BoxHill.co.uk

[nosnowking]

Finally!

I've been looking round for sat nav for the bike. The obvious solution is the TomTom Rider and a Scala headset...but at 300-odd-quid for the setup, plus all the annual subscriptions, I had second thoughts.

Most of us have an Apple or Android phone in our pockets when we go out riding, but nobody until now has come up with a solution to allow us to load custom routes into the phone from TYRE or Google maps. Google nav on Android is OK, but reliant on 3G coverage, so you lose the map when riding through a signal black spot (or if you're on O2 )

Enter Coplilot Premium Live. £25 ish available on the App store or Android Marketplace. Allows you to create custom routes on the phone by dragging the route, a la Google maps. It also allows you to add coordinates for stops and waypoints. Comes with a year's free subscription to live traffic, plus free map updates and speed camera info. Europe version is about £38 IIRC.

However, not happy with the tiny phone interface I did a little more digging. You can already import Google routes into TYRE and convert them to .itn files. If you then download ITN Converter you can convert them to Copilot .trp files. These can then be loaded onto your phone from your PC using a file manager such as iPhone Folders (NOTE that for Crapple devices you WILL have to Jailbreak the phone. Quick and simple reversible procedure should you have any warranty issues ) Hey presto, custom routing from your PC to your phone!

I know this sounds a little long winded, and some may just want to shell out for a TomTom, but I just saved my self a couple of hundred notes by using a device which I have already paid for and usually sits redundant in my pocket when out riding.

I've just installed a cigarette lighter under the seat and routed a male-female USB cable under the tank so I can supply power to the phone whilst it sits in the map pocket of my tank bag. Got a cheapo set of bluetooth helmet speakers on the way (I have no desire for phone call functionality)

If anyone is interested, or if I can be arsed, I'll put together an idiot-proof step-by-step guide on how it's all done.

Blue Peter, eat your heart out!

[Tusky]

[Carnage]

[nosnowking]

I've had a sat nav bag kicking around for a while. Does the job perfectly and is shower proof. Ziploc baggie will see me through the worst of the downpours should I ever go on another Tusky run

[Tusky]

[nosnowking]

It got a reasonable test last night, and performed admirably. When the phone calculates the route from the imported .trp file it can make a few changes, but there are preferences for favouring minor routes over majors and motorways, which helps if you want to avoid Friday evening traffic...just remember to reset the preferences when you want the quickest route home in the rain. Damn thing kept wanting to send me down side roads

The only other issue is that waypoints on google maps are translated into separate routes, so it keeps saying "You have arrived at your destination" when you hit a waypoint then recalculates the new route to the next waypoint. It's only a 2-3 second lag so not too serious. I'll try and work out how to manually edit the .trp file, doesn't look too complicated.

[boudicas]

Quick Question...

How does it affect the battery life on your phone? I’m suspecting it will kick the bollocks out of it but I’m hoping that it would last he day without the phone needing a recharge from the bike battery...
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[biggus]

[NAPA121]

[nosnowking]

[nosnowking]

I put a cigarette lighter socket under the seat via a relay...


Then ran the USB cable under the tank and using judicious amounts of sticky Velcro, stuck the end of it under the front fairing when not in use.


There's a cable inlet in the tank bag to route the power supply to the phone. Cables and fittings cost about £10-15 in total. Dunno about on the Fury, but on the CBF it should be a fairly easy task.

Bought one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-Ericsson-MW-600-Bluetooth-Headphones/dp/B0038M3H4S

And a set of these: http://www.play.com/Electronics/Electronics/4-/19478865/729042553/GCG-Stereo-Motorcycle-Helmet-Speaker-Headphones-3-5mm-plug/ListingDetails.html?_$ja=tsid%3a11518%7ccat%3a19478865%7cprd%3a19478865

The setup works an absolute treat

All in, about £75, including the sat nav app.

[nosnowking]

The Bluetooth module is very small, comes with fm radio and has a claimed 10 hour battery life under use. It clips neatly and securely onto the chin curtain of the lid and connects to the speakers mounted inside via a 3.5mm jack.




Getting to grips with the app a bit more now. It has custom routing preferences based on what vehicle type you are in...ignoring the actual vehicle type for the moment, this means you have five user profiles for road preferences. For example, I have the motorcycle preferences set to favour minor roads, neutral on primary roads and avoid dual carriageways and motorways. The car profile is set to favour major roads and avoid minors. So, if I want a twisty back roads route I choose the motorcycle profile, if I want a quick blast home I choose the car profile. There are also choices for trucks, cycles and walking, all customisable in this way.

On the way home from loomies on Sunday I wanted to avoid the A-roads so I just put my postcode in and let the sat nav guide me home. It chose nearly all B-roads with a national speed limit and took me on a nice little adventure

[Carnage]

good job puttng the charger socket in ...i reckon your estimation of 4 hrs using sat nav is about 3 hrs out on the negative side
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Rust is lighter than carbon fibre!

[Taz]

Co Pilot has been handy on the phone at a fraction of satnav costs, surprised it's not advertised more
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"Deja Moo" the feeling you have heard this Bullshit before

[Carnage]

may be looking into a starcom advance unit
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Rust is lighter than carbon fibre!