planned bonuses in either copilot or google maps. The other will have the big picture route going.

In metropolitan areas I use Waze to avoid traffic. Google does this also, they are owned by google btw.

No problem seeing in daylight. Garmin does have the advantage if being able to use gloves.

The most important feature to me on long hauls is live data. For example, we were heading to Thompson Falls MT from the Canadian border with google maps.

When I set the route it let me know a road was closed before Thompson falls due to bridge construction, so it gave me an alternate route. A Non live data GPS user would have been very disappointed to back track 40 miles at the closed bridge.

In my opinion A ride less than 400-500 miles is not a big deal regarding which system a person used. A 2000 mile ride and you better have your systems and back up systems in place for a smooth trip.

Regarding following GPX files, I have yet to find nothing that can beat GUru or Osmand.

Scenic is total crap, unless you like curvy roads through a neighborhood [emoji23]

I pay REVER $50 per year. I want to like it, but it is crappy and clunky. Mabie one day. They do have the weather overlay now, but it is not updated live, the best I can tell. I really want REVER to Succeed. Butler maps is tied into REVER, that is why I keep it.

Apple Maps is ok for sending a pin, but not always accurate.

Here is my NAV button

SWconnect and sootwalla is tied to my Spot tracker.


Just ignore greatest road app, total crap also.
bcc6455d93dc7d3ac5a1327a5a7f8de1.jpg
 
I use Garmin/Basecamp and it's a royal pain. Export routes to Google Maps for backup.

misterk said:
Galileo (guru) when I am on dirt. Everyone’s Garmin gave them fits to keep the Idaho BDR route. My iPhone with Guru saved the day.
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Are you using the free or Pro version of Guru? The app store write-up doesn't really high-light or distinguish a difference between the two.
 
Never mind the above question. After the free version is downloaded, Guru makes sure your know what your missing from the Pro version.

So played with Guru a bit. Good that you can download and have available off line maps. Can import/export .gpx and .kml files. It appears that Guru, like many other apps, gets you from point A to point B efficiently. It does not appear that you can create your own route, which would be difficult on a smartphone anyways. But that's what I like to do sometimes. So I resort to Basecamp.
 
Simmons1 said:
You guys are comical. Garmin is awful, yet it takes Mr K. two phones and 5 pieces software to navigate. [emoji38]2:

Makes a Garmin and knowing how to use Basecamp seem very elementary.
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Guys that do significant distance like the Iron Butt Rally always have multiple route options and typically backups for them as well.

I have found Garmin pretty good for established, paved roads but significantly lacking the more "trail" the route becomes. It also is static, so it won't pick up last minute closures or changes.

Smart phones are great when you have signal but not as great when you don't as they revert to static maps (if you downloaded them) and aren't as good at it as Garmin IMO.

Personally, I use a smart phone and a Garmin. Both have advantages.

Ps...I personally value Kevin's opinion on the subject navigation for adventure riding thousands of miles from home. He does them a lot and has figured out what works and doesn't from experience.
 
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Like some have said, I have two maps going. Garmin Nav for moving map, searching, gas, food, etc... iPhone and an app for the route guidance. Depending on the route, location in the country, and task at hand I switch between Waze, Google Maps, Rever or Scenic. I'd love to find one app that worked, but no one app is there yet.

Edit: Also use the Garmin Smart app and BMW Connected app to push live data to the GPS and Bike. SWConnect for tracking and an inReach for more tracking.
 
Tuco said:
I use Garmin/Basecamp and it's a royal pain. Export routes to Google Maps for backup.



Are you using the free or Pro version of Guru? The app store write-up doesn't really high-light or distinguish a difference between the two.
Click to expand...

i dont know, it was originally Galileo, I have had it for over 6 years.
 
Tuco said:
Never mind the above question. After the free version is downloaded, Guru makes sure your know what your missing from the Pro version.

So played with Guru a bit. Good that you can download and have available off line maps. Can import/export .gpx and .kml files. It appears that Guru, like many other apps, gets you from point A to point B efficiently. It does not appear that you can create your own route, which would be difficult on a smartphone anyways. But that's what I like to do sometimes. So I resort to Basecamp.
Click to expand...

The ONLY thing I use Guru for is to record certain dirt roads I like and for following gpx dirt trails. Hard to beat the ease of Co Pilot for general routing.
 
2N2OUT said:
Like some have said, I have two maps going. Garmin Nav for moving map, searching, gas, food, etc... iPhone and an app for the route guidance. Depending on the route, location in the country, and task at hand I switch between Waze, Google Maps, Rever or Scenic. I'd love to find one app that worked, but no one app is there yet.

Edit: Also use the Garmin Smart app and BMW Connected app to push live data to the GPS and Bike. SWConnect for tracking and an inReach for more tracking.
Click to expand...

It seems navigating software is a lot like motorcycles, no one has a lock on the market. Like each motorcycle, each app or device tends to do one particular thing well.
 
I wish Rever was better made. Cool concept but the implementation is not great. I particularly dislike how it handles offline maps.

I still pay for the sub because I use it whenever I ride to keep track of my rides and it messages my gf when I start/finish. That way she knows I got the office alright. Have yet to use it for any sort of routing.
 
If I'm on the road I like my Garmin 595 with my 66i and I carry a phone which I can connect to KTM my ride. Offroad I have a Garmin 680 T as well as the Voyager Pro, which typically shows more roads than Garmin and I can load any GPX I want. The Voyager Pro has such an incredible screen. My wife doesn't know it but she picked me up the new Garmin NUVI XT for Independence Day. Not used it yet but heading to Colorado on the 16th and will know more then. The 66i has TOPO as well as Birdseye which is pretty cool.
I've played around with most all of the apps but stick with Garmin and my Voyager. On the NMBDR the Garmin had some issues but the Voyager rocked. Glad we all have choices.
 
misterk said:
I pay REVER $50 per year. I want to like it, but it is crappy and clunky. Mabie one day. They do have the weather overlay now, but it is not updated live, the best I can tell. I really want REVER to Succeed. Butler maps is tied into REVER, that is why I keep it.
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Ocho said:
I wish Rever was better made. Cool concept but the implementation is not great. I particularly dislike how it handles offline maps.

I still pay for the sub because I use it whenever I ride to keep track of my rides and it messages my gf when I start/finish. That way she knows I got the office alright. Have yet to use it for any sort of routing.
Click to expand...

I use Rever because I liked their RLink, but man does their app have its share of oddities. Slow, and the group/challenge stuff seems like great ideas but they just don't sync up well. You could click on a challenge and it opens your web browser which only redirects you back to the app... like, what? :loco:

Their 3d map is pretty cool, but they need more options than 15 or 30 seconds, and the speed/height trackers really need to let you play with them more. Wait, scratch that. The height tracker just needs to let me see more than the preview, lol.

Let's not even begin to mention the 'sponsored rides' which don't have a way to sign up or even mention a date. Yeah, that cycle gear ride may have been 3 years ago, sure hope someone shows up this saturday....
 
Lattitude 40 map and a highlighter, Baybee.

Every convenience creates two inconveniences.
 
For my upcoming CDR, I'll be using the Voyager Pro plus a mix of phone apps.

It will be a bit of a throwdown on my phone: Locus (it is powerful and stable, but has a learning curve and requires configuring it for motorcycling to be closer to ideal), Gaia (it's so odd and won't run in the background reliably), OSMAnd+, and Rever pro. Also may fall back to Easy GPX Logger and Google Maps.

+1 on the Voyager Pro. What it does, it does very well. The glove friendly beautiful screen is really great.

I agree with other thoughts about Rever. I really want to like it, but I'm not sure it does anything very well. Offline maps are horrid. All the maps use tiny illegible text for road names. It won't keep running in the background (should run as a service in Android). Luckily, they are consistently improving it and responsive to feedback. And... Butler maps.

I've had TomTom Rider 550 and an older Garmin and they didn't earn their keep with me.
 
Jarrett said:
So if you are out of cell range and you need to reroute on the fly, is there an app that handles this the best?

Or is that function only handled by Garmin, TomTom, etc?
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Google Maps, with downloaded maps, works very well.

I've used OSMAnd+ in a pinch but can't say I've ever had to truly rely on its turn by turn navigation. I consider it adequate and sufficient for such a situation.
 
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My understanding is that when you're out of cell range, your phone still gets GPS pings to determine location. But you can't get map/navigation data from GPS satellites. That's why most phone GPS apps allow you to download offline maps so you can reroute on the fly using those offline maps. In a pinch I've used Google maps this way but Google reroutes an efficient direct route, not necessarily an enjoyable route.
 
I should add that even my Garmin (BMW Nav VI) essentially uses off line maps, which are not updated too frequently. And it has no knowledge of road construction or detours.
 
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