Hi .. Other than the main stream apps such as Apple & Goggle, can anyone recommend apps that they have used to plot routes ?
Ive tried a few others but google maps still appears to me anyways to be the most convenient and easy to use. The Garmin offerings are terrible as were the tomtoms.
Plot and save? Myroute app. on the computer. Then export to tomtom app on the phone. Gmaps is very good for viewing roads using streetview, to get an idea of what the roads and countryside is actually like. So I often have that open at the same time as myrouteapp. Last year we used myroute app to plot complex routes, with loads of waypoints (essential if the routes are to be shared and also the ONLY way to force navs to do what you want! Place at each junction, including where you specifically want to stick on the chosen road and not use a short cut, which the nav would probably choose.) Beware, tomtom is live. This is good thing, once you realise what is going on. A planned route last year was not accepted by tomtom. Turned out there was a road closure…it knew. The garmin on the other bike did not. At least an hour wasted. Long routes? Split the route up. This can rescue plans if there are road closures or issues that cause a partial re-route. From experience, using iphones for nav and/or gmaps over long distance can be problematic as they tend to get hot. Android can as well esp when charging at the same time, but I found the iphone would shut down…so not great. It may depend on the model…?
Google maps is by far the easiest to use on the phone (and laptop) but is limited to just 10 waypoints. Calimoto works well on the phone, as does Sygic (Ducati’s choice integrated on the Multi V4S range) but quite a few struggle with it. On J Biker’s point above re battery useage/heat generated, I’ve never had any issues with Google maps or Calimoto but Sygic does eat up the battery but then it’s not only navigating but mirroring to the dash as well so the phone works extra hard.
Thats some great advice thank. I was toying with the idea of using a sat nav rather than the i phone.. but as with most things i dont really have a clue what i really need or want from a unit, any ideas ?
I've had good success with google maps, planned on computer...then sent to phone. Quadlock support on bike...job's a good'un!
MyRouteApp is being developed continually. Latest iteration is even better, add in the MRA Navigator and you can plot and navigate on your phone, or plot on your PC and then navigate on your phone from the same route that's automatically shared via the cloud. I would say that the navigation aspect is still not quite there but is a good backup. Mind you, this is for the paid for Gold version of the planner rather than the restricted free one. There are offers on this for a low as €99 for a lifetime subscription (just the planner, not MRA Navigator). I took one of these up at the beginning of the lockdowns, having paid annually for a year or two. A worthwhile investment, have been using it, in conjunction with a Garmin Zumo XT, as a very worthy replacement for Garmin Basecamp. Features like export to GPX 1.1, Google Maps, Michelin Maps and Google Street View (where available, off to Germany this week, practically zero coverage for Street View). It covers everything I used to have to dance around three different programs on the PC for. And with the Zumo XT in combination with Garmin Drive exporting to the GPS is pretty slick, no more fiddling with cables. However, MRA are developing a from-the-ground-up navigation app called MRA Navigation Next, this is due for release towards the end of this month (June '23). I bought into an advance, pre-sale offer on this for €69. I'm on the beta group and it's still not quite there with the latest release (17th May) but holds a lot of promise. Combine this with an Apple Car Play or Android Auto panel and, if it's as good as it's promising to be will make my Garmin redundant. Of course, alternatively, you can use a phone mount and just run it directly from the handset but a suitable panel with wireless connection would be my preference. I've been experimenting with the beta version on the Android Auto head unit in my car and it works but there are a few issues which they working on for the next release. Android Auto was only included in the latest beta. Will be using my Garmin XT for the remainder of the year in combination with MRA Gold for planning, hoping that MRA Nav Next will be fully sorted in June for some further experimentation with a view to testing it July onwards for use in earnest next year. There are only a couple of bike specific Android Auto panels available at the moment, early days and reviews not great so in the mean time I might invest in a phone mount for testing after the MRA Nav Next official release.
Depends what you want to achieve? Lots of options. Depends on complexity of routes, how often apps etc will be used, how much work you want to put in to it. I literally spend days, not hours, planning complex routes. The benefit is, I do not miss any great roads and I do not spend time needlessly going in to cities and towns that can be avoided. Motorways can be omitted…etc
If I'm honest in my "little head" ill be using the navigation equipment all around Europe, but in reality that probably wont happen so i guess at the minute it will be for routes around The British isles until i grow a pair and eventually get over to Europe.
Lol. Tomtom app has basic route planning available online, you can transfer the route to phone.if sticking to UK I would argue adequate. Procrastination is the thief of time! Grow some, trips to mainland Europe really are a breeze. Booking.com, a smartphone and some euros. (plus a better route planner and invest some time..) and Go!
I use MRA for most route planning, but if doing long distance I also use maps!!!real ones. I phones can overheat and shut down as witnessed by me but only in hot areas, ie Spain Italy France in the summer etc.
Re: iphones overheating, my wifes iphone would overheat in the car after a few hours of using gmaps. Hot weather yes, but aircon switched on so not what I would call excessive heat.
Further to my post above: A new beta release of MRA Navigation Next has just been made available to beta testers this afternoon. They've made some great improvements to bring it yet closer to its expected public release in a couple of weeks. I've just ordered an SP Connect case, bracket and charging mount for my phone and will try it out on my Germany trip next week alongside my Garmin XT that it'll hopefully be replacing in the coming months. Like Michel I do tend to carry maps too, Michelin regional ones. Best option for the big overview that's impossible with a sat nav or phone. Also handy to go analogue if there's a tech fail... Those Michelin maps green edged roads feature in MRA Gold. One of the many reasons I stumped up the €99 lifetime sub.
I'll second that. I used Beeline on recommendation from a mate 3 weeks ago to do a 1900 mile round trip to Scotland, Skye and back to Wiltshire. Can't fault it and is certainly intuitive. Really useful having the ability on Beeline to have map directions or a simple screen navigation arrow. You chose and can flip between the two. Can't fault it.
https://kurviger.de/en?ovd=activeTab=oneway&navigationItem=routeplanning Kurviger is good. Google maps only allows 10 way points and you have to reset the destination every time you reach a way point.
https://scenic.app/ £10 a year - does nearly everything the others do (nav accuracy is 10x better than Calimoto) and route planning is super intuitive. Just wish it had speed camera/traffic alerts etc.
