Tom Tom Rider

[Markblox]

Mapping

For this new model they have changed to navtech mapping software which is the best on the market.

 

[samwise]

For this new model they have changed to navtech mapping software which is the best on the market.

Hmm, that makes it more interesting as TeleAtlas isn't as good from what I've read (doesn't include IOM for a start).

 

[Desert Rat]

Spoke to a Tom Tom rep at the A1 services on Saturday and was promised that they will launch the Rider at the bike show in October. He said there will be promotional deals to be had.

 

[TheJoker]

Spoke to a Tom Tom rep at the A1 services on Saturday and was promised that they will launch the Rider at the bike show in October. He said there will be promotional deals to be had.

I guess that's good news...

Wonder what a "promotional deal" is...

 

[Mouse]

Wonder what a "promotional deal" is...

If he sells enough he gets a promotion

I hope this new gizmo lives up to all this hype! I'm still unconvinced that it'll be better than a good old 2610

 

[TheJoker]

If he sells enough he gets a promotion

Hahahahah!!!

I hope this new gizmo lives up to all this hype! I'm still unconvinced that it'll be better than a good old 2610

I doubt it will...

 

[Pondboy]

As the Rider is basically a TomTom Go with Bluetooth, I don't think there can be any comparison with a 2610. Memory size, waypoint limits, etc.

Better to compare it with the Garmin 300 series. PB

 

[HMR]

I must say I'm not very impressed by the TTR. It's only a car navigator put into a waterproof shell. It seems to be OK only for "finding the fastest and most booring road from here to somewhere".

Motorbiking is more an issue of finding the "nicest and most curvy road between two locations". This means planning a route on the PC to be downloaded to the navigator. Only Garmin can do this so far.

Who cares about 3D if you only see the wrong road anyway?

 

[Pondboy]

With luck and a tail wind I should be getting a loan unit in the next week.
I will know more tomorrow. PB

 

[TheJoker]

PB, May the force be with you!! Use the force.... (this must be a scifi movie, nobody has even seen a TTR properly... )

*fingers-crossed*

 

[Pondboy]

Tom Tom Rider at North Oxford Garage on Sat. Morning

Right guys,

I have been promised one of the beta TTR's for the weekend. If it really is available, I'll be picking it up tomorrow and will post accordingly.

I will go to NOG on Saturday around 10.00 and can stay there till 11.30. If you are in the area and want to get a butchers at it, be there. I have to give it back on Monday.

PB

 

[TheJoker]

Right guys,

I have been promised one of the beta TTR's for the weekend. If it really is available, I'll be picking it up tomorrow and will post accordingly.

I will go to NOG on Saturday around 10.00 and can stay there till 11.30. If you are in the area and want to get a butchers at it, be there. I have to give it back on Monday.

PB

"one of the beta TTR's".... Are you saying you're getting to play with a pre-production model that's already been out there, or are you saying you might be getting your hands on a brand new one that's not yet production-stable...?

And I'm going to go to NOG to pick up my bike at some point, I doubt I'll be there at 10.00 tho..

Hope to see you there! I'll be the one arriving on their F650GS demonstrator equipped with a top-box to pick up the R1200GS with blue bars...

 

[Pondboy]

Damn me, I have got it!

Well after all the wait it was worth it. Just picked up one of the beta units from the London based designers.

First impressions.

It has a great screen and very fast processor. Screen redrawns are very smooth. The colours are bright and the has a good number of pixels, giving a smooth image with no jaggies.

It is designed for idiot usage. Very good menus, and simple layout.

The GPS unit seems pretty powerful as it is doing a good job of finding satallites even when I am at the computer.

I haven't had a chance to test the mapping, but the map of our area is exeptionally good. Much better than the Garmin v6 map. I have seen later Garmin versions so cannot compare with them.

The 3D view is cute and works well with the fast screen redraws.

Whats in the box.

The TTR unit
A clip on/off clamp with a swivel ball joint and two sizes of bar clamps.
A bluetooth receiver
A single earpiece and microphone with a wire that plugs into the bluetooth receiver. The plug is 2.5mm with 4 connectors. (presumably for the earpice and mike)
A charger which charges the TTR and the bluetooth receiver.

If there was anything else, it fell off the bike on the way home

All the routing is done on the unit. You do not get any PC based mapping software, although the SD memory card is removable and there is a mini USB connector on the TTR, so you can get updates and stuff of the TomTom site. Whether they will do online route creation for downloading, I do not know. Lets hope so.

Now I have to go to do some work.

Talk to you tonight.

PB

 

[TheJoker]

Sweeeet!

PB,

Excellent!! Looks like I have to take the F650GS back tonight so I can come over to NOG around the times you mentioned... but not 10:00 sharp... ZZzzz...

Oh, and if you read this and have a second; How far can I go on the reserve on the F650GS?
Answer here, please: http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?p=485320


Cheers!

 

[TheJoker]

Apologies

Pondboy. Please accept my sincere apologies for not making it to NOG while you were there. I arrived at NOG at 11:34 and Matt told me you had been there for over one hour.
I'm terribly sorry for wasting your time.

 

[Pondboy]

No prob,
I was chilling with Barry and Carcher2k and spending too much time sitting on the 1150 ADV, 1200GS and a customer 1150GS.

Had to go the the parents and pondgirl was getting stressy about waiting for me.

PB

 

[TheJoker]

No prob,
I was chilling with Barry and Carcher2k and spending too much time sitting on the 1150 ADV, 1200GS and a customer 1150GS.

Had to go the the parents and pondgirl was getting stressy about waiting for me.

PB

Glad I didn't ruin your day (I did put a dent in mine as I wanted have a play with the TTR), but I still do think that I should apologise for wasting your time.

I hear the TTR is gooooood tho..

 

[ebbo]

Pondboy, as you have Beta units, will the full version of the Rider have PC mapping to create routes and waypoints?

Cheers, Martin

 

[Pondboy]

Disclaimer: All of the following information is my subjective opinion and I have only had a very short time to play with the unit. I have had no contact with TomTom and am not aware of any of their plans. The following could therefore be no better than Elephant wind.

As far as I can find out all the mapping routing is meant to be done on the unit. TomTom may provide an online mapping/routing service, but that is only a guess (my wish). As far as I know, the software/map release is stable and the only issues are with the physical units shock protection and waterproofness.

The unit is very easy to use, and will allow multiple waypoints in the route, but you cannot drag your route from one road onto your preferred road like you can in Mapsource on the PC. It is easy to find adresses using postcodes although I think it is only looking at the first 4 digits of the postcode. Once they are in it starts asking you for more address info using a variety of criteria.

The most impressive features are the quality of the screen and the processor speed. The mapping information does seem very good as well.

I am off to the pub now and will sit down and list the menu options etc after I have imbibed a few pints.
PB

 

[ebbo]

It’s good to hear something’s finally moving with the Rider GPS, some competition for Garmin can only be a good thing. Enjoy your pint then perhaps you could post some pics?

Thanks again, Martin (at work)