GPS Software best suted to motorcycle use

[henny]

im looking for some gps software that would be suitable for motorcycle use , i allready have a garmin gpsII and have made cable to conect to xda 2 , now im looking for software , any suggestions , how suitable would tom tom be? note xda mounted center of dash area.
thanks in advance

ia

[jpsanders]

I can't see why TomTom would be unsuitable, it works on-foot and in-car, has a very simple touch-screen interface for quick access.

I bought TomTom for my car, but I'm current driving my motorcycle full-time so I occasionally use it on my bike.

I'm using the TomTom Bluetooth and with the Bluetooth GPS unit in one pocket of my riding jacket and my XDA in the other it still routes OK when I'm on the bike (but I can only check it by pulling over :-().

Phil

[griffog]

TomTom should work fine on a motorcycle, unless you use a headset then the voice prompts won't be of much use though. If you haven't already sorted a mount for your XDA then take a look at Brodit's (http://www.brodit.se/images/235082.pdf) new waterproof PDA case and motorcyle mount. It's based on an Otterbox and is the ideal housing for all weather m/c use.

[ruppia]

http://www.touratech.de/shop_uk/en-us/dept_369.html

here you can find the same otterbox but with a beautifull premounted handlebar bracket...

I boutght it for XDA2 and it works perfectly for it and FZ6, with fortuna clipon in the front or in a bags......

:twisted: :evil: :twisted:

Rups

[johnduff]

I use my Qtek with a BT rikaline gps and tomtom3 on my motorcycle everyday. The devices are both under the transparent plastic cover of my tank bag, so the touch screen still works (despite some reflections, but still ok). For audio direction I use a wire headset installed in my helmet (BT devices I've tried will not play directions, only phone com.). I installed a 12V socket so I'm never out of battery. When I am on a long trip on motorways I can play some music so it is really working quite well. And this installation is easily removable, so I can use it in my car or elsewhere. That's it ! ;-)

[adamz]

http://www.pocketnow.com/index.php?a=portal_detail&t=news&id=2419

I use a nice rubber band.
:)

[ronald2oo2]

Just returned from my 5wk/9000km holiday on the motorcycle with the GPS in the tankbag and the XDA behind the tankbag window and TomTom3 giving directions in my helmet. Mainly for this I bought the XDA and TT and I was not disapointed at all.

:D It worked super; in the evening planning the route over minor roads -the only time I used paper maps- and next day just driving on the directions in my ear and on the screen leaving all my attention for the scenery and the road. Not only the navigation but also the POIs where great: gas tank almost empty, just navigate to the nearest gas station; time to stop for the night, just navigate to a camping.

1 minor disadvantage was the cord to the helmet for the audio which I regulary forgot to disconnect :oops: (luckily I had a spare cord). I hope someone will come up soon with a hack for the XDA to redirect the regular audio to BT.

Ronald

[henny]

thanks for all of the above , ive decided to go with tomtom and i think ill go the extra way and get a bluetooth unit,

what do we think of the TomTom Bluetooth wireless GPS receiver , any good, is it worth spending any more on another model , whats the battery life like on this model, and can you run it off a 12v feed? and is it happy with the xdaII and whitch bluetooth stack?

prob looking at the below from expandsys

http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=TOMTOM3BTUK

your coments please

thanks

henny

[henny]

anyone? tomtom bt gps verses any other? for use with xda2,tt3 on motoabike sugestions please,
thaanks
ian

[Cardy_X]

I've got a motorbike (well 125cc scooter but i ride it every day of the year and to every place i can). I use a gps unit and personally i wouldn't bother with a mount, the bike is too open for it and really would any waterproof stuff work properly or make it simply too bulky. Also, if the mount was to fall off (maybe not applicable in a car but alot more bumps and vibrations on a bike) then you'd risk breaking your xda 2, not cheap !

My setup is just the xda in its leather case with a fortuna clip on bt gps unit (which worked first time), i stick the xda in my inside jacket pocket and the small gps unit in my side pocket once it has a signal. Beauty of being bluetooth, i leave it at the window side to pick up a signal while i'm putting my gear on and then just stick it in and get on the bike as it already has a signal ! Genius!

I run a single headphone up through my helmet so i can hear the directions and after one or two rides you'll get used to how it works and not have any problems at all. Also the temptation to take your eyes off the road to look at the unti is too much and i wouldn;t like to do it.

There you go my 10pence worth from someone who does ride a bike and use a gps.

Oh also, i use navigon navigator after using tomtom3 for some time. Very fast routing even if you "forbid" motorways. tomtom would take an age to route big distances if i set this. Also has a nice tip of saying "take first ext on the roundabout onto the A4400" etc, which is good when your a bit uncertain as you can always check the big signs used by the goverment !

Cardy

[griffog]

http://www.touratech.de/shop_uk/en-us/dept_369.html

here you can find the same otterbox but with a beautifull premounted handlebar bracket...


The Brodit Otterbox M/C solution is IMHO much nicer, the mount is a machined metal bracket with a quick remove clip to allow it to be affixed/disconnected from the mount easily and it has a cable out facility to allow connection of a charger or GPS etc.

See here (http://www.brodit.se/images/235082.pdf) .

[adamz]

Does screen toggle work with TomTom software? What I mean is that I usually use IntelliNav that came with my Belkin Bluetooth GPS. I toggle the screen off with a Media Player configured hardware button, and listen to the directions through the headset in the helmet (while the PDA is in the Pocket).
Personally, I don't feel like making a mount on the motorcycle for the XDAII, and I wouldn't want to take my eyes off the road to look at it either.

I've tried Mapopolis, but the voice instructions are HORRIBLE, and they've disabled screen toggling. The same is true with CoPilot Live Pocket PC 5.
It's absolutely imperitive that I can shut the screen off, and still have audible INTELLIGIBLE navigating instructions.

Does anyone have an audio file of what the TomTom software sounds like?

[griffog]

Do you mean the screen backlight? If you toggle this off then TomTom continues to work and announce direction changes etc.

[adamz]

Do you mean the screen backlight? If you toggle this off then TomTom continues to work and announce direction changes etc.

I mean the power to the screen.. so that there's no light and tapping it does nothing. If you want to do me a favor to test it... In Media Player, go to Tools>Settings>Buttons. Then from the "Select Function" pop-up menu, choose "Screen Toggle"... press a hardware button to assign the function. Uncheck "Un-map buttons during background play." Then run TomTom, and press the hardware button to turn off the screen.

With Mapopolis and CoPilot Live 5, the screen goes off, but then comes back on right away. I hate it!!