Why would you use a "motorcycle gps" instead of a smartphone?

I personally think smartphones are worth their weight in gold when on long trips. It sure makes it much easier to find all types of services and resources along the road, not to mention the ability to easily keep in touch via voice or text, get up-to-the-minute weather and weather radar and all kinds of useful things. I can do virtually anything with my smartphone that I can do with a PC or my Mac. It's my communication system, camera, weather radar, back up GPS, calendar, email, note taking, music player, TV/movie player, book reader, live video chat via Facetime or Skype, etc., etc., etc. I even keep user manuals for various pieces of equipment on it, i.e., Zumo GPS, Sena headset, etc. I consider my iPhone 6 a very important and necessary part of my travel equipment. I wouldn't think of leaving home without it, especially on a trip where I'm going to be thousands of miles from home.

One feature the iPhone has (and I have no idea if Android phones have something like it or not) is the "Find Friends" app. Anyone I give permission can literally track my whereabouts real time and see where I am on maps and satellite views.
 
Another old codger here who sees no need for a smartphone. My old flip phone works when I need to make a call and my old Garmin Nuvi 785 is kept tucked in a pocket, whilst I listen to the gal direct me through my custom made ear plugs.
 
nhdiesel said:
Downside of a dedicated GPS:
None that I can think of.
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Agree wholeheartedly...
A '04(!) Garmin Quest-I still works flawless for me...
bike-powered cradle with wired audio-feed into the Autocom... simple plug'n'play...
No hustle with BlueTooth or other new-fangled crap giving head-age...

Uncle Phil said:
That's cause it's for me, not for you .... :D It's on when I need it, not when you need it. ;-)
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LOL! :lol: Nice attitude... l o v e it :D
(>15 years of nearly 24/7-cell-phone-terror as support engineer were more then the fair share for me... :hyp1: )

Bush said:
Another old codger here who sees no need for a smartphone.
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Ditto, and I do prefer redundant systems anyway...
 
I'm considering the switch from a gps to using my smartphone as a gps because Garmin seems to expend more time trying to keep people from stealing their map data than making that map data easy to use and update. In the decade+ I've owned Garmin gps units, I've spent hours on the phone with technical support - way more time than I have with computers or smartphones. The latest debacle was trying to get the maps updated in my Garmin 478 and new computers. Now Garmin has decided to stop supporting map updates in their older gps's which show up in your computer as a garmin mode device.

Now, the free OSM maps are matching Garmin maps in many cases. Two years ago, I used those maps in Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Colombia in my 478. Some were excellent and some only OK. But as times goes on, the Osm maps keep improving. I have a water resistant, shockproof Samsung Galaxy 5 Android smartphone and using OSMAnd or OSMAnd+, I can use those downloaded OSM maps with no cell signal. I'll be experimenting with those until my 478 breaks. At that time, I'll have to decide whether to go full smartphone use or get another Garmin. Heck, some people are even experimenting with 7" android tablets (which almost all now have a built in gps) as a motorcycle gps unit The Zumo and auto based gps units are out because they either can't handle tracks at all or just barely. I use my gps on a dual sport motorcycle too and need the ability to handle tracks. If I decide to get a Garmin, it will be either a Montana or Monterra.
 
jonz said:
The Zumo and auto based gps units are out because they either can't handle tracks at all or just barely.
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I'm confused by this statement. My Zumo 390LM records tracks that I can download to my Mac, convert into routes, etc. I am just curious as to what the problem is for you? I must be missing something.

Oh, and what are these free OSM maps you are referring to? I'm not familiar with them.
 
That's the reason I use the Peaklife and Rage units with IGO8 or IGO Primo. Much better price point ($130 or so and waterproof + the software) and good GPS functionality. They now have a 5 inch screen now which looks to be a nice product and IPx5 rated. There's a little 'fussing' to set them up, but the ongoing 'updates' are as simple as copying the new maps down to the proper folder and away you go! ;-)
 
ParkerBill said:
I'm confused by this statement. My Zumo 390LM records tracks that I can download to my Mac, convert into routes, etc. I am just curious as to what the problem is for you? I must be missing something.

Oh, and what are these free OSM maps you are referring to? I'm not familiar with them.
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https://www.openstreetmap.org/

I have never used a Zumo because from what I understand, someone can not send you a track and then you upload that track to your Zumo. Or in the case of many dual sport multi day rides, you get a different track for each day. Routes do you no good if the roads or trails are not in your gps.
 
jonz said:
https://www.openstreetmap.org/

I have never used a Zumo because from what I understand, someone can not send you a track and then you upload that track to your Zumo. Or in the case of many dual sport multi day rides, you get a different track for each day. Routes do you no good if the roads or trails are not in your gps.
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Thanks for the link on OSM maps. I'll check into it further. To be honest I am a street rider only, and as such, I really don't use tracks all that much, other than maybe reviewing where I rode later, so I really cannot say whether or not the Zumo will do what you need with tracks. I know we in the ST world tend to share routes and such via .gpx files that we upload/download. Hopefully someone with more experience with the Zumo in your area of usage can response further.
 
You can save a Zumo track from the GPS to Mapsource then open a new map and copy the track into a new route. They can be shared among users but I guess you would have to be able to run Base Camp or Mapsource and you can't on a tablet.
 
jonz said:
https://www.openstreetmap.org/

I have never used a Zumo because from what I understand, someone can not send you a track and then you upload that track to your Zumo. Or in the case of many dual sport multi day rides, you get a different track for each day. Routes do you no good if the roads or trails are not in your gps.
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Every Zumo since the Z550 can display imported tracks and or convert the tracks to a route. My Z550 can convert tracks to a route and I just set the unit to not recalculate. All Zumo can record tracks for weeks.
 
MeanST said:
Every Zumo since the Z550 can display imported tracks and or convert the tracks to a route. My Z550 can convert tracks to a route and I just set the unit to not recalculate. All Zumo can record tracks for weeks.
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Can you import more than 1 track at a time? Can you save more than 1 track at a time? I know there is a reason the adv'ers don't favor Zumos and it has something to do with the way they handle tracks vs 276/376/478 and 60 and 78 units.
 
dduelin said:
You can save a Zumo track from the GPS to Mapsource then open a new map and copy the track into a new route. They can be shared among users but I guess you would have to be able to run Base Camp or Mapsource and you can't on a tablet.
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You can with a tablet if it uses the full version of Window 8.1 as my Dell Venue Pro does. I bought that tablet specifically because of that and it works just fine. It was something of a PITA to set up as has been documented in my thread on advrider. Here is the link to that for those interested in using a tablet:

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=984597&highlight=jonz
 
jonz said:
Can you import more than 1 track at a time? Can you save more than 1 track at a time? I know there is a reason the adv'ers don't favor Zumos and it has something to do with the way they handle tracks vs 276/376/478 and 60 and 78 units.
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YES.

Most of this old chatter refers to the first gen Zumo the 550.

This guy, DRTBYK, posts up all the time on Advrider about GPS/Tracks etc. Basically at this point the 66X series Zumo, the 390/590 series and the BMW Navigator V version have the same basic track software conversion routine and or display capabilities. Either pick the converted route or just the imported tracks! There are hundreds of posts about this on Advrider.

http://globeriders.com/article_pages/article02_gps/article02_gps.shtml

And Laying down Tracks on ADVrider
http://advrider.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=37

One of these days I will upgrade my 550 but most of the time it does what I want to do. IF in doubt about a route conversion set to NOT recalculate!
 
MeanST said:
YES.

Most of this old chatter refers to the first gen Zumo the 550.

This guy, DRTBYK, posts up all the time on Advrider about GPS/Tracks etc. Basically at this point the 66X series Zumo, the 390/590 series and the BMW Navigator V version have the same basic track software conversion routine and or display capabilities. Either pick the converted route or just the imported tracks! There are hundreds of posts about this on Advrider.

http://globeriders.com/article_pages/article02_gps/article02_gps.shtml

And Laying down Tracks on ADVrider
http://advrider.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=37

One of these days I will upgrade my 550 but most of the time it does what I want to do. IF in doubt about a route conversion set to NOT recalculate!
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Yes, DRTBYK is the man. I thought he wrote somewhere that if routing was more important that track handling, then the 590 was the one to go with. But if track handling was as or more important than routing, other Garmins were preferable. I just did a quick search though and couldn't find that. I did find something where he said the Nav 5 (pretty close to a 590) tracks sometimes need some editing out some "noise" before other gps's can display the tracks. I don't know if that applies exactly to the 590 though.

edit: I just skimmed through the 590 thread on advrider and found mention of an update to the 590 sometime around the summer/fall of 2014 where drtbyk mentioned the track handling was now good enough for offroad use. Hmmmmm

edit 2: I continued reading through the 74 page thread on the 590 and found the following post:

http://advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=25951742&postcount=935

So now, I'm totally confused.
 
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jonz said:
Yes, DRTBYK is the man. I thought he wrote somewhere that if routing was more important that track handling, then the 590 was the one to go with. But if track handling was as or more important than routing, other Garmins were preferable. I just did a quick search though and couldn't find that. I did find something where he said the Nav 5 (pretty close to a 590) tracks sometimes need some editing out some "noise" before other gps's can display the tracks. I don't know if that applies exactly to the 590 though.

edit: I just skimmed through the 590 thread on advrider and found mention of an update to the 590 sometime around the summer/fall of 2014 where drtbyk mentioned the track handling was now good enough for offroad use. Hmmmmm

edit 2: I continued reading through the 74 page thread on the 590 and found the following post:

http://advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=25951742&postcount=935

So now, I'm totally confused.
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It is tough to read all the GPS material when there are thousands of posts dare I say threads!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Zumos after the 550 have received software updates which have enhanced track handling quite a bit. I experimented a lot with track work, off road navigation and mapsets on my 550 and have been following the threads ever since 2007. The NavV is basically an enhanced 660 with the same beefed up track capabilities.The Montana has excellent track capability but there are folks who whine about its general usage and that it is not in the same class as the Zumos for street navigation. When my Z550 craps out I will opt for one of the newer Zumos for the track handling although my "off road" travels are mostly off pavement at this point on my KLR.

If I get a GSA most likely I will spend the extra $$$ and get the NavV to have the added BMW only bike readouts that are integrated into the GPS.

Now exactly where am I anyway and there ain't no road here?
https://flic.kr/p/s9fmwu https://www.flickr.com/people/96613744@N08/
 
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