Best GPS Apps For Finding The Curviest Roads
While the major navigation apps like Google Maps and Waze are incredibly helpful when trying to get from point A to point B efficiently, they are relatively useless for planning a fun motorcycle route that packs in as many curves as possible. Instead, riders must seek out specialized apps or websites to build the routes of their dreams. We’ve put together a handful of the best GPS apps for finding the curviest roads so you can pass up the trial and error phase and just get out on the road. Let’s cover which ones have which features so you can pick the right one for your navigating needs.
Scenic Motorcycle Navigation
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/scenic-motorcycle-navigation/id1089668246
Perhaps the most feature-rich, all-in-one solution for finding the best curvy routes for motorcycle riding is the Scenic app. In fact, you can build a navigation route based on the level of curviness you desire. It really doesn’t get much easier than this app! There are hundreds of pre-made routes specifically geared toward motorcyclists looking for fun rides, along with support for importing GPX files, so you don’t have to custom-create a route each time you hit the road.
Drop waypoint pins and stops, and the app will show you a route between them based on your desired ride type. The app includes a vast database of beautiful routes created, shared, and rated by local Scenic users. You can also search within an area to reveal routes with ratings. The app can also generate a round trip route in any given direction, with distance provided. You can also navigate one way and choose how curvy you’d like the journey to be.
The app provides navigation with clear on-screen instructions, voice guidance, and customizable detour parameters. Also, the specially designed user interface is optimized for use with touch-enabled gloves!
Scenic Beyond navigation, you can track your route, speed, and elevation for logging every ride. Pictures can also be included with comments on your route, which can be viewed by other Scenic members if you make the route public.
The app tracks your rides over time, so you can quickly get a read on how much you’ve ridden this year compared with last, the overall average speed for the week, or even how many rides you’ve done this month.
Pricing:
Base App: Free
Premium: $22.49
Premium Forever: $79.99
Credit Packages of 1-100 Credits: $0.99 - $35.99
Motorcycleroads.com
https://www.motorcycleroads.com/
While Motorcycleroads is a website, not an app, it’s such a tremendous resource for finding the exact type of ride you want that it can’t be left out of this lineup. All you need to do is download your desired route as a GPX file and load it into one of the navigation apps listed here. This can all be done straight from your smartphone’s web browser, so you don’t need to move the file between devices.
Pricing:
Free (aside from the distracting ad pop-ups)
Open GPX Tracker
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/open-gpx-tracker/id984503772
Navigate with GPX files and create GPS tracks with waypoints—with offline map support, no ads, and no in-app purchases, this open-source navigation app gets the job done for free without distractions.
That said, the app is fairly spartan when it comes to the user interface, and (somewhat ironically given the name) figuring out how to cue up a downloaded GPX file wasn’t readily apparent. When clicking “open with” on the download with an iPhone, it simply opened the app with the current location. To access the GPX file, we had to first click on the file folder icon and then select the download. But, for an app that’s totally open-source, we can’t complain. This app accomplishes the basics in a lightweight manner.
Pricing:
Free
GPS Tracks
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/gps-tracks/id425589565
GPS Tracks is primarily geared toward navigation for outdoor enthusiasts, and it displays full-feature maps along with GPX file routes. You can also track your rides and navigate to specific coordinates. If you’re looking for an app that’s better for adventure riders, this might be a good option for you, as you can view topographical features on the map as well.
Another great feature of the app is there’s no login or account required—you can just turn it on and go! That said, the app isn’t free, so you’ll need to pay the $3.99 minimum entry fee first.
The pro subscription adds some serious outdoorsman features, so if you’re looking for more of an all-in-one solution for navigating on and off-road, this app has you covered from coast to coast!
Pricing:
Base App - $3.99
Pro Subscription: $19.99/yr
Guru Maps
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/guru-maps/id321745474
If you want detailed yet easy-to-use offline map navigation, along with millions of points of interest, Guru Maps has got what you’re looking for. Aside from loading GPX files for navigation on public roads, you can also record your GPS tracks and bookmark favorite locations along the way.
The app isn’t specifically geared toward motorcyclists but is rather a more general app that provides the basics with some extra points of interest thrown in. The app does provide voice-guided navigation, but the voice is eerily reminiscent of the early days of computer speech. Another nice feature is the multiple map data sources for navigation, so you’re covered wherever you are on the globe.
Pricing:
One-Time Pro: $49.99
Pro Annual: $22.49
Pro Monthly: 2.49
No matter which GPS app you decide on for navigating along the curviest roads in the country, you’ll undoubtedly want to have the most stable and secure mount available for your iPhone 12 Pro Max or Samsung S21 Ultra smartphone. With Rokform’s multiple phone-mounting options for motorcycles, your phone can serve you safely within easy sight. Ride with confidence while following your favorite navigation app—check out our full lineup of motorcycle phone mounts!
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Steve Petyo
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