Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[nudels2u75]

I travel the backroads all over the United States and have purchased several maps, just wondering if anyone knows which ones might be the best detail in back roads and scenic routes...Just traded in my 2007 Low rider @ 73200 miles on it @ 24 months old and about 6 months of down time being in the shop for warranty work....Just purchased  2009 Ultra classic screaming eagle....

All of the maps that I have purchased leave out a lot of the farm roads and scenic routes that I like to travel.....thanks nudels

[GregKhougaz]

Have you checked out the HD ride planner?  Printable maps, etc.

http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Ride_Planner/Ride_Planner.jsp?locale=en_US

[ultrafxr]

Some of the best I've seen are from Delorme:  http://shop.delorme.com/OA_HTML/DELibeCCtpSctDspRte.jsp?section=10096&minisite=10020

Also Mad Maps have some interesting offerings:  http://www.madmaps.com/roadtrips/categories/

Just saw in the most recent AMA Journal that Mad Maps is now offering a 15% discount to AMA members.

Hope this helps and welcome to the site.

[nudels2u75]

I have numerous mad maps as they are OK....but they leave out so many other roads not mentioned to there specific routes.....I am also a member of AAA.....as the to do not give real specifics on scenic routes/backroads.....thanks nudels


I also have a gps and navigation system.....I normally have 3-4 maps clipped together on my fuel tank....I make notes on my windshield with a black dry erase marker.....A gps and Navigation system usually only show you; most use of highway, quickest route, toll roads, and least use of highways.....

The 2009 Ultra classic Navigation system is very out of date....9 out of 10 places I have wanted to go to the address does not exist.....and it is only verbal street by street....

[hard10]

Why not use a GPS?

[ultrafxr]

Why not use a GPS?

I would and do.  But I also like to get the big picture by looking at printed map before I set up my route sometimes.  If you really want secondary roads the Delorme maps are the best I've seen.  Now you can get them on a dvd to install on your computer.  According to Delorme rep I spoke with you can design a route and save it in a file format (gpx I guess) that can be used in your Garmin gps. 

Wonder if anyone has used the Delorme software because I'm not a big fan of Garmin's Mapsource.  Gets the job done just fine but not user friendly imo.

[Screamin]

You might give this a try;

http://www.motorcycleroads.us/index.html

[porthole]

I use Microsoft's Streets & Trips to do most of my planning and then transfer it (manually) to Garmin's antiquated Mapsource.

Usually I'll stop at the welcome stands when entering states and get the free maps they offer to look for the "off the beaten track" routes to take. Sometimes it just a lot easier spreading a detailed 3' x 3' map to figure out where you want to go.

[MontyB]

I use Microsoft's Streets & Trips to do most of my planning and then transfer it (manually) to Garmin's antiquated Mapsource.

Usually I'll stop at the welcome stands when entering states and get the free maps they offer to look for the "off the beaten track" routes to take. Sometimes it just a lot easier spreading a detailed 3' x 3' map to figure out where you want to go.

I agree with Porthole.  I use Streets n Trips also for planning purposes - its a very good program & priced right at <$70.

If you are looking for scenic route maps - many state DOT's put these out for free.  You can google the state dot for where you intend to travel and many will let you order state hiway  and/or scenic road maps from the website.
e.g. Virginia = http://www.virginiadot.org/programs/prog-byways.asp

Also another good resource (national) is http://www.byways.org/

Side roads & byways are the best way to see the country and all the interesting stuff!  Interstates are boring.

cheers!

[Gone Fishin']

Have you checked out the HD ride planner?  Printable maps, etc.

http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Ride_Planner/Ride_Planner.jsp?locale=en_US

I'd second that. You can zoom in to get really detailed maps, and switching to the satellite view also
helps when defining a ride.

Ride safely,
Louis

[porthole]

Only problem with satellite view is that in many of the non-urban areas the pictures are far from detailed.
Many of the roads we ride in the Carolina's hills do not even show up on the Sat view.

[Gone Fishin']

Only problem with satellite view is that in many of the non-urban areas the pictures are far from detailed.
Many of the roads we ride in the Carolina's hills do not even show up on the Sat view.

I agree. It only works well when using the map view as an alternate. Still like it though, for example to scout out the vicinity of a hotel.

Ride safely,
Louis

[ultrafxr]

I use Microsoft's Streets & Trips to do most of my planning and then transfer it (manually) to Garmin's antiquated Mapsource.
Usually I'll stop at the welcome stands when entering states and get the free maps they offer to look for the "off the beaten track" routes to take. Sometimes it just a lot easier spreading a detailed 3' x 3' map to figure out where you want to go.

That's for sure.  S&T is so much easier to use.  My real beef with Mapsource is that you have to go through so many steps - for example when entering a street address.  And if you do not get the street exactly right it will not find it.  Whoever designed Mapsource must have never seen or used any other mapping program.  It is way overdue for a major re-write imo.  That's why I was interested in the Delorme software.  If it is more user friendly it might be an option.  And Delorme tells me files can be saved in a format the Garmin can use (which is not true for S&T).  Only issue may be that the Garmin will still use it's own map data which may or may not be the same as Delorme and that might cause problems. 

[porthole]

Saving a route in Delorme in a map source format is one thing.

Unfortunately yo have to use map source to also maintain your way points. There are other programs that will read the Garmin files (marine related) but they do an even poorer job then MapSource.

[chaos901]

OK, to answer the original question, how to find the good roads, the DeLorme State Books are the best way that I have found.  They are printed in a fairly large detail so they can give you more information.  Mad Maps gives you some good ideas, but they do not cover everywhere yet.   

Planning routes the best to use is Microsoft Streets and Trips. 

IMO of course.