iPhone Motorcycle App Thread

[nitsuj]

I drive all day for a living. Not over the road trucking type stuff, but residential address seeking type stuff. I've been using Motion Pro for 2 years and it's acceptable, but I don't love it. I recently started using Waze as my gps, and so far it's working well. And it's free. I didn't read the whole thread so I don't know if it was already mentioned or not.

Waze is sort of like a social GPS, other users in your area add input like traffic jams, accidents, visible police, etc. them as you drive, it will show areas of your route in red that are potentially going to slow you down. When you stop at lights and don't need the navigation, it pops up traffic info around you, like "Wazer user reported visible cop on RT 79 near X exit" Wazer user reported traffic stand still at Hemlock road in Cranberry" that sort of thing, once you get moving, it goes back to navigation mode.

[dpifko]

Originally Posted by nitsuj

I drive all day for a living. Not over the road trucking type stuff, but residential address seeking type stuff. I've been using Motion Pro for 2 years and it's acceptable, but I don't love it. I recently started using Waze as my gps, and so far it's working well. And it's free. I didn't read the whole thread so I don't know if it was already mentioned or not.

Waze is sort of like a social GPS, other users in your area add input like traffic jams, accidents, visible police, etc. them as you drive, it will show areas of your route in red that are potentially going to slow you down. When you stop at lights and don't need the navigation, it pops up traffic info around you, like "Wazer user reported visible cop on RT 79 near X exit" Wazer user reported traffic stand still at Hemlock road in Cranberry" that sort of thing, once you get moving, it goes back to navigation mode.

Unless Waze is somehow in a relationship with Apple, they're going to have a hard time on iOS come this fall. Crowdsourced traffic and incident reporting will be available for free, out-of-the-box, with iOS 6. Rumor has it that Apple is using TomTom's system, which jives with the look-and-feel of their new tech and with the crowdsourced features.

I hope Waze can figure out a strong path forward, as they're a sharp team with some forward-thinking products.

Daniel

Update: Waze and TomTom are both providing content for Apple's new navigation system. Awesome.

[Xtremjeepn]

Our first issue of Mōtum is now available for the iPhone

Link to the app store.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/motum...0233?ls=1&mt=8

[mbishara]

Originally Posted by DenniSMC

I used it for a while and liked it. Then I had to travel across country to help a friend move. And it was going to be an all highway ride. So I downloaded Drive from MotionX. And loved it. I would love a real GPS devise. But MotionX is making it harder and harder for me to spend the money. The iPhone is as good or better then the low end ones. And the high end ones are just to darn expensive.
If I planned on leaving the US I can see spending the cash. But for weird little weekend adventure in Civilization(or the pockets of country in between them), I will stick to the iPhone and my various Ram Mounts. The water proof box for the offroad. And the normal open mount for every day driving.

I'm having some issues. It's not about the money for a stand alone GPS unit. It's more about the "why". I have my iPhone glued to my hand all the time for various reasons. And I have a blue tooth setup on my bike. I can't see also cradling a standalone GPS. it's too much.

The iPhone GPS apps are great. I use the iPhone native app for when I have an Internet connection and I can use the Tom Tom for when I'm roaming and turn off my data connection to avoid the hue carrier roaming charges.

But the problem is that I can't find a good iPhone GPS app that will help me plan my trip by importing GSX files into the GPS app like a lot of the stand alone GPS devices can do.

Yes we get turn by turn navigation but what if we don't talk to talk the shortest, fastest highway route from one point to another? And what if we want to use something like "greatest road" to map a course that other riders really liked?

To date I haven't found a food way of doing this with the iPhone and I might have to purchase a stand alone GPS. The only thing is that the stand alone GPS isn't much better IMO than the iPhone's Tom Tom, EXCEPT for the fact that they can port GPX files.

[mbishara]

This is what I received from The GPS Drive support department:

"Only MotionX-GPS supports GPX file importing. MotionX-GPS is designed for tracking and recording outdoor activities such as hiking, sailing, off-roading, flying, geocaching, or exploring new places. MotionX-GPS is available worldwide. For more info visit, http://gps.motionx.com/iphone/overview/.

GPS Drive does NOT support GPX file importing. MotionX-GPS Drive is a complete GPS navigation solution. MotionX-GPS Drive helps you find what you're looking for and provides turn-by-turn directions with optional Live Voice Guidance using industry-leading road maps. MotionX-GPS Drive is only available in the US and Canada. For more info visit http://drive.motionx.com/iPhone/overview/."

If I can find a way of doing this with GPS Drive then problem solved.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[seevtsaab]

Originally Posted by mbishara

This is what I received from The GPS Drive support department:

"Only MotionX-GPS supports GPX file importing. MotionX-GPS is designed for tracking and recording outdoor activities such as hiking, sailing, off-roading, flying, geocaching, or exploring new places. MotionX-GPS is available worldwide. For more info visit, http://gps.motionx.com/iphone/overview/.

GPS Drive does NOT support GPX file importing. MotionX-GPS Drive is a complete GPS navigation solution. MotionX-GPS Drive helps you find what you're looking for and provides turn-by-turn directions with optional Live Voice Guidance using industry-leading road maps. MotionX-GPS Drive is only available in the US and Canada. For more info visit http://drive.motionx.com/iPhone/overview/."

If I can find a way of doing this with GPS Drive then problem solved.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Why not use Motion-X GPS to navigate when using imported GPX files? Along with creating tracks, it seems to be what the app was intended to do. Drive is your basic plug-in-an-address-and-take-me-there deal.

[Unstable Rider]

Great post you guys. Very inspiring.

I really like my iphone 4 for bike travel. Makes a fair phone to make calls on sometimes, too.

I found a free web based site to generate different options of QR code images.

I wrote a couple for fun. Useful for one-click mapping, etc. The map locations saved as QR pop instantly into Google Maps on the iphone.

Hmmm.

Another one I saved (the last one) is just a place I want to go to next season, and now I can just print that QR code in my pre-trip notes, and if I want to go there, read more, reference something, it's an iphone scan away.

Kind of fun. It is amazing how fast the iphone grabs these just from the PC screen:

Link to free QR generator:

http://www.qrstuff.com/

[mbishara]

Very interesting idea.... So I can use both apps concurrently. Use my imported GPX file on one and to see if I'm following the exact route and use the other app (or my Tom Rom App) for the turn by ten navigation....

That just might work. It'll take a bit of fiddling while riding and remove some concentration from the road though.

I'll look into that...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[mbishara]

The only issue is that Mation-X doesn't provide turn by turn navigation so we can import other GSX files and figure out another way.

Or I can just not import from the Greatest road app and try to mimicking it manually on my Tom Tom app.

At this point if you cannot import a GPX to GPS Drive then you cannot use turn by turn navigation so in either case you have to plot your course manually in whatever GOS app of preference that you use.

I think that I'll go that route because I don't feel like having a stand alone GPS on a separate mount.


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[dpifko]

If you have the Navigon app, Greatest Road will recognize it. When you tap Start Ride on your favorite stretch, Navigon will magically appear as one of the options. It should fire Navigon up and allow you to start the navigation right away. As far as I know, neither Motion-X nor Motion-X Drive allow other apps to call it with multiple waypoints. That's a shame, since the app rocks and they're a local company. We're looking into doing something similar with the Google Maps app too.

[MrBob]

On a recent tour my NOAA Hi-Def Radar app was very helpful. I could swipe the screen to look ahead of my route for ugly weather and adjust accordingly. The satellite maps are very high resolution.
I gather that some versions use Google maps and some Apple maps but developers say their goal is to be using Google's vastly superior maps. It's not a terribly important distinction because you're looking at huge distances.
As a vegetarian I found the Happy Cow app of limited usefulness for eating on the road. Using the location feature of the phone it's supposed to identify vegetarian restaurants in the area. It was okay in larger urban areas but about useless in smaller communities. Also, the rating system is pretty rigid, making it even less useful in the sticks.

[mbishara]

Originally Posted by dpifko

If you have the Navigon app, Greatest Road will recognize it. When you tap Start Ride on your favorite stretch, Navigon will magically appear as one of the options. It should fire Navigon up and allow you to start the navigation right away. As far as I know, neither Motion-X nor Motion-X Drive allow other apps to call it with multiple waypoints. That's a shame, since the app rocks and they're a local company. We're looking into doing something similar with the Google Maps app too.

So I also purchased the Navigon app it seems to be a very good one. Weird how I decided to purchase Navigon when I already have Tom Tom and the Motion-X and Motion-Drive. But the Navgon seems like a very good GPS and it's not about the money for the apps or the stand alone GPS. It's about the functionality that I want when I'm riding.

That being said here is what Motion-X Support told me yesterday and it works:

Yes, you can navigate to a MotionX-GPS waypoint using GPS Drive. To do so, please launch MotionX-GPS and select Menu >> Waypoints >> All Waypoints >> choose the one you'd like to navigate to >> Options >> Open MotionX GPS Drive. Let me know if you run into any trouble.

You can navigate to multiple stops (waypoints) using GPS Drive. To setup a multi-stop route, please use the following steps:

1. Start navigating to a destination by going to its address detail page and selecting the green Navigate button.
2. Without stopping navigation, choose another destination (or import one from MotionX-GPS), again by going to its address detail page and selecting the green Navigate button.
3. You will be asked if you want to add a stop or clear the route. Choose "Add Stop."
4. You can add up to 9 stops to the route, for a total of 10 destinations.

Please note, the first destination you add, will always be the final destination. Stops should be added after the destination. Let me know if you experience any issues with this and I'd be happy to help.

So I tried it and it really does work very well exactly as stated. But it gets annoying adding each way point one at a time and I liked the Navigon interface.

Now apart from Navigon working well with Greatest streets from the iPHONE can it import GPX files as well? Or do I have top go to GOogle to map my route and from Google somehow import to Navigon?

I chose Navigon over Motion-X because of their really good 3d Display and traffic re-routing feature but I posted the Motion-X solution for every one else's benefit.

[bomber60015]

I've recently entered the 21st Century, and scored a smart phone. . .. .(wife's work got us a deal that simply couldn't be passed up).

I've installed, and use, Outcast (which is great, kind of a crowd sourced weather forecasting deal) and Google Maps (no opinion, as I've not had a chance to put it through it's paces) . . . . .

Any apps that might come in handy to a rider (both on and off pavement)?

thanks!

[mwood7800]

Pure gas. Greatest roads. And yelp come to mind

[ADVer]

See here

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=637474