So I need a GPS...and a Bluetooth...

As some of you may have seen..I just purchased a 2013 FJR. Love the bike, now on to the fun part. The many ways to ride it!!!

I want to plan custom routes, or rather...I already have, in Google MyMaps. So, after further research it seems impossible to actually navigate my custom MyMaps? I'm sure I'm not the first person to complain that Google offers a custom route planner, but no ability to navigate it?? Laughable at best. This led me to dig around here, and folks seem to have a variety of gadgets, file converters, ect, ect just to be able to navigate a custom route. Oh the agony!!! What the heck man, it's 2015. Now my question is simply do I HAVE TO buy a GPS (garmin, zumin, whatever those things are called nowadays) in order to NAVIGATE a custom route (exported via KMZ)? I have a Garmin that's about 10 years old (not sure the model), so any idea if these older things actually support features like this?

Sorry if I'm resurfacing a well known issue here, in my previous sportbike life I never had these high tech problems. I did some researching and every thread was about 5-6yrs old. It's just so hard to believe there's not a more simple solution that doesn't cost $200 since everyone using their smartphone to navigate.

Next....bluetooth. All the hype is the Sena 20S, which seems really legit, but a tad more than I'd like to spend. Depending on this GPS deal, I may need an extra input, blah blah....but REALLY all I want is the ability for me and lady to be able to talk on long trips, and to listen to music. Just looking for affordable way for 2-way communication, music, and gps. I was hoping to bundle GPS and music into one 20th century device....my smartphone....but it looks like that might not work quite so well. Figured you guys would have this down to a science now.

Kneedragger55 said:

As some of you may have seen..I just purchased a 2013 FJR. Love the bike, now on to the fun part. The many ways to ride it!!!
I want to plan custom routes, or rather...I already have, in Google MyMaps. So, after further research it seems impossible to actually navigate my custom MyMaps? I'm sure I'm not the first person to complain that Google offers a custom route planner, but no ability to navigate it?? Laughable at best. This led me to dig around here, and folks seem to have a variety of gadgets, file converters, ect, ect just to be able to navigate a custom route. Oh the agony!!! What the heck man, it's 2015. Now my question is simply do I HAVE TO buy a GPS (garmin, zumin, whatever those things are called nowadays) in order to NAVIGATE a custom route (exported via KMZ)? I have a Garmin that's about 10 years old (not sure the model), so any idea if these older things actually support features like this?

Sorry if I'm resurfacing a well known issue here, in my previous sportbike life I never had these high tech problems. I did some researching and every thread was about 5-6yrs old. It's just so hard to believe there's not a more simple solution that doesn't cost $200 since everyone using their smartphone to navigate.

Next....bluetooth. All the hype is the Sena 20S, which seems really legit, but a tad more than I'd like to spend. Depending on this GPS deal, I may need an extra input, blah blah....but REALLY all I want is the ability for me and lady to be able to talk on long trips, and to listen to music. Just looking for affordable way for 2-way communication, music, and gps. I was hoping to bundle GPS and music into one 20th century device....my smartphone....but it looks like that might not work quite so well. Figured you guys would have this down to a science now.

Click to expand...

Point #1 it is currently 2016. But I get what you were meaning.

Point #2 I want a 20S also. Too bad your wifey wants one also, I am thinking about trying to get a better deal by splitting the 2 pack with someone.

Point #3 Welcome to the Farkling. It can get so annoying. Good luck.

The older version, Sena 10S is a little cheaper and works fine for wife and I. Then buy a Garmin Zumo and use the Basecamp software for route planning.

The problem with using your phone for GPS is that you can burn up a lot of data which can get expensive.

Cav47 said:

Point #1 it is currently 2016. But I get what you were meaning.

Click to expand...

jayke said:

The older version, Sena 10S is a little cheaper and works fine for wife and I. Then buy a Garmin Zumo and use the Basecamp software for route planning.
The problem with using your phone for GPS is that you can burn up a lot of data which can get expensive.

Click to expand...

Guess that's true.

jayke said:

The older version, Sena 10S is a little cheaper and works fine for wife and I. Then buy a Garmin Zumo and use the Basecamp software for route planning.
The problem with using your phone for GPS is that you can burn up a lot of data which can get expensive.

Click to expand...

My phone also gets very hot running GPS. Especially directly in the sun. We do have unlimited Data.

Good point on the 10S.

I use Google Maps to plan a route, then convert the Google Maps route to a Tomtom itinerary file.

Procedure is to put in the start and ending points into Google Maps, then drag the route as required. Google update the URL in the address bar as you go. You have to make sure the start and end points are dragged to a point rather than left as an address (Tomtom doesn't understand Google's addresses). When satisfied with your route, copy the URL from your browser web page, paste it into the window on my little utility, tell it to convert, then download the itinerary file into your Tomtom's memory. Finally tell Tomtom to load the itinerary and check the route is what you want (Tomtom and Google sometimes disagree about how to get from one waypoint to another).

I've been using this for some time, makes light work of route planning for my Tomtom.

Sweet thanks. I'll have to charge the old Garmin up otw home and see if I can finagle it to work. I'd rather not buy a brand new GPS just for random trips, so the extra utilities and file converters may become my life for a couple nights haha.

I'll definitely look into the 10S. I told the wife last night that SHE really didn't need the ability to TALK, just LISTEN, so a 20S for me and a standard headset for her would work. That got me a pretty hard smack. LOL

jayke said:

The older version, Sena 10S is a little cheaper and works fine for wife and I. Then buy a Garmin Zumo and use the Basecamp software for route planning.
The problem with using your phone for GPS is that you can burn up a lot of data which can get expensive.

Click to expand...

Actually, you can download maps to your phone and not ;burn up that data. Check into the Tomtom app for one solution, but there are several. Another common misconception is that you must have a cell signal, but when I use my phone I can get a GPS signal even when I can't get a cell signal.

However, with all that said, if you want to do extensive planning, I think you'll be happier with a dedicated GPS and software for your computer.

SatNav is a novelty for me on a bike and I've had a good learning curve!

I have a Garmin 590LM (using the dedicated Yamaha mount), the planning software is Basecamp, both are not entirely user friendly but excellent when you get used to them.

Phones, headsets and iPods bluetooth connect through it.

To ride with bluetooth speakers you can't use earplugs so I have Sony earbuds plugged in to the Garmin harness, doing this disables the helmet microphone so you can hear calls coming in but can't talk to them!

contact Mike at riders discount about the price on the sena 20s and I think you will be pretty happy with the price he gives you.

[email protected]

mcatrophy said:

Google update the URL in the address bar as you go.
I've been using this for some time, makes light work of route planning for my Tomtom.

Click to expand...

Google update the URL? Like click refresh? Also, know what model Tomtom you're using?

Old Guy said:

Check into the Tomtom app for one solution, but there are several.

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Looks like the Tomtom app charges per mile of navigation and has a subscription service? May just buy a dedicated unit.

Gary B said:

Phones, headsets and iPods bluetooth connect through it.
To ride with bluetooth speakers you can't use earplugs so I have Sony earbuds plugged in to the Garmin harness, doing this disables the helmet microphone so you can hear calls coming in but can't talk to them!

Click to expand...

So you connect all your devices through your Garmin? Man, that seems weird. And you have a physical wire plugged into the Garmin on your handlebar? In which you can hear music, GPS, and your phone (albeit you can't accept calls)?

Prestone said:

contact Mike at riders discount about the price on the sena 20s and I think you will be pretty happy with the price he gives you.

[email protected]

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Gotta love this. Thanks Prestone!!

Gary B said:

SatNav is a novelty for me on a bike and I've had a good learning curve!
I have a Garmin 590LM (using the dedicated Yamaha mount), the planning software is Basecamp, both are not entirely user friendly but excellent when you get used to them.

Phones, headsets and iPods bluetooth connect through it.

To ride with bluetooth speakers you can't use earplugs so I have Sony earbuds plugged in to the Garmin harness, doing this disables the helmet microphone so you can hear calls coming in but can't talk to them!

Click to expand...

I'm using a Cardo Scala Q3 (about $180 on Amazon) and the speakers plug in with a 3.5mm connector and can easily be replaced with earbuds. Some Sena units have an earbud jack as well.

Kneedragger55 said:

Looks like the Tomtom app charges per mile of navigation and has a subscription service? May just buy a dedicated unit.

Click to expand...

The Tomtom app I'm using was bought a couple of years ago for about $25, and that's all I've ever paid. Of course, they could have changed. Dunno.

I use it in my car and RV a lot, but I've gone to a Tomtom GPS unit on the bike -- got a good deal just before Christmas.

We use and love the sena 20s. I take hers as a spare on my long trips. You can plug them in while you ride to charge if you happen to ride longer than a full charge.

Zumo 665 user here and love it being water proof. Bad enough getting cought in the rain let alone having to put gps in a dry place and not be able to see where your going.

Learn basecamp its worth the effort. (hope this link works) P.S. Don't leave your kids all the money spend it on the good stuff.

https://www.newenglandriders.org/Learn_BaseCamp.htm

So you connect all your devices through your Garmin? Man, that seems weird. And you have a physical wire plugged into the Garmin on your handlebar? In which you can hear music, GPS, and your phone (albeit you can't accept calls)?

Basically, yes! Sound quality and isolation of wind noise is great using 'Complyfoam' tips.

Also use the Garmin TPMS which is excellent apart from the odd rear wheel signal drop-out and reported low battery voltage (I think they don't like freezing temperatures).

The hardwire earbud plug is cable tied to the frame, part of the harness is a USB charger which I do have on the bars. Could probably have the phone in the glove box with this lead running to it. There is also a mic plug.

The 590LM is touch screen, you have to override a warning not to play with it on the move but it's no more distracting than playing with the FJR's info screens, just have to be sensible with it..

Kneedragger55 said:

mcatrophy said:

Google update the URL in the address bar as you go.

I've been using this for some time, makes light work of route planning for my Tomtom.

Click to expand...

Google update the URL? Like click refresh? Also, know what model Tomtom you're using?

...

Click to expand...

In the address bar where you would have typed something like "google.com/maps" to get to Google Maps, you will probably find that immediately that address bar changes to something else, in my case to

"https://www .google.co.uk/maps/@52.xxxxxxx,-2.xxxxxxx,6z" (the ".co.uk" 'cos I'm in the UK). Then, as you create your route, the address bar updates all by itself to include destination, start and any waypoints you create. When you're happy with your route, click in the address bar, select all, then copy. Paste that into my utility. The pasted area will look something like:

https://www .google.co.uk/maps/dir/52.9368258,-1.5006021/57.7278138,-5.6937727/@55.8636926,-3.3319696,7z/data=!4m29!4m28!1m25!3m4!1m2!1d-

1.9646131!2d53.0806646!3s0x487a3efa500630ab:0xc0774bae4cb646a5!3m4!1m2!1d-

2.9648804!2d55.6264628!3s0x48878fce2e90c9eb:0xc75294cd7efd9ed0!3m4!1m2!1d-

3.6478426!2d56.1666432!3s0x48862ab93288a5c5:0xb47a03914fd34e07!3m4!1m2!1d-

3.9098778!2d56.3645131!3s0x48889af598d106b1:0xf42245b829e32c1a!3m4!1m2!1d-

4.7667141!2d56.5329379!3s0x4889211fe5c5ca7b:0x5d42c3ce6beaea43!1m0!3e0

Click to expand...

This contains all the information necessary to re-create the route (or any least the list of way-points). If you copy that URL, paste it into your browser's address bar, delete the space I've put in after the "www" (to stop the Forum software hiding it as a URL), then press the <enter> key, you'll see one of my routes appear.

My Tomtom is a Rider Pro, although I believe it's been superseded already. It uses Bluetooth audio, mine works with a Sena Solo to earpieces in my helmet. I don't want other audio. Tomtom can use my phone through Bluetooth quite happily to make and receive calls. If connected, it knows the phone's contact list and suchlike and will control the phone to make and receive calls using Tomtom's touch screen, though, again, I choose not to. It can also use the phone to receive traffic updates (again, I choose not to use this). These functions may depend on phone compatibility, mine's an iPhone 4, it worked very well when I tested it.

Navmii ap works on my iphone pretty well

Get a Zumo 660 or 665. Put a BIG SD card in it loaded with all the music you want. Buy a 2 pack Sena SMH10, and have fun. I know the new 20S is cool, but it is also more expensive. The SMH10 can be had cheaper, and works VERY well. I have a Zumo 660 and the SMH10. I run music, nav, and my phone all day long. On long trips, I charge my Sena at gas stops it went 23 hours with me like that once.

I have the Cardo Scala G9 and have been very happy with it (so far). But a couple of friends and I have been discussing buying something new so we could communicate with some other riders. Most of them have the Sena so that will be a strong consideration for the next one.

I vote for the Garmin 660. Like all GPS' it has its quirks but overall it has worked better than I could have hoped for. It has all the features you will need but you will have to learn to use Basecamp unless you can find an old copy of Microsoft Streets and Trips. I use the Microsoft map all the time but they stopped supporting it last summer. I'll keep using it until Google or some others go back to letting me download my route created on it directly to my GPS.