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Tourstart iPhone app

Tourstart has developed an iPhone app, which you can read more about here. In this FAQ we will explain the most common features which we have developed. 

Selector

Make your choise. Here start your motorcycle ride, where you can choose between the content on Tourstart. Spin the  selector and click on your  choise, then you go to the content you want.

Motorcycle event

When selecting the event, you will per default see your own country. But, you can just move the map to see events in any part of the world, as Tourstart is worldwide. Zoom and click on the event you like, read more and see the pictures.

Motorcycle tour

In the section motorcycle tour you can find motorcycle route from the entire world. 

This is an example of a motorcycle route in Lysebotn, Norway. Here are a route with some points described with text and picture.

Drive

Any content you may find on Tourstart app can be transferred to the "Drive" section where you can make your changes and plan a great motorcycle route around the original content. Please note that the original content are not changed.

Profile

On your private profile you can write a few words about yourselves. Then other users on Tourstart can read about you as e.g. creator of a tour or an event. 

Share Tourstart app content

At the bottom of any event and tour there is an area for sharing. Here you can share the content with your friends on Facebook, e-mail or QR code. All it takes is a click, and other motorcyclists can then enjoy the same Event or Tour. 

Download from AppStore

Visit the AppStore and see the app and download. Just click on the AppStore logo, and you are automatically taken here.

 

Further question

Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us on info@tourstart.org. You are also welcome to contact us should you have any suggestions for improvements, as we always seek improvements and new ideas.

Tour is showed different on Tourstart and on gps

When making a route on Tourstart it is done by adding some start, via or end points on the map. Between those points a route is made and this is where the difference can occur. On the map system Tourstart is using the way of calculating which route to ride is made on one way. 

When transfer the route to a Garmin, TomTom, Navigon or any other motorcycle gps, the route is basically some points. Then the gps will automatically calculate a route between the points. 

This is where the difference can occur, as the calculation formula is almost the same on e.g. Garmin, TomTom and Tourstart. 

How to make the motorcycle route similar on Tourstart and on the gps device

Let us assume you want to make a tour like this, and this is how it actually looks like on Tourstart.

Actual route on a gps

 

When the route is transferred to a gps, it might look like this.

How to make it shown correct

In order to make the route shown correct on your gps, the solution is simple. Just add a drag point, then the gps will calculate the route correct and you will get a great motorcycle ride.

Transfer to gps

Now all you have to do is to transfer the route again, then you are ready to go for a great motorcycle ride.

 

Tourstart - explore the world on a motorcycle

Ever thought about where to go for a motorcycle ride? and ever wondered how to get there?

So, if you have a motorcycle and enjoy explore the world and ride on some great motorcycle roads, you can get a lot of inspiration on Tourstart. 

Just to make a quick overview, this is what you can expect on Tourstart:

• Events - sharing of motorcycle events
• Tours - sharing of motorcycle tours
• Bike Club - Tours and events from the bike club
• Drive - Instant drive planning and download of GPS data
• TourNews - News and motorcycle tour descriptions

Motorcycle route transfer to GPS

Tourstart contains not only the destination such as an motorcycle event but also a lot of motorcycle tours which can be downloaded. Should you find a motorcycle event or tour, then you can also plan a motorcycle route based on this, as you simply transfer to "Drive" by a single click. On Drive you can make any changes to the tour - without modifying the original tour - and instantly transfer the final motorcycle tour direct to your GPS.​

Tourstart illustration

So to visualize what Tourstart is about, we made this credit-card-size flyer, which we hand-out when we have a GPS evening or participate in events. The motorcyclist has a great motorcycle route starting at home and taking him to some interests points back home again - all supported by  a GPS. 

 

Tourstart animation video

We made a small animaiton video to give you an idea what Tourstart is about, just click on the video and have a look. 

Tourstart is a motorcycle community

Tourstart is a community for motorcyclists who enjoy motorcycle riding and who looks for some inspiration for a scenic holiday, exciting route or to plan a great evening ride with friends on the local motorcycle road.

Download the PDF

Which Garmin GPS can be used on Tourstart

To be sure that you can import motorcycle tours - buy a motorcycle GPS.... However, other devices do also function. Please note, we have not tested all, it is partly a list made by Garmin and partly by Tourstart. No guarantee from our side. If you have any doubt, do not hesitate to ask us on info@tourstart.org

Garmin Zumo:

• zumo 220 (tested and OK)
• zumo 350 (tested and OK)
• zumo 400 (tested and OK)
• zumo 550 (tested and OK)
• zumo 500 (tested and OK)
• zumo 660 (tested and OK)
• zumo 665

Garmin Nuvi:

• nuvi 255W (tested and NOT OK) 
• nuvi 295W
• nuvi 465
• nuvi 500 series
• nuvi 700 series
• nuvi 705 series
• nuvi 765 series - tested and OK
• nuvi 800 series
• nuvi 805 series
• nuvi 1400 series
• nuvi 1490 series (testet and OK)
• nuvi 1690
• nuvi 2400 series
• nuvi 2405 series
• nuvi 2455LT (tested and OK)
• nuvi 2455 (tested and OK)
• nuvi 2505 series
• nuvi 2595LM (tested and OK)
• nuvi 3400 series
• nuvi 3490 (Testet and NOT OK. Cannot import routes)
• nuvi 3500 series
• nuvi 3700 series
• nuvi 5000

Garmin NuLink:

NuLink 1695 - Tested - and can only receive points - NOT routes.

Garmin Live:

• LIVE 2300 series

Garmin Dezl:

• dezl 560

Garmin StreetPilot:

• StreetPilot III
• StreetPilot 2000 series
• StreetPilot 7000 series

You might need to click "recalculate" on the route to achieve correct display. This to be done, should the points be connected with a straight line and not following the roads.

Garmin Quest:

• Quest
• Quest 2

Garmin Montana:

• 600

Transfer to Garmin GPS

When transfer a motorcycle route or point of interest to your GPS, all you need to do is to install Garmin Communicator and then connect your GPS to the USB of the computer.

Can I use any Navigon GPS device on Tourstart?

We have not tested Tourstart on all Navigon units, but normally the Navigon GPS can handle import of motorcycle routes via Navigon Fresh.

Can I use any TomTom on Tourstart

Most TomTom GPS units can handle import of motorcycle tours. However, there are only one limitation, you need to use "TomTom HOME" software. It is not possible to use the "My TomTom" software.

My TomTom

TomTom HOME

Download TomTom HOME and you are ready to transfer motorcycle routes to your TomTom GPS.

Can I automatically avoid highways when making a route plan on Tourstart?

Not by default. Here is the explonation. When a route on Tourstart is to be calculated between two points, a standard algorithm is used. Let us call this algorithm "Type 1 - with highway". Then you add some points and the standard algorithm "Type 1 - with highway" is used. This algorithm is more or less similar to the standard algorithm used by Garmin, TomTom, Navigon and other manufactures of motorcycle GPS.

So there is no problem to make a tour on Tourstart contaning of a lot of start, via and end points, as both Tourstart and your GPS device understand by default each other as they both use "Type 1 - with highway" as a standard.

If www.tourstart.org implement the feature to avoid highways, we must use another algorithm, which we can call "Type 2 - avoid highways". This will force you, as a user, to find our how you can select the algorithm "Type 2 - avoid highways" for this tour, as Tourstart cannot change this on your GPS - this you need to do by your self.

We have experienced this give more challanges then solves problems, why we only work with "Type 1 - with highway"

What to do?

To compensate for this, we kindly ask you to just add some drag points on the route you are working on, then with a few drag points, the route is no longer following the highway. Have a look on the video how to make motorcycle route on Tourstart.

How can I use the Drive function?

The aim of Tourstart is that the motorcycle ride must be a pleasure from start to reaching the destination and until comming back home again.

The situation is that you have found an interesting event or a great tour that you want to ride. To use the tour - made by another Tourstart member - for making your own motorcycle route, you just need to follow a few steps.

In the Toolbox you can find the function "Plan in Drive" and by a click the event or tour is transferred to Drive. In Drive you can make any changes and add motorcycle roads - without making changes in the original content. 

Got a video?

Yep - you can watch this video how to do and also how to transfer to your GPS. 

 

How to transfer a motorcycle route to my Navigon

First step is to install Navigon Fresh. This free software from Navigon you just need to install once, then you can transfer any motorcycle routes and tours from Tourstart by a single click. 

Click on the picture to be diverted to Navigon web page for download.

How to get the GPS data to the Navigon 

Have a look on this instruction video how to transfer a motorcycle tour to a Navigon GPS.

Is it possible to use a TomTom on Tourstart

The short answer is: Yes.

How to transfer to my TomTom?

See the video how to find a motorcycle route and transfer it to your TomTom GPS device. You are guided and show what to do - and all it takes is to have TomTom HOME installed on your computer and then jsut plug in the GPS into the USB of your computer.

Who can upload content to Tourstart?

Anybody can upload content on Tourstart. 

What to do before upload content?

All you need to do before you can make some scenic motorcycle tours or share a motorcycle event with other motorcyclists, are to make a free of charge profile. Click on the Green Login button which is located here:

Then you will see this pop-up. From here you are guided until you have a profile on Tourstart.

How much content can I upload toTourstart?

Tourstart do not limit the possibilities to get a great motorcycle experience, why we have open access for all to upload as many motorcycle events, motorcycle routes and motorcycle bike clubs as you like. Here is a quick-guide to what you can do on Tourstart.

Motorcycle Event

Any motorcycle related event can be shared on Tourstart, and you can also find inspiration for your next destination. Here is an example of a the Hamburger Motorrad Tage which is a motorcycle exhibition in Hamburg, Germany. 

Motorcycle Tour

You can create motorcycle tours and share this with motorcyclists worldwide. Click on the picture and see a video how to do.

Motorcycle club

Motorcycle clubs have their own section where you can share information about  your club, such as motorcycle events and the motorcycle tours. Then the members and other biker can easily find the great tours which are made by the bike club.

How much content can I download from Tourstart?

As much as you like. You can download as many events, motorcycle routes and bike club address as you like.

What motorcycle contet can I download from Tourstart?

• GPS data for Garmin, TomTom and Navigon
• GPX data
• PDF of the event or tour
• Actual view of the map in Tour and Drive

All it takes for you to download all this is to register as a user.

Download GPS data

Download a PDF?

At each event and tour you can print at bring with you a PDF. The PDF contains all information such as map view, text and pictures. With this and the GPS data you can easily keep track of the different tours or events which you bring with you.

Note that the name of the event or tour such as in the case "Lysebotn - a scenic motorcycle ride in Norway" is the name which you will see in your GPS and PDF. Hereby it is easy to keep the overview of the tours. By the way, you can see a video of the motorcycle tour here. 

How much shall I pay to use Tourstart?

This can be answered clear and simple: Nothing.

Why is it free to use Tourstart?

Good question. Not that it is free to run Tourstart, as we are a dedicated team of developers, designers, content managers, translaters and SEO specialists who all work hard on continue making Tourstart a success. 

We have mainly two ways to generate income, as we later will have some in-app purchase of our  iPhone app as well as we offer relevant companies to advert on Tourstart web site. 

Donate to support Tourstart

We cannot always run Tourstart for free, so we kindly ask for your donation. We do have costs like any other web page such as servers, salary and marketing material. Please click the button and support us with the amount which you find fair.

What can I do on Tourstart?

On Tourstart you can find Events, Tours and plan your MC route. All GPS data can be transferred to your Garmin, TomTom or Navigon GPS.

GPS data to create a tour on Tourstart

On Tourstart you can upload GPS data to create a motorcycle tour. This means should you have gps data from a motorcycle route, this can be directly uploaded to Tourstart.

How to upload GPS data

When creating a motorcycle tour, you can upload a file containing the route.

What type of GPS data can be uploaded

Currently we support the upload of the following GPS data:

• Standard GPS data - gpx
• Garmin - gbd
• TomTom - itn
• Google Earth - kml

So this means when you create a motorcycle tour you can manually create the route on the map or upload as described here.

Languages on Tourstart

It is entirely up to you what language you want to use, as the content is the same. We have translated to English, German, Russian and Danish, so we cover a language understood by the majority of our international users.

What is translated

The basic content are not translated. This means when a user ride a motorcycle tour in for example Norway, and write the description in English, we do not change that. What users upload and write, we do not make any modifications on that. It is the same with this motorcycle tour at Fuen, Denmark. The text is the original Danish, but you can always see the pictures and get the gps data.

Comments to Tourstart

Great to hear. We are always listening to our users, so feel free to send your comment to us. We constantly seek to improve the web site, and who are better to give us advices than the users?

How will Tourstart use the comments

All comments are evaluated and stored. Some comments we can handle right away, should it be some error or smaller improvements. Other comments we need to take into consideration into the general planning of our development.

As an example of user comments is our iPhone app. This is a result of our users asking for a mobile application, and then we evaluated what to do. Not all our comments are like this. Other examples of comments are users need the function to reverse the tour, so the start-stop change position. This you can see in our Toolbox, which are at all Tours, Events and in Drive.

Where to send the comment?

You can send your comment to us via the "Feedback", or you can send a mail to us on info@tourstart.org.

Tourstart is for motorcyclist

We do not accept any abusive content. Tourstart is a social media for motorcyclists who enjoy riding their motorcycle, and our focus is family friendly content. Remember, we have many families riding motorcycle and our users find holiday destinations on Tourstart. 

Your support is important to us, in order to keep Tourstart a nice and comfortable place to visit. 

What to do?

Just send us a mail to info@tourstart.org or drop us a message in "Feedback", and we will check it. 

I have a question

Well, then you just send us a mail to info@tourstart.org. Then we will answer you right away or agree to make a phone call to give you support.  

What can I get support about?

You can ask us about how to use Tourstart, how to plan a motorcycle route or how to transfer a route to your GPS. Well, shoul you have other questions, we will of course do your utmost to help you.

Does Tourstart always answer e-mails?

Tourstart is free-and-non profit, why we are not at the office 24/7. However, we are enthusiastic about what we do, so you will always get a next day answer - minimum. Often we answer within a few hours to any of your request.