Sure. Google Maps and Waze are great for what they are. However, they are primarily geared towards A -> B navigation (fastest or shortest route). Once your needs get beyond that their utility drops off rapidly. I do frequently find myself in BFE where mobile data is non-existent - so having some ability to operate in those environments is generally considered a requirement. To give Google Maps its due, it does have an Offline Maps feature that will allow you to download map tiles in advance for the areas you expect to be in. This works well enough and could be handy in a pinch. However, as noted, Google Maps is mainly for A -> B navigation.

 

Look at the Sygic app, it's 100% offline, you have the entirety of the US downloaded on your phone. I keep it as a backup in case plan A (Zumo XT) or plan B (Google Maps) go south...

I appreciate all you're doing and testing about these things. I've been curious about the Beeline. I think it's a clever idea, but I'm not sold on it yet. If I get a little bike for hooliganing, I might want a little nav for it, and the Beeline looks promising, so I'm curious to hear the final report.

 

I believe I've looked at Sygic some time ago. IIRC it was pretty much another A -> B oriented navigation app. It does allow you to download offline maps, but I don't see it as being that much more handy than what Google Maps already provides. I certainly don't think it would be an alternative to Scenic or MyRoute-app.

Overall... The goal is to limit exposing expensive smartphones to the downsides of motorcycle navigation applications, but still leverage the smartphone's utility for this purpose. Most already have a smartphone, so it makes sense to want to leverage it and not have to buy another dedicated/expensive device. But you don't want to trash the phone or accelerate the battery's demise in the process. You could go with a dedicated navigation device like a Garmin or TomTom, but again, they tend to be pricey and they tend to lock you into their ecosystem. An alternative would be to use a cheap add-on/support device for the smartphone. The Beeline and the CP/AA display look like viable solutions for this application. Each have their pros and cons. I'm trying to flesh them out and see what may work best for my use.

Right now... There is no doubt that the Beeline will be the navigation solution for the Nightster. The Heritage on the other hand... It's harder to say. That bike's duty includes multi-day trips with more complex/demanding routing/navigation needs. I'm fairly certain the Beeline could suffice on the Heritage in most scenarios. But I'm also fairly certain there will be scenarios were the Beeline compromises will be less than optimal for this duty. The questions are... Are the advantages of the Beeline sufficient enough to outweigh those compromises when they occur? Or, would one be more satisfied in the end with something like the CP/AA display (and it's associated disadvantages like size, more demanding power requirements on the phone, etc.)? Right now I'm on the fence when it comes to those questions.

 

Skipping vias/waypoints...

Sometimes we just need to skip them (for various reasons). Some apps have manual options for this. Some have both manual and automatic. Beeline has a little of both. One thing the documentation notes...

So far I've found that this doesn't work. The top and bottom buttons seem to do nothing. You can skip waypoints from the app, but that would require you to pull over and dig your phone out to do it (assuming you got your phone tucked away somewhere). So - without input from the app - the Beeline will continually try to reroute you back to the missed via/waypoint.

On the upside... If you re-enter the route somewhere downstream of the missed waypoint, Beeline will recognize this and auto skip the waypoint.

Probably ought to also toss in the notes from Beeline's documentation...

I've tried the scenarios in the second bullet. No joy so far.

Update: The top and bottom buttons do work for skipping vias/waypoints when navigating in Compass mode, but no joy in Route mode.

 

More observations playing around with the thing...

Detours....

Beeline has no functions/capability for detours that I can see. Even if it did, you would have to dig the phone out to deal with one. Detours are not something I usually come across. If one occurred while navigating with Beeline, you would have to manually figure a way around the impediment by looking at the map on the phone.

If such a detour becomes necessary out in BFE with no cell coverage, then you might want to be careful what you do. If navigating an unsaved A -> B route, one probably wouldn't want to end the navigation/ride if you want to continue on - on the other side of the detour - navigating the route in Route mode. If in error one did end the ride, you could still chose the destination (B) from the history list and restart the navigation. However, you would have to navigate in Compass mode (can't create Route without mobile data) until you got somewhere with cell coverage where you could restart in Route mode if desired.

Offline Capability...

Beeline does have some offline capability. It appears that Beeline does save routes (an apparently some map data) locally and you can load and navigate them in either Route or Compass mode even when starting the navigation somewhere without cell coverage. However, this is not exactly true for imported routes (that you have created - say - with your favorite route planner). For Beeline to start navigating a saved route out in BFE (with no cell coverage) it appears the route has to be a route created by the Beeline app. All's not lost for the GPX import though... Seems all you have to do is load the save imported route once - while you have cell coverage - and re-save it (perhaps with a new name) and you're good. You can now open that route while you're out in BFE and navigate it via Route mode.

If offline and you start navigation while located near or on a saved route, Beeline will just start navigating (Beeline might try to reroute at first if you aren't already on the route, but will give up because it's offline) the route. If you are starting out just off the beaten path, you can just go towards the route and once you get to it, navigation will start. If you are far away from the start point of the route you want to begin, Beeline will ask you if you want to navigate to the start. Your answer will be no because it can't route to the start while offline. You will have to start off navigating in Compass mode until you get to the route or you get somewhere with cell coverage where you can reload if you like and have it navigate you to the route start point via Route mode.

You won't be creating new A -> B routes on the fly apparently while out in BFE (offline). If the place you want to go isn't already in the history list, it appears Beeline won't be able to find it (needs mobile data for this). However, you can drop waypoints anywhere on the map and navigate to them via Compass mode. If you can locate the general location of a place on the map, you can drop a waypoint there and navigate to it via Compass mode. Presumably somewhere along the line you'll reencounter cell coverage and can readjust if desired.

Another 2 cents for now.