As always, on the last moment and a bit under pressure, checking where the weather is nice, booking a place and then creating the routes on the last day, checking the motorbike and packing the suitcases. In 2 days we are going to leave, preferably to the Harz, but if the weather is bad, we will choose another place. Now let’s check if there are map updates for the Tripy II GPS, the TomTom Rider 5 and the Garmin 590 LM. I always like leaving with updated map materials, just as much as I like leaving with a clean bike – let’s see if I’ll find some time tomorrow to take care of that….
We start with the Garmin Zumo 590LM, which is stupid, because I didn’t read the manual, but let’s see how this goes. After a bit of searching through Google, I found out that first you need to install Garmin Express on your PC, which is possible through this link. First, an installer is downloaded to your PC, and through this you can then install the Garmin software. This happens quickly and very smoothly, within a few seconds my Garmin and my serial number were detected, and I could register the tool online, my map was up to date, which is always great when you buy a tool like this. One little minus point, I had to get the USB-cable from the box and found out that there is no 220V-cable to charge through your socket. Nothing very serious, but a little minus point, especially for such a pricy tool, on the road it’s good to have a 220V-cable, in case something is wrong with the power supply of the motorbike. What’s positive is that Tyre directly detected the connected Garmin, so I can create routes in Tyre and export them to Garmin and Tripy as gpx-files and to TomTom as itn-files.
On to the next one, the Tripy II GPS, for which you first need to install Road Tracer from the CD that’s in the box, I already installed it, so I connect it through USB with my PC, wait a bit, wait a bit more, and nothing happens! The first little problem occurs, the software doesn’t start automatically, so I double click on the icon and see what happens. Luckily, now it does start, and through Help > Download updates you can update Road Tracer Pro.., and what’s happening now? I get a screen with the text; ‘sorry, no new version is available’ and Road Tracer Pro closes itself afterwards! That’s not what I wanted to do, because I wanted to check if the Tripy itself also needs updates. So we restart the whole procedure, double click on the icon, go to Help and then Download Tripy II updates, a search screen appears and I seem to already have the latest version.
Not very handy, this Tripy software, so let’s see how the TomTom is. If it’s your first time, then you need to connect your navigational system to your PC and then create a MyTomTom-account to register. This way, you have access to all the map updates that are part of the service Lifetime Maps. Through MyTomTom you can also download TomTom HOME, that’s the software you need to update, click on ‘>First time?’ and then ‘Let’s go?’, at the right side you will see the download button for TomTom HOME. I already installed it, so I can connect the TomTom to my PC through a USB-cable, the TomTom then shows the text ‘Connect to computer?’ and we click yes.
Okay, the software starts automatically and there’s a screen with updates. That’s the way we like it! And yes, updates are available, for speed cameras (this one is to be ordered separately) and also a new map for Europe. Click on ‘update and install’, and now going for lunch, because every update automatically creates a back-up of the whole system, and that takes some time. After a lunch full of proteins and 2 Deep Purple songs played at high volume, the updates are installed. To be sure, I click on ‘OK’ and then on ‘Update my TomTom Rider’, and that’s a good idea, because this shows new files with Map Share corrections for the new map. Ups, I forget to turn off the automatic back-up, and now there’s a new back-up being made of the entire system, so some more Deep Purple songs? The wife and kid are gone anyways, so okay, see you later….
The second back-up goes a lot quicker, so one quick song by Deep Purple is enough. What’s weird is that two files say that they can’t be installed, and those are ‘Navigation to a postcode’ files. The software says that they are installed, so I click on ‘Update my TomTom Rider’, and those same 2 files are ready to be downloaded and installed. So I use ctrl + F to see if these files are on the Rider or not. Maybe it’s me, but I really don’t see them there, so maybe it’s a bug. Not that important, because I can use the Rider to navigate to a postal code, but slightly annoying, because I can imagine that some people keep trying over and over to install these files. Coincidentally, I decide to disconnect the TomTom and what happens? The 2 files are gone now, all’s well that ends well…
Tomorrow I will create the routes using Tyre and copy them to the Tripy, Garmin and TomTom, and if I have time I will publish my feelings about that tomorrow, I can’t guarantee anything, since last days are always so hectic, other than preparations, I also need to send a mailing for TyreTotravel. Well, we will see, otherwise it’ll be for next week. Feel free to share this blog through social media, websites and forums, wherever you want. Tomorrow another busy day and then a nice ride (and some testing), because that’s what it’s all about in the end…!
Translated from Dutch by André Lauer
