Riding out into the unknown is great fun, especially when you come across tracks that let you forget about everything else, apart from twisting that throttle and sticking the rear out. But we do use our own navigation systems in order to find such places and sometimes, to head back to where we came from, unfortunately. Work ties, family ties, friends - they all do a pretty damn good job of pulling us back into civilisation!
Navigation comes into picture most of the times and is an important aspect of motorcycling, especially if motorcycle touring and adventure are your things. Heading out in search of a place your friends just posted pictures of, or when guiding yourself through a rally course. It’s interesting to see the kind of methods people use for navigation though, there are so many different kinds of them for various purposes, each one having its advantages and disadvantages. What suits your style of riding?
Satellite GPS systems
The global positioning system is made up of at least 24 satellites that work round the clock in any weather conditions. They travel at approximately 7000 miles an hour, transmitting 2 radio signals that travel through the sky and other objects to the receivers mounted in the GPS devices.
The devices then use these signals and trilateration to determine their precise location. Modern GPS devices are equipped with not only guiding the riders through unknown paths but they also display current traffic conditions, connects with smartphones to display calls and messages. In other words, they function in a similar manner as smartphones.
But, what really differentiates a true navigation device for the motorcycle is a robust GPS device built to withstand vibrations and hits from a motorcycle ride. Many of the GPS devices meant for motorcycle navigation are mounted on the handlebar. So, imagine heading out on a trail with a basic non- robust device/ phone! Dedicated GPS Navigation devices come with anti- vibration or dampening brackets to prevent vibration damage and their build is not what I could call ‘flimsy’. So no matter how hard the knocks are, it won’t let you down.
Speaking of trails, ADV riders are prepared for stream, water crossings and other water bodies which motorcycles can wade through. GPS Navigation devices for motorcycles are built to deal with such wet situations as well and as a result, they’re either waterproof or come with an optional waterproof case.
Other points that you need to consider if you intend to use a GPS navigation device is a large, anti-glare screen to ensure good visibility, glove- friendly touch screen interface that can be used with motorcycle gloves on and whether or not in plugs into your 12 volt DC socket.
You could use live navigation in some devices while in others, maps need to be downloaded onto an SD card from your PC. The GPS navigation then reads the GPX files from the SD card and guides riders through waypoints. What’s important here though is that the downloaded maps need to be updated frequently.
While user interface differs from brand to brand, ensure to look for one that feels friendly and intuitive without the possibility of a GPS lag. A GPS lag in navigation devices slows down the rate at which it displays your current location, thereby increasing your chances of missing out on an important deviation.
A lot of GPS Navigation devices come with optional extras such as internal speakers, wireless headset use, good sound quality, etc and that of course comes at an extra cost. Doesn’t matter how much of the extras come along, the navigation device must be connected to the battery instead of the ignition to avoid power loss.
Mobile phone GPS
Smart phone navigation maps such as Google Maps do almost everything that dedicated GPS devices offer when it comes to the software bit. They display real time traffic data, offer navigation voice commands, they’re fast, they can be used all day if plugged into the charging socket, riders can create their own routes and much more, that dedicated motorcycle navigation devices once offered as special extras!
When the smartphone was a new concept a couple of years ago, navigation apps were scarce and online navigation was the only option available. In other words, riders could only use smartphone navigation when they had internet connectivity. That made mobile phone navigation useless in areas where mobile towers are unavailable. Trail riding in the woods was then impossible using smartphone navigation. Thanks to the speedy evolution of smartphones though that riders today are able to use smartphone GPS navigation when they’re offline.
Downloaded offline maps can work anywhere in the world without the need to connect to the internet. They work in the same way as a dedicated GPS navigation devices- connect with satellites to determine exact location and trilateration. Of course, real time traffic data would be unavailable but you would at least know when the next deviation arrives. The fun part though is creating your own routes with a little bit of planning. You can mark waypoints, set your own stop points and create your own routes to follow on these offline maps. Isn’t that cool?
There are plenty of apps available on Google Play Store or iTunes store that support offline GPS navigation for free of cost. In fact, Google Maps has recently offered the feature too so if you’re used to Google Map’s interface for navigation and are unwilling to try a new app out, you could continue doing so happily without the use of internet.
Mark your start point and end point on almost any app and you’re presented with loads of data like distance to be covered, approximate time that a rider would take to cover the distance, road conditions, average speed that could be maintained, popular eateries that come your way, number of petrol bunks available and some other fancy options. Smartphones have evolved in a way where GPS navigation on dedicated GPS devices suddenly seem obsolete. It does make a rider like me wonder if I should buy a GPS device or simply mount my phone on the handle bar mount and head out on a long ride.
But, there are a few drawbacks of Smartphone GPS navigation that seem evident once you’re on the ride. Smartphones aren’t as rugged as GPS navigation devices which feature all weather capability. In fact, smartphones are delicate, light and are prone to damage when exposed to harsh weather conditions. If you’re using a smartphone inside a sealed case to protect it from external forces, then there are high chances of your phone heating up and switching off under a sunny day (happens a lot with Apple iPhones)
On the other hand, mounts such as RAM mounts offer no protection to the phone unless you buy a separate, expensive case. Imagine exposing your phone to vibrations, heat and other elements. The worst thing to happen to a smartphone in such a scenario would be a pigeon pooping on it while you’ve paused the ride by the roadside to add a stop point!
Another issue that really crops up is when your motorcycle battery is old and as a result, you don’t intend to use the 12V charger to charge your phone. Smartphone batteries aren’t that long lasting when you’re using GPS navigation apps on them. Such apps drain the battery fast and by the time you reach your destination or find an alternate source to power the phone, the smartphone would have switched off. Of course, you always have the option to carry a power bank with you but still!
The smart phone then, has a few physical limitations that can be overcome without much difficulty.
Paper Maps
Paper maps are a different league altogether. A raw, old and simple technique yet an adventurous way of navigating on a motorcycle adventure would make the rider feel like an explorer I suppose. The biggest advantage of paper maps for navigation being data available on paper and that means there’s no need of a charging socket and GPS satellite connection. In fact, you don’t even have to worry about the safety and waterproof housing of an expensive smartphone or a GPS navigation device
The biggest difference between satellite GPS Navigation system and paper maps is indication of your current position. There’s no way you’re going to know your precise location while referring to paper maps unless you look around for landmarks and try to locate yourself on the map. It’s a complete manual process.
Most riders referring to paper maps for navigation study the map in advance. Some homework is recommended else the rider will have to stop multiple times on a ride to refer the map. Despite the easily availability of GPS navigation on a smartphone or GPS device, many riders still choose to use paper maps as this navigation technique offers a different sense of freedom and adventure. Many who refer to paper maps don’t refer the maps in their smartphones on purpose as they intend to navigate using paper maps only.
Even by studying the map in advance, a rider needs to be aware of the towns, villages he/ she enters or exits at all times, unlike following an arrow on the screen of a GPS device or navigation app. Signboards, landmarks, milestones, places of importance need to be noted continuously to keep a tab on the precise location.
Paper maps are usually placed near the instrument cluster or are stuck to the windscreen of the motorcycle for convenience. What is guaranteed though is for the rider to stop more often on a ride and check for directions than compared to the process of electronic navigation. As a result, a rider will end up buying more time on the motorcycle adventure than the usual time taken unless the route is simple and stop points remain marked on the map in advance.
When it comes to harsh weather conditions too, the paper map will need more attention. A transparent plastic cover for the rains should do the job must one must carry that along as well.
Road books
Dirt races, even the toughest ones like Dakar prefer road books that get placed on the instrument cluster. Road books are different from maps as they don’t consist of a pictorial representation of the map, they consist of data instead. But the twist here is that the map works hand in hand with a GPS system since on a rally course deserts and forests, it is impossible to know your precise location without a GPS Navigation device.
On a Dakar rally bike, the GPS navigation device only points the direction in which the rider should go unlike the typical GPS devices used on production motorcycles. The roadbook meanwhile has the next deviation, distance from checkpoint and other technical details marked on it and is attached to an electronic scroll that the rider controls from the handlebar.
Here’s a an interview with Red Bull KTM Manager Stefan Huber where he talks about GPS Navigation on the KTM Dakar motorcycle.
The Dakar rally then, is a classic example a blend of GPS and roadbook navigation technique.
By looking at all the possible ways of navigating on a motorcycle and by understanding each one offers and what each doesn’t offer, there’s nothing specific we can zero in on I guess. As usual, it is up to an individual motorcycle tourer to decide what is best for him/ her while navigating on the motorcycle.
If you ask what we prefer, we would say a combination of electronic and paper navigation system would be best to have the most amount of fun! Of course, using paper maps would be more time consuming but it does add that personal touch, that extra opportunity to ask a local and mingle with him. It helps one engage with his/her surroundings instead of just being guided by a screen. If that gets difficult, you always have the option of referring to your GPS device or your smartphone navigation app.
On the other hand, if mile munching in limited time is the need of the hour then there’s no better utility than smartphone maps for GPS navigation. It’s much easier and cheaper to download offline maps these days that come with a variety of options and combinations. In fact, we’d say its more economical than buying a specialised GPS device altogether.
But if you intend to not depend on smartphones or paper maps for navigation, then an independent GPS navigation device would be an ideal choice for you. Whatever you choose, we wish you happy miles ahead!
