Dedicated GPS, Smartphone or Car play etc?

[RD.]

My youngest son's newish iPhone has been wrecked due to bad vibration and using a cheap bike smartphone holder purchased at Wemoto.
The Beach Boys couldn't make Good Vibrations riding a 125 Enduro bike either!

I've suggested Quad Lock with their Anti-Vibration Damper but he is now not keen on mounting any phone to a bike and doesn't want to risk damaging another new smartphone.

He's doing a DAS within the next fortnight and will buy a bigger (probably a middleweight 700 / 750) bike if / when he passes the test.

He wants and needs to keep it inexpensive, under £150 if possible.

What do you recommend?

Which way should he go... GPS, Car play etc?

Thanks for your help and advice in advance.

 

[tjmouse]

I’ve got an old Garmin for sale for under £100 if he wants?

Personally I use my phone on a Peak Design mount or with CarPlay depending on which bike I’m on with Waze / Google Maps or MRA depending on the trip.

Only thing with using your phone is you need a way to charge it as well so budget that in as well.

 

[yoyo]

I switched from a dedicated sat nav to an Android Auto unit (Carpuride) its great and does the job, but it uses loads of phone battery, a 3hr ride yesterday had the battery go from 95% to 40%, when on tour my phone was always on my Quadlock charger.

Just something to think about.

Sent from my SM-S921B using Tapatalk

 

[glenn2926]

Dedicated sat nav every time. I use Garmin because Basecamp is by far the easiest route plotting system I have tried. There’s no need to save as this or that or change anything just send to device.
It’s also free which puts it one up against all the ones that one pays for.
I have used my phone on a quadlock mount with vibration damper but much prefer a dedicated sat nav.

 

[Arsey]

Get an Aoocci C3 for under £100 or get a Peak Design phone mount with anti vibration built in . Used them for a few years with no issues .Much better system than Quadlock.
Dedicated sat navs have had their day.
Use code LCR22 to get 22% off Aoocci. Brings it down to $92 !!

 

[RD.]

Get an Aoocci C3 for under £100 or get a Peak Design phone mount with anti vibration built in . Used them for a few years with no issues .Much better system than Quadlock.
Dedicated sat navs have had their day.
Use code LCR22 to get 22% off Aoocci. Brings it down to $92 !!

Update, I passed on all the info and options to my son and he decided to buy a C3 Pro and he used the discount code but only paid 70 quid!
Perhaps he recieved another discount.

I'm unsure if the C3 Pro comes with a case and mount or whether he needs to buy a case and mount.
Personally, I would have purchased a sun visor for it but he can buy a sun visor if he needs one.

I quite like the C6 with front and rear cameras.

Anyway, if he doesn't like it, he can sell it and buy a used GPS instead.

 

[Sly]

I run Carpuride 702BS Pro, on there I have my Waze.

My phone is mounted to a Quad Lock handlebar mount with the anti-vibration dampner and on charge via the Quad Lock USB charger. Over a year, about 12k miles and no issues on any of the phones. In fact, I think my one phone camera went dud after I just kept it in my tank bag / jacket pocket..

 

[Arsey]

Update, I passed on all the info and options to my son and he decided to buy a C3 Pro and he used the discount code but only paid 70 quid!
Perhaps he recieved another discount.

I'm unsure if the C3 Pro comes with a case and mount or whether he needs to buy a case and mount.
Personally, I would have purchased a sun visor for it but he can buy a sun visor if he needs one.

I quite like the C6 with front and rear cameras.

Anyway, if he doesn't like it, he can sell it and buy a used GPS instead.

$92 is about £70 !

Mount is included

 

[RD.]

$92 is about £70 !

Mount is included

Ok, I thought you made a typo with the sign!

 

[Barnoe]

I used to use a quadlock wireless charger with the anti vibration damper and rode thousands of miles without issue.

Took it off now as i bought a Samsung fold phone and there is no case for it to mount with.
So phone stays in pocket now and i charge with a cable old style lol

I do think that's the perfect setup though.

Carpuride 702BS Pro with his phone in his pocket, can charge with a cable to the bike, he just need to remember he's tethered to the bike when he stops though!

 

[Mzokk]

Perhaps knowing what way his navigation requirements are and what space he has on the bike he's going to use would help. The new 7 inch screen's might not suit the type of bike he wants to ride?

Here's my take

1. Cheap A-b navigation-----decent AV mount and waterproof phone (perhaps an old or second hand one?) and google maps until he gets into planned route navigation with other software.
2. Phone mirroring AA/CP device. Saves your phone and can do the same things (mostly) as a phone with the app options limited to AA/CP capable apps (Most are these days)
3. A new option is the Carpuride 702 plus which does AA/CP mirroring but has an android OS so can run apps fully rather than with the limits of AA/CP so no phone connection is required.
4. Dedicated GPS. No phone required but more of a learning curve than most modern apps. For those of us who have gone through the process no issue. But a young lad?? He would probably laugh at Basecamp. That said a decent used setup could be had for £100 ish. Make sure the device, if its a Garmin, has NTU mapping which is current. So any device that was introduced after 2012. Not old Garmin 660's 550's or Nav IV's as the last new maps for these were released in July 2024 and they will only continue to go out of date.
5. New dedicated tablets by the likes of DMD navigation.......great but overkill for most purposes.

 

[RD.]

I run Carpuride 702BS Pro, on there I have my Waze.

My phone is mounted to a Quad Lock handlebar mount with the anti-vibration dampner and on charge via the Quad Lock USB charger. Over a year, about 12k miles and no issues on any of the phones. In fact, I think my one phone camera went dud after I just kept it in my tank bag / jacket pocket..

Sounds like a good set-up.

 

[cookie]

I bought a hugely expensive Peak Design charging mount and case for my iPhone 13.

When i bought an even more hugely expensive 17 Pro I got windy about camera damage and now use an old iPhone 6S+ on the bars and my 17 Pro in my pocket. The old phone's not as bright as the new, but the screen is a better shape and I don't give a toss if it gets damaged. I'll probably replace it with a 13 or 14 when a suitable one comes up on here.

Edit: Being able to choose what nav app to use on a phone beats being lumbered with some shitty Garmin software for me, even though their hardware is better than a phone in some ways.

 

[Barnoe]

I bought a hugely expensive Peak Design charging mount and case for my iPhone 13.

When i bought an even more hugely expensive 17 Pro I got windy about camera damage and now use an old iPhone 6S+ on the bars and my 17 Pro in my pocket. The old phone's not as bright as the new, but the screen is a better shape and I don't give a toss if it gets damaged. I'll probably replace it with a 13 or 14 when a suitable one comes up on here.

I though about doing that but decided against it.

My current phone is paired with my Cardo headset and NAV.

If i add another phone i'm not sure how this would fit into the setup so i can still receive phone calls and hear turn by turn instructions.

Easier just to charge the phone in my pocket, sometimes with a powerbank or usually just with a USB C lead to the din socket

 

[cookie]

Yeah, I don't take calls or use audio directions, so that's not a problem for me.

 

[Burridge01]

TomTom 550 for me,phone for back up.

 

[RD.]

Perhaps knowing what way his navigation requirements are and what space he has on the bike he's going to use would help. The new 7 inch screen's might not suit the type of bike he wants to ride?

Here's my take

1. Cheap A-b navigation-----decent AV mount and waterproof phone (perhaps an old or second hand one?) and google maps until he gets into planned route navigation with other software.
2. Phone mirroring AA/CP device. Saves your phone and can do the same things (mostly) as a phone with the app options limited to AA/CP capable apps (Most are these days)
3. A new option is the Carpuride 702 plus which does AA/CP mirroring but has an android OS so can run apps fully rather than with the limits of AA/CP so no phone connection is required.
4. Dedicated GPS. No phone required but more of a learning curve than most modern apps. For those of us who have gone through the process no issue. But a young lad?? He would probably laugh at Basecamp. That said a decent used setup could be had for £100 ish. Make sure the device, if its a Garmin, has NTU mapping which is current. So any device that was introduced after 2012. Not old Garmin 660's 550's or Nav IV's as the last new maps for these were released in July 2024 and they will only continue to go out of date.
5. New dedicated tablets by the likes of DMD navigation.......great but overkill for most purposes.

Thanks for the info.

He has an Italian steed, a 2020 Fantic 125 FA Competition. Apparently the bike has a few different names.

The importer (Clements) in Kent have said it was originally a 'Motard' but one of the previous owners changed some parts to Enduro, fitted a big bore kit (new Barrel, Piston, Rings etc, 183 or 185cc) and TKCs.
It has Renthal handlebars, so quite wide.
The engine is basically an Italian version of a Yamaha WR 125.
My son is 6'4"/6'5" and quite heavy so the extra BHP helps him plod along nicely at 60mph.
It is capable of going faster but I've told him to have some mechanical sympathy and not thrash it... Keep revs low.

When he passes his DAS test, he'll sell it and buy a bigger bike, probably a middleweight, tall Adventure / Enduro style bike.

He has plenty of space on the Renthal handlebars and will transfer his set-up to his new bike.

My wife has an old Garmin 660 and I have a Garmin Nav V (5) but I do like other types of set-up.

 

[RD.]

Yeah, I don't take calls or use audio directions, so that's not a problem for me.

I don't listen to music and I've tried calls but don't like it, they're both a distraction to me. I just listen to directions than actually looking at a screen.... In fact the only time I really look at the screen is if I'm waiting at traffic lights or a junction.
The strange thing is, although I don't like calls, I'm ok chatting with my son or mates on a ride.

 

[Kritou]

I bought a hugely expensive Peak Design charging mount and case for my iPhone 13.

When i bought an even more hugely expensive 17 Pro I got windy about camera damage and now use an old iPhone 6S+ on the bars and my 17 Pro in my pocket. The old phone's not as bright as the new, but the screen is a better shape and I don't give a toss if it gets damaged. I'll probably replace it with a 13 or 14 when a suitable one comes up on here.

Edit: Being able to choose what nav app to use on a phone beats being lumbered with some shitty Garmin software for me, even though their hardware is better than a phone in some ways.

Bought an old iPhone 8 on here for about 20 quid - it doesn’t need a SIM card, runs its own GPS - to reroute or create a new route just hotspot it to the phone in your pocket

 

[cookie]

Bought an old iPhone 8 on here for about 20 quid - it doesn’t need a SIM card, runs its own GPS - to reroute or create a new route just hotspot it to the phone in your pocket

I"m looking for something later with wireless charging, which I think came in with the iPhone 11? Definitely want that. I had to run a separate Lightning cable for the 6S+ and it clutters the place up and occasionally falls out. The 6 is also not waterproof, or more accurately water resistant. As I understand it, apple do not guarantee any of their phones as waterproof and do not accept warrantee claims for water damage even the newer models that are IP68 rated.

I'm not using a SIM card currently and Hot Spot to my main phone. SIMs are cheap these days and I may get one as it is slightly more convenient.

Edit: I just looked it up and it was the iPhone 8. Brighter OLED screen was on the X, but I reckon he sweet spot is probably the 13/14.