Tested: The Best Motorcycle GPS Navigators For On & Off-Road Riding

With everyone walking (or riding) around with a smartphone in their pocket, we pretty much all already carry a device with GPS mapping and turn-by-turn direction capabilities.  And while this may make it seem like motorcycle GPS units are becoming obsolete, the reality is that these moto-specific mapping gadgets still have a lot to offer. In order to explore the segment’s latest and greatest options, we’ve gotten hands-on with these items in order to deliver this review of the best motorcycle GPS navigators.

Selection & Testing

Since the debut of the first motorcycle-specific GPS unit—Garmin’s zūmo 500 Series in October of 2006—the motorcycle GPS segment has been rapidly evolving, with each year seeing manufacturers bestow their respective offerings with more and more features, smart-tech, and functionality. And while the space’s growth has been slowed by the ubiquity of smartphones, there are still a decent number of available models to pick from at the moment. So, when we first set out to uncover the best motorcycle GPS navigators currently available, we started our search by first scouring the space in order to find every option on the market. From there, we examined each model’s list of features, mounting options, dimensions, power source(s), display type, durability and IP rating, and used these details in order to narrow down the available options to a shortlist of candidates. 

While you can learn a lot about a moto GPS unit’s features and capabilities through reading item descriptions and spec sheets online, these details only tell one part of the larger overall story. So, in order to get a sense of each model and system’s actual real-life performance and user experienced, we managed to get our hands on an example of each GPS navigator. This allowed us to conduct hands-on testing where each GPS unit took turns spending a week mounted to one of our in-house or loaner motorcycles. Once every model has been tested, we started the process over, allowing us to better compare and contrast the performance of each model. 

Actually having each unit mounted to our bikes provided key insight into areas such as glare and readability, touchscreen responsiveness (and glove-friendliness). Getting hands-on with each unit also clued us into how well-designed and easy-to-use each navigator’s interface along with how easy or difficult it was to navigate menus and use various features. Additionally, having each unit take a turn mounted to one of our bikes also gave us a comprehensive understanding of every GPSS navigator’s installation process, and how easy or difficult it was. Likewise, doing this also provided information on how well each model’s mounting options actually worked in practice. 

Another massively important part of our hands-on testing phase was actually using each GPS unit’s mapping capabilities and turn-by-turn directions. What’s more, we also explored each model’s selection of preloaded off-road trails and road routes. Smaller supplementary features such as weather reports and traffic updates were also explored. Also scrutinized was each navigator’s ability to pair with a smartphone and connected features. Living in a major city where theft is rampant, we opted to remove the GPS unit that we tested everyday from the bikes when parking them for the night, giving us a solid understanding of how easy or difficult it was to install and remove each pick. 

Due to scheduling conflicts and a few prior engagements, I wasn’t able to experience each unit while touring, though I did do some local exploration using the available hotspots, points of interest, and recommended stops provided by each GPS navigator. I was, however, able to use each unit while commuting two and from works, and was able to pack up each unit and try each one while exploring a slew of off-road trails and fire roads. Once armed with this information, we then took all of the notes from our extensive hands-on review and testing process in order to further narrow down our initial shortlist to a final selection of what we found to be the very best motorcycle GPS navigators that money can currently buy. 

Measurements: When getting hands-on with today’s best motorcycle GPS units, each model was tested using a 2017 Ducati Hypermotard 939 SP for the on-road riding, and a 2019 Husqvarna 701 Enduro for the off-road portions of our testing. 

EatSleepRIDE App

Best Moto GPS App: Touted as “The Motorcycle Social Network,” EatSleepRIDE is a smartphone app, website, and community run by a small team of Toronto-based developers and avid riders. Not only is the app free, but it also runs on your existing phone so you don’t have purchase a separate dedicated GPS navigator unit. In addition to being able to participate in games and challenges for prizes, post photos, stories, and reviews, the app can also track your rides, explore routes recorded by other users, record and share your own rides and routes, see live speed, lean angle, and altitude.

The Good

EatSleepRIDE also has a premium feature known as CrashLight. Using the same hardware already in your smartphone that enables it to detect whether you’re on a motorcycle and track speed, lean angle, and elevation also allows the app to detect a crash. Once a crash has been detected, CrashLight automatically sends an alert with your exact coordinates to a predetermined contact (or list of contacts) who can then summon emergency medical services. This is a premium feature that requires a subscription of $15 per year — which comes out to less than a nickel per day). 

Not only does this feature come at a low cost — and have the ability to afford peace of mind to both riders and their loved ones — but it’s literally already saved lives, making it ridiculously easy to justify the minimal investment it requires. I also like that you always have the option of canceling your subscription during months you aren’t traveling and are just commuting to and from work, and then resubscribe when you head out touring or exploring on two-wheels. It also obviously has the major benefit of making solo riding and solo touring markedly safer, as ESR’s CrashLight feature functions like a digital guardian angel of sorts.

Supplementary Strengths

ESR also offers riders the ability to load the image of a map on Wi-Fi before heading out on a ride so they’re still able to record the poly line and see it on the map, even without reception. This means rides can still be recorded even without service. Even if the map isn’t loaded before they go out, they can still record the ride and then when they get back to data or Wi-Fi, they’ll be able to load the map and see a poly line on the map and overlay it using a mapping as one layer and the GPS tracking layer another.

The actual GPS feature is one of my favorite aspects of ESR, as it’s simple and uncluttered, yet gives you all the key info you need while riding. I also really love how finely-tuned CrashLight is, as I’ve been using it for the better part of the last decade and I’ve never had a crash detected when there wasn’t one. It also won’t set off the crash detection if you simply tip the bike over while stopped or at a super low speed.

The app also has a great following and community of avid riders that frequently share stories, photos, and advice. And, unlike some GPS units that only feature preloaded rides of actual roads or trails, EatSleepRIDE allows users to upload and share their own local routes, making it a great resource to use when traveling or moving to a new area. Plugging you into local, insider knowledge has revealed some real gems of rides in my experience. 

The Not So Good

The first obvious downside to using ESR is that it isn’t its own standalone GPS unit and it requires that you use your phone. This means it uses your phone’s battery, isn’t glove-friendly in many cases, and can overheat. My second gripe is that the CrashLight service alerts friends or family who have to act as a middleman for calling emergency medical services and reporting your position, rather than it directly contacting medical services. I do recognize the enormous amount of legwork and red tape that would have been required to setup systems and communications for the various emergency services across the planet, so it’s hard to fault EatSleepRIDE too much for this. 

I had initially written down the cost of the CrashLight service as a gripe, and while I still don’t consider it a positive, I actually think the price is beyond justifiable considering that it can easily and quite literally save your life, plus having spoken to the development team that created the service, I know an enormous amount of costly research and development was required in order to bring it to life and fine-tune it. All-in-all, if you don’t want to purchase a seperated, dedicated GPS unit but still want much of the same functionality — with a few cool supplementary features and abilities thrown in for good measure — ESR really is hard to beat. 

Verdict: EatSleepRIDE is a super affordable alternative to purchasing a standalone moto GPS unit that utilizes your existing phone in order to deliver mapping and route-sharing capabilities, while also sporting a life-saving crash detection system and a host of other genuinely useful features. 

Beeline Moto II

Best Urban-Use Pick: First released via a Kickstarter campaign in 2018, the original Beeline Moto presented an ultra-simple, streamlined take on a traditional GPS navigator, with the item consisting of a tiny circular display with the ability to readout turn-by-turn directions or display a fixed-direction guidance arrow. After the success of the original model, the UK-based team behind the moto gadget returned to the drawing board in order to deliver the new and massively improved Beeline Moto II. This heavily-updated design maintains the simplicity and minimalistic nature of the first-generation version while gaining a host of tweaks and updates that collectively allow for a much better overall moto navigation device. 

The Good

Though they look similar upon a quick glance, the Moto II is a vastly different beast than its gen-one predecessor. Though it’s only 3mm larger in diameter (at 53mm versus the 50-mm gen-one), the new version features more-than-twice-as-large of a display.  Weighing in at just 1.48oz, the Beeline Moto II also benefits from a completely redesigned user interface that makes navigating its menu and option screens even more effortless. The Beeline Moto II is offered in a Standard model with an ASA polymer housing capped off with a precision-machined anodized aluminum bezel, or in a more premium Metal Edition with a milled alloy body and a CNC’d aluminum bezel. 

Another one of the biggest changes to the moto nav is its new advanced turn-by-turn navigation option. This main turn-by-turn navigation mode keeps everything super simple, while still providing all the key metrics, with the tiny display showing journey progress, distance to next turn, next turn direction, cross streets, a rider icon, and the route. Measuring just 20.5mm thick, the Moto II also lets you swipe to a screen that shows the battery life of both the device and the smartphone it’s paired with. Rather than using a touchscreen setup, the circular device features physical glove-friendly RockerTop 2 buttons at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o’clock. Additionally, the original model’s 507mm² transflective LCD display has been upgraded to a 1,064mm² IPS TFT unit with double the resolution. The screen of the new larger display also gains a new antireflective and hydrophobic coating. 

Also new for the second-gen Moto II is turn alerts. Before a turn, the device prompts the user with a simple LED light. What’s more, if the rider is using a comm system or Bluetooth helmet connected to their smartphone, they’ll also receive spoken turn alerts. I was also pleasantly surprised to discover that Beeline’s Moto II also boasts ride tracking and ride sharing capabilities, plus offers speed limit alerts (when available, depending on locale). Another one of the coolest aspects of the Moto II is how it not only provides detailed turn-by-turn navigation, but it also lets users select between a Fast route or Fun route (I.e. the most direct route or the windiest). Like larger more expensive GPS navigators, the Moto II has a trip-recording feature and the ability to save rides.  

The latest Beeline Moto model comes outfitted with an onboard 600-mAh Lithium-polymer battery that’s substantially larger than the gen-one’s 350-mAh cell. With the battery being USB-C-rechargeable and affording around 14 hours of use per charge, the device very seldom needs to be juiced up — and when the time to do so does finally come around, it’s a super quick and easy process. For more avid users – or riders that are touring and traveling — Beeline also offers a powered mount inside that’s hardwired to the motorcycle’s battery. When powered down, the device’s battery offers several months of standby life. 

Supplementary Strengths

While it does lack the laundry list of features possessed by larger and costlier moto GPS units, there’s still something really appealing about the immense simplicity of the Beeline Moto II. I came to really appreciate the “partially-connected” riding experience afforded by the Moto II. The device still provides turn-by-turn directions without distracting or disturbing me with text message and email notifications and other reminders of modern life and the daily grind. 

Using a simple yet secure twist-lock mechanism, the Beeline Moto II comes with a small backplate that the device mounts to. The backplate has four tiny protruding arms each with a horizontal cutout that allows it to be secured to a bike’s handlebars or grip using a pair of included “mount bands” (i.e. heavy-duty rubber bands). Because it’s secured to the bike using rubber mounting bands, it’s ridiculously easy to install the Moto II onto bikes (or remove it).

The nav unit is also surprisingly hardwearing, being waterproof, shockproof, and IP67-rated. Though I’ve never found it to be particularly useful — at least when riding a motorcycle in a major metropolitan area — the gen-one’s classic arrow display compass mode is still present on the gen-two as an available mode. 

Though I primarily used it in and around the city I’ve lived in for over a decade, the Moto II’s ability to save favorite locations eventually became one of my favorite features. Once I’d saved locations such as my office, apartment, and studio, I was able to power on the device, select favorite locations, click on one, and instantly get turn-by-turn directions — a super simple process that takes all of 5-10 seconds. Despite its decidedly diminutive size, Beeline’s Moto II features a bevy of onboard sensors including an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and a magnetometer. It also utilizes Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity. 

Not only is the gadget insanely pocketable, but it can also be made all the more friendly thanks to an optional carabiner-equipped carrying case. Beeline also offers a premium feature that unlocks audio directions and ride planning with round-trip generation. The device can also do bicycle-specific trip planning that does route guidance that avoids freeways and other non-bike-friendly roads and locales.

The Not So Good

Though its tiny size and immense simplicity play crucial roles in making it so special, these same areas are also directly responsible for some of the Moto II’s biggest issues. For starters, it 1.45” display is a literal fraction of the size of its larger counterparts, making it much harder to read while riding at speed — an area furthered by the black and white mapping. When the Moto II is paired with your phone, its accompanying app also shows GPS directions on the phone at the same time as they’re presented onto the nav’s display. Consequently, I often found myself unintentionally glancing down at the larger display of my phone when using it — making the device fairly superfluous (assuming my phone isn’t in a pocket or bag). 

In general, Beeline’s Moto II lacks much of the functionality of its more robust competitors — though its price no doubt reflects this. Features like buddy tracking, two-way messaging, weather reports, and traffic alerts aren’t offered on the Beeline Moto II. I also didn’t love the standard mounting equipment. The rubber band-based mounting system is admittedly effective, and while I expected the device to shift and move around whenever I hit large potholes or other bumps, it kept the little nav securely in place. Having said that, the bands just feel cheap and don’t inspire a ton of confidence. Fortunately, Beeline does offer more rugged and robust rigid handlebar and mirror stem mounts. 

Verdict: The Beeline Moto II is the ultimate minimalist take on a motorcycle GPS navigator, displaying only the bare essentials, while still hiding a few nifty tricks and features up its sleeve. 

Garmin zūmo XT2

Best Full-Size Display Pick:

Towards the beginning of 2020, Garmin releases the zūmo XT, an advanced adventure-focused motorcycle GPS navigation system that combined a wealth of available maps with an equally generous list of features. Fast-forward to the Spring of 2023 and the company would then roll out its latest, greatest, and most advanced moto GPS unit to date with the zūmo XT2 — a second-generation moto nav that builds on the already-impressive capabilities and performance established by its first-generation predecessor. 

The Good

IPX7-rated and built to MIL-STD-810 standards, Garmin’s zūmo XT2 features a glove-friendly 6” TFT touchscreen with a glass screen. The moto nav comes outfitted with a ridiculous number of preloaded North American street maps, plus 3D terrain maps, downloadable BirdsEye direct satellite imagery, and preloaded topographical maps. I also liked how the device allows you to switch street maps to topographic maps to satellite imagery with just a single tap. The second-generation zūmo XT shows points of interest along with TripAdvisor travel ratings​, too. You also get a visual route planner, and group tracking, plus the ability to receive weather reports, incident notifications, and rider alerts such as helmet law notifications while crossing state lines. 

The nav’s point-to-point navigation is just fantastic — and was easily one of my very favorite parts of the overall user experience. Because the screen is just massive, you get a super clear readout of your turn-by-turn directions, plus the screen still has room to display vital metrics like your speed. When looking for somewhere to go off-roading, I really liked this device’s Popular Paths feature which allowed me to see other popular and frequently-used path from other Garmin-toting riders. Made all the more impressive by the size of the screen is this gadget’s seven hours of battery life.

The zūmo XT2 is compatible with several Garmin apps including the Tread App and Base Camp, It can also be paired with one of Garmin’s InReach satellite communicators, Powerswitch Digital Switch Boxes, or one of its backup cameras. What’s more, the zūmo XT2 can pair both my comm system and phone. I also really like how the Base Camp app allows you to create routes that can then be uploaded onto a microSD card, emailed, or shared. It also lets you send GPX files of maps from your phone. At the end of the day, there’s just a lot going on, and it takes a long time to fully wrap your head around the capabilities of the device and how to use it.

Supplementary Strengths

Despite how immensely complicated the device is to navigate and use, its installation is actually pretty effortless. The nav simply mounts to the bike’s handlebars using a RAM Mounts-style clamp and dual ball-joint setup. Because it has an onboard rechargeable Lithium-ion battery, I opted not to hardwire this gadget to the battery. The docking setup was also a highlight of this nav, as it feels super secure and gave me zero concern whatsoever that the gadget would ever dislodge and fall from the bike while I was riding. At the same time, it’s still surprisingly easy to remove from the dock — which is an absolute must considering its massive display (and generally expensive look) are no doubt prone to attracting the eye of thieves. 

In addition to your route, the nav also records areas such as speed, distance, and acceleration. You can also download maps to the unit when connected to wifi and then head out and explore those maps without needing to pay for a subscription. Also included is Bluetooth connectivity, the ability to receive wireless updates over wifi, 32GB of onboard storage, the ability to accept microSD cards of up to 256 gigs, and the option to store music on the device. And, though it can be a little finicky — especially when being used in louder settings or higher speeds — I nonetheless really liked the second-gen device’s voice-activated navigation feature. 

The Not So Good

If you’ve been using Garmin navigation devices for years and have experienced their evolution, chances are you’ll have no problem mastering the operation of the zūmo XT2 or fully capitalizing on its full capabilities. Unfortunately, I don’t fall into that category and have minimal experience with their products outside of this review. As such, I found it to be pretty simple to utilize the device’s basic functions, but using its more advanced features quickly got complicated. In fact, I’d say the complexity of the  zūmo XT2 is no doubt its biggest Achilles heel. Even after using it for several weeks, I still found it somewhat intimidating — not to mention almost needlessly complex, at least compared to Trail Tech’s Voyager Pro. 

Though you do get a massive screen, a lot of cutting-edge tech, and an enormous amount of functionality — if you can figure out how to use it — these areas come at a steep price. With a $600 MSRP, it doesn’t come cheap. And, as much as its complexity bothered me, this model’s downsides are still massively outweighed by its many strengths — and I imagine the longer I use it, the easier it will become to navigate and use to its full potential.

Verdict: If you’re after the most possible features and functionality — or if you simply want a nav with a massive glove-friendly touchscreen TFT display — then the Garmin zūmo XT2 is your obvious option. Though it takes some time to learn how to use, it’s a stellar device. 

Trail Tech Voyager Pro

Best Overall Pick: Since its inception in 2001, Trail Tech has carved out a stellar reputation and a diehard following among hardcore adventure riders, both on the strength of its top-shelf off-road parts and equipment. Perfectly encapsulating what the brand is all about is the Trail Tech Voyager Pro motorcycle navigation system. Trail Tech’s Voyager Pro isn’t just a moto nav, but rather a comprehensive all-in-one vehicle instrumentation unit and GPS solution. For reasons I’ll be unpacking below, I’d argue this is unequivocally the very best motorcycle GPS unit that money can buy — especially for off-road and adventure riders.

The Good

The Voyager Pro comes armed with a 4.0-inch glove-friendly full-color TFT display with a rugged IP67 rating and the ability to easily be read in direct sunlight. According to Trail Tech, the Voyager Pro was specially designed for off-road harsh, rugged conditions. And while I didn’t get a chance to perform any extreme weather trials or drop tests, I can attest to the fact that it’s built like an absolute tank. 

Not unlike Garmin’s model above, one of the biggest highlights of the Voyager Pro is its mapping and navigation. The unit I tested came preloaded with a ridiculous number of North American maps, though maps of other regions can be downloaded. The device also supports GPX file import and export, plus allows you to drop custom waypoints, too. You can even upload GEO PDFs. And, while I didn’t get the opportunity to use this feature, it is nonetheless worth noting that the Voyager Pro is compatible with the Polaris RIDECOMMAND system. 

Though its mapping and navigation elements are extremely impressive, there are plenty of modern moto GPS units that can also deliver in these areas. A monumental part of what makes the Voyager Pro so unique  and so special is its next-level vehicle integration. The Voyager Pro features a ton of wires that connect to various sensors on the motorcycle. This allows it to display live metrics such as engine temperature, RPM, tire pressure, battery voltage, speed, and distance, just to name a few. It even has warning lights. What’s more, this also means the Voyager Pro can completely replace your bike’s stock instrumentation. 

I personally love just about everything about my 2017 Hypermotard, but if there was one thing I could change, it would be upgrading its LCD display to a full-color TFT. And I love that the Voyager Pro basically allows me to do exactly that, as its display not only shows mapping and directions, but also warning lights and just about every key metric (and then some). The actual GPS unit sits in a dock that not only charges the device, but it’s also used as the connection point for all of its sensors, meaning you don’t have to disconnect or reconnect a bunch of sensor cords every time you remove the Voyager Pro from the bike. 

Supplementary Strengths

The interface of the device is also simple and fairly intuitive. Its menu screens are easy to navigate, and it was generally much easier to use compared to the Garmin model above. Able to track up to 20 riders, this nav’s best buddy-tracking system I’ve ever used — and by a huge margin. I also really like that said buddy tracking system includes a push button emergency beacon that alerts other group riders. Inside, the device features a 3,100-mAh Lithium-ion battery, though it can also be powered by any 12-volt battery (or power source). 

It’s onboard battery only affords around an hour of use per charge, and then requires between 3 and 8 hours to completely recharge. Fortunately, if you plan on connecting any of the Voyager Pro’s sensors, then you might as well hardwire the unit to the motorcycle’s battery. When doing this, I opted to use the same relay as the headlight, and though it does mean there’s a bit of lag when first starting the bike, this allows the device to boot up when the bike is turned on and automatically shut off (and prevent draining my battery) once the motorcycle is turned off. 

All in all, you don’t have to spend all that long using this nav before it becomes abundantly clear that the team behind it has ample real-world experience with adventure riding, both on and off-road. Trail Tech goes as far as describing the Voyager Pro as the “best rugged GPS on the market.” Anytime that a company describe their own product like this, I’m immediately skeptical, but in the case of this adventure-ready moto GPS, I’d argue the company’s claim is actually spot-on. 

The Not So Good

While I stand by my statement of the Voyager Pro being the very best motorcycle GPS unit that money can buy, I will admit that I did have a few minor gripes that I came across while testing it. While its 4-inch screen is plenty legible, some of its modes display quite a bit of info (and sometimes cram a map in there too) which is why I wouldn’t mind seeing Trail Tech offer a Voyager Pro XL with a slightly larger display — but all the same features. Next, though I opted to hardwire it, the device’s onboard battery leaves a lot to be desired, as it only affords around an hour of life before needing three-to-eight hours to recharge. 

Next, with prices starting at just over the $600 mark, Trail Tech’s Voyager Pro is objectively expensive. With that said, I actually think that, when you consider its build quality and everything that it has going for it, its price is fairly easy to justify. My biggest issue with the Voyager Pro, however, is unquestionably the installation process. Requiring me well-over an hour to complete (even with the help of some video tutorials online), the installation process is semi-plug-and-play, and requires that you swap out numerous sensors and wire-in a myriad of cables and connectors. 

Verdict: Built like a tank, the Trail Tech Voyager Pro is a comprehensive vehicle instrumentation unit and GPS solution that offers what’s unquestionably the best performance of any model currently on the market. If you can swing the admittedly steep — but justifiable price — this is your obvious go-to pick. 

Motorcycle GPS Comparison Chart

The Benefits Of Using A Modern Moto GPS System

With the ubiquity of modern smartphones, most of us are already carrying a GPS-enabled device that contains map applications. And while it may appear that this reality would render motorcycle-specific GPS navigators obsolete, this just isn’t the case. Moto GPS navigators come with a host of noteworthy advantages that make them objectively superior to smartphones when it comes to navigation applications. 

On top of being substantially more durable and weatherproof than your typical smartphone and packing glove-friendly displays that can be read in direct sunlight, the latest moto GPS units are ultra-precise and are often outfitted with a slew of supplementary features such as weather tracking, onboard cameras, walkie talkie and two-way messaging capacities, and integrated SOS beacons, among quite a few others. More importantly, they won’t overheat if left in direct sunlight like your average iPhone will, plus they often have the ability to offer mapping in distant locales where cellphone reception isn’t available. 

And, unlike normal smartphone apps, quite a few motorcycle-specific GPS systems come loaded with thousands of trails, landmarks, campsites, and other points of interest for riders, plus allow riders to drop waypoints that can be shared with other users. What’s more, using a dedicated motorcycle GPS navigator — especially one that’s hardwired to receive its power from the bike itself — also allows riders to utilize navigation, waypoints, and turn-by-turn directions all day without having to worry about draining the battery on their smartphone. 

What To Consider When Shopping

Pretty much every contemporary motorcycle-specific GPS system operates in the same basic manner and serves the same primary function. That said, there are some finer points that separate the different available moto GPS offerings. Below, we’ll touch on some of the more pivotal elements to consider when shopping for a motorcycle GPS navigator.

Durability: One of the biggest factors separating purpose-built moto GPS systems from handlebar-mounted smartphones is the former’s immense level of durability. Designed to be exposed to the elements, motorcycle GPS navigators typically boast incredibly rugged construction with robust ratings for impact, dirt and dust resistance, and weatherproofing. Often carrying mil-spec certification, many of today’s systems can also operate in extreme temperatures.

Onboard Sensors: A GPS system’s ability to perform tracking duties ultimately boils down to the device’s onboard hardware and sensors. Pretty much every system will feature a GPS sensor, but the more high-end, advanced models are also bestowed with GLONASS and Galileo sensors for mapping, as well as digital compasses and barometric altimeters for detecting altitude, pressure, and other relevant metrics. These items will also affect a system’s ability to relay 3D, photo satellite, or topographical maps.

Bike Connectivity: In addition to displaying maps and directions via connection to satellites (or pre-downloaded maps), some of the more expensive motorcycle GPS offerings are also able to link to a bike’s vehicle sensors in order to relay real-time engine temperature, (GPS-tracked) speed (or distance), battery voltage, tire pressure, and engine RPM.

Power Source: This is an area that’s far too often overlooked for how important it truly is. Some GPS systems come with onboard batteries that afford a given lifespan, while other systems feature power sources that are hardwired to a bike’s battery. Both types have their own respective strengths and weaknesses, though hardwired is typically considered superior for off-road and off-grid riding applications as where battery-powered devices tend to be more conducive to road touring.

Onboard Extras: Alongside being markedly more hardwearing and easier to see and use, one of the best selling-points of modern moto GPS systems is the plethora of supplementary features baked into the navigation device. While different models are equipped with different extras, some of the more useful and noteworthy amenities include GPS pet tracking, group rider tracking, two-way text or radio messaging, onboard SOS beacons, built-in action cameras, and access to live weather reports, just to name a few.

Connection & Ease Of Installation: While having the ability to display gear position, speed, RPM, and tire pressure monitoring system readouts can no doubt add utility to and elevate the overall user experience of a moto GPS unit, getting these metrics and live readings requires connecting a bevy of wires and sensors from the GPS unit to the bike. Though it varies from model to model, some motorcycle GPS systems are difficult to install and require long and involved processes — making this a crucial area to consider when shopping. It is also worth pointing out that you always have the option of simply paying your locale dealership or shop to hardwire and install your GPS system onto your bike. 

Smartphone Compatibility: Being able to connect your smartphone to your bike’s GPS system can be an absolute game-changer, as this enables the GPS navigator to display incoming calls and texts, show music playback, and the like. As such, smartphone compatibility and connectivity are two very pitvoal factors that should be considered when buying a motorcycle GPS navigator —the same goes for examining 

Honorable Mentions 

Running off of an Octa-Core processor, the DMD-T665 Nav Phone is a compact, smartphone-sized, Android-based navigation phone made specifically for motorcycles. IP67-rated, this SIM-equipped gadget not only features GPS mapping, but it also displays speed, RPM, altitude, and direction/heading. And, because it’s an Android-based device with access to the Google Play store, it can also download pretty much any smartphone app. What’s more, thanks to a SIM card and the option for a data plan, it can also offer regular internet access. While this makes it incredibly versatile, the reality is it doesn’t perform as well as a GPS unit as the above picks on our list — plus is substantially smaller than most — ultimately leading to us selecting it as a particularly honorable mention. 

Featuring a massive database of over 3,000 road, tracks, and off-road trails REVER is a smartphone motorcycle GPS app — not at all unlike EatSleepRIDE — that allows motorcyclists to record and track their rides, or enjoy routes uploaded by other users. Though the app offers some cool stats and metrics, a few social features, and a super easy-to-use interface, our favorite feature is undoubtedly its ability to record rides without requiring any cell phone service/reception. Because REVER requires a $40 annual paid subscription, we’ve opted to select EatSleepRIDE as our pick for the best smartphone moto GPS app, though REVER is a very close second, only made an honorable mention due to its price. 

The TomTom Rider 550 is another purpose-built moto GPS navigator that boasts the standard laundry list of features one would expect — smartphone messaging, traffic and weather reports, speed camera alerts, a world maps feature, etc — while also boasting a few unique features like a 4.3-inch display, an IPX7 rating, and a quad-core processor. Though it was launched in early 2018, TomTom’s Rider 550 is sadly no longer in production — ultimately relegating it to an honorable mention on this list — though units can still be found via various online retailers. 

Benefitting from much of the same tech and many of the same features as the brand’s zūmo XT2 model, the Garmin Montana 750i is another motorcycle-specific handheld (and dash-mountable) GPS unit that, in addition to a 5-inch transflective touchscreen display, also comes loaded with two-way messaging, an interactive SOS feature, global connectivity, and an onboard eight-megapixel dash cam, making for a true all-in-one moto gadget. The thing is also built like a tank — though at $800, it doesn’t come cheap. 

The first-ever turn-by-turn GPS and HD camera system engineered from the ground up specifically for off-road and adventure riders, the Magellan TRX7 CS Pro is another advanced moto-specific GPS unit that comes loaded with features and functionality such as over 150,000 preloaded trails, turn-by-turn Trail and street navigation, high-resolution 2D top mapping and 3D base mapping, community publishing, one-touch social sharing, a built-in eight-megapixel camera with an LED flash, and optional gauge overlay (or time-lapse modes. Sadly, despite everything it has going for it, Magellan’s TRX7 CS Pro is no longer in production, forcing us to relegate it to an honorable mention — though one that’s still available through select online retailers and is no doubt worth considering when shopping in this space. 

Tested: The Best Bluetooth Motorcycle Helmets For Connected Riding

Interested in checking out some of our other favorite high-tech moto peripherals? Then be sure to cruise over to our guide to the best bluetooth-ready motorcycle helmets for our picks for the latest and greatest brain buckets offered with their own model-exclusive comm systems.