• There has been a recent cluster of spammers accessing BARFer accounts and posting spam. To safeguard your account, please consider changing your password. It would be even better to take the additional step of enabling 2 Factor Authentication (2FA) on your BARF account. Read more here.

Does GPS cramp your style?

Do you use a GPS when riding your motorcycle?

  • Won't leave home without it

    Votes: 7 15.9%

  • Hell no!

    Votes: 6 13.6%

  • In my back pocket for getting me home

    Votes: 12 27.3%

  • Sometimes

    Votes: 13 29.5%

  • What the F**k is g-Force talking about mate?

    Votes: 6 13.6%
  • Total voters
    44
ThumperX

ThumperX

Slayer of Deer
Joined
Aug 26, 2007
Location
Off Elk Mtn
Moto(s)
Different strokes
Big Bore and little bore Thumpers and a Twingle
BARF perks
AMA #: 2817058
I often discourage the use of GPS to visiting motorcyclists.

Why? Motorcycling is freedom, it's a deviation from the norm, it's the ability to make a sharp right well into the decision point.

I think of all the roads I've discovered by not adhering to a plan. If Siri, Samatha, or whatever voice your GPS has were to nag you and "reroute" every time you took a detour how much real exploring would you do?
 

Attachments

  • 30trail.jpg
    30trail.jpg
    62.2 KB · Views: 34
Happy Hornet said:
I often discourage the use of GPS to visiting motorcyclists.

Why? Motorcycling is freedom, it's a deviation from the norm, it's the ability to make a sharp right well into the decision point.

I think of all the roads I've discovered by not adhering to a plan. If Siri, Samatha, or whatever voice your GPS has were to nag you and "reroute" every time you took a detour how much real exploring would you do?
Click to expand...

Ah. The problem is you defining what motorcycling is to other people. If you don't like using a GPS, don't use a GPS. Perhaps other people prefer knowing where they're going on a trip.
 
You have a point there.
So you have any additional insight? Want to address the discussion or just point out what is flawed in my perspective?

Why do you ride?
 
There is a flipside. I had a GPS unit on my bike for a brief period (it fell off at about 65 mph). It had an uncanny knack of finding the most bizarre shortcuts. My favorite little piece of dirt in the East Bay would still be undiscovered as would a few other "weird" routes.
 
I am the human GPS. :x
 
I have a gps that I leave tucked away in a bag or backpack and once I'm good and lost and ready to find some gas or go home, I'll take it out and see where I am.
 
No,
it doesn't "cramp ma style".

but it does distract from controlling the handlobars.
 
I rarely use GPS. For me, it's most useful for telling you where you are. And for others who are directionally challenged and can't use a map, it's handy to have.

My biggest beef with GPS is that it's small. I like to have a good map that I can open up and see where I am AND see the big picture as well. It give perspective to a trip that GPS can't.
 
I am never lost on my bike. I may not be taking the fastest or shortest route somewhere, in fact, I end up taking days longer than intended and have no idea where I am but I'm not lost.

A GPS might ruin that.
 
Happy Hornet said:
You have a point there.
So you have any additional insight? Want to address the discussion or just point out what is flawed in my perspective?

Why do you ride?
Click to expand...

My insight is that different people have different motivations. I respect your perspective on the adventurous nature of riding, and at times I do enjoy "getting lost" and finding a new road to ride, but at other times, I'd like to know exactly where I'm going and get there in the shortest safe time, which is when a GPS would help. I ride 5 days a week for commuting purposes, after work and weekends to run errands / get places, and regular pleasure rides.
 
having a map of any sort available is not a bad thing. having the "map" tell u where to go.... diff story entirely.

i dont ride w/ a GPS. but i def have stopped, pulled my phone out, checked my current location, and continued on the ride a handful of times.
 
Great thread! I have a GPS for when I need it. I prefer, however, to keep it tucked-away and just see where the ride takes me. Were it not for obligations and time constraints I wouldn't carry one at all. I REALLY miss the days when I used to jump on my bike, pick a direction and just go. *sigh*
 
Happy Hornet said:
I often discourage the use of GPS to visiting motorcyclists.

Why? Motorcycling is freedom, it's a deviation from the norm, it's the ability to make a sharp right well into the decision point.

I think of all the roads I've discovered by not adhering to a plan. If Siri, Samatha, or whatever voice your GPS has were to nag you and "reroute" every time you took a detour how much real exploring would you do?
Click to expand...

I use GPS. No, it doesn't cramp my style one bit, but I don't let it plan my route.

You make a turn and it adapts. Sure sometimes it is like no no don't go that way. Oh well. Try and stop me. I always am adding my own via points anyway to whatever route it suggests. Sometimes, I just change on the fly.

What it IS useful for is finding a gas station, knowing if I need to get gas before I go a certain way and horribly estimating the time something will take me:laughing

As Mccarb said too it does occasionally have a nack for suggesting a fun route (although I always scan to make sure I am not missing something awesome). Especially if you turn on the avoid highways and use dirt roads option.
 
I don't use my GPS unless I really need to, and it's not the typical type you see everyone using that gives turn by turn directions. I think there's a happy middle ground between being obsessed with the things, and using them when they can really help.

Some of the forest service roads up here can be pretty hard to follow using a paper map, because the 3-dimensional terrain often doesn't at all resemble the two-dimensional pictures on the map.
It's nice to be able to check the GPS coordinates against the map so you really do know where you are instead of just guessing that what you're seeing in 3 dimensions might be one of the 5 3-way intersections shown on the map.

There have been a number of times pre-GPS when I wish I'd had one.
Just before I bought mine, I'd been trying to find the site of some property (anyone know how to embed google maps?) my father's family used to own up in the Oregon high desert off highway 20 about 70 miles east of Bend. I spent two hours wandering around out there and finally gave up. Looking back, if I'd had a GPS, I could have found where I went wrong and located the place fairly easily.
Being lost out there can be an adventure, but it can also be a scary experience.

The place I was looking for is the little white square dead center in the map with the smaller dark square in the upper left corner. The marker is pointing at Glass Butte, a mountain made of obsidian.
 
I've had amazing experiences using the Destination Highways riding maps... Something very pure about learning to navigate by map, and I've enjoyed a lot of rides that might be a little difficult to plot on a GPS.

I have google maps on my phone... I've generally been able to rely on it when necessary for little stuff, but try not to use it when I go touring.
 
I will say that I LOVE using Google Earth to search for squiggly little roads in the middle of nowhere, then use my GPS to find them. :p
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top