Today dedicated some time in getting "route navigation" set-up on the iPhone before going out for an afternoon drive with a friend. Found there are two issues with what should be a simple task. The first, you can't get files on an iPhone easily, specifically the gpx files used on web pages with readily available motorcycle routes such as http://www.moterus.es & http://www.wikiloc.com. And after some more investigating the other isue - even if I can get the files on, Tomtom for iPhone doesn't have the itinerary planning functions which means it doesn't accept pre-written routes!
So after some investigation with google found a solution: MotionX GPS for iPhone. It's relatively simple to use and better for the task than Tomtom as it give you nice statistics such as altitude, time spent, avg. speed and tracks your progression and saves this so you can share afterwards.
How to use: After downloading the gpx file, you send it via email to a specific MotionX email address. It sends back a link which you click within the iPhone and voila - you're route is imported and ready to use. Also, you can offline download the maps you will use during the route so you don't need an internet connection along the way.
So for the route - thanks to "julianclimb" found this interesting back street rout in the Southeast part of Madrid:
http://www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=732092
It's not an easy route as the roads are pretty irregular, so it helps to have a trail bike, but a lot of fun! It took us 5h30 to go around it, with a couple off stops for beers & coffee. This was our final Map, which looks almost the same, except for a couple of wrong turns in the beginning near Rivas where I didn't understand the GPS and towards the end where we stopped at Loeches for some end of trip tapas.
After some initial difficulties with the MotionX & iPhone as I didn't figure out how the Map worked and the touchscreen only works without the gloves on, it started working like a charm and is extremely easy to follow. It does lack voice commands so you need to see the screen for teh software to be useful. I don't see this as a disadvantage as the last thing I want during a sunday cruise is the voice of a GPS in my helmet nagging left & right...The back streets were amazing, and one comment I think says it all was from my friend when we stopped "This looks like we're driving through the third world!" - it was so far away from city reality with little villages and no cars circulating - only the occasional farmer. Funny to find this so close to the big city.
Did my first iPhone video from the RAM mount:
Nice Interesting effect of how it shimmers with acceleration!
and tried another recording, the only thing interesting is the shadow... (go to 00:26)
Statistics:
Time (including stops): 5:29
Avg speed: 48,1
Max speed: NA
Distance: 264
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