Best GPS Software for Planning Custom Routes
#11
05-13-2015, 09:15 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Arizona
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#12
05-15-2015, 10:50 AM
1st Gear
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Portland, OR
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I use RouteConverter: http://www.routeconverter.de/home/en . You need to have java installed for it to run...but it's really slick. Uses Google maps (yeah...you can switch to satellite while routing to check for gravel 
) and exports to a bizillion different formats. (I use CoPilot on my phone as my GPS because it allows me to load custom routes...but it also exports to .gpx which is what I think most Garmin products use).
I've learned as in one other response in this thread....to always make sure to put in waypoints near (but not right on) every turn I want to make. Otherwise, a GPS program might take you on a different route as it recalculates
. If you put the waypoint right ON the turn...then your GPS might be recalculating at the time that it should be telling you to turn which isn't good either.
) and exports to a bizillion different formats. (I use CoPilot on my phone as my GPS because it allows me to load custom routes...but it also exports to .gpx which is what I think most Garmin products use). I've learned as in one other response in this thread....to always make sure to put in waypoints near (but not right on) every turn I want to make. Otherwise, a GPS program might take you on a different route as it recalculates
. If you put the waypoint right ON the turn...then your GPS might be recalculating at the time that it should be telling you to turn which isn't good either.
#13
05-15-2015, 01:13 PM
Club Member
I use Google Maps and HD Ride planner.
Google maps for speedy trip routing, and HD Ride planner to finalize and DL to my Garmin 660.
Also I make MS Excel sheets with Google riding time, plus 10 minute per fuel stop, plus a lunch hour [or whatever] and plan a day that way. I keep the hotel notes on the right hand side of the sheet.
Sure it is overplanning, but it helps the winter pass.
If you PM me I can email you a copy.
Otherwise, just have a general idea of routing, type the citys in you want / need to go to, and let the sun and weather lead you.
Stop when you gotta, ride when you wanna.
Have a good one
H
Google maps for speedy trip routing, and HD Ride planner to finalize and DL to my Garmin 660.
Also I make MS Excel sheets with Google riding time, plus 10 minute per fuel stop, plus a lunch hour [or whatever] and plan a day that way. I keep the hotel notes on the right hand side of the sheet.
Sure it is overplanning, but it helps the winter pass.
If you PM me I can email you a copy.
Otherwise, just have a general idea of routing, type the citys in you want / need to go to, and let the sun and weather lead you.
Stop when you gotta, ride when you wanna.
Have a good one
H
#14
05-15-2015, 02:31 PM
Hope it works for you.
#15
05-17-2015, 08:44 PM
Moderator
*****PLEASE NOTE*****
The Garmin 350 will not accept custom routes. Trust me, I own one and fought with it for weeks. I finally called Garmin support and it was determined that it will not navigate a custom route, even though you can upload it. It acts like it will navigate your route but it does not. It will navigate waypoint to waypoint that you enter on the device itself. Back when I was a Goldwing rider I used a Garmin 550 but let it go with the bike. It worked perfectly so I couldn't figure out the 350 until I talked to Garmin.
I finally gave up and bought a 665 which is way too expensive, but it is waterproof and I upload mp3's into it and play through my Harley radio.
The best way to get a custom route is using either Basecamp (a PIA to learn) or the Harley Ride Planner. After you upload the route to the device, preview it to make sure it is correct as desired. If not, you will have to add additional via points to force it to follow your desired route and upload again.
I've successfully added a 13 day trip on the 665. Each day is it's own custom route and it's worked flawlessly.
Let me know if I can help. I know how frustrating it is.
The Garmin 350 will not accept custom routes. Trust me, I own one and fought with it for weeks. I finally called Garmin support and it was determined that it will not navigate a custom route, even though you can upload it. It acts like it will navigate your route but it does not. It will navigate waypoint to waypoint that you enter on the device itself. Back when I was a Goldwing rider I used a Garmin 550 but let it go with the bike. It worked perfectly so I couldn't figure out the 350 until I talked to Garmin.
I finally gave up and bought a 665 which is way too expensive, but it is waterproof and I upload mp3's into it and play through my Harley radio.
The best way to get a custom route is using either Basecamp (a PIA to learn) or the Harley Ride Planner. After you upload the route to the device, preview it to make sure it is correct as desired. If not, you will have to add additional via points to force it to follow your desired route and upload again.
I've successfully added a 13 day trip on the 665. Each day is it's own custom route and it's worked flawlessly.
Let me know if I can help. I know how frustrating it is.
1) After spending an embarrassing amount of days (not hours) but days it is still frustrating.
If I am going up the turnpike 200 miles, it takes me off the turnpike over to I-95 at every f'ing exit. I have the setting to ALLOW EVERYTHING, the turpike as well. how the hell do you STOP basecamp from constantly trying to change the root of where you are going without using 50,000 waypoint?
The HD Ride Planner is 1 of the BEST. Do u know how to convert the HD GPX file into BaseCamp?
BuzzCap7
#16
05-18-2015, 12:15 PM
I have found base camp to be excruciatingly difficult to learn.
1) After spending an embarrassing amount of days (not hours) but days it is still frustrating.
If I am going up the turnpike 200 miles, it takes me off the turnpike over to I-95 at every f'ing exit. I have the setting to ALLOW EVERYTHING, the turpike as well. how the hell do you STOP basecamp from constantly trying to change the root of where you are going without using 50,000 waypoint?
The HD Ride Planner is 1 of the BEST. Do u know how to convert the HD GPX file into BaseCamp?
BuzzCap7
1) After spending an embarrassing amount of days (not hours) but days it is still frustrating.
If I am going up the turnpike 200 miles, it takes me off the turnpike over to I-95 at every f'ing exit. I have the setting to ALLOW EVERYTHING, the turpike as well. how the hell do you STOP basecamp from constantly trying to change the root of where you are going without using 50,000 waypoint?
The HD Ride Planner is 1 of the BEST. Do u know how to convert the HD GPX file into BaseCamp?
BuzzCap7
Both HD Ride Planner and BaseCamp use the .gpx format. There's not a real easy way to save a route in Ride Planner to your hard drive, but it can be done.
Create your desired route in Ride Planner and save it.
Then click on "GPS Sync".
When the Sync window opens, click on the "Manual Mode" tab.
Then click on the orange button that says "Save as GPX File"
That opens a window to name your route.
After you name your route, click on the orange "Export Stops and Waypoints" button.
That sends the .gpx file to my "Downloads" folder. (I'm using Windows 8) It may be different on your machine. It may ask you where to save it. At any rate, you can then open this file in BaseCamp.
#17
05-18-2015, 04:50 PM
Moderator
Both HD Ride Planner and BaseCamp use the .gpx format. There's not a real easy way to save a route in Ride Planner to your hard drive, but it can be done.
Create your desired route in Ride Planner and save it.
Then click on "GPS Sync".
When the Sync window opens, click on the "Manual Mode" tab.
Then click on the orange button that says "Save as GPX File"
That opens a window to name your route.
After you name your route, click on the orange "Export Stops and Waypoints" button.
That sends the .gpx file to my "Downloads" folder. (I'm using Windows 8) It may be different on your machine. It may ask you where to save it. At any rate, you can then open this file in BaseCamp.
Create your desired route in Ride Planner and save it.
Then click on "GPS Sync".
When the Sync window opens, click on the "Manual Mode" tab.
Then click on the orange button that says "Save as GPX File"
That opens a window to name your route.
After you name your route, click on the orange "Export Stops and Waypoints" button.
That sends the .gpx file to my "Downloads" folder. (I'm using Windows 8) It may be different on your machine. It may ask you where to save it. At any rate, you can then open this file in BaseCamp.
My issue that is annoying as hell, is I would put together a ride let's say up the turnpike. The software will try to take me off of the turnpike at every, every, every exit.
I have the settings allowing for the turnpike and interstate and major roads.
Or I would be anywhere trying to stay on the same road over a long distance and no matter what road I am choosing it would take me off the road over and over and over and over again.
Believe it or not, there is one road going down to Key West from end to end. I rooted myself from one end to the other and twice it try to take me off of the main road into the side streets. Twice!
The issue above is what is driving me crazy. Do you have any suggestions?
Thank you,
BuzzCap7
#18
05-18-2015, 04:55 PM
Thank you my friend but I have all of that down just fine.
My issue that is annoying as hell, is I would put together a ride let's say up the turnpike. The software will try to take me off of the turnpike at every, every, every exit.
I have the settings allowing for the turnpike and interstate and major roads.
Or I would be anywhere trying to stay on the same road over a long distance and no matter what road I am choosing it would take me off the road over and over and over and over again.
Believe it or not, there is one road going down to Key West from end to end. I rooted myself from one end to the other and twice it try to take me off of the main road into the side streets. Twice!
The issue above is what is driving me crazy. Do you have any suggestions?
Thank you,
BuzzCap7
My issue that is annoying as hell, is I would put together a ride let's say up the turnpike. The software will try to take me off of the turnpike at every, every, every exit.
I have the settings allowing for the turnpike and interstate and major roads.
Or I would be anywhere trying to stay on the same road over a long distance and no matter what road I am choosing it would take me off the road over and over and over and over again.
Believe it or not, there is one road going down to Key West from end to end. I rooted myself from one end to the other and twice it try to take me off of the main road into the side streets. Twice!
The issue above is what is driving me crazy. Do you have any suggestions?
Thank you,
BuzzCap7
#19
05-18-2015, 06:29 PM
#20
05-18-2015, 08:23 PM
Moderator
It is doing it online. <-- Mainly.
In the GPS as well but rarely. It is the online issue that is driving me nuts.
BuzzCap7