The best motorcycle sat navs and other navigation options as tested by MCN

With so many options on the market, from purpose-built devices to smartphone brackets and everything in-between, it can be difficult to decide on the best motorcycle sat nav option for you.

Sometimes, you just want to hop on your motorbike without a sat nav, ride somewhere like Europe without any pressure or direction, and just follow your nose and the road.

• Latest news: Beeline Moto II announced

But other times, you have a destination to get to, and you want to get there the fastest way with the least amount of hassle. Whichever kind of ride you’re going on, a motorcycle sat nav can make sure you stay on the right road.

The best motorcycle sat navs at a glance:

• Best subtle design: Beeline Moto – View offer on Sportsbikeshop
• Best for features: TomTom Rider 550 – View offer on Sportsbikeshop
• Best for technology: Garmin Zumo XT – View offer on Demon Tweeks

Some of the best motorcycle sat navs work purely by sight, but others have an audio component that can be combined with a motorcycle intercom.

You can also use a motorbike smartphone holder as there are loads of navigation apps available these days that often include many features of standalone sat navs.

The best motorcycle sat navs

Before you decide on the best motorcycle sat nav for you…

You may prefer to use your smartphone for navigation. This will be a lot cheaper than a standalone sat nav, however bear in mind that unless you download it in advance, you’ll need a strong signal for data at all times – especially if you’re going somewhere remote or heading off road. You’ll also need a dedicated mount to protect the delicate internal workings of your smartphone.

There are wide range of apps available, from direct A to B routing such as Waze to more specialised off road offerings like Outdooractive or the TET app. We’ve highlighted just a few here.

Smartphone Navigation Apps

Google Maps

Google’s omnipresence means that just about every smartphone sold today comes with the app installed natively, and any computer can also access the same maps through a browser or an app, depending on the operating system.

Initially a clunky mapping system, it now offers up-to-date road information, real-time traffic information and turn-by-turn navigation. If you have a Google account, you can plan a trip on computer and send it to your phone to use as your navigation device on the bike. Generally, it downloads map information as you ride, but there are options to download the relevant sections to your device before you head off, to prevent a loss of navigation if you lose your mobile signal, for example.

Waze

Waze was one of the first – and most popular – alternatives to smartphone apps such as Google Maps or Apple’s notoriously inaccurate (to begin with, at least) Maps app. While not specifically aimed at motorcyclists, Waze uses open-source map data, meaning it can be updated quickly as new roads are built, and it also relies heavily on user-supplied information, particularly for traffic warnings. Its traffic avoidance is among the best out there, meaning that although you can generally get further ahead in traffic on a bike than in a car, it will still try to find the fastest route possible without straying too far from your chosen route. The app is free, and you just buy the maps you need.

What3Words

Not strictly a navigation app, but What3Words uses a three-word combination to identify any location on the planet to an accuracy of three metres, according to the producers. Many emergency services are recommending people install and learn how to use it, as it can offer an extremely accurate and easy way to give their location should they need assistance.

Once installed on a smartphone, a location can be specified using either a postcode or the correct What3words code, and a navigate button will open a route in a navigation app of choice to take you straight there. At MCN Towers, we’re grass.summer.appear

Calimoto

Calimoto combines elements of both a standalone sat nav and a smartphone-based version. Downloaded as an app to your phone, the base app is free of charge, and you get a small area of map included in the free version. The app majors on the scenic route options and includes a round-trip choice when you just want to ride and end up where you started and try new roads. However, you have to purchase maps if you want to go beyond your home location offline, and these can add up; for example, the UK without Northern Ireland is £4.99 a week or £39.99 for a year’s use. But you do get access to other users’ routes and the option to plan routes on your computer and sync to your phone.

Outdooractive

Previously known as Viewranger, Outdooractive is an outdoor route app that, while catering for walkers and cyclists, also provides routes for green-laning for motorcyclists, as well as 4×4 drivers. These are based on BOATs – Byways Open to All Traffic – and these are country lanes that are classified as roads, even though they are often more like bridleways or footpaths. This is the mapping and route system used by the Trail Riders Federation, an organisation to promote respectful and lawful trail riding in England and Wales. It’s based on Ordnance Survey maps, so is useful for all sorts of outdoor activity.

The TET app

The app for the Trans Euro Trail is pretty specialised – it maps out sections of the trail that crosses Europe on predominantly greenlanes and off-road trails. It travels from the bottom corner of Europe – almost in Africa – up to the Arctic Circle and runs through virtually every European country. There’s a real community built up around the TET, and the app, currently available for Android devices, is checked by the TET ‘linesmen’ who have ridden the full 50,000km of routes.

How MCN tests products

At MCN, our team of expert journalists have decades of experience gained over hundreds of thousands of miles. We don’t test our kit to destruction; we use it exactly how you do, in the real world and in all conditions. That means we can deliver impartial buying advice you can rely on.
Each of our writers has an in-depth understanding of the needs of today’s biker… because they are one. If you can’t see a review against an item on this page, it’s because we haven’t tested it yet. These items will only be included if we think they’re important and relevant in the market, and rest assured, we will be working on bringing you a review as soon as we’ve done the miles.
To find out more, head to our dedicated page explaining how we test motorcycle products

About the author: After qualifying as a mechanical engineer, Jim Blackstock began working on magazines in the early 1990s. He remains passionate about product testing to ensure readers know what products offer good value and why. He relishes torrential rain to see if riding kit keeps water out and an hour or two to tinker on a project bike in his workshop.

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