tracking app

[wftreg]

I am planning a trip from Buffalo, MN to New York and Connecticut (stopping at the BMW International motorcycle rally in Hamburg, NY)...they do allow FJR 1300's to attend with no harassment!

For this trip I want to use a tracking app so my wife and others can follow my progress. I just downloaded Eat, Sleep, Ride "ESR" and of course am having difficulty learning how to use it. I am old and so this stuff does not come to me intuitively. Any one else use this app; and or are there other tracking apps that you recommend?

 

[RossKean]

I don't know the ESR app. I have had good luck with Bubbler GPS for Android phones. I think SW Connect is suitable for Apple. Both download to Spotwalla.

 

[wftreg]

I checked this out on line and see that they provide clear instructions too! Nice.

Thanks

 

[Ignacio]

Using SW Connect with SPOTWalla right now!

https://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=1165c57743cfc3c286&showInfo=yes&showHome=yes&hoursPast=24&fillFactor=100&zoomLevel=10

 

[Niehart]

Waiting for the ferry Ignacio?

 

[Cav47]

Waiting for the ferry Ignacio?

You need a comma in there!!

I used Gibby trip and did not like it. Looking for another one also. Gonna try spotwalla out also next time.

 

[Hoopster3]

Life 360 is the android app I use. Not sure if it's on Apple but it probably is. Fairly easy to learn and allows you to invite who you want. Also allows you to "check in" from your location and it sends an alert to everyone in your group. Can also be used to ask for help and send text-like messages.

Above all....it's pretty accurate and FREE.

 

[wftreg]

I use an iPhone and did not see the SW Connect in the Apple app store. I see that Life 360 is available.

Thanks

 

[RossKean]

https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/swconnect/id815905559?mt=8

 

[audiowize]

You should mention whether you have an Apple or Android product.

Escapefjrtist helped me link Bubbler on my android phone to Spotwalla, no problems so far.

 

[rjrettig]

Bubbler GPS Lite on Android. Free, easy, and works well.

 

[escapefjrtist]

I use an iPhone and did not see the SW Connect in the Apple app store. I see that Life 360 is available.

Since you're running an iPhone, I highly recommend SWconnect. Simple to set up, works well and easily links to SpotWalla. Win, win, win in my book!

Good luck!

--G

 

[Mudslide Miller]

Using SW Connect with SPOTWalla right now!https://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=1165c57743cfc3c286&showInfo=yes&showHome=yes&hoursPast=24&fillFactor=100&zoomLevel=10]https://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=1165c57743cfc3c286&showInfo=yes&showHome=yes&hoursPast=24&fillFactor=100&zoomLevel=10[/url]

Iggy, will this gobble up all one's data minutes if we are not on unlimited-minute data plans? It all sounds good, but my fear is I would come back off a week long trip of tracking and find my carrier (Verizon) is telling me I exceeded my 5 gig data plan by 3 more gig or some such nonsense.
I ran Pandora at work when I first got my I phone and I got a warning after just 2 nights of this that I was about to exceed my data plan limits. Constant streaming doesn't seem to be condusive to such plans.

 

[RossKean]

I don't know about SWConnect but Bubbler GPS is fairly frugal with data volume. At least for Bubbler, you can tell it to save downloads until you are in a (free) WiFi zone but that sort of defeats one of the purposes for tracking. You can also set the update frequency so it might, for instance, report every 15 minutes instead of every 5.

 

[Ignacio]

Data use with these apps transmitting is minuscule. I ran for a week once with a 2 GB lab and couldn't tell on my bill.

But if it bothers you...use the bandwidth tracker native to IOS to monitor the app.

 

[eflyguy]

What he said. Sending periodic GPS coords is nothing compared to downloading a video or song..

 

[escapefjrtist]

I've had no data issues using SWconnect during two week plus trips. I turn off tracking whenever I'm done for the day or if on an extended stop.

You'll also need a place on the bike to plug in your iPhone for charging. Of course, if you're in the middle of BFE and searching for coverage, battery life tends to suffer too. SWconnect also buffers your location if you don't have service, and then reports in once you're back in civilization.

--G

 

[Mudslide Miller]

OK guys. Thanks. Good to know it's low data usage. Already have continuous charging covered.

 

[Niehart]

I don't know the ESR app. I have had good luck with Bubbler GPS for Android phones. I think SW Connect is suitable for Apple. Both download to Spotwalla.

I noticed one of the Butt Light riders is using Bubbler.