Featured Thruxton New Sat Nav Ready To Go - Beeline Moto

Cheers for your feedback on Beeline . I think I will be much the same .Bike due a service so will try it out then weather permitting !

 

Hello, fellow Beeline'ers!

I've been a Beeline Moto user for awhile now -- I was a Kickstarter backer. It started off a bit rough, but a lot of updates have improved the device quite a bit. That said, I've found a number of issues that a real show-stoppers for me, and I'd love feedback from other users.

1. Route Stops need to be removable without affecting the planned route. Here's my issue: I believe that motorcycle riders prefer to NOT take the direct route or fast route, which is what Beeline defaults to. So, you start creating your own route, right? Set the Start, Set the End, and then add Waypoints along the way so that you can manually choose your roads, etc.. Problem is, it then sees your waypoints as "destinations" along the way, when they're really only used for choosing your path. In my opinion, Beeline should either default to adjusting the route without adding "destination" waypoints, OR waypoints should be deletable without affecting the route, if you like. Any thoughts?
2. Choosing locations needs to choose more sensible spots on the map, or zoom in when selecting. I've had this issue crop up on several occasions. I'm planning my route, select a spot on the map, and I'm on my way. What I didn't realize, however, is that the spot I chose on the map actually chose the parking lot next to the road I wanted, which you can only see if you zoom in quite a bit. So I'm on my bike and the Beeline is suddenly telling me to take a right hand turn and then another right hand turn. What? It mostly wouldn't be an issue if #1 (above) were fixed, nor if you're familiar with the route already. But if it's an area you don't know well or an unfamiliar place, it sucks. It's extra lame when someone is following you as the "nav person". Ask me how I know....

Any thoughts? Has anyone else noticed these problems? Has anyone worked around them?

Thanks for letting me vent. I actually love my Beeline Moto, but I'm frustrated with those issues. Here's hoping there's a future fix!

 

Right? I'm just glad that someone else knows what I'm talking about. I understand having a Destination, of course, and I understand having stops along the way, but it's like there needs to be a third option that's simply for getting the route you want.

As for the second issue, here's a video that I made for Beeline support. You'll see what I mean when I zoom in at the Cathcart waypoint.


Yeah, I've reached out to their support several times. The first-line support kept giving me canned responses like I was using the app wrong (which I'm not), and I never heard from anyone further up the chain -- despite multiple requests to do so. I'm kinda hoping I can get a few more people that see what I see so that they might listen better

 

Had mine a while now as I was a kickstart backer, here it is on my old 865SE back in October 2019. I was very happy with the minimalist look.


And now on the Rninet.
Not the clearest picture I'm afraid!


Have to agree about missing the odd turning if you're not concentrating but I do like the "loose" guidance it allows for on the direct route setting.

 

Just thinking about these issues (while my Beeline is at the shop... on my bike)

When you're riding, I believe you can hold the TOP button to move on to the next waypoint. If you put Beeline into non-auto reroute mode, and then just moved through each waypoint to the destination point before your trip, perhaps that would solve the issue?

I can't test this until I get my bike back, but if anyone has a chance to.... let us know!

 

I think you can use other navigation software, but not 100%. Having said that, oute planning software generally is a pain when you want to decide the roads. Thought I cracked it with a simple Google myMaps until I realised you cannot navigate the route in Google Maps, what's the point of that! Perhaps it is because they want to direct you past sponsored locations!

All the software seems to be trying to be too clever and have too many features in my view.

 

Google Maps has the annoying problem of staying on a Stop (aka Waypoint) until you choose "continue" on the phone, which is pretty tough when the phone is in your pocket. That's assuming you're just following along with audio cues, not visual.

 

Not being slow at all. I could be completely off my rocker. I was just thinking that if the Beeline was set to the destination and wasn't auto re-routing, it might stick to the full path. In reality, it'll probably just be really effing confused

 

Hello everyone

I recently purchased the gunmetal version. My view on this....

If you solely rely on it to get you to a specific destination then I find it to be a hit or miss. I believe this the route mode.

However if you are using the compass mode, then it's a bloody good fun device. I enjoyed riding around exploring roads and knowing a general direction to my planned destination. I find this really good.

I am short sighted....I find the roundabout number too small to read. So I have placed 2 types of mount. If I am using the route mode, I mount on the handle bar. If I'm using it as a compass mode, I mount it on the dashboard. I have attached some pictures for you to get an idea.

Sometimes I find the unit to be temperamental, meaning it wouldn't show directions as it should. The arrow will start rotating and it goes bonkers. Once I unpair it and rebooted it then it works fine.

Will I buy it again.....if the following are made better...

There is space within the bezel...so they could make some of the display bigger. Some of us blind bats could see better

Bugs gets fixed...so I don't have to unpair the unit when switching between route and compass mode. Maybe I'm doing something wrong

I have a motorcycle dedicated tom-tom but leaned towards the beeline because of it's size and the compass mode interested me. For 200 pounds, you would want the unit to be fully operational. These have been out in the field as a prototype for wee while now and you would have thought that all the issues would have been ironed out.

It's a good looking unit and when fitted to dashboard, it looks like part of the bike.

https://i.imgur.com/syOFfb1.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/VfhxHGB.jpg

All the best
H

 

Yes, experienced both.

1. I really wish this was an option. Sometimes I'm short for time, or a waypoint is in a random location, I would really like an option to skip a route waypoint. I've asked their support team to enable this, as it works really well in compass mode.
2. I've found it better to choose midpoints by searching by text name, rather than point-and-drag. For small villages, since a recent update (Feb?) it's pretty forgiving with skipping the waypoint if you've gone close to it but driven past, it will switch to the next waypoint. Think I can still drag the pin around if I need a precise location or road to hit, and it does remember this too.

They do seem to be improving the app and routing on a regular basis, so there's hope these will improve soon.

Beeline firmware 2.9.2645, iOS app all up-to-date.

 

Thanks for chiming in! I agree that it appears to be getting better about moving past waypoints. And I also recently discovered that entering in the names of places (instead of dragging the waypoint) seems to work better.

Strangely enough, I was on a 250 mile ride about two weeks ago -- mapped out with Beeline -- and experience no problems. It's honestly the first time I've ever NOT had issues with a Beeline ride. Seriously. Then about 2/3 through the ride, my Beeline battery died Definitely my fault on that one.

It really does seem to be improving.

 

Hi, how do you rate the device, and which bracket did you use to fit it, my handlebar doesn't have a lot of space and thought the supplied bracket with the rubber band straps wouldn't fit? cheers

 

I bought the optional round stem mirror mount for one bike and use the supplied elastic band thingy for the Speed Twin.

Thornton Hundred offer a couple of £150 bar clamp mounting options as well as an £80 stem nut!