Advice: Best navigation apps for the road less travelled

You’ve got the bike back on the road and spring is calling. But where to go? At the moment, not into the next state that’s for sure. So it’s a local ride for now, but, like Karen from Brighton, you’ve done all the local loops. You might even be a bit bored with them. And even Google Maps or Garmin can’t ease your problem.

Lucky for us, there are a few apps and programs out there that are just waiting to go one step further than your usual satnav or web-based road mapping. These apps will find you a new, super-cranky and challenging route on your doorstep, using offline maps as well. Don’t believe me? Try these:

Kurviger

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OK, full disclosure: I really like this program. A big tick comes from the ability to browse maps at home on your computer while you are in iso, then transfer the route into your phone app or a host of other devices.

And here’s the kicker – you can even print out a roadbook with distances and turns that you can use on your dirt bike. Perfect. In case you are scared of heights, it also gives info on the severity of climbs and descents; handy in remote areas. The app (it comes in Android but not iPhone) lets you choose between direct, meandering or full-on twisty routes between almost anywhere and anywhere (including given waypoints).

It is aimed at bikers, not car drivers and all works offline so is great in woop-woop. This does mean twisty can be very twisty, and sometimes all gravel too – so don’t use it for the Nissan Micra. But for ease of use, great route import/export into most satnav devices, round-trip generation, decent info on petrol stops and POIs, and best of all free, Kurviger is a must-check for bikers who love exploring.

Get Kurviger at https://kurviger.de/en

Scenic Motorcycle Navigation

If you are an iPhone worshipper and hate Android, then try Scenic. This app is almost as good as Kurviger, but it’s a bit more demanding as even though it’s free, it makes you sign up. Like Kurviger, it can dig out a run for you based on a built-in algorithm, or you can download existing runs (select from scenic or twisty) from its database.

It’s a bit less wild than Kurviger, and tends to prioritize tarmac over dirt, but has the bonus that it can import Kurviger data. You can also paste in Google Maps data if you want. The little extras that Scenic bring are built in tracking that records your route and speed, a neat tour creator that can generate a round trip of a given distance from your start point, and also that it works just fine when out of mobile coverage.

Get Scenic at https://scenicapp.space/

HERE WeGo

This app was originally developed by Nokia for its first smartphones. It has been around for ages, is fast and bug-free, and available on both Android and iOS. It has some of the best offline maps around, and what I think is the clearest, unfussy interface on your phone. It doesn’t offer special twisty route planning, but if you select the bicycle routing this can often pop up interesting alternatives.

Big pluses include built in (and accurate) speed limit warnings, a great voice instruction option, 2D/3D options, and it’s utterly free with no nagging adverts. It’s also relatively small memory-wise, and has an online website where you can try routes out before you go to look at all those gnarly backroads other maps don’t include.

The big minus is you can’t export its routing to any other format (or even its own Android or iOS apps), so it’s an on-the-go option only. It does generate latitude and longitude references though, so you can use those for manually plugging into other apps if you can be bothered.

Get HERE We Go at https://wego.here.com/

Calimoto

This app is a bit like Kurviger, but with a slicker interface – and extra sign-ups to compensate. Several options (like all offline maps) work only if you are paid up and logged on – as Google paranoia sets in, I don’t log on.

Calimoto’s blurb says it uses a ‘special Winding Roads Algorithm which helps it plan routes with the most twisty and scenic roads.’ And it does…a bit. It isn’t as adventurous as Kurviger, and often comes up with side road routes off main roads. Its options are also a bit more limited unless you pay up, but again slickness triumphs with better POIs such as servos, food places and hotels.

Both desktop and phone apps (Android and iOS) are super-easy to use: type in start, stop, then press go and your route is ready to use or upload into your phone. Spurious statistics like max speed, height gain and lean angle are recorded for geeks, but more usefully your rides can be rated for fun, scenery and road condition.

Like Scenic, a random round trip generator offers a quick way to enjoy new, impromptu rides too.

Get Calimoto at https://calimoto.com/en