How to export GPX files to Zumo XT without recalculation

[MartinW]

@Hans-Kremers sagte:

It sounds to me that people who want to avoid their navigation device recalculating the route they planned are actually looking for turn-by-turn navigation on a track rather than on a route.

100% agree!
Another indicator: nailing down the route with plenty of obsolete SPs to make sure it keeps its original shape, even when it's recalculated.

For motorcycle navigation, the only solutions I know that provide true turn-by-turn navigation on a plain GPX track are DMD2 and OsmAnd. Of the two, DMD2 is much more intuitive and easier to use, whereas OsmAnd offers similar functionality but comes with a significantly steeper learning curve.

I would add Stegra.io — it also offers two types of track navigation: either based on a route calculated on top of the track (similar to MRA’s approach), which provides TBTs like “turn left onto xyz street”, or purely based on the track data with simplified TBTs like “slightly left”.
Most users think track navigation is only suitable for off-road, but that's often based on a misunderstanding; it also works really well for on-road.

[Will Brooks]

@Andy-Beviere said:

@John-S-Parry interesting John, so why are we on a forum if its not debatable???

I’ve wasted hours trying to get most BMW nav’s and the XT range to follow routes and I fail and the annoying thing is I’ve no idea why, I have tried everything, was a little better with the XT and the drive app…. please don’t assume that people don't like to work a problem because I do…and in the end I gave up and went to another brand which simply follows the route you put on it.

Therefore if you have the time and you’re willing, can you please reply with exactly what you do from planning to exporting to using the device and I will attempt to replicate your guidance on Friday when we all go for a ride… don’t need war and peace just bullet points will do e.g file type, transfer wired or WiFi etc etc

Edited: to add a thank you in advance!!!! ‍️

I must say I rarely have issues with my Zumo XT calculating a different route to the one I planned in MRA, but sometimes the XT will show a slightly different route so not 100% foolproof.

Here’s what I do:

• Plan my route in MRA. I generally use VIA points for thinks like fuel stops, café stops etc and using SHAPING points for all my other WPs
• I then tend to put a shaping point after every turn to force the XT to take the road I’m planning to use. That shaping point is placed 10-20m right after the turn
• If on a particular road for some distance I will judge whether the XT might want to divert me off to take a “faster” road and I will pop another shaping point in to force it to continue on the road I want.
• On round return routes I will normally split into two distinct “Outward” and “Return” legs, especially if the round route crosses over or does a figure of eight etc
• I will often pop in VIA points to mark quarter, half and three quarters into the route. This is belt and braces so if I have to detour and I prefer to keep off route calculation on and the XT goes haywire and I need to restart the route, I can use these as a reference for where I am on the route. Using the “closest entry point” prompt on the XT will normally get me back on my route no problem
• I then export the route as GPX 1.1 and I transfer it to my SD card on the XT via a usb connection from computer to XT – I don’t use the Drive app
• I will then import both the track and the route from the SD card into the main XT memory.
• I go into tracks, select my route and check the “visible on map” box and choose that to show in blue
• I then go into trips and select my route and load it as if I was going to start navigating. Before the final “Go” button to start navigation, I will click on the XT map and visually check the route. It is in magenta for me and because I’ve made the track visible I can see visually where the magenta and blue lines deviate. If this is a deviation I can’t live with I will go back into MRA and add some more shaping points on that area to force the route. Then I delete the route and track from the XT and go back to the export stage and repeat until I’m happy that my route and track match.

[Andy Beviere]

@Will-Brooks Hi Will many thanks for the reply...

See straight away you say 1.1 others say 1.2...

XT or XT2? I was specifically talking about the XT2... The XT was definitely better with the Drive app.

I'll give it a quick go tomorrow but can just see myself wiring in the DMD set up again as I don't have to second guess what's going to happen route wise on a holiday.

Thanks again.

[Andy Beviere]

@Hans-Kremers Hi Hans, Not sure I understand your post, I've never mentioned tracks, I know that a track is followed correctly and I know that routes are where you get your guidance??? You are correct about DMD which as I've said before is superb and to be quite frank Garmin could do with talking to these guys before releasing anymore products!!!

[Andy Beviere]

@John-S-Parry Thanks John, I'll stick with my set up mate, it works!
(MRA planner DMD to Navigate)

[Will Brooks]

I only have experience of the XT.

It's all down to individual preferences and it took me a lot of patience and experimentation to find the sweet spot for my usage.

1.2 will work really well IF you have off route recalculation off and like to find your own way back onto your route if you deviate. For many this is the perfect choice.

I prefer 1.1 because if I go off route I like the XT to re route me. I often ride roads where an unexpected diversion comes into play and I'm not always that bothered if I'm not riding my route inch by inch perfect the way i planned it!

In my experience 1.1 works well for me IF I've used enough shaping points. The logic is the XT will look at all the options it can take to get from each VIA point to the next VIA point. By adding a shaping point you force the XT to use that point to shape the route. The more shaping points you use the less choice the XT has to pick from until you get to a point where the XT only has one choice or that road has the "best" parameters to fit the algorithm - eg shortest distance, fastest etc - whatever your settings are - so it choses that route.

I also mentioned about loading the track and having that visible. There some stuff on the internet about customising the width of tracks visible on the map to make it wider then the route line. So when I'm navigating I have my magenta route line and underneath that the blue line of the track shows. As long as they match up I know I'm following my route. If they deviate then I have the choice to follow what the XT says or manually and visually follow the blue track line - my planned route. In my use having off route recalculation ON usually means that the XT will recalculate and bring my magenta trip line back in sync with my blue track line.

[John S Parry]

@Hans-Kremers said:

It sounds to me that people who want to avoid their navigation device recalculating the route they planned are actually looking for turn-by-turn navigation on a track rather than on a route.

Unfortunately, very few navigation devices support this. Most devices that offer track-based turn-by-turn navigation are designed for running or hiking and rely on dedicated file formats that contain both the track and the navigation instructions.

For motorcycle navigation, the only solutions I know that provide true turn-by-turn navigation on a plain GPX track are DMD2 and OsmAnd. Of the two, DMD2 is much more intuitive and easier to use, whereas OsmAnd offers similar functionality but comes with a significantly steeper learning curve.

In the Garmin XTs, you have multiple options for handling off-route scenarios. You can do a traditional auto recalculate, automatically disable off-route recalculation, or select 'prompted" to have the choice of which option to do. In settings, I personally chose the "prompted" option. So when I go off-route, I'm given the choice to either recalculate, or do nothing. The "do nothing" tells the Garmin to pause the route until I return to the route-line, much like following a Track.

The prompted disable gives me optimum flexibility. If I'm intentionally going off-route for a short distance for fuel, food or whatever, I know how to get back. I don't want to take the chance of a route recalculate unless it's absolutely necessary. Something else can possibly change that I don't want changed. The strategy works very well.

So, to your point, the Garmin XT's provide true turn-by-turn Route navigation with Track like flexibility for off-route scenarios. It's one of the main reasons I stick with it.