TomTom Rider

Does anyone have any updated opinions on the TomTom? Has anyone used it offroad?

I just got my Rider 2013 model(Version 5?) and plan to use it on GPS Rallies as you can use GPX files on the Rider. But if you want to use it on trails that are not marked(off the Map), then a trail specific GPS unit would be needed. Even the Garmin Zumo 660 with Topo Maps would still have issues based on my research before getting the Rider: http://www.gpscity.com/questions?qid=664

As you probably seen other reviews and posts, the Zumo is "Better" than the Rider, but to me, not twice the price better for my GPS needs. YMWV.

I did not buy the Rider for off-the-road trail riding. If I did, I would look at the TrailTech Voyager http://www.trailtech.net/digital-gauges/voyager-moto-gps or a handheld trail GPS unit. I like the Garmin Monterra on paper(pretty much an android smartphone without cell service), but again just could not justify the cost for my needs. I've used in the past the Magellan Map330 and Garmin Rino, but can't comment on the current models.

FWIW, I plan to use a smartphone with an app like Locus Maps(offline map download for both on-road and TOPO) as first backup and good to have some sort of paper directions/Map as last resort.

Regards,
Con

Anyone else have any reviews of TomTom's availability of off-road trail maps for this Rider GPS?

Sent from my GT-P3113 using Tapatalk

Just got a new rider and tried it out for a couple of hours yesterday...

Pros:

Bluetooth works well. No problem using with iphone and Sena.

Routing seems OK, I like the winding roads feature, seems to work well.

Cons:

Large size/weight makes it shake a little more that smaller/lighter units.

Not yet sure about general usability when using the unit to look at the map to figure out where to head next.

Zooming/painting of the screen is slow compared to garmins - even my ancient Nuvi.

Level of detail on screen is less than Garmin.

Not clear if it can be set to 'north up'.

City names come and go when you zoom in and out. They are there at some zoom levels and not there at others.

These last two are probably the most annoying issues for me.

I can see how it would be fine for routing but a tad annoying to use instead of a map to see where you are in relation to other things.

I already RTFM but just gave it a quick pass through. Perhaps I missed something?

Not yet sure of this one is going to be sent back...

Does this have software that you can use to import routes via .GPX files? Such as the route files that are shared here on advrider?

There should be two methods:

1. On Windows, run the Route Planning software Tyre, and import the GPX file. Save it as an ITN after adjusting and import to your Rider.
2. Attach the Rider to your computer, and copy the GPX file to the GPX2ITN folder on the Rider.

-Alec

That's another con for my earlier list - Tyre does not run on my mac..

I would need to run windows in a vm to run Tyre...

I'm a Mac user as well. There's got to be some website that lets you generate a GPS or ITN file from a planned route which you can then import onto the Rider.

Sounds like it will do the job. However, that is very disappointing that Tyre doesn't run on a Mac.

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There is: http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/.

One caveat: it will only work with routes, not tracks.

Also, at least on the older TomTom Riders, an ITN file was limited to 48 waypoints.

Thanks!

I think the new Rider can do up to 100 waypoints.

I've been kind of lazy on this forum due to the snowy and cold part year, I did a 5000 miles trip last summer with the rider, it has some glitches that hasn't disappeared over the winter, after several updates, during a long day of riding, it can suddenly loose the scalarider, and I can't reconnect, I get an error message, can't use all functions in headset, I've tried in every possible way, I have to plug the tomtom into the PC and update, then it reconnects, and it will work for a while, maybe a couple of days, and then it shuts out the headset again... Anyone with the same issue?


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I got a reply from Tomtom Support today, they told me that their "new" device is not fully compatible with the Scalarider G9, but the G4 would work...
It's amazing how simple it is compared to what were told in the release comercials....

Sorry, what do you mean?


This is an interesting thread. Competition is good.

When I bought the TomTom it was supposed to be the latest with fancy features, and what does it have compared to the older riders, a bit wider screen and the curvy road, nothing more, and my friend who has a TomTom rider that is old as dirt doesn't have any issues with his scalarider g9 on his GPS, I most say I'm not impressed by the TomTom at all any more...

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I went and started a new thread by mistake or not looking for this one any way my problem is my brand new Rider is very slow to respond to speed alerts it reads the posted speed and actual speed instantly most of the time but will not tell me I am over for approximately 7or 8 seconds and then only if I am over by 7Ks if I accelerate hard I can be over by 30Ks before it responds that it both visually ( by turning red ) and audibly is this normal with the Rider also I can not get it to give me audible navigation instructions even though I get the speed and camera beeps and it is enabled .
TomTom told me to reload the maps and remove the Applications and do a reload all of witch I have done to no avail as it is still exactly the same dose anyone have any ideas or even better a Australian phone number to TomTom that dose not go straight to India as if this is the best this unit can do I will be seeking a full refund

Why is that such a bother that you'd seek a refund?

Can someone confirm or explain how the Rider 5 interfaces with your computer, please?

Specifically, are all of the Rider's interactions with your computer done through Tyre, or is that just for route planning, and all other computer interfacing–for things such as updates, firmware, maps, etc.–done through some other program?

If the latter, is this non-route planning stuff limited to a PC/Microsoft system only, or can it be done with a Mac?

Also, can route planning be done only on the unit without using the Tyre program? Perhaps doing so is just so cumbersome as to be almost impossible. For my purposes, however, even if I used Tyre at home, I'm sure I'd want to adjust my routes while traveling, and no computer would be available to me, so unit route planning would be a necessity on the road.

Last question, can GFX or INT files made in other programs other than Tyre be uploaded to the Rider, ideally from a Mac?

Thanks for clarifying all this for me.

OK...so as a work-around until Tyre comes out with a Mac version, could you theoretically create a route in BaseCamp (or as I call it buttcramp...that software hurts) save the GPX to the folder on the Rider and have my cake and eat it too?

Tyre is only a Route Planning tool. For installing map & software updates, TomTom Home is the software you use, which is available for both Mac and Windows PC.

Yes, you can plan the route completely from the Rider itself. You can add and reorder waypoints and destinations, etc. And you can then ask the Rider to display the route it planned. You can save itineraries for future use and load them when needed.

Supposedy... GPX is a standard format, and many programs support output in this format. ITN is proprietary for TomTom. There are GPX to ITN converter programs, AND TomTom can directly read a GPX file.

A website like MapMyRide.com can supposedly allow you to input waypoints and save them as a GPX file. I haven't had much luck yet, as the Rider only supports up to 100 waypoints, and MapMyRide seems to add many more than that even for a 150 mile route.

Keep in mind that a route plan is just a series of waypoints. It's up to the GPS to then plan the path between each waypoint. If you use Google Maps to make your planned route, Google may choose one path between your waypoints, while the TomTom Rider may choose a different path.