6.000 kms experience with MRA + Carpuride

Dennis Hoogendonk · 24 Mar 2025, 11:08

I've just returned from my holidays to Spain. This time I used my new Carpuride 7" unit in combination with MRA on my BMW R1250 GS. Overall I'm very much pleased with this combination although I have some recommendations for the developers.

Improved zoom function.
I experienced sufficient zoom while riding straight and slightly curved roads. Nonetheless when riding through small villages or highly curved mountain roads MRA acts to slow or zooms not sufficiently. By touching the screen I noticed extra + / - buttons but it did not improve to an extent I expect.

Current settings:
Zoom -> Instructions selected, Speed not selected
Zoom correction -> - 0.6

Visual of instruction (left top corner)
This works fine, at least, I can read it well. However, when a rotonda is displayed I notice a small number inside the rotonda, indicating the exit. But I can barely read that number. In combination with limited zoom I not seldom struggle taking the correct exit.

So my suggestion is to magnify this number.

Information about next waypoint / End of route

In left bottom corner information is given about next waypoint and/or final time / kms of route. It's not clear to me when or how this information is displayed. There seems to be a relation with the design of the route. So somtimes end of route is displayed and sometimes information about next wapypoint.

My suggestion is to alternate these info's automatically. With an alternate of say 30 seconds.

Favorites

Though very experienced creating routes with MRA, navigating with the app is new to me. So I might overlook some options. Though 'Favorites' seem to exist only in MRA app. Now I would like to add Favorite locations through the web version.
Apparently this is something that should be added (or I am mistaken though).

General:

I have my Samsung A54 cellphone in my right pocket with a 10.000 mAh battery block attached. Battery is located at 'body side' of the pocket. GPS reception is going well even when wearing a rain overall. Both get pretty warm when in operation though average climate temperatures were around 5- 20 °C.

Nonetheless, quite happy with hardware and software though.

Karel76 · 24 Mar 2025, 14:14

I'm not happy. I drove 300km on Saturday with waze. Battery on arrival 98%. Sunday with MRA and phone shut down after 280km because battery dead. For me the MRA is unusable

Dennis Hoogendonk · 24 Mar 2025, 15:10

@Karel76 MRA uses 15% battery power per hour of my Samsung A54. That's why I run with permanently attached small power bank (Imoshion 10.000 mAh).

white.mouse · 24 Mar 2025, 18:34

@Dennis-Hoogendonk said in 6.000 kms experience with MRA + Carpuride:

Information about next waypoint / End of route

In left bottom corner information is given about next waypoint and/or final time / kms of route. It's not clear to me when or how this information is displayed. There seems to be a relation with the design of the route. So somtimes end of route is displayed and sometimes information about next wapypoint.

My suggestion is to alternate these info's automatically. With an alternate of say 30 seconds.

I don't think this is the best solution. This creates a very unsettled image in the screen. It is better to switch by clicking on the frame containing the information to switch. Then you control this yourself. There is also another thread already started about this so . . .

Wilfred Vogelaar · 24 Mar 2025, 19:14

I've also have a 1250 GS with the new carpuride. When i'm riding a route i only see about 50 meters ahead on the chart. It does not zoom in or out at all. Even when i see a roundabout over 100 meters it does't show on the map until i'm almost there.

Dennis Hoogendonk · 24 Mar 2025, 19:27

@Wilfred-Vogelaar I learned by chance that if you touch the screen new buttons pop-up. Then you can manually change zoom with + - buttons. Nonetheless I would encourage developers to optimize zoom function.

Jörgen · 24 Mar 2025, 19:53

@Karel76 said in 6.000 kms experience with MRA + Carpuride:

I'm not happy. I drove 300km on Saturday with waze. Battery on arrival 98%. Sunday with MRA and phone shut down after 280km because battery dead. For me the MRA is unusable

You rate an App by power consumption?
Functionality comes first and no device will run without external power a hole day. And Waze is not an App for biker, you can not compare both.
If you are happy with Waze, fine, but you miss a lot.

Karel76 · 24 Mar 2025, 20:38

@Jörgen My phone is always powered via USB. With Waze, Kurviger, Stegra, mapy.cz, the USB is enough to charge the phone and I always reach my destination. Unfortunately with MRA I have never driven more than 400km. Every time the phone is discharged to 0%. The planner is relatively ok, except for planning routes OFF-ROAD. Unfortunately the app is bad. Tested on Samsung S21, S24 and A52.

For clarification I supply USB A 5V, 2.5A = 12.5W

Con Hennekens · 25 Mar 2025, 08:01

@Karel76 said in 6.000 kms experience with MRA + Carpuride:

I supply USB A 5V, 2.5A = 12.5W

Well, that's not a lot is it...

Karel76 · 25 Mar 2025, 09:33

@Con-Hennekens Sufficient for other applications, so I wouldn't look for too big a problem in the power supply. I was looking at the forums here yesterday and the problem of the phone overcharging has been addressed for at least two years. I'll try connecting an ammeter to find out the actual power consumption of MRA and other apps like Kurviger, Osmand etc. Then the real consumption of each app will be clearly evaluated.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Ralph Janssen · 25 Mar 2025, 09:34

@Karel76
In my opinion its not fair to say the app is bad because it drains your battery.
I understand the frustration but it does not make a app bad.

12.5W is not a lot and maybe its just not enough for MRA next.
I use a quadlock charger (as is my wife). It can deliver "Output: USB-A up to 18W max (5V/3A, 9V/2A, 12V/1.5A)" and I have zero problems with it.
And I have used multiple devices; Doogee S200 (phone) Doogee T20 8"tablet, Samsung A32, A35, One Plus phones and a Oppo phone.

Its just to complex to compare apps by battery usage.

Con Hennekens · 25 Mar 2025, 10:17

@Karel76 said in 6.000 kms experience with MRA + Carpuride:

Sufficient for other applications, so I wouldn't look for too big a problem in the power supply.

I do not agree. The MRA app in navigation mode uses more power than some other apps indeed. That's no news, and something that has been gotten better a lot over time, but still differs for some people. If you leave home with 100% battery and your app uses just below what the charger can supply, you will get back home with 100%. If your app uses just a bit more than what the charger can supply, it is no wonder your phone will drain completely over a day of driving. The margins are thin. Upgrading to a QC3 charger is not expensive, and potentially saves you a lot of frustration.

Karel76 · 25 Mar 2025, 11:22

Ok I'll take the advice of the more experienced. I will try QC3 if it works. I don't want to swear at the app, but I'm just dealing with this problem for the second year on three bikes. I bought Lifetime and unfortunately so far I have not been able to rely on it due to power consumption. Thank you for your valuable advice and hopefully I will move on. In room navigation mode on, my MRA is now taking 3,3A at 5V (17W) hence a 2,5A charger is not enough for the MRA. Now the question if I will keep my phone cool in summer. But again, thanks to everyone for the help.

Con Hennekens · 25 Mar 2025, 13:50

@Karel76 said in 6.000 kms experience with MRA + Carpuride:

Now the question if I will keep my phone cool in summer.

I will keep my fingers crossed for you
Depends on the windflow too, and if or what case you use.

Adrian Avram · 25 Mar 2025, 13:57

@Dennis-Hoogendonk said in 6.000 kms experience with MRA + Carpuride:

I would encourage developers to optimize zoom function

I agree !