Beeline Moto is a small remote screen with a simple interface to attach to your motorcycle. Two basic options are available within Beeline, a turn-by-turn and a compass. This article focuses on the compass tool, which I call explore mode as it allows me to find new roads with Beeline.
Tank of Coffee started as a byproduct of using my Beeline in Compass mode. I love finding new roads and places on the motorcycle when I don't have time to craft a route to get to a location, especially if it is a last-minute destination; compass mode always delivers. Check out our review of the Beeline Plus subscription option.
The original Beeline Moto has been upgraded to the Beeline Moto 2, which adds better indications of junctions as well as a host of other capabilities. Our review breaks it all down.
Prepping your ride
Let's say you've heard of a place you want to try - one of the coffee shops featured on Tank of Coffee.
Open the Beeline app on your phone, and select 'Ride' from the bottom menu options. Then click the Plan Ride button. By default, Beeline will have your current location as the starting point. Tap the greyed 'Where to?' for your endpoint and type your destination. Try the place's name (Beeline has a good location lookup) or enter the direct address. Beeline will, by default, show a route to your destination, and may present a couple of options, one of which will be highlighted in blue with the duration and distance below.
We will bypass the routing and select 'Compass' on the bottom right. You should now see the path change from following roads to a direct beeline to your destination. There is no time estimate, only the distance as a straight line to your destination. Most of the time, only a destination is all you need, and you can begin your ride. We'll touch on the exceptions later in the article.
It’s standard for the routed distance to be longer than the compass distance. 120.0 vs 88.1 mi in the above example images. This ratio is called the Detour Index. If you ride in compass mode, you’ll naturally follow along roads, so your traveled distance will be more than the original compass distance. The greater the ratio between your traveled distance and the initial compass distance, the curvier your route was!
Navigating
If you don't need any bypasses or via points, click Go. Your mobile device will show a map with the line pointing to your destination. On the Beeline Moto, you'll see an arrow.
You can see a similar display on your phone by clicking on 'Arrow' in the upper left of the screen. You now have an arrow pointing to your destination on your phone, just like on your Beeline Moto.
Unlike turn by turn, this will always point at your destination, so don't be surprised if it shows to your left or right (sometimes behind you on really curvy roads). As you reach your first road, pick the direction most closely aligned with the arrow. You can stay on this road if it mostly tracks in the right direction or feel free to jump on a more fun road.
Changing roads
When you consistently find it pointing 90 degrees left or right, you need to find a new route, so look for one heading roughly in the direction indicated by the arrow and take that. Pay particular attention to the name of the road. In the US, roads with numbers like county, state, or interstate highways will generally be thru roads. County & state roads can be good in less populated areas, but can become busy shopping roads in more populated places, so don’t be afraid to change roads whenever you dislike the one you are on. The ones without numbers are often the hidden gems.
If you are in a more residential area, some roads may not have an outlet, so you may need to backtrack, but that is part of the fun of exploring. Some roads may also indicate No Outlet or Dead End, so skip those. A good rule of thumb is the name of the road gives some indication of if it is a slight diversion or a thru street. It likely has no outlet if it ends in 'Court' or 'Place.' In many modern developments, this can also happen to roads with 'Lane' or 'Drive,' but traditionally, those were scenic roads, so don't be afraid to try them!
Progress
You can see your progress at any time as the distance to your destination should trend going down, but maybe not at the same rate as the miles you are riding. If you take the actual traveled distance and divide it by the compass distance, you get a number called the Detour Index. I expect about 1.6, but this can be lower or higher depending on how much the roads align with your destination and starting point and if there are any obstacles like lakes, rivers, or remote areas.
Workarounds
Sometimes a direct beeline path will cross over water or a more remote area that isn't navigable. A good example is a large lake where you must run along its edge to get to the other side and continue to your destination. River crossings are another good one. The Hudson River is near where Tank of Coffee is based, and only a handful of bridges exist. The trick here is to add a waypoint to the bridge crossing or a point that bypasses the lake or remote area. If you're lucky, there is one not far from the ideal straight line, and you need a minor nudge.
There are a few ways to add waypoints, but the one I find most straightforward for this case is to click on the bridge directly. This new waypoint will become your new destination and open a page showing your original destination as a Via point now.
Just drag the newly created point in the list to the middle position via the two lines on the right and click done.
You have a via compass point on the bridge to reduce your river crossing hunting time!
Conclusion
Beeline’s compass mode enables you to explore your area. When you turn onto a road to get your compass pointing the right way, pick one you’ve never been on before… you may love what you find!
We have a guide on finding the best biking roads, either by planning ahead or what to look for while you are riding.
If you aren’t keen on improvising the path to your destination, Beeline Moto also offers routes to guide you. Often there will be two options, a “fast” one and a “fun” one. I’ll typically always pick the fun one when out for fun, but the fast one, when I want to get back home.
