Your favorite iPhone and Android motorcycle apps

[savantelite]

Smart phones are popular for many motorcyclist. Not only can I use it for gps, music and even calling. But mapping, trip planning, and updating my friends with statuses.

So what are your favorite motorcycle apps?

 

[garwil]

BluTooth connection to my helmet. I can answer the phone when someone calls. . . . Or, I can turn it off and ride in peace. My choice.

 

[Curious Mike]

Here's one I recently downloaded for iPhone. Right now it's free so you might give it a try. Don't know if it's available for android.

 

[Curious Mike]

Well darn. That didn't show up very well. Anyway, you can find it at the iTunesStore of course.

 

[taldric]

I use my iPhone with the NAVIGON GPS app for pre-planning routes and basic "get me there" audio cue directions (through bluetooth to my helmet). I also frequentlyl use the "MotionX-GPS" app to track my path, and it will also email my wife with myu current location every X minutes so that she has some clue where I am while I am on the longer rides.

I also have the Photobucket app installed so that I can quickly upload pictures for posting on this web site(;-)). And a mobile web browser (Safari) of course. I use that a LOT!

The new voice activated features of the iPhone 4S (named "Siri") are VERY useful while riding. I can ask Siri to read any incoming text messages, and she will take dictation so I can respond, all without ever taking my eyes off the road. She can also switch to a different musical play list, place phone calls, and a few other things - all without looking at the phone or having to stop.

 

[Columbus]

Smart phones are popular for many motorcyclist. Not only can I use it for gps, music and even calling. But mapping, trip planning, and updating my friends with statuses.

So what are your favorite motorcycle apps?

I use an Android app called Glympse from time to time. People can see where I'm at on FB or through the app's web-site.

 

[Mellow]

I recently started using google drive. It's basically a way to keep spreadsheets, word documents, presentations, etc on a remote server you can access via your PC using Google Drive or your phone/tablet.. it is basically a remote drive so if you make changes it's saved on that drive and you can access it using different devices. You can password protect it if you like. You will need a google account to get to it.

I keep my bike/car maint records on it along with stuff like the air filter size for the home AC so if I'm out and remember I need something, I have some of that info at hand.

 

[junglejim]

I like that a lot of other people have the gadgets (and the expense) so when I have a question I can just ask someone. They usually happy to "search" the answer for me. I believe they like to show off their device and justify it to themselves as well being polite to me. On the road there is more than enough going on to keep my brain busy and bike upright, so I don't really need or want any distractions.
Thanks to all those who answer my questions.

 

[charlie b]

Copilot GPS (stand alone GPS)
The Weather Channel
QuickOffice
Torque (with OBD2 adapter to use in the truck) This is worth over $2000 in extra gages.
Autocad WS
Nook
Paypal card reader

I use mine 24/7 since I am on call most of the time. When riding the GPS is on screen and I am usually listening to an audio book. If the weather looks iffy I'll pull up the weather radar to see what I am in for (and whether to put on rain gear or not). I usually pull over to take or make phone calls. At stops I check email for orders and can process them before taking off again. Or just surf the net.

Out here if you want cell coverage on the road Verizon is about it. AT&T and Virgin coverage sucks.

 

[Rich]

I don't use any MC-specific apps with my phone. For GPS I use my Garmin GPS. All maps for NA preloaded and ready with lifetime updates at my leisure. No dependency on flaky connection. The phone is bluetoothed into the GPS, which is in turn bluetoothed to my helmet for phone, directions, music. This approach, of course, means I don't really need a smartphone for in-progress bike travel, though I normally use it as my phone anyway. I could just as well use my old Motorola Razr in this mode. The smartphone functions and my iPad, and sometimes my Macbook, are typically reserved for at-rest situations.

Cell coverage outside the cities is so iffy in the U.S. that you have to be able to not get paralyzed by lack of "the cloud" when on the road. Verizon generally has the best rural coverage but even they have big black holes in some areas. No CDMA-based (Verizon, Sprint, e.g.) service at my home, for example, and nobody provides 3G (let alone 4G) service over most of Whidbey Island. One of my stepdaughters lives in a rural area Southwest of Portland, OR and there is no service by any carrier whatsoever at her place. So for all usage of these wonder-gizmos in rural/hilly areas I assume no service except for some spotty voice - maybe.

 

[charlie b]

FYI, the Copilot GPS downloads it's own maps, no connection needed at all. And map updates are free. The app and maps are $29.95 A far cry from any brand GPS unit. You can subscribe for live traffic info but you do need an active cell connection for that option.

If you want waterproof then RAM makes two versions of boxes for phones.

So, even when not anywhere near cell service my phone is still playing music off the bluetooth headset and the GPS is giving me accurate location information.

 

[coaster]

I ride for enjoyment and escape, I carry a cell phone, don?t use any apps and the phone is usually turned off.

 

[Rich]

FYI, the Copilot GPS downloads it's own maps, no connection needed at all. And map updates are free. The app and maps are $29.95 A far cry from any brand GPS unit. You can subscribe for live traffic info but you do need an active cell connection for that option.

If you want waterproof then RAM makes two versions of boxes for phones.

So, even when not anywhere near cell service my phone is still playing music off the bluetooth headset and the GPS is giving me accurate location information.

Thought I'd give this a try, as it could be helpful in non-MC situations for me. But so far, at least around here, it looks like their database is decades out of date. Totally failed to properly handle EVERY address I entered. When I parked in my driveway and entered it as Home, it came up with a totally fictitious address. This is CoPilot Live Premium.

Tracks to streets and routes OK, but some street names that they have are not current and reflect what they might have been called 20 years ago.

 

[charlie b]

Mine has been current in most areas, but, they are a few years out of date. Between 4 and 5 years based on the construction in this area and the POI files.

For $30 vs several hundred I still use it as my primary GPS on the bike.

 

[Rich]

My house was built in 1979. I've lived here for 14 years. CoPilot doesn't know about it, has the name of the road as it was sometime prior to 1990 and even gets the city wrong.

I've got a complaint in to them. I'll be checking some more areas, but it's not confidence-inspiring given my pending trip to Europe.

In my case my Zumo is a long-sunk cost, as I bought it well before any practical smartphone navigator even existed. And the database is far more accurate. It knows about one-way streets and on-and-off-ramp changes. So on the bike it's a no-brainer. The only reason I'm trying CoPilot is it'd be nice to not pack my Zumo when I travel by air.