Guilty Truth

iPhone Apps for road trips and HD Dealers

Posted: 22 May 2011 10:16 AM PDT

Last year we were discussing with one of our iPhone developer friends the necessity of an iPhone application that would give us great trips, the ability to find local shops (not just v-twins), as well as hotel/food accommodations. Well, there must have been spies in the room for part of that conversation as we just found this Mad Maps app. The app offers riders 975 scenic rides for motorcyclists in the United States. From the developers these maps “make trips more memorable by taking riders off the interstates and onto two-lane ribbons of pavement“. Examples of downloadable ride maps include:

Canyon Tour – Winding through the canyons of South Dakota’s Black Hills, this tour is ideal for anyone traveling to Sturgis.
To Big Sur, With Love — Explore the best the California Coast has to offer and stop for lunch and an awe-inspiring view at Nepenthe.

One unusual angle on this application is that MAD Maps® developed its maps with the help of local riders who know the back roads like the back of their hand. This enables the maps to highlight the best scenic roads and the cool stops along the way – from natural wonders to rock ‘n’ roll roadhouses. ”Our scouts are our product,” said MAD Maps® Founder Jennifer Lefferts. “Instead of relying on satellites in the sky, our development depends on real people on the ground.”

While it’s built with only Harley® riders in mind, (a short coming for me) the users can quickly and easily find the nearest Harley-Davidson® dealership in case they want to stop while on the road. In addition, it has a Best Western® hotels locator so riders can take advantage of the chain’s discounted Harley-Davidson® rate and Rider-Friendly® hotel program, which offers special amenities for motorcycle riders. Riders can also sign up for Best Western Ride Rewards®, a rewards program for Harley-Davidson enthusiasts. For a one-time charge of $4.99, each detailed map is less than one penny. Now if there were a way to have a heads up view finder on our visor or blue tooth capacity for hearing it while we ride, then we’d be real excited about it. Check it out here.

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