Best motorcycle sat navs on Amazon

Garmin’s flagship motorcycle sat nav is well developed, rugged, innovative and desirable. However, be prepared to splash a significant amount of cash for the privilege though, over £500 at the last count. This is the current class leader – it has a number of premium features, and the build quality is excellent. Vertical and horizontal mounting is supported, so you can choose between seeing more of the route ahead or more peripheral information. It has been designed to be easy to use with gloves, in the rain and can withstand vibration and even fuel spills. An off-road mode with 3D terrain will suit the more adventurous rider, and the road directions and clear and can be beamed to a comparable bluetooth device. It provides useful lane assist information and intuitive guidance, so you’re not left scratching your head at complicated junctions and has various predictive and scenic route planning features. The LM suffix signifies lifetime maps which are updated frequently – this service was pioneered by Garmin, but now TomTom also offer this service on comparable devices. Garmin were playing catchup with TomTom for many years on user interface and usability, but the latest generation of their navigation software is very good, responsive and accurate. It’s not all good through, Garmin’s Basecamp software is notoriously annoying to use, and requires connection to the device to access maps and routing capability.

TomTom now only have one dedicated motorcycle sat nav unit – the Rider. There have been several iterations, and we’re talking about the 550 model. As you would expect from a TomTom, the software is proven, nice looking and well developed. The high quality RAM Mount does a great job of keeping the unit steady and absorbing vibration, and it can be wired to your battery easily so you don’t have to worry about battery life (which is pretty good anyway). There are some dedicated motorcycle planning options, which include windy or hilly routes, or hand picked rides from a selection of partners. The route planning is accurate and has nice touches like showing motorcycle parking when you’re close to the end of your trip. The unit itself is really well made, and slides securely onto the mount – it feels bulletproof and easy to use with your gloves on, but if you do need to use with gloves off it can be a overly sensitive. When you’re on a route, there is a helpful sidebar which displays information such as the next petrol station or speed camera. Overall this is a great piece of kit, and in our view the best motorcycle sat nav available today.

Google Maps is available as a free app for both Android and iOS smart phones. The Android version is usually slightly more advanced than the Apple equivalent, although updates are made regularly. If you decide to go for this option we recommend using headphones, setting the route, popping the phone in your pocket and listening to the guidance. If you decide to mount the device you’ll need to buy the relevant accessories – RAM Mount do have options for most popular phones, and waterproof cases are readily available.