Who needs a GPS?

[Chillerman]

Rode from Golden Colorado to Billings Montana yesterday. Used my Android phone on a Ram mount and recorded my trip information with an app called My Tracks. I've never had a GPS unit before and I don't see why I woud need one at this point. My phone does everything and more!    I hope to get some pictures of my trip at some point. Yesterday I was just in a hurry to get up here!

   

[Toledo Mark]

What if you get in a dead area?

[Chillerman]

It uses satellites just like a GPS.

[Red Diamond]

Just from the data posted, you did very well, especially on the 60+MPH average. From my traveling experience, it is very hard to average 60MPH with gas stops or food stops. That 119MPH really helped in that regard and proves you are a brave man. Ride Safely.

[Fudd]

Can that information be used against you in a court of law?

[sugerbear]

i have a "not so bright" phone. don't need anything smarter. if you use all the features of a smart phone, then it's one less thing to carry

i like having the turn by turn feature sitting in front of me(esp through strange cities) to help navigate the interchanges. and the larger screen(old eyes).

my sons both have the smart phones and use them all the time. they laugh and call me old.
......guess i am

pretty neat though. can a cop use that to give you a speeding ticket? just wondering.

[jer0177]

It'll use the gps satellite until you need more map data - gas station, alternate route etc, then you're S.O.L.  Blue Ridge Parkway was a dead zone for most of the trip, I ended up using my gps instead of droid.

[..]

Oh crap. Does this mean I need to go and retrace my 6,047 miles I just rode  in 11 days???

Thanks for the app tip. 

[Chillerman]

Just from the data posted, you did very well, especially on the 60+MPH average. From my traveling experience, it is very hard to average 60MPH with gas stops or food stops. That 119MPH really helped in that regard and proves you are a brave man. Ride Safely.

I don't know where that 119mph came from. I never got above 85-90. Must have been a glitch somewhere  . Hopefully it is not submissible in a court of law!

[Chillerman]

i have a "not so bright" phone. don't need anything smarter. if you use all the features of a smart phone, then it's one less thing to carry

i like having the turn by turn feature sitting in front of me(esp through strange cities) to help navigate the interchanges. and the larger screen(old eyes).

my sons both have the smart phones and use them all the time. they laugh and call me old.
......guess i am

pretty neat though. can a cop use that to give you a speeding ticket? just wondering.

The Android gives you turn by turn navigation as well and I can play it through my blutooth headset.

[..]

Just from the data posted, you did very well, especially on the 60+MPH average. From my traveling experience, it is very hard to average 60MPH with gas stops or food stops. That 119MPH really helped in that regard and proves you are a brave man. Ride Safely.

I don't know where that 119mph came from. I never got above 85-90. Must have been a glitch somewhere  . Hopefully it is not submissible in a court of law!

If the 119 is a glitch how deos that affect the running average?

60+ is bloody good even on an interstate run.

I just did 1,002 miles in 15 hours on the interstate and that was running 80 - 100 when I had a rabbit or 2 ahead of me.

[Chillerman]

Just from the data posted, you did very well, especially on the 60+MPH average. From my traveling experience, it is very hard to average 60MPH with gas stops or food stops. That 119MPH really helped in that regard and proves you are a brave man. Ride Safely.

I don't know where that 119mph came from. I never got above 85-90. Must have been a glitch somewhere  . Hopefully it is not submissible in a court of law!

If the 119 is a glitch how deos that affect the running average?

60+ is bloody good even on an interstate run.

I just did 1,002 miles in 15 hours on the interstate and that was running 80 - 100 when I had a rabbit or 2 ahead of me.

I'm pretty sure the average is fairly accurate by dividing the miles by the total time. I was surprised I was only off the bike for an hour and fifteen minutes! My butt is a little sore today!

[gordorad]

Well, there are plenty of areas still without cell service, let alone data service......Even on the interestates out in Montana, etc....No cell service.  So if you are relying on the phone for everything, you will often have nothing!!

[..]

Well, there are plenty of areas still without cell service, let alone data service......Even on the interestates out in Montana, etc....No cell service.  So if you are relying on the phone for everything, you will often have nothing!!

That's when an adventure starts!

[Patrick]

I'm envious !! That looks like it was quite a ride.. Thats beautiful country..

[Toledo Mark]

When I travel I take 2 GPS's which proved to be a benefit this weekend when my accessories power went out. The second one is a Montana 650T with built in camera.  There are so many settings you can customize it way beyong any Nuvi.  Plus it will run on 3 AA batteries all day long.

[Psychotic Bovine]

It uses satellites just like a GPS.

except the maps are stored on the internet.  So, if you get in a dead area with no cell service, you won't have gps.  A non-phone gps retains the maps inside and uses the satellites for the position.

[R J]

I don't trust or believe the GPS's anymore.

I can be setting 2nd car back at my drive up prescription window, and it says I am going anywhere from 6.7 MPH to 9.3 MPH setting dead still, I know that for a fact as I opened my door to see if it was actually moving.   That can add up if ya have to set very long.   Then I pull under the canopy and I'm running a solid 12.4 MPH.   Wife and I laugh about it alot.    She loves her GPS, she'd be lost without it.

[jer0177]

It uses satellites just like a GPS.

except the maps are stored on the internet.  So, if you get in a dead area with no cell service, you won't have gps.  A non-phone gps retains the maps inside and uses the satellites for the position.

There's at least one smartphone GPS app that stores the maps locally, but I haven't had any luck in getting it to work. 

Still doesn't beat an updated real GPS unit though, just for simplicity.  And if my Garmin gets drenched, I'm not out a phone.

[Red Diamond]

Regardless to what a GPS says, real clock time divided into miles will give average MPH. This takes in gas and/or food stops, which will cause your average to go down depending how long you mess around when you stop. It's very hard to keep an average up if you have to smoke a cigarette or lolligag everytime you stop. Just saying.

[Psychotic Bovine]

It uses satellites just like a GPS.

except the maps are stored on the internet.  So, if you get in a dead area with no cell service, you won't have gps.  A non-phone gps retains the maps inside and uses the satellites for the position.

There's at least one smartphone GPS app that stores the maps locally, but I haven't had any luck in getting it to work. 

Still doesn't beat an updated real GPS unit though, just for simplicity.  And if my Garmin gets drenched, I'm not out a phone.

If my garmin gets drenched, it still works!  I wish Garmin made rain suits!

[Chillerman]

Regardless to what a GPS says, real clock time divided into miles will give average MPH. This takes in gas and/or food stops, which will cause your average to go down depending how long you mess around when you stop. It's very hard to keep an average up if you have to smoke a cigarette or lolligag everytime you stop. Just saying.

Exactly, which is why my 60.29 mph is impressive to me. I didn't spend much time at gas stations!

[cookiedough]

I'll take my good old fashioned paper road map of each state to get me by.

Yah, I know, call me old fashioned and outdated. 

I don't text or have a fancy cell phone with apps, etc. just basic free phone and will continue to do so until I kick the bucket I think? 

[RainMaker]

Use a Garmin Nuvi 780 for direction and as my mp3 player. It does reduce the u-turns.

[alph]

last week i was in Rapid City SD and needed a foot peg (broke the arm for mine, can't ride without a foot peg.....) i of course don't know were anything is in Rapid City, so i look it up on my cell phone that has wi-fi.  there's a Harley dealer, and a Honda dealer.  everyone told me that the Harley dealer would most likely have Kuryakin so i search for Harley.  my phone brings up the local dealer, and there's an option to map out a route to that location, one click and there's a map with a route!!  well, they didn't have it, put in Honda of Rapid City, click the "Map to location" again, and Vwalla, there's a map!!  same thing with calling, there's the option to call that dealer, and it automaticly does it!!  man, phones have come a hell of a long way!!!!

the best part is the radar map!!  one click and you know if you should wait ten more minutes, or just keep riding!!