MRA Routeplanner and Favorites Question

[LQQK_OUT]

I've been a Garmin Basecamp user for a long time. I've put the time and effort into the application and I'm fairly comfortable with it. I'm familiar with the structure and I like the database backend that allows me to create lists and folders that contain waypoints, routes and tracks.

Does MRA Routeplanner allow anything similar? I have a large database of campgrounds, hotels, restaurants, scenic roads, rest stops, curvy road sections, gas stations, stores, covered bridges, motorcycle shops, etc

From my limited time experimenting with MRA Routeplanner, I'm not seeing anything similar that allows me to organize a massive amount of data. I do see that they have "Favorites", but that just seems like a rather large list of "data items", completely unorganized in one big list.
Am I missing something?

How would one organize their data in MRA Routeplanner if they had a lot of data in Basecamp and they wanted to migrate to MRA?

[rbentnail]

Following. I've been trying to learn MRA but I just can't get a grip on it. I want something to route with that doesn't require a laptop, e.g., works with an Android pad.

[Mzokk]

I have a Garmin Zumo XT and use Basecamp and MRA. I bought "Gold" lifetime membership to MRA a couple of years ago and use the route planner and the navigation app.

MRA is not as good at handling POI's as basecamp. However, you can create a library of your own POI's

Screenshot 2025-03-18 110515.jpg (238.12 KiB) Viewed 258 times

This is a list of my POI's above with Commonwealth War Graves highlighted. If you click on a route and turn on the POI's they appear beside your route as you ride along and you can make your POI's a waypoint on your route. This is how it works on the native app.

If you import a route with POI's highlighted into the XT (i usually use Garmin Drive) then the poi's go into favourites which is a pain if you have a large database like the one above. Better when planning the route to include the POI's you want to visit as waypoints/via points within the route (which you can do by right clicking on them) and then only the ones you select will go into favourites if you then turn off the POI layer. Obviously things like proximity warnings that you can set with garmins own POI loader are not available to you. I have one set of POI's for this purpose through POI loader (All Ireland Loos) at the top of the list and have a warning (visual and audible) set on my XT so that when I get within 1/3 mile of a public loo it flashes at the top of the screen (and makes a fart noise becasue I have the intellect of a 9 year old)

Long story short I use both systems. MRA is great for creating routes on the fly on your phone or Ipad (as long as you have wifi or signal somewhere on your travels not really an issue in Europe). The last few tours I've done with friends I've taken a paper map and my phone and have planned new routes over a few beers after a days ride so a very flexible way to operate and you don't need a device capable of running basecamp with you. I do a lot of general route planning on it now but still use basecamp for handling POI's. I have a 2021 Africa Twin adventure sports and now mostly use MRA on my phone projected to the AT screen using Android Auto (it all works offline on a sacrificial phone and downloaded HERE maps) and the XT is now mainly a backup. Not least because MRA is WYSIWIG with what you have planned and the XT with basecamp isn't always. I was testing a new version of the app last week and was running the XT and MRA off the phone on the Honda screen. A big plus is being able to zoom the map etc in AA on the Honda using the bar buttons.

IMG_20250313_104648364_HDR_AE.jpg (317.12 KiB) Viewed 258 times

[Mzokk]

https://www.myrouteapp.com/support

This is a good place to start learning MRA.

[rbentnail]

https://www.myrouteapp.com/support

This is a good place to start learning MRA.

I tried that and got more and more confused with each topic. A youtube guy was the same way, even more confusing b/c my MRA screen when logged in doesn't look like his so I can't follow along.

[LQQK_OUT]

MRA is not as good at handling POI's as basecamp. However, you can create a library of your own POI's

I'm not seeing how the MRI POI's suggestion would work. From what I can tell, one needs to zoom in to see the POI's. If I am plannng a multiday trip that's covering 100's of miles, that's not going to work. I want the capability to see from a high level, various hotels, campgrounds, scenic views and roads in the area I'll be traveling. I then create a route that will navigate to these waypoints. I find Basecamp makes it easy for me to plan this type of trip.

I understand a big benefit of MRA is the ability to dynamically map out a route, but I typically map out my routes before I start my trips.
For the type of trip planning I do, Basecamp seems like a much better solution. At least so far.....

[Mzokk]

MRA is not as good at handling POI's as basecamp. However, you can create a library of your own POI's

I'm not seeing how the MRI POI's suggestion would work. From what I can tell, one needs to zoom in to see the POI's. If I am plannng a multiday trip that's covering 100's of miles, that's not going to work. I want the capability to see from a high level, various hotels, campgrounds, scenic views and roads in the area I'll be traveling. I then create a route that will navigate to these waypoints. I find Basecamp makes it easy for me to plan this type of trip.

I understand a big benefit of MRA is the ability to dynamically map out a route, but I typically map out my routes before I start my trips.
For the type of trip planning I do, Basecamp seems like a much better solution. At least so far.....

I can understand what you are saying. The route planner update is in development and the developers are aware of the limitations of POI handling and this is one of the things they want to address. I still use basecamp and swop routes between basecamp and MRA that have been created on both platforms. For handling POI's basecamp and the Zumo XT is still better and if you pre-plan all your routes before you set off its pretty much perfect. I'm now using MRA more and more to make routes up on the fly, depending on the weather whim or mood. For example, I had a route set up to head from Scotland to the lake district in Northern England leading a group of six riders and the weather heading South was becoming wet and windy. We stopped at a cafe and I was able to construct a completely different route heading North West, over a cup of coffee and out of the bad weather on my phone and send it to the XT. Also the navigation app for the phone is now very good and integrates well with the Africa Twin Android Auto Screen. I may junk the XT at some stage though I do use an old Zumo 340 and 390 on my old R1150GS.

The take away for me is it's great to have the choice of GPS systems these days. Up to 20 years ago (at the end of my first 25 years of motorcycling) I had a map, road numbers turns and mileages tucked into a map pocket on a tank bag and got myself all round europe using that. It's so much easier now especially finding your way through big towns, cities or out of ports.

[skellum]

If I am plannng a multiday trip that's covering 100's of miles, that's not going to work. I want the capability to see from a high level, various hotels, campgrounds, scenic views and roads in the area I'll be traveling. I then create a route that will navigate to these waypoints. I find Basecamp makes it easy for me to plan this type of trip.

I understand a big benefit of MRA is the ability to dynamically map out a route, but I typically map out my routes before I start my trips.
For the type of trip planning I do, Basecamp seems like a much better solution. At least so far.....

Whilst using MRA Route planner to plan my trips, it is easy to overlay Google Maps, Michelin Maps, Open Street Maps and Satellite views etc on the proposed route, so I can easily see if there are interesting places to visit and scenic roads that I shouldn't miss... also, Google Streetview is available within the planner to carry out final checks on the route...

[LQQK_OUT]

Whilst using MRA Route planner to plan my trips, it is easy to overlay Google Maps, Michelin Maps, Open Street Maps and Satellite views etc on the proposed route, so I can easily see if there are interesting places to visit and scenic roads that I shouldn't miss... also, Google Streetview is available within the planner to carry out final checks on the route...

While that's an option, it's still not as desirable as having my own database of waypoints to choose from. For me, that's the power of Basecamp, which allows me to have waypoints and place them in any list or folder I like, even copying them. I have lists of where I've "wildcat" camped previously, campgrounds, free campgrounds, restaurants I enjoy, etc. With Basecamp, from a zoomed out view, I can easily see my waypoints and plot a route through them if I so desire. This capability is almost a deal breaker for me, it's that important. While I understand the convenience of the ability to plot a route on the fly, on my typical trip, each day is plotted before I even leave the house. I know which roads I want to ride and I know where I want to bed down for the night. Obviously, things happen outside my control and plans could change, but I have an idea of where I want to be.