Google Maps’ Motorcycle Mode Now Available in Indonesia and Malaysia

Well, it’s about time.

Google Maps has long offered travel route suggestions for cars, bicycles, cars, public transport and Bus No.11 (a term which we use to refer to walking…11, two legs…geddit?). Finally, the popular navigation service used globally has added the motorcycle mode as an option. It was first introduced back in December 2017, but only in India.

The two-wheeler mode differs from that for four-wheeler’s as it takes account of roads which either only allows motorcycles or prohibits them. Most useful would be the ETA that would be reflected more accurately. If you are from any part of this region, you would be most familiar with the motorcycles that weave in and out of otherwise standstill traffic. (Except in Singapore…motorists generally move in an orderly fashion there. That said, even line-slitting is not against the law there.) So, motorcycles tend to have shorter travel times—thus earlier ETAs—than other modes of transport.

Also, the new mode indicates key landmarks along the route as navigational cues for motorcyclists.

Whilst the motorcycle mode has been available for users in India for over six months, it was only introduced in Indonesia three months ago and just last week, in Automology’s home country Malaysia. Of course, it would take Google a while to get the route suggestions and ETA predictions optimised in places where the mode is newly launched — the more motorcyclists use the service, the more data that Google collects, the more accurate these all get. So, have a little patience and use it more.

Roughly, almost half of the vehicles on the roads of Malaysia are made up of motorcycles. In Indonesia, it is closer to three quarters. So, it is about time that Google Maps catered to the large community of motorcyclists.

You know who else should cater to them? Our sponsor X-1R, that’s who. Our friends over at there realised that even little engines need love. We already love their range of Engine Treatment products, and they recently extended it to include a Small Engine Formula; the formula has been optimised for motorcycle engines below 1,000cc, increasing its power whilst improving fuel efficiency.

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