GPS vs Phone

[Morrissey]

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I'm trying to decide getting a dedicated gps vs using my phone for navigation on the bike.

I'm leaning towards gps as it's a dedicated unit that will be weatherproof, doesn't need a cell signal and I can either pre-plan a route and upload it set it on the fly. Downside is the expense for something that would only have a dedicated use.

I'm worried about using my phone because I'm afraid of burning the screen in the sun on a hot day, water damage if it rains because I use my phone for so many other things I'd hate to damage it. Upside is I already have a phone so no additional expense outside of rigging a power source.

I'm going to finally invest in a comm for my helmet so I can hear whichever device I go with. I'm sure that'll be a whole other kettle of fish.

 

[Lightcycle]

Just spent the last few weeks on a rental with my phone as GPS.

It's cheap (basically free), and hook-up is easy. Google Maps is simple to use and is up-to-date, and all the pros & cons that you've already mentioned above.

However, the #1 downside for me is that changing anything on the capacitive screen is a hassle with gloves on, even the ones with touch-screen friendly pads on the fingertips. It feels like trying to tap on those tiny buttons and icons with a huge sponge. Frustrating.

This is fine if you spend most of the time going from point A-to-B and never have to re-navigate to new points of interest or change your route on the fly:

"I'm hungry, wonder what restaurants are close-by or along the way?"
"Running low on fuel, where's the closest gas station?"
"That road looks interesting, where does it go and does it take me very far off my route?"

If you do tend to perform a lot of these real-time navigation changes, the only way to do is is to pull over, take your gloves off and then do your screen-stuff with fingers.

Incredibly annoying, and is the #1 reason why I'll always choose the pressure-sensitive screen of a motorcycle-specific GPS unit with super-huge glove-friendly user interface, over the capacitive screen of a smartphone with apps designed for fingers and not motorcycle gloves.

I am in the process of shopping for the DMD2 app on a separate, ruggedized smartphone device/tablet and how it gets around the capacitive screen issue is that it pairs with a Bluetooth controller with a joystick and buttons on the handlebar:

DMD Navigation - Ultimate Adventure Navigation App and Devices

Motorcycle GPS navigation devices. Done by and for adventure riders. Home for DMD2 App, DMD-T865 and DMD-T665 Android devices and DMD Remote1

www.drivemodedashboard.com

This could potentially be the best of both worlds - real-time online updates and glove-friendly navigation, plus it's on a separate device so if it gets damaged, your whole life (contacts, payment information, authentication information) aren't compromised.

Losing your smartphone is like losing your wallet these days. I wouldn't want to put my wallet on the handlebars of my motorcycle.

Especially the way I ride...

Again, everyone's use case is different. Phone on the bars will probably be fine for most people.

 

[MacDoc]

I notice Itchy Boots dropped her tablet early on and is navigating entirely by phone in Saudi Arabia.

• Phone as Backup GPS: Itchy Boots uses her phone with Google Maps as a backup GPS system.
  
  
• Garmin mini InReach: She uses a Garmin mini InReach for navigation, especially for solo riding.
  
  
• Phone Mount: She uses a Himalayan Pro Mount for her phone, which she found helpful for navigation.
  
  
• Maps.me: She previously used Maps.me as a backup navigation app and still uses it as a backup.
  
  
• SatNav: She switched from Maps.me to a SatNav system for motorcycle navigation

I'm leaning towards gps as it's a dedicated unit that will be weatherproof, doesn't need a cell signal and I can either pre-plan a route and upload it set it on the fly.

Whatever the GPS can do so can the phone with the correct app but the screen IS an issue as is access with gloves.
You don't need cell service to use a GPS app on a phone.
Even Gmaps lets you download a huge area for offline nav outside the cell service.
Waterproofing is not an issue on modern phones.
I have not explored voice nav for my very limited riding to make changes tho Gmaps prompts me to try ....but if you are doing serious routing the standalone might work best.
Over heating in the sun is a real issue with phones as they get more powerful.
The new phones are crazy bright screens but that adds to overheating and eats the battery if not hardwired.
You'd need a bike powered source in either case.

 

[xrljoel]

Just spent the last few weeks on a rental with my phone as GPS.

It's cheap (basically free), and hook-up is easy. Google Maps is simple to use and is up-to-date, and all the pros & cons that you've already mentioned above.

However, the #1 downside for me is that changing anything on the capacitive screen is a hassle with gloves on, even the ones with touch-screen friendly pads on the fingertips. It feels like trying to tap on those tiny buttons and icons with a huge sponge. Frustrating.

This is fine if you spend most of the time going from point A-to-B and never have to re-navigate to new points of interest or change your route on the fly:

"I'm hungry, wonder what restaurants are close-by or along the way?"
"Running low on fuel, where's the closest gas station?"
"That road looks interesting, where does it go and does it take me very far off my route?"

If you do tend to perform a lot of these real-time navigation changes, the only way to do is is to pull over, take your gloves off and then do your screen-stuff with fingers.

Incredibly annoying, and is the #1 reason why I'll always choose the pressure-sensitive screen of a motorcycle-specific GPS unit with super-huge glove-friendly user interface, over the capacitive screen of a smartphone with apps designed for fingers and not motorcycle gloves.

I am in the process of shopping for the DMD2 app on a separate, ruggedized smartphone device/tablet and how it gets around the capacitive screen issue is that it pairs with a Bluetooth controller with a joystick and buttons on the handlebar:

DMD Navigation - Ultimate Adventure Navigation App and Devices

Motorcycle GPS navigation devices. Done by and for adventure riders. Home for DMD2 App, DMD-T865 and DMD-T665 Android devices and DMD Remote1

www.drivemodedashboard.com

This could potentially be the best of both worlds - real-time online updates and glove-friendly navigation, plus it's on a separate device so if it gets damaged, your whole life (contacts, payment information, authentication information) aren't compromised.

Losing your smartphone is like losing your wallet these days. I wouldn't want to put my wallet on the handlebars of my motorcycle.

Especially the way I ride...

Again, everyone's use case is different. Phone on the bars will probably be fine for most people.

I saw an article somewhere about damage to phones from vibration when mounted to motorcycles. A vibration dampened mount is crucial I think if you're using your phone.

Personally, I don't seem to take direction well. I tend to meander from place to place, only following a set route when necessary. Hells bells, I still carry paper maps sometimes with potential destinations and points of interest marked.

 

[sburns]

I rather keep my phone away and protected, just because it has too much valuable personal info etc...
But you can always buy a decent used phone or a lower end model if you want to have a phone as GPS.

 

[Lightcycle]

I saw an article somewhere about damage to phones from vibration when mounted to motorcycles. A vibration dampened mount is crucial I think if you're using your phone.

Most of the phone's internals are solid state, so no moving parts to damage.

What has changed in the last few years are the stabilization motors utilized by some of the higher-end cameras, and those can get wrecked by the vibrations from the motorcycle unless it is adequately dampened.

Here's a warning from Apple about the iPhone's camera being susceptible to this:

Exposure to vibrations, like those generated by high-powered motorcycle engines, might impact iPhone cameras - Apple Support

Exposing your iPhone to high amplitude vibrations within certain frequency ranges, specifically those generated by high-power motorcycle engines, can degrade the performance of the camera system.

support.apple.com

 

[Lightcycle]

We rode in the rain quite a bit with the phone GPS.

Even when stopped and with gloves off, you have to wipe the screen dry (and keep it dry) for the capacitive screen to properly recognize your finger. Otherwise you'll suffer ghost touches and improper tracking of your finger motions.

Same problem on both my Samsung and my wife's iPhone.

These things were never designed for motorcycle use.

 

[Morrissey]

So last year I started completing rides through Cannonball Rides. They are curated routes with photo stops and time limits. Last year I would memorize a chunk of the route, stash my phone and off I go. The same problem kept coming up where I wouldn't zoom in for enough when memorizing the route and wouldn't see that the photo stop is actually one tiny street over from the main road but it LOOKS like it's on the main road and then I end up trying to hunt it out or pulling over and rechecking the map which burns up time. I want to see the route and hear the route!

I think the concerns with using my phone others have pointed out just confirm my own concerns. I think I'll go with a dedicated GPS. I can plan the route at home the day before and upload it to the GPS as most of the newer ones are wifi compatible so I won't need a computer to connect to with a cord. I can also pull over and enter a destination for less planned rides.

I'm guessing a Garmin Zumo is the industry standard for this kind of thing. Any suggestions on which model to get? Ideally it's one that will work for several years going forward.

 

[Wingboy]

ZumoXT is the standard.

 

[Lightcycle]

I'm guessing a Garmin Zumo is the industry standard for this kind of thing. Any suggestions on which model to get? Ideally it's one that will work for several years going forward.

The Zumo XT2 is the latest and greatest from Garmin, but you can still find places selling the older (by about 18-24 months) Zumo XT, which has a smaller screen and is a bit less feature-laden. Differences here:

Garmin Zumo XT vs Garmin Zumo XT2 – A Comparison | Touratech-USA

Garmin lists the older XT for $670 online, but I recall that many retailers will often have sales and I've seen them discounted for around $550. I think @shanekingsley got that deal last season?

 

[PrivatePilot]

I saw an article somewhere about damage to phones from vibration when mounted to motorcycles. A vibration dampened mount is crucial I think if you're using your phone.

It's the camera stabilization motors that have this issue, and even then only on high-revving bikes that hit a certain resonnance, and even more, it seems only if you open the camera app (or recently had it open and it might still be running in the background) that causes it. Either way, I've travelled somewhere in the range of 150,000km now across various bikes with my iPhone mounted on my handlebars the entire time and I've never had this issue, so apparently V-Twiins don't cause any issues.

As for the plusses vs negatives? The real-time crowdsourced traffic is the reason I exclusively use my phone for navigation vs a standalone unit. If there's a major road closure that would have me stuck in a 2 hour traffic jam with no way out between 2 exits somewhere, I want to know ahead of time and get rerouted - a phone based solution running Google Maps or Waze will do exactly that. A standalone GPS will blindly navigate you right into the back of the 5km backup.

I also want to know if there's rain 10 minutes ahead so I can stop and gear up before I ride into it - or *not* bother wasting the time gearing up if it *looks* like rain, but isn't actually raining. Running the proper weather apps on your phone will also do that, plus radar of course.

Lastly, when I'm looking for a restaurant or whatever, I want to be able to see the reviews, or updates if it's still even open vs closed years ago and the outdated standalone GPS just never got that update. Google Maps does that live for you.

So, obviously, I'm a fan of phone based navigation.

Now, with all that, you MUST have a backup nav app that works offline. Yes, Google Maps and Waze can instantly go dumb if you end up somewhere without cell service. Google Maps lets you download offline maps of areas you can select, but my experience with that has been hit and miss. So I also subscribe to the Scenic iPhone app which is not only motorcycle specific (and awesome!), but also 100% works offline as you can fully and completely download the maps onto your phone ahead of time. But even when I am navigating using Scenic in order to have it find me a nice scenic or twisty road option somewhere, I always have Waze running in the background to advise me of traffic etc etc. There are other nav apps that can do the same so far as being offline capable.

 

[Baggsy]

At some point new motorcycle screens will interface with Apple or Android well enough, and GPSs will decline in value. My 2022 Tiger connects to the phone which has a charging station under the seat, but the Triumph navigation is rudimentary turn by turn, and you have to stop and pull the phone out from under the seat to change destinations. We’re almost there but not quite. I’m not so sure that having a larger and larger screen tempting a rider to not pay attention to the road is a great idea. Joysticks and the like can also be distracting, as they are fiddily to adjust, and may require the turn signals and horn buttons to move.

 

[shanekingsley]

The Zumo XT2 is the latest and greatest from Garmin, but you can still find places selling the older (by about 18-24 months) Zumo XT, which has a smaller screen and is a bit less feature-laden. Differences here:

Garmin Zumo XT vs Garmin Zumo XT2 – A Comparison | Touratech-USA

Garmin lists the older XT for $670 online, but I recall that many retailers will often have sales and I've seen them discounted for around $550. I think @shanekingsley got that deal last season?

Close! I scored a brand new original Zumo XT back in the fall of 2023 for $400 off some guy who bought it from a store and then had a medical issue and stopped riding right after.

I currently prefer riding with the XT over a phone and get live traffic updates on the GPS, since it's paired to my phone. Also get alerts for red light camera's, school zones, etc. Very happy with it.

 

[Dunc]

I like keeping the phone away. I also like planing my routes carefully because I mix in off road stuff, G maps would not work well for me. Zumo XT has a learning curve for planning but also does straight up nav if you want it too. Headsets work great, XT pairs well and display handles phone calls fine, also gives me enough text and email to see if I need to stop and respond. Birds Eye sat images can be downloaded for better detail where needed.

 

[PrivatePilot]

I currently prefer riding with the XT over a phone and get live traffic updates on the GPS, since it's paired to my phone. Also get alerts for red light camera's, school zones, etc. Very happy with it.

I have friends who have mixed results with the connected-to-phone traffic stuff - it seemed like it may be quite delayed, so an accident that is reported and would show up on Waze (for example) very quickly took much much longer to appear on the GPS. That delay could be the difference between getting stuck in a highway closure, or not.

I like keeping the phone away. I

Distraction is a fair argument for not having your phone up on your handlebars, but I put mine in the "Driving" focus mode which blocks all notifications and such until I stop. Even texts get blocked with an auto-response that I'm riding, with the option for the sender to reply again with a code that will force it through to me if it was an emergency or whatever.

 

[willyt]

Just spent the last few weeks on a rental with my phone as GPS.

It's cheap (basically free), and hook-up is easy. Google Maps is simple to use and is up-to-date, and all the pros & cons that you've already mentioned above.

However, the #1 downside for me is that changing anything on the capacitive screen is a hassle with gloves on, even the ones with touch-screen friendly pads on the fingertips. It feels like trying to tap on those tiny buttons and icons with a huge sponge. Frustrating.

This is fine if you spend most of the time going from point A-to-B and never have to re-navigate to new points of interest or change your route on the fly:

"I'm hungry, wonder what restaurants are close-by or along the way?"
"Running low on fuel, where's the closest gas station?"
"That road looks interesting, where does it go and does it take me very far off my route?"

If you do tend to perform a lot of these real-time navigation changes, the only way to do is is to pull over, take your gloves off and then do your screen-stuff with fingers.

Incredibly annoying, and is the #1 reason why I'll always choose the pressure-sensitive screen of a motorcycle-specific GPS unit with super-huge glove-friendly user interface, over the capacitive screen of a smartphone with apps designed for fingers and not motorcycle gloves.

I am in the process of shopping for the DMD2 app on a separate, ruggedized smartphone device/tablet and how it gets around the capacitive screen issue is that it pairs with a Bluetooth controller with a joystick and buttons on the handlebar:

DMD Navigation - Ultimate Adventure Navigation App and Devices

Motorcycle GPS navigation devices. Done by and for adventure riders. Home for DMD2 App, DMD-T865 and DMD-T665 Android devices and DMD Remote1

www.drivemodedashboard.com

This could potentially be the best of both worlds - real-time online updates and glove-friendly navigation, plus it's on a separate device so if it gets damaged, your whole life (contacts, payment information, authentication information) aren't compromised.

Losing your smartphone is like losing your wallet these days. I wouldn't want to put my wallet on the handlebars of my motorcycle.

Especially the way I ride...

Again, everyone's use case is different. Phone on the bars will probably be fine for most people.

You'll love the DMD2 unit with the joystick. Just helped a friend install his a few weeks ago. Installation is a little finicky (plan on a day and 6 beers if you do it yourself LOL), you'll have to keep referring to the Toutube vides, but once set up, it's very nice. First impressions, it's a very well built and thought-out unit.

 

[Lightcycle]

At some point new motorcycle screens will interface with Apple or Android well enough, and GPSs will decline in value.

You're not wrong, and I welcome this move as well.

Rented a current-model BMW R1250RT last winter and the BMW Connected App allowed you to throw up the GPS from your phone onto the motorcycle's TFT screen. Brilliant!

One thing I can't stand about both the phone or dedicated GPS is that extra clutter in your field of view. I hate that space-shuttle-look of so many screens in front of you and would love just one screen to rule them all. Simple is cleaner is better.

Best of all, the GPS was controlled by the factory WonderWheel on the handlebars, so it got around the problems with a capacitive touch screen on the phone.

This integration needs to happen sooner, rather than later!

 

[Lightcycle]

You'll love the DMD2 unit with the joystick. Just helped a friend install his a few weeks ago. Installation is a little finicky (plan on a day and 6 beers if you do it yourself LOL), you'll have to keep referring to the Toutube vides, but once set up, it's very nice. First impressions, it's a very well built and thought-out unit.

Yeah, all my off-road buddies use it, it really is well thought out for Adventure riding. Good, robust power interfaces too that will stand up to weather, vibration and abuse.

My only issue right now is that DMD2 only offers two sizes for their official devices: 6" smartphone or 8" tablet. They really need a 7" in-between size. That tablet looks ridiculous on a motorcycle, especially a small enduro. You can buy your own 7" device, but it would be nice if they offered one with everything pre-loaded and trouble-shot.

 

[matthew]

I have friends who have mixed results with the connected-to-phone traffic stuff - it seemed like it may be quite delayed, so an accident that is reported and would show up on Waze (for example) very quickly took much much longer to appear on the GPS. That delay could be the difference between getting stuck in a highway closure, or not.


Distraction is a fair argument for not having your phone up on your handlebars, but I put mine in the "Driving" focus mode which blocks all notifications and such until I stop. Even texts get blocked with an auto-response that I'm riding, with the option for the sender to reply again with a code that will force it through to me if it was an emergency or whatever.

I have a Zumo XT. The traffic function leaves much to be desired. I believe it only shows 400 series roads. I haven't been able to find a way to sideload a different traffic interface with it. That's the only drawback for that particular GPS

 

[PrivatePilot]

I hate that space shuttle look of so many screens in front of you and would love just one screen to rule them all. Simple is cleaner is better.

You wouldn't like the look of my setup when I'm doing one of my stupid miles rides, I have minimum 2 phones on my handlebars - one nav, one dedicated to the Spotwalla GPS tracker app as well as taking official fuel receipt/odometer photos for ride verification. Some of the full potato guys have a third even specifically for weather updates, especially if you're riding in areas prone to sudden outbursts of bad weather, ie tornados etc.

My new bike has a big LCD screen front and centre for pretty much every function on the bike right down to the seat heaters and such. It's all controllable via a 4-way direction button setup on the left handlebar, but it's also touchscreen. I've gotten pretty used to it and can find all the options fast, but the nav? No way around it....it's clunky as hell. And no carplay unfortunately. It has functionality on it's maps for Sirius traffic and weather, but my experience with it last year when I had the full-shebang on a trial was that it wasn't worth paying for - the "weather" was little more than a rudimentary forecast, and the radar, albeit indeed actual radar, was pretty low resolution and couldn't be zoomed much - ie you could see rain coming, but you couldn't really zoom in on the edge of the storm and see exactly where it was. In the end, I keep coming full circle to my phone being a way better source of everything, all around.

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