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What do you use for navigation?


Guest bikerkate
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I'm just getting into motorcycling and am worried about using my phone on the handlebars - looking for another solution and got advertised this thing:


https://www.facebook.com/ridebeeline/videos/10156525755959452/?hc_location=ufi


on Facebook. I haven't done too much research but it looks different. Has anyone used one? Looks like they already make it for bicycles. Anyway, I'm thinking of backing on Kickstarter (and did click the link to try to win one https://beeline.co/pages/moto-competition)...looks like they will be quite cheap for the early backers. £79 I think...so I might take a punt.

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I use my iPhone 8 Plus on a Quadlock holder on the handlebars. Phone is waterproof and has withstood some torrential downpours with no ill effects. Works brilliantly with Waze or Scenic apps. Communicates with my Schuberth C4 helmet using Bluetooth to get navigation instructions or phone calls should I deem to accept them (generally don't on the bike). Waze is fantastic as it updates instantly with traffic snarl ups etc. You do need a power cable for the phone though, but you'd have one for the sat nav anyway. I have never used more than a few hundred kbs of data even on a 250 mile run so well within my 20gb allowance. I was looking at the new TomTom 550 but am so happy with Waze etc on the phone I don't think I'll bother.

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1st post and no introduction


Two links to a product.


Blatant advertising I think.


You must be slacking in your old age @Stu or you’ve just had a skinful today and have missed it :wink: :lol:

 

I expect he's celebrating his birthday

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You can pick up a decent second hand Garmin or TomTom for under 150 quid on eBay and it shows you actually useful things like which exit to take at a roundabout or where fuel stations are... or you know things like roads which are useful when on a motorbike.

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I have a Tomtom 400 and am thinking about my next move. To upgrade to the new Tomtom 550 or use the Tomtom App on my phone. I used the phone the other day and the GPS lag on the newer phone was gone. So I am seriously thinking about using the phone full time as my main GPS. The jury is still out at the moment.

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Rae I used to use my phone as my satnav with much "whatever it's as good as a dedicated satnav" but since getting an actual satnav (Garmin zumo something or the other) I'm converted! Seems more instinctive, easier to use with gloves. And integrated docking charge station which is nice!


But I did use my phone for over a year with no issues until the gps epically failed on it :lol:

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I use a 9 year old Garmin Zumo.. it works perfectly and is still fully supported by Garmin with software and map updates plus back to base (Southampton) repairs, if necessary. I see nothing to be gained by replacing it. i'll probably be keeping it until it either bricks... or Garmin render it obsolete by no longer offering map updates.


despite the gadgets age.. it never ceases to amaze me how much these things sell for.. and how quickly.

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I'm just getting into motorcycling and am worried about using my phone on the handlebars

 

In what way? I used my phone, in cheap waterproof cases, for years without problems. The only caveat is I would always connect a lanyard (mine homemade) to the case to also wrap around the bars to protect from it coming loose somehow. Only with one case did that ever happen whist riding.


I now have a TomTom (Rider 420) and whilst there are a number of features I miss, and has many annoyances, overall having a dedicated unit is better. Notably over a phone that it does not have a problem with glare in bright weather (probably due to not needing a case), is usable with gloves, and will hopefully not overheat like the phone did being inside a case.


But I am more worried about the TomTom being unprotected in the open on my bars than I ever was about the phone in a protective case. Though it probably depends where you can mount it, as mine is just inside the mirror as I cannot fit in the middle of my bars/yoke.

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or Garmin render it obsolete by no longer offering map updates.

Don't worry about that, you can update Garmins with Open Street Map. I can still keep my double-ancient BMW Navigator II up to date with that!


TomToms are different though, the way maps are built for those is a trade secret so they really can become obsolete at TomTom's whim.

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1st post and no introduction


Two links to a product.


Blatant advertising I think.


You must be slacking in your old age @Stu or you’ve just had a skinful today and have missed it :wink: :lol:

 

possibly but no evidence to say it is! although looking at the product you would be stupid to get one for planning routes IMO :mrgreen:

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Rae I used to use my phone as my satnav with much "whatever it's as good as a dedicated satnav" but since getting an actual satnav (Garmin zumo something or the other) I'm converted! Seems more instinctive, easier to use with gloves. And integrated docking charge station which is nice!


But I did use my phone for over a year with no issues until the gps epically failed on it :lol:

 

A lot of people who swear by mobiles soon get converted once they use a dedicated sat nav :)

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I use a 9 year old Garmin Zumo.. it works perfectly and is still fully supported by Garmin with software and map updates plus back to base (Southampton) repairs, if necessary. I see nothing to be gained by replacing it. i'll probably be keeping it until it either bricks... or Garmin render it obsolete by no longer offering map updates.


despite the gadgets age.. it never ceases to amaze me how much these things sell for.. and how quickly.

 

This is one of the reasons I bought the top model sat nav Garmin did at the time it cost me £430 and if it lasts up to 10 years then whats 43 quid a year?


My last sat nav was a TomTom rider V1 it was 8 years old and still worked and I could get map updates but I was starting to have charging issues with the base! it was an easy ish fix but for me it was time to move on! I sold it on ebay including all the relevant info of the issue for £57 I paid £100 for it so win win IMO :lol:


oh and as [mention]Snod Blatter[/mention] says Open street map :wink:

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Do you think it’s worth paying top whack for the best model or are the lower priced Tomtoms just as good?

 

it all depends on your needs


if you are talking of dedicated bike sat navs then all will do the main aim which is get you from A-B via XYZ


If you want larger screens and stuff then thats when the top spec comes in!


For me I'm just a spoilt bast*rd :lol:

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I do use a phone with G Maps , AA Route finder and Track my Trip etc. but sometimes I just can't get on with the small screen size especially if I am out and about and zooming out to try to see the bigger picture . I also have problems with bright sunlight on the screen . So sometimes I find that an old fashioned Road Atlas is easier to use. What I do is buy a big cheap one from The Works discount bookshop . Last year I made a map tube from a piece of plastic drainpipe, I put it in my seat mounted roll bag so that all I had to do was open one end and slide the rolled up Road Atlas in and out . Works for me on the big trips but would be quite useless trying to navigate around London for example.

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