Cell phone GPS?

[Pitchinguy]

Anybody using their cellphone for a gps? I loved my my Zumo because I could listen to music & get voice prompts while watching a map. But she finally died & I wonder about my iphone X as a replacement? Can I get the same service? Do I need an APP? Or should I just buy another GPS? Thanks for your help!!

[JD Hog]

I have always used a GPS, do you still get the phone GPS mapping without a cell signal?

I have my Zumo 660 for sale on this forum

CLICK HERE

[Pitchinguy]

Don't know about the signal or any pros/cons actually. Hoping some people will chime in with their experience & likes/dislikes.

[Scootergptx]

Not sure if using the phone as a GPS would count against data use. No big deal if you have unlimited though.

[davidb17]

I have used both. I have a Garmin Zumo 395 & iphone 7. I haven't really had any issues with no service on the phone. Both seem to work well but I like the Waze app on the phone pretty well. I have my music on an I phone 4 stored away in left pocket & my phone sits on bars hooked to charger & speakers through nav system. This seems to work well on my 2017 voyager. I have ran same set up on other bikes with normal stereo using cable or blue tooth.

David

[pete]

Always have used an Android phone with just plain 'ol Google maps.
Even out of signal range it still ticks along. Sits on a Ram mount left side handlebar.
I have another backup app called "offline maps and navigation" in case Google maps stuffs up. Bit more complex to use but it's there, just in case.
Cheers, Pete.

[Peg]

There's also Sygic maps... who do apps for Apple and Android. I use an ordinary car GPS in a ram mount usually, but Sygic is an excellent back up for when it's raining. I can have my phone tucked away in the trunk sending directions BT to my Sena.

Sygic stores it's maps on your device, so needs no data connection or phone signal. Their maps are Tom Tom based / sourced.

I've found Google maps work OK too, so long as I remember to download the maps for the areas I'm travelling through. Otherwise I'm just looking at a blue dot in the middle of a grey grid pattern when there's no signal.

[cnc]

I use a zumo on my bike blue toothed to my head set for turn by turn audio, however despite having a second garmin in my truck, I find it more convenient to use my I Phone with google maps. Works fine without a cell signal and uses no data. Most modern phones and tablets have a built in gps. I’m guessing since my phone is Bluetoothed to my head set via the zumo for phone calls, there may be a way to directly Bluetooth the phone to the headset for turn by turn audio.

[dhuttonkc]

Just a thought for placing your cell phone on the handlebars.......


A few years ago a friend lost control on a curve in Arkansas. He sailed over his handlebars, the bike ended up in a tree 15 feet above where he lay in the ditch at the bottom of the hill.


He survived, with a pretty good gimp all these years later, but might have bled out from a fractured femur had a motorist not seen the yellow pegs along the roadway that had been bent over.



My cell phone stays in my vest pocket at all times when I ride. It also has my I-C-E contact information and my medical information. This is in addition to the emergency information card in the left saddlebag and the windshield bag.


PS: Yes, GPS use counts against data usage.

[cnc]

Originally Posted by dhuttonkc

Just a thought for placing your cell phone on the handlebars.......


A few years ago a friend lost control on a curve in Arkansas. He sailed over his handlebars, the bike ended up in a tree 15 feet above where he lay in the ditch at the bottom of the hill.


He survived, with a pretty good gimp all these years later, but might have bled out from a fractured femur had a motorist not seen the yellow pegs along the roadway that had been bent over.



My cell phone stays in my vest pocket at all times when I ride. It also has my I-C-E contact information and my medical information. This is in addition to the emergency information card in the left saddlebag and the windshield bag.


PS: Yes, GPS use counts against data usage.

Good point on keeping your cell phone on you. As for data use maybe in the US or if it also triangulates with towers, turn your data off and it should use the built in gps but you may have to down load the map of the area ahead of time. I also have an I pad with NO data plan or phone plan and I run Navtronics charting on it on my boat, basically a marine version of what is used on the road. It always knows where I am, heading, speed over ground, and eta if I have a route programmed in.

[DragonLady58]

I used to use google maps as my primary gps, but when using google maps, I've always found its a battery hog. I use my garmin now, then, if a emergency, phone is in fairing pocket, clipped on my waist, etc., as a backup....
I got a ton of apps running on my phone already....
Every once-in-a-while, garmin wants to send me off on a easter egg hunt, so, gotta be careful....

[nomadtom69]

like my Garmin but try to have a hard map of each state I travel in, can not be to careful also have a cell phone

[smokier]

Greetings,
I have used the cell phone as a GPS. As DragonLady stated, battery hog. Do have a charger, to keep it powered if needed. It will suck data off of your plan.
Most of the time, it is a Garmin Nuvi. I can go through three Nuvi's for the price of one Zumo. Nuvi's apparently don't like the vibration and only last a couple of seasons. Plus, using Basecamp software, am able to load very specific routes on the Garmins. Google Maps, in my experience, tend to recalculate and not hold to the saved route.
Plus the screen on the Nuvi is bigger than my Android. Less time to find what I looking for, EG, less time my eyes are off the road.

Ride safe,
Smokier