Favorite Nav App

[saread]

...another vote for Rever Pro. Been using Rever since the beginning. The Pro version now comes free with the Revzilla membership or can be purchased directly from Rever. It has a Butler Maps layer and includes online Butler regions not yet avaialble as paper.  I make a habit of trying to hit every Butler Gold Route, Lost Highway, and Paved Mountain Trail I can string together while getting from point A to point B.....

I will certainly give Rever another look.  I especially like the Butler Maps overlay.  I'm a huge fan of them.  This trip is not a speed run to Texas, I intend to take every interesting road away from slab as I can. Route planning will be very important as well as offline maps.  Phone service east of the Rockies is pretty much continuous, but not in the west and I fully intend on being in places with no phone service.

[TriangleRider]

I'm working on a Seattle to Austin ride in October.  I've got the standard BMW Connected Ride but I replaced it with a Carpuride for the better audio quality and flexibility with nav apps. These sorts of trips tend to wander into areas where phone service is non-existent and I'd like to have off-line nav. So, I'd like to know what you prefer for an off-line capable nav app and why you like it. Thanks in advance for the advice.

The only app I’ve ever paid for twice—and still renew every year—is Calimoto. What makes it stand out is how simple it is to set up routes based on the kind of riding you want. You can choose interstates, highways, twisty backroads, or any combination, and the app automatically builds the route for you.  Just set a new via point and you have four options (interstate [fastest], highway, a little twisty, extra twisty) for the new segment.

The real advantage is flexibility. You don’t have to stick with one preference for the entire ride. If you want to make quick time on the interstate before hitting some curvy backroads, you can set the first leg as interstate and the second as twisty. You can keep switching preferences as many times as you like within a single ride, which makes it perfect for customizing longer trips or exploring new areas without hassle. It took me about 50 seconds to create the route in the attached image. You can either run the route directly from the app or download the GPX and use it with your favorite navigation device.

[Grumpy Goat]

The only app I’ve ever paid for twice—and still renew every year—is Calimoto. What makes it stand out is how simple it is to set up routes based on the kind of riding you want. You can choose interstates, highways, twisty backroads, or any combination, and the app automatically builds the route for you. ...

I have a simple question ... how does it handle re-routing you back to the programmed route, say for example if you took a wrong turn OR you simply decided to go off the planned route and go somewhere else for a while? Does it realize that you are off the planned route and come up with directions to get you back on track?

I tried some app a couple years ago. where apparently the app could not manage to do that and expected me to "find my way" back to the planned route. Needless to say, I was pretty pissed at that point. Can't be sure if it was Calimoto or Ride with GPS or ...

[TriangleRider]

The only app I’ve ever paid for twice—and still renew every year—is Calimoto. What makes it stand out is how simple it is to set up routes based on the kind of riding you want. You can choose interstates, highways, twisty backroads, or any combination, and the app automatically builds the route for you. ...

I have a simple question ... how does it handle re-routing you back to the programmed route, say for example if you took a wrong turn OR you simply decided to go off the planned route and go somewhere else for a while? Does it realize that you are off the planned route and come up with directions to get you back on track?

Good question!  The strength of Calimoto is helping to formulate routes.  Once you are navigating, it acts like a standard nav app.  If you get off your planned route, the app will automatically recalculate to the next via point.  If you have gone further than that, it is very easy to delete the next via point and it will route you to the one after that. Another nice option is to automatically find POI, including gas stations, that are on your route.

[Grumpy Goat]

Good question!  The strength of Calimoto is helping to formulate routes.  Once you are navigating, it acts like a standard nav app.  If you get off your planned route, the app will automatically recalculate to the next via point.  If you have gone further than that, it is very easy to delete the next via point and it will route you to the one after that.

OK maybe I will give it a try on the road trip that is coming up starting this weekend.

[Ray]

The only app I’ve ever paid for twice—and still renew every year—is Calimoto. What makes it stand out is how simple it is to set up routes based on the kind of riding you want. You can choose interstates, highways, twisty backroads, or any combination, and the app automatically builds the route for you.  Just set a new via point and you have four options (interstate [fastest], highway, a little twisty, extra twisty) for the new segment.

The real advantage is flexibility. You don’t have to stick with one preference for the entire ride. If you want to make quick time on the interstate before hitting some curvy backroads, you can set the first leg as interstate and the second as twisty. You can keep switching preferences as many times as you like within a single ride, which makes it perfect for customizing longer trips or exploring new areas without hassle.  It took me about 50 seconds to create the route in the attached image.  You can either run the route directly from the app or download the GPX and use it with your favorite navigation device.

I keep looking at it..., and will likely spend some time with it this fall and winter. (Or, like Grumpy, maybe this weekend - as I see a 14 day free trial of premium.)

I'm still downloading GPX files to the NAV - unlike REVER, that requires the big investment in an annual fee..., or $13 a week, if I give up re-routing whenever the whim strikes.

Can I assume for $80/y, the twisty route option does not simply send you through every cloverleaf, weigh station, and "pay toll by cash" lane on the interstate - like the BMW/Garmin Nav did last time I tried that option....

[BobAin'tStoppin']

[/quote]Can I assume for $80/y, the twisty route option does not simply send you through every cloverleaf, weigh station, and "pay toll by cash" lane on the interstate - like the BMW/Garmin Nav did last time I tried that option....

[/quote]

LOL!  I've had that same experience with the twisty route option on NAV6.  Total waste of time.

[TriangleRider]

LOL, that can happen.  Not a big deal, just ride on by.   On twistys function, it will avoid towns, but every once in a while, it cannot be avoided.  If I don't want to take a tour of  the town or city, I set a via point on either side and then select interstate for that section.  That will create the fastest route for that section and take you around, if possible. 

Can I assume for $80/y, the twisty route option does not simply send you through every cloverleaf, weigh station, and "pay toll by cash" lane on the interstate - like the BMW/Garmin Nav did last time I tried that option....

[Ray]

Went ahead with the Calimoto premium 2-week trial. So far, the mapping looks good. Only worry is road surface. With Butler Maps on Rever, I know someone on two wheels has ridden the road and was smiling at the end. Will see how it matches up with the Butler maps over the next 2 weeks.

(Suddenly strikes, me, for someone who always goes off route, I feel overly fastidious in route planning.... Sure do enjoy looking at maps. )

More down the road.

[TriangleRider]

Went ahead with the Calimoto premium 2-week trial. So far, the mapping looks good. Only worry is road surface. With Butler Maps on Rever, I know someone on two wheels has ridden the road and was smiling at the end. Will see how it matches up with the Butler maps over the next 2 weeks.

(Suddenly strikes, me, for someone who always goes off route, I feel overly fastidious in route planning.... Sure do enjoy looking at maps. )

More down the road.

That was a big issue with CaliMoto a few years ago, but has gotten better.  A lot of common sense was needed to not end up some deep gravel roads.  That didn't' always work out great for me.  I know they use OpensStreetMaps as their mapsource, so the quality of the routes is now pretty good.

[Ray]

(Already a GPX issue - can export on my phone app but not the website where I do my planning on the big maps. This will become a great product once my phone connects to autoandroid or equivalent in the TFT. Will try again in a few days.)
Meanwhile - if in the US, not sure this beats the free version of Rever or Ride with GPS.