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How do you use your PDA on your bike?

Gnarly Cranium said:
Even if I could mount the phone on the bike somehow, I have a hard time picturing using it without pulling over
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I don't need to be touching it while riding. I set up the route and start the nav before I take off. It's on the dash so I can see the map and upcoming turns. It gives me turn-by-turn through the headset. Most things I need to do while riding I can voice control.
 
JPK said:
Oh, for fuck's sake! C'mon. No, I'm not going to be playing with a gadget while riding the twisties at a spirited pace. I'm not going to be playing with a gadget when riding to the grocery store. I'll use a GPS when riding on a long trip on some long stretch of mostly empty freeway in the middle of nowhere where I'd like to knew where I am, and I can do it without endangering myself or others. OK?

Common sense appears to be in dangerously short supply around here lately.
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Maybe you should look into the purchase of a Prius, it might suit yer needs better, I hear you can even get a DVD player for when the trip gets boring......:twofinger

Semper Fi! :thumbup
 
RockyMt said:
Maybe you should look into the purchase of a Prius, it might suit yer needs better, I hear you can even get a DVD player for when the trip gets boring......:twofinger

Semper Fi! :thumbup
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Reading comprehension was never your strong suit, was it?
 
the one who recognizes his limitations is less dangerous than the one who refuses to acknowledge his own. :twofinger :teeth

seriously tho. In my experience it was better to get a dedicated navigation device that was designed to be mounted in this operating environment than to jerry-rig a phone to do the same. In an accident, you can expect the mounted device to be ejected or damaged a lot easier than one packed away. Even the accident you can walk away from would pop an iPhone free from that housing, and leave you with no way to call for Connie to come get your bike! :(

If my Garmin gets launched, the iphone is either in the "glove compartment" deep in the fairing or padded within its case and in a pocket or tankbag that will survive much more than I will in the event of catastrophic momentum transfer.

JPK said:
I guess if you're a retard and can only pay attention to one thing at a time that's probably pretty good advice. However, if that's the case you're probably better off staying off the moto altogether. Got it? :twofinger
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What I can't figure out is why manufacturers haven't started building in mounts and connectors for iPhone/Android phones to use as part of the intrument display. With all of the data the bike has available, why not make it easy to get to?

MotoCzysz was using an iphone for its instrument panel:

MotoCzysz_Iphone.jpg
 
JPK said:
It's all good fun. I take this ":twofinger" to mean we'd have a good laugh over a beer sometime.
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I thought it meant that YOU'D buy the first round of Tank 'n Tonic........:twofinger

Semper Fi! :thumbup

PS. I'm old skool, I have an Etch-A-Sketch duct taped to my tank.......:rolleyes
 
Yeah I don't envision manipulating the device while riding...manipulating Google Maps on mine (HTC Incredible) will involve taking off gloves, etc.

As for mounting, the problem of jerry-rigged parts becoming missiles is also present in ham radio with having poorly mounted antennas come loose and become spears in an accident.

For the most part I plan my ride before hand so I don't need navigation. The next step for me has been to create a "turn sheet" that goes in to the map pocket of the tank bag of streets I need to remember to look for. I'd like the navigation for the cases where the plan gets altered while underway for whatever reason.

I've heard of others doing the Android in the pocket thing for voice nav....I think I will get some noise reducing earphone like the Eytmotic 6i and try that as well....one earphone in one ear and ear plug in the other to stay legal.
 
rob9000 said:
I think I will get some noise reducing earphone like the Eytmotic 6i and try that as well....one earphone in one ear and ear plug in the other to stay legal.
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Save your money. I use "skull candy" earbuds, which are very good at noise reduction, and only cost $20.
(yes, I do listen to my ipod while I'm riding, I set it up before the ride, and it lives in my pocket)

I'm sure the fancy ones are better at noise reduction, but for $150 or more, I'm not interested. I doubt that the wires on those are any more durable than the wires on the better quality cheap ones, and that's the weakness of every set of earbuds I've ever had.
 
I utilize Map Quest with my IPhone along with headphones. It does voice notification and works pretty well. I just set it up before I depart. It's a free app for the IPhone so that's a bonus as well.

I also use my IPhone to listen to books on tape while I commute. I have an account with Audible.com where I download books. Maybe I'm weird but I have no problem listening to a book while driving/riding. It does not distract me at all and I'm able to follow the book without issue. Maybe all those years of my wife yacking in my ear while I drive trained me how to drive and listen at the same time :) I love to read but find that I simply don't have time to do it much. Thus the Books on Tape helps greatly as I have listened to about 30 books over the last year during my commute and working out. I highly recommend it.

I try not to listen to music while riding as I tend to drive accordingly. If I listen to classic rock I drive just fine but if I put on some heavy metal or techno I will be doing 90-100MPH before I know it and driving more aggressive.

Again, I just use the headphones. With the IPhone you can easly adjust the volume or turn what you're listening too On/Off using the controller on the headphone cord.
 
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How do you use your PDA on your bike?

i usually turn around to the left, and sneak a quick kiss. i also typically have my left hand resting on her thigh.

wait, you probably didn't mean public displays of affection, did you?
 
mean dad said:
How do you use your PDA on your bike?

i usually turn around to the left, and sneak a quick kiss. i also typically have my left hand resting on her thigh.

wait, you probably didn't mean public displays of affection, did you?
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Works for me! :thumbup
 
Me, cell phone stays in jacket pocket, Garmin Nuvi 765t mounted to bars and connected to earbuds or BT set up in helmet.
If you have a "droid" phone, ...there's an app for this

[youtube]RP5mYTh1cdk[/youtube]
 
I use navigation if I don't know where I'm going (or if I don't care about being lost) otherwise I listen to music.

I won't get a mount for it. If I can't use it for fire-n-forget applications, its no use to me on the bike. I even use an app that handles a sms auto-replay of "eff off, I'm riding" if I get a text while I'm in the saddle.
 
:D

mean dad said:
How do you use your PDA on your bike?

i usually turn around to the left, and sneak a quick kiss. i also typically have my left hand resting on her thigh.

wait, you probably didn't mean public displays of affection, did you?
Click to expand...

I'm always rubbing my bike's gas tank and gently caressing the instrument panel. I adore her.
 
mean dad said:
How do you use your PDA on your bike?

i usually turn around to the left, and sneak a quick kiss. i also typically have my left hand resting on her thigh.

wait, you probably didn't mean public displays of affection, did you?
Click to expand...

It took until page 3 for someone to reference the other PDA.
 
My bike's built in PDA gives me all the information I'll ever need... Time, speed, distance traveled, fuel level and engine temp... :rolleyes

And the best part is that it came included with the bike at no extra charge... :twofinger
 
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