Route planning: which software?

Following the routes suggested by GPS is one thing, creating your own road book is another. Many software programs exist that can do this, but how well do they work and how reliable are they?

We have selected software and an application capable of creating customized routes...

The Calimoto mobile app

Available on both iPhone and Android, the Calimoto app is dedicated to motorcyclists . It can be used on a smartphone as well as on a PC or Mac , which proves more practical for creating your road book.

Even though ride sharing or automatic calculation based on the number of kilometers or the winding of the road exist, what interests us here is its ability to personalize the route.

Calimoto is easy to use. A simple right-click opens a context menu where you can place points on the map to indicate the route you want to take. Everything is displayed: the distance, the road's windingness (thanks to the famous "calimeter"), the travel time, etc. You can even extract a GPX file to install on your GPS, although the application itself has a fairly reliable built-in GPS.

Modifying the route is simple; once the road book is saved, it is possible to go back and change the waypoints.

Another major advantage is the ability to share your route with your group of friends. Again, it's simple: just enter the person's username (they must be registered on Calimoto) and click share.

In summary, Calimoto is a good app; the GPS is reliable, even if it experiences a slight delay. The app is free, but a paid subscription (around forty euros per year) is required to access all features.

Other options are available, but we'll let you discover them...

Here is the website link: https://calimoto.com/fr

PC ITN Converter software

The FFGM has been using ITN Converter to create its routes for many years. The software is free and easy to use.

The ability to convert your files

The main advantage of ITN Converter is the ability to save or convert your GPS route into a multitude of files (.GPX, .route, .navi...). This proves quite practical when using several types of GPS devices.

Unfortunately, ITN Converter is not available for Mac or mobile devices. Therefore, it cannot be used in GPS mode. ITN Converter is solely for route creation, and it does this function well.

Although it takes a little longer to learn than Calimoto, the software is precise and efficient.

We observed very few errors in the course. The only ones were due to incorrect placement of points.

Many maps are available, such as those from Google Maps or TomTom, which proves quite practical for planning.

In summary, ITN Converter is reliable, and it is an indispensable tool for anyone who enjoys creating their own routes.

Here is the link to download ITN Converter: http://www.benichou-software.com