iPhone Custom Routing - A solution!

For some time I've been thinking about getting a custom sat nav solution for the GS.

The Problem

Plenty of Sat Nav Apps work fine, put the postcodes in, bang, fastest route is generated. But they never go the route I want to go, its a big issue on the bike, as I want to take fun twisty roads, which often make no sense to a satellite navigation planning software.

The Solution

Well I had been considering this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Garmin-Zumo-Satellite-Navigation-Motorbikes/dp/B001PKTBR2

Its well reviewed here, works well. But a tad expensive*

My iPhone does all the above, except custom route planning.

So finally got a solution:

Navigon for iPhone (this is the only one which allows custom route (be it with slight bodge) TomTom & CoPilot just don't support it)

That said CoPilot can do route 'planning' on the handset but its fair amount of work if your work inputting it manually. No good for a two week trip. This will be a last resort, but for now....

Use Tyre for TomTom:

http://www.janboersma.nl/gett/index.php

Its an application that uses Google Maps, that creates itinerary files for Garmin & TomTom. You basically plan your route in the excellent Google maps and export it. (sure most of you have heard of it)

This gives you a file called "yourmap.itn" (easily used in TomTom)

Convert it to a .targets file with this handy program:

http://www.benichou-software.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4&Itemid=2&lang=en

Then just place it in your iPhone Navigon directory, either via SSH or WinSCP, I followed this blog:

http://certain.cc/2010/08/custom-routes-navigon-iphone/

Just tested it all it all works!

Just got to take it for a test run now

Great post! This is what I'm actually looking for!

BTW, what mount/case you use for your iphone? I only founf one suitable (waterproof+ability to charge) which is Biologic Bike Mount by Dahon but it's a little expensive.

cayco said:

Great post! This is what I'm actually looking for!

BTW, what mount/case you use for your iphone? I only founf one suitable (waterproof+ability to charge) which is Biologic Bike Mount by Dahon but it's a little expensive.

Click to expand...

I don't use any mounts, I am not convinced by them, they look little fragile. Also issue of my 3G-S overheating in direct sunlight. I had it setup in the map section of my GS tank bang, I could see it well, it was powered, protected and waterproof. But in hot weather, it over-heated. So I now just tuck it in my jacket, and just rely on audio instructions which work well.

Glad someone liked my post, lot of views but took a while for a reply!

Great info Tunnie - thanks.

I've used the excellent Tyre program for a few years now and the .itn files it produces works fine on my Navman S50 which is running TomTom + european maps.

One thing to be aware of with TomTom itinerary files though is that they only work up to about 38 waypoints, so just split each leg of your trip down into separate .itn files and just select the one you want at the start of each leg from the TomTom menu. Works fine for me that way

I dont know about on the iPhone but Copilot definitely does custom routes on Android and I would be surprised if it doesnt on the iPhone. I can manually select way points on the phone which is a bit tedious or I can do my whole route in Google maps or Earth and import it to Copilot. You can even go off road if I want to via green lanes or whatever.

torq said:

Great info Tunnie - thanks.

I've used the excellent Tyre program for a few years now and the .itn files it produces works fine on my Navman S50 which is running TomTom + european maps.

One thing to be aware of with TomTom itinerary files though is that they only work up to about 38 waypoints, so just split each leg of your trip down into separate .itn files and just select the one you want at the start of each leg from the TomTom menu. Works fine for me that way

Click to expand...

Cheers, did not know about the 38 way point limit, I'll know that for the future. I've had to be careful with route planning as once I dropped a way point on the wrong side of the motorway, caused a slight discussion between me and it

Marki_GSA said:

I dont know about on the iPhone but Copilot definitely does custom routes on Android and I would be surprised if it doesnt on the iPhone. I can manually select way points on the phone which is a bit tedious or I can do my whole route in Google maps or Earth and import it to Copilot. You can even go off road if I want to via green lanes or whatever.

Click to expand...

CoPilot does do 'custom/planning' routes, you can add places to a destination. I still find it hard to really force it down the roads I want.

I know is a bit old but i just discovered this great entry. Thanks for sharing.
Well, I converted some GPX files my dudes use (they got Zumos) to .target and then I put those in the route folders of my Navigon using WinSCP.
So far so good, rigth??? Not really, when I tryed to open the routes in my Navigon they just not open and the iPhone closes the app... Any idea what I did wrong?
Anyway I am thinking to get Copilot as a back up plan, hopefully I can add the GPX files to it.

I have not really much idea what could be wrong with your setup although recently I found some new way of using iPhone.

I prepare my route on http://www.gpsies.com/ (great site!) and then export it to GPX. Then I load it (email) to GPS Kit. It's a great app where you can download many maps for off-line usage. It includes Google (all kinds), Bing, OpenStreetMap and MapQuest. All in different kinds and shapes. You can also record track, add waypoints, analyze data and more. It's nice for offroad or unihabited areas where map coverage is useless.

Navigon is pretty awesome, but im having a hard time finding a Solid "iphone" mount - i found this iphone car mount but i feel like there would be too much customizing to get it where it needs to be. Is there anything similar to this Akron weatherproof mount specific to the iphone on two wheels?

There's a couple out there, you got one from ridermount or the one I use from ultimate addons there pretty robust and they say waterproof but I haven't risked it.

Hi,
Might I suggest our case for the iPhone (mentioned above). Never had one back for water ingress. We can RAM mount them too.

http://www.ridermount.com/product_detail.asp?id=45

Cheers, [email protected]