Do I really need a GPS?

[JKMSPYDER]

I have an iPhone with Google maps and a Garmin 595 GPS. Google maps works most of the time but sometimes a GPS is a necessity. For example I have been delayed by a wreck or a fallen tree, or electrical lines down on the highway and was in a location with no cell signal. I used my GPS for an alternate route since it has a satellite signal. So most of the time Google maps will suffice but on rare occasions it is good to have a GPS.

[MNBK]

Peteoz how do you program an unknown address into a GPS? Kind of hard to do when you don't know the address, correct?

[Flamewinger]

I have an iPhone with Google maps and a Garmin 595 GPS. Google maps works most of the time but sometimes a GPS is a necessity. For example I have been delayed by a wreck or a fallen tree, or electrical lines down on the highway and was in a location with no cell signal. I used my GPS for an alternate route since it has a satellite signal. So most of the time Google maps will suffice but on rare occasions it is good to have a GPS.

As long as the phone has downloaded map data it will work as a GPS. Google Maps requires cell service to get the maps but Sygic, Genius Maps and TomTom plus other “Offline capable” GPS apps will work without cell or WiFi. You don’t need to buy a separate standalone GPS.

[Flamewinger]

Peteoz how do you program an unknown address into a GPS? Kind of hard to do when you don't know the address, correct?

You can always use the “point on map” to set a destination. I use Google Maps (if I have cell) to do a search or put the name of the place into the GPS and see what you get.

[ollicat]

I love this back and forth - quite entertaining.

I have been a phone GPS guy or 5 years but just purchased a Zumo XT for the reasons below:
* my handle bar phone has said it has gotten to hot on a few occasions and shuts down, mostly just when I needed it.
* my handle bar phone has gotten wet in the rain. While the phone is water rated, the charging dock gets water in it causing the phone to shut down until it dries
* I use my XT on both my Spyder and Honda CTX. The phone vibrated a lot on the handle bars of the CTX and everything I read says that a vibrating phone causes damage to the camera.

So I think I will be the guy who uses both solutions based on the weather and bike I am riding. No absolute solution for me.

[Flamewinger]

I love this back and forth - quite entertaining.

I have been a phone GPS guy or 5 years but just purchased a Zumo XT for the reasons below:
* my handle bar phone has said it has gotten to hot on a few occasions and shuts down, mostly just when I needed it.
* my handle bar phone has gotten wet in the rain. While the phone is water rated, the charging dock gets water in it causing the phone to shut down until it dries
* I use my XT on both my Spyder and Honda CTX. The phone vibrated a lot on the handle bars of the CTX and everything I read says that a vibrating phone causes damage to the camera.

So I think I will be the guy who uses both solutions based on the weather and bike I am riding. No absolute solution for me.

It’s become well known that mounting a phone (or any electronic device) on the handlebars is not a good idea because of the vibration. Quite a few have mentioned the camera on their phone doesn’t work anymore because vibration has damaged it. Same thing with a GPS.

Any device with external plug will have a water vulnerability problem. Kinda why you either put the device in a waterproof case or in the glovebox. I’ve been using a smartphone for years and made sure to cover it or at least the cable area when it rains. Also, I don’t mount anything in the handlebars.

[Peteoz]

Peteoz how do you program an unknown address into a GPS? Kind of hard to do when you don't know the address, correct?

Yes, I should have used a different word, MNBK. You must be a “literal” kind of guy……… “unknown” as in you have the address, but where it is exactly is unknown to you as you haven’t been there before

Pete

[MNBK]

Yes, I should have used a different word, MNBK. You must be a “literal” kind of guy……… “unknown” as in you have the address, but where it is exactly is unknown to you as you haven’t been there before

Pete

I guess I am a "Literal" kind of guy but no problem, I was just looking at it from a different "unknown".

[Peteoz]

It’s become well known that mounting a phone (or any electronic device) on the handlebars is not a good idea because of the vibration. Quite a few have mentioned the camera on their phone doesn’t work anymore because vibration has damaged it. Same thing with a GPS.

Any device with external plug will have a water vulnerability problem. Kinda why you either put the device in a waterproof case or in the glovebox. I’ve been using a smartphone for years and made sure to cover it or at least the cable area when it rains. Also, I don’t mount anything in the handlebars.

Flamewinger, unfortunately, some of your comments above are now out of date. Technology moves at a staggering rate these days. Here is an update on the issues you mention as there have been significant changes to more recent models -

That phone vibration issue affecting image stabilisation (the camera still works, it just affects movie stabilisation) has been fixed in iOS 16 in around November. It did no permanent damage and only required a software change.

The latest iPhones are waterproof to 5metres underwater for 30 minutes. If you are concerned about heavy rain obtaining ingress to your phone, simply unplug the cable for a period. It has never caused me an issue leaving it connected in heavy rain using an Apple cable.

It is true that they have not fixed the “overheating in direct summer sun” issue yet, but they have improved it, and claim a fix is not far off. To cover that overheating possibility, I have an alternative mount position under the shelter of the instrument cluster overhang.

I have run two different GPS anchored to my handlebar mount for 7 years with zero issues. (Either rain or vibration). I am about to do a trial for a couple of months of my iPhone 14 in the spot normally occupied by my XT just to see the issues.

Watch out Garmin……the phone GPS are coming

Pete

[Flamewinger]

Flamewinger, unfortunately, some of your comments above are now out of date. Technology moves at a staggering rate these days. Here is an update on the issues you mention as there have been significant changes to more recent models -

That phone vibration issue affecting image stabilisation (the camera still works, it just affects movie stabilisation) has been fixed in iOS 16 in around November. It did no permanent damage and only required a software change.
.

Watch out Garmin……the phone GPS are coming

Pete

The vibration damages the camera parts and no amount of iOS updates will ever fix a physical problem. I’ve had multi disc CD changers in the trunk of my Goldwings and they didn’t last long as the minute vibration caused them to fail. I’ve also had flip phones on the handlebars which failed due to vibration. Ever hear of vibration dampners that go in the grip ends?

Smartphones have had GPS since 2008. So I fail to see why anyone would spend $$$ on something they already have in their pocket.

[askitee]

Askitee, when you say you had no coverage, do you mean you had no phone signal, or that your GPS app on your phone was unable to find any satellites?

Pete

Hi Pete, No directions being given. We knew we'd have no phone signal - not even GPRS. We'd been using our phones to travel to get to some of the properties we'd frequented years ago. We found at one point none of us had GPS functionality. We'd left the Pilliga area and took some back roads that eventually brought us out between Narrabri and Coonabarrabran. Maybe we all had location services off.

[EdMat]

Smartphones have had GPS since 2008. So I fail to see why anyone would spend $$$ on something they already have in their pocket.

Because we can!

[Peteoz]

Hi Pete, No directions being given. We knew we'd have no phone signal - not even GPRS. We'd been using our phones to travel to get to some of the properties we'd frequented years ago. We found at one point none of us had GPS functionality. We'd left the Pilliga area and took some back roads that eventually brought us out between Narrabri and Coonabarrabran. Maybe we all had location services off.

It’s very odd that you could not get a gps satellite signal, Askitee, as there are hundreds in the sky above us. Beats me. Just out of interest, which GPS app are you running on your phone?

Pete

[askitee]

Yes, I think that is where the disconnect lies, Flamewinger. There are many out there who don’t understand that Sygic and Tom Tom, for example, use the separate inbuilt satellite antennae to get everything you need for real time GPS for your phone app, and not the mobile phone tower network antennae.

Pete

That sounds like it.

[Peteoz]

That sounds like it.

Ahhhhhhh. So you aren’t running Sygic or TomTom app on your phone, Askitee. Thanks mate. I really couldn’t understand why you couldn’t get a satellite signal to tell you where you were on your recent back roads “adventure”, but that explains it. I can sleep easy now. It would be well worthwhile one of you buying one of the GPS phone apps for your phone. You’ll always know where you are then, even without GPRS or any mobile phone signal

Pete