Anything recommended with off course phone not falling off being the highest priority & easy installation & dismantling would be awesome.
BHPian deep_blue recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
Hope its the right place to ask. While travelling & renting scooters, bikes etc Iâd love to have a smartphone holder I can install on the handle for navigation etc. Anything recommended with off course phone not falling off being the highest priority & easy installation & dismantling would be awesome.
Here’s what BHPian roy_libran had to say on the matter:
People will beat me up for this, but I have quite successfully used THIS PRODUCT over the past few years, even on motorcycles (& cycles) with no substantial wind protection. Solid performance and nothing to complain for as long as the Rubber/Silicone holds.
Here’s what BHPian Haroon had to say on the matter:
I have done a lot of rented bike rides around the world and had to look at many options hence I will put forward some of the following points-
1) If using mobile navigation apps from your mobile, the whole using a cheap, used, non branded, B-Grade Chinese whatever…..mobile phone ‘just’ for your navigation does come with some major drawbacks. Firstly, you either need another dedicated sim with another data plan for that (OK, before you tell me, yes, you can also connect it via the Bluetooth of your ‘expensive’ main mobile in which case you can look at my Point No 3). Secondly in higher summer ambient temperatures your mobile can sometimes overheat & shut off (it has happened to my OnePlus in Saudi Arabia). Anyways dust, heat, vibrations etc are not friends of mobile phones. Lastly in the event of a rain there is a 50-50 chance depending on the downpour, the mobile can pack up. Has happened to a couple of people I know.
2) I have used the Claw and few other mobile holders (Chinese stuff) and find this below type a relatively better/flexible option (esp on a rented bike) as you wont need any extra tools to affix or remove it. Besides, it comes with a few different rubber mount strips which you can use to clamp it on your handlebar or mirror stem depending on the diameter. I have used a similar unbranded Chinese unit at speeds of upto 140km/h outside India and it has not flown off, although on all these there is that inherent anxiety if they fall off or somebody snatches it etc!
3) For almost a year and a half I am using the “Wireless Android Auto/Car play Navigation unit” which I bought from AliExpress. I would rate this the best navigation solution if you are going to be using mobile navigation apps instead of GPS and want to ride in all kinds of weather. This mirrors your main mobile thru Bluetooth and it is vibration proof, water proof, heat proof etc etc while your main mobile can be safely stored in your jacket or tankbag or wherever. I have not seen any unusually higher mobile battery usage with this unit either. I have now used it for close to 10,000 kms and its going great. It has been thru brutal downpours of 2-3 hours in Turkey & Morocco and worked with no issues. I have also ridden it in 40 deg C in Saudi Arabia and it didnt shut off or anything. It needs a USB power outlet or you can hardwire it to your bike’s battery. All needed hardware comes included in the box. Also when going away from the bike you can take just the unit with you and leave the cradle on the bike.
It sure has a few limitations, but does the job well. It doesnt have a battery so it comes ON with the bike started and goes off when you turn off the bike ignition. Also, if your mobile loses data connection for a few moments the unit stops at that point and then you have to go back to your mobile and just press the ‘Start’ icon on your Gmap. A workaround this is to download offline-maps for the route you are doing each day from your home or hotel etc and it works without interruption. Even if you stop for a food, fuel, toilet break when offline as soon as you start your bike within a few seconds the unit automatically connects back to your mobile. For use on a rented bike, I just carry a simple Size 11 spanner and fix the mount while renting and remove it when returning the bike. Here are pics on a rented bike in Morocco and on my own bike in Saudi Arabia
Here’s what BHPian navin_v8 had to say on the matter:
I’ve been using Redmi 1s smartphone since its launch in 2014 as a cheap dedicated navigation device without any sim. Back in the days when the 4G was non-existent and network wasn’t that great I used to download offline maps from Sygic and HERE maps. Used to work flawlessly with the phone’s inbuilt GPS that would latch on to A-GPS, GLONASS, etc. for offline navigation. Yes it is a bit slow and laggy in today’s terms, but then I saved a ton of money/headache rather than risking my primary phone.
The phone mounting has come a long way since those old water resistant zipper type covers with a flimsy mounting mechanism. I’ve used everything from local brands to RAM mount. In my experience although RAM mount is expensive but it is versatile and has a lot of customization options wherein it’s mounting base can also be used for mounting action camera’s. With regards to charging, I use a power bank to juice up the phone’s battery during lunch break, tea break, etc. or put the power bank into my tank bag and connect it to the phone for charging on the go. I was/am never comfortable with splicing wires or hardwiring the motorcycle battery to charge the phone. Unless the motorcycle comes with an inbuilt charging unit from the factory I would never touch the electricals.
I have a pair of two phone mounts. One for city usage (Grandpitstop Jaw Grip). Second for touring (RAM Mount Quick Grip XL). As I don’t ride during monsoon the concept of a waterproof phone mount has never crossed my mind.
Here’s what BHPian dust had to say on the matter:
Quadlock with its vibration dampener works well, I’ve been using it with my iPhone 13 for about 6 months now. Of course, for a long ride over multiple days and/or a hard off-road ride, I would prefer to put a dedicated phone/Nav device instead of my primary phone. But for simple rides puttering around town and simple 1-2 day rides, I find this to be an excellent compromise. It also has charging options (which I have not yet mounted), which are better than the cable charging that I use in the picture right now.
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