GPS Route planning - at last something for Bikers

Hi, Thanks for the info on TYRE. I am currently planning a trip and the features on it are great. Cheers Mark

 

I have been able to do this for years with several Garmins, using Garmin Mapsource software. You plan out your route on the software at home, on your PC, download it into you GPS unit, and can take the most out of the way roads you want to. Software used to come with the units, not sure if it still does.

 

for garmins that dont take mapsource routes, you can (i did) get the coordinates via google maps and program them in as a series of "favorite locations" as a custom POI file. The locations can be numbers 1,2,3,4,5 etc and then you navigate from point to point

 

Do I also have to download the map? In addition to downloading the route?

 

no, all you do is download the route, at least on the Garmin 3+, StreetPilot, & StreetPilot III. And I think, pretty sure, (haven't done many fun rides since I got the Zumo 2 years ago) I did it once on my Zumo 550. The map is already in your unit (although with the earlier ones you also had to download the maps if you were running maps in a different area.

 

Tyre wow

This has been a great post..
I downloaded Tyre and found it was excellent!!So kudos to you for sharing this. I also gave 5 euros via pay-pal . Well spent. Michael..

Planning a trip back home for a super surprise(Toronto)

 

Your are correct Spike. I use mine the same way. Mapsource did come packaged with my Zumo 550 (2 years ago).
It has great routing features and you can set it to select very minor roads or all highway with the auto routing feature. In addition using way points with road preferences set to desired roads works great also.

 

I do. That's because I'm constantly updating the map that I use in MapSource ... for my part of the world we have access to a free online autorouting road map. This map is maintained by the community of Garmin GPS users. They're constantly making updates to the map. This is the biggest issue with routing ... having up-to-date base maps. We all know it's not going turn out too good if you plan your routes on out-of-date maps!
Of course, out on the road, I need my GPS to be using the same base map as the route planning used ... otherwise it'll re-calculate and display spurious results.

 

Just bought my first GPS. Great info.. Does anyone have a download that is for all the dudes who have the new VFR 1200 or are going to buy one so we don't run out of gas in the middle of nowhere?

 

Just about any GPS will have gas station locations. What kind did you get?

 

Just a little satire on the dudes who have a bad case of smalltankitis/tunnel vision/ myopia when it comes to the new VFR.

Staples had a sale on the TomTom XL 340 S . My local store had eight in stock so I bought it online. Got it in two days.

I will use it mostly in the car. On a bike I am I guess what is called a stopper. Gas, pee break, cuppa coffee, stretch, see the scenery look at a map, and maybe even munch on a Jo-jo or two if they are available.

Just downloaded the Tyre program. Good stuff.

 

Welcome to the 21st century! It's an addictive device.

 

I see the units for bikes are in the $500.00 range. I may have to forgo one until I get the toaster, espresso maker and plasma TV all hooked up to my bike. I had all that stuff working and installed in a set of GIVI luggage. Got all dressed in for a run to WalMart and the damn bike was doing a wheelie all by itself standing still.

 

some great info. I know tyer works with tom tom has anyone made it work with garmin?
map source is great however i do find google is a little more user friendly.

 

The biggest feature that you're paying all the money for on the Bike-specific GPS is the waterproofing. For those people (NOT me!!) that ride in the rain and like to have the GPS, it's a fantastic feature. Also they now seem to have XM/Sirus/Sat radio built in, as well as some other neat things. But mostly the waterproofing. It's a niche market. For me, the "simplest" GPS that did custom routing (Garmin Nuvi 750 at the time) did the trick.

I rarely ride without it anymore... it's like having a heads up display playing a racing video game -- you get an idea on what turns are coming up, what roads look fun in areas I don't know very well, and most importantly where I can go to eat and fuel up!

And if you have trouble finding something in particular you're looking for with the POI's loaded, pair it with free 1-800-GOOG-411, and plug in some addresses!

 

I don't have one of the ungodly expensive bike specific Zumo or Tom-Tom models. Too pricey for me. I use my Garmin Nuvi 680 on my bike. It's not waterproof or shock resistant, but I've used it on several long-distance trips, and through many heavy rains and all-day rains (I put a baggie over it), and it just continues to take a lickin' and keep on tickin'! I figure I can go through three or four Nuvis for what a Zumo costs (even though I'd love to have one). And believe it or not, I use it for a speedometer as much as for navigating.

 

I'm still a noob with this one I just got. I did manage to go to the store and the library today (about a mile total) and find my way home. Just to see what it would do I programmed it with my home address and the shortest route then made a "wrong" turn. It compensated. Waaay cool..Next thing I need to do is find a small phone book to have in the car for finding addresses. I am liking this thing more and more..

I'll give it a try on the bike. I can't say I am the carry 75% of personal posessions with with me at all time type. Not quite WingDing or Winny time yet. I will stop if I use it on the bike. Too many close calls caused by cell users, texters and just plain I own the fucking road types for moi to add any more things that are potentially distracting.