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Designing Google Maps for Motorbikes

design.google

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Re: Designing Google Maps for Motorbikes

#51

Post by systemtest »

bambax wrote: post #41
systemtest wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I ride motorcycles in cross-Europe trips for fun but prefer the GPS. My GPS will look for small twisty mountain roads with lots of elevation changes and lots of corners. Roads that are only on highly detailed local maps, and I don't want to carry 30 maps on a month long road trip. Road signage is simply not a thing on these roads as they are only used by locals. I can disable highways, B-roads, toll, ferries and on m…

I too ride motorcycles in Europe; I bought a special GPS device for motorbikes but it's not very good -- it's a Tom Tom, did you go with Garmin?

I have a Tom Tom Rider. I primarily use the "thrilling ride" option for A to B navigation, using the most aggressive setting for corners and elevation. My day starts out with picking a random place and the Tom Tom picks a scenic route for me. After doing this a couple of times I book a hotel and drive there. Repeat the next day.

Re: Designing Google Maps for Motorbikes

#52

Post by criddell »

uitgewis wrote: post #44
Reason077 wrote: post #36

Could Google Maps for Motorbikes be configured to route noisy motorbikes away from residential streets? Especially late at night when I’m trying to sleep!

There's a common belief among motorcyclists that having loud exhausts help alert other car drivers of their presence, making them more visible on the roads. There are various arguments in favor and against that notion, but if it's getting you to notice them I guess it is better than nothing.

I never believed that. I was an avid motorcyclists for decades and spent lots of time around riders of loud pipe bikes. If safety was what drove them to straight pipes, then I would expect those concerns to carry through with the rest of their gear.

Re: Designing Google Maps for Motorbikes

#53

Post by Reason077 »

criddell wrote: post #52
uitgewis wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's a common belief among motorcyclists that having loud exhausts help alert other car drivers of their presence, making them more visible on the roads. There are various arguments in favor and against that notion, but if it's getting you to notice them I guess it is better than nothing.

I never believed that. I was an avid motorcyclists for decades and spent lots of time around riders of loud pipe bikes. If safety was what drove them to straight pipes, then I would expect those concerns to carry through with the rest of their gear.

I read somewhere that statistics actually suggest the opposite - that bikes with loud pipes are more likely to suffer a serious accidents and injury. I suspect that's because the type of bikers that have loud pipes are also the ones riding aggressively, overtaking frequently, weaving between traffic lanes, etc.

Re: Designing Google Maps for Motorbikes

#54

Post by sandworm101 »

Itsdijital wrote: post #19
keyle wrote: post #2

That's very cool. One time, I decided to just put the phone in my pocket and take my bike to a location. I had the ear buds in my ears, I thought, voice is enough... Oh my, was I wrong. I ended up missing most turn off in streets due to latency, some crossings made no sense over audio, a total disaster. So I got a stand to attach the phone to the handle bars... And that works great, for about 20 mins. I live in Austr…

Years ago before a long motorcycle trip I made a nice setup to use google maps while riding for the trip. A custom mount, ran all the charging cables, NFC tag and tasker profile so it knows when it's mounted. I used it for 3 days before a guy told me to give old fashioned maps a try, and gave me a few state maps. My tank bag has a nice window slot for them, so why not use it in tandem? Within 2 hours I had totally st…

Physical maps are infinitely better in the rain. Gloves+moisture is no fan of touchscreens. Get an old-fashioned handheld marine GPS if you have to. One with clicky buttons.

Re: Designing Google Maps for Motorbikes

#55

Post by mi100hael »

systemtest wrote: post #31
Itsdijital wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Years ago before a long motorcycle trip I made a nice setup to use google maps while riding for the trip. A custom mount, ran all the charging cables, NFC tag and tasker profile so it knows when it's mounted. I used it for 3 days before a guy told me to give old fashioned maps a try, and gave me a few state maps. My tank bag has a nice window slot for them, so why not use it in tandem? Within 2 hours I had totally st…

I ride motorcycles in cross-Europe trips for fun but prefer the GPS. My GPS will look for small twisty mountain roads with lots of elevation changes and lots of corners. Roads that are only on highly detailed local maps, and I don't want to carry 30 maps on a month long road trip. Road signage is simply not a thing on these roads as they are only used by locals. I can disable highways, B-roads, toll, ferries and on m…

Can you share what app/device you use that has all of those features like specifically picking out fun roads? I'm not aware of that feature on any major nav app.

Re: Designing Google Maps for Motorbikes

#57

Post by steveadoo »

77ko wrote: post #5

What would be cool if there was a very simple low power display bluetooth which just displayed an left/right/upp arrow with a number counting down when to turn or stop. Phones don't really work mounted on a bike, but a simple display could do the job. Sort of how android watch displays an arrow, but using a low power screen.

My car does this on the dash in front of my steering wheel. It will switch to an overhead of the lanes and highlight the one you have to take when you get close to your turn as well.

Much easier to process this than the full map on something like my phone or the map on the center console.

Re: Designing Google Maps for Motorbikes

#58

Post by gascan »

criddell wrote: post #52
uitgewis wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's a common belief among motorcyclists that having loud exhausts help alert other car drivers of their presence, making them more visible on the roads. There are various arguments in favor and against that notion, but if it's getting you to notice them I guess it is better than nothing.

I never believed that. I was an avid motorcyclists for decades and spent lots of time around riders of loud pipe bikes. If safety was what drove them to straight pipes, then I would expect those concerns to carry through with the rest of their gear.

As a motorcyclist & car driver, what I've observed is in a car you can hear loud pipe bikes- but only when they are in front of you, i.e. with the tailpipe pointing at your face. Behind or beside you- in other words, in your blind spots- don't hear a thing.

Re: Designing Google Maps for Motorbikes

#59

Post by drb91 »

mi100hael wrote: post #55
systemtest wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I ride motorcycles in cross-Europe trips for fun but prefer the GPS. My GPS will look for small twisty mountain roads with lots of elevation changes and lots of corners. Roads that are only on highly detailed local maps, and I don't want to carry 30 maps on a month long road trip. Road signage is simply not a thing on these roads as they are only used by locals. I can disable highways, B-roads, toll, ferries and on m…

Can you share what app/device you use that has all of those features like specifically picking out fun roads? I'm not aware of that feature on any major nav app.

I’ve found google maps offline mode + the avoid highways feature can have good results. It also tends to have shitty results in highly interconnected areas, but it works alright for the country.

Re: Designing Google Maps for Motorbikes

#60

Post by davidzweig »

Itsdijital wrote: post #19
keyle wrote: post #2

That's very cool. One time, I decided to just put the phone in my pocket and take my bike to a location. I had the ear buds in my ears, I thought, voice is enough... Oh my, was I wrong. I ended up missing most turn off in streets due to latency, some crossings made no sense over audio, a total disaster. So I got a stand to attach the phone to the handle bars... And that works great, for about 20 mins. I live in Austr…

Years ago before a long motorcycle trip I made a nice setup to use google maps while riding for the trip. A custom mount, ran all the charging cables, NFC tag and tasker profile so it knows when it's mounted. I used it for 3 days before a guy told me to give old fashioned maps a try, and gave me a few state maps. My tank bag has a nice window slot for them, so why not use it in tandem? Within 2 hours I had totally st…

Works well until you need to find an address in a city. Also, sometimes handy to be able to search for Mcdonalds, supermarket, fuel station etc.
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