Ok, time for an update on the topic of “Best GPS for Off-Road Adventure Riding”.
I wrote this article in 2022 but time moves on and so does technology.
I often read or get asked the question – “Should I buy a motorcycle GPS or just use my phone for navigation on my motorbike?”
- My first answer is “Both”.
- My second answer to this question is “Just use your smartphone to begin with”.
- My third answer is “If you buy a GPS make sure it’s a Garmin and I suggest a Montana 700”
- My forth answer in the future is likely to be “Have you considered a tablet”?
Let me qualify these statements in more detail because you are probably confused now!
For the purposes of this article I’ll use the term “device” interchangeably for both a GPS or Smartphone.
Redundancy is Crucial
How does that military saying go? “Two is One and One is None”
In my mind it’s asking for trouble to rely on one source of electronic navigation device for off-road adventure riding in the boonies. I use both a phone and GPS at the same time because they give me different information. As an option you can keep your phone tucked away in a pocket as a back up in case your GPS dies.
I rely so much on navigation for my job planning routes and leading tours that having redundancy on board is a must.
Smartphone – iPhone vis Android
Does it matter what sort of smartphone I get? Yes.
I’m not saying Apple is better than Android or vice versa. Personally I use an iPhone and have done for almost 10 years now. I’m confident an Android phone will do everything you need it to in this case and in a lot of ways they are better because of the more open source software.
Just about any Smartphone can be used for navigation with the right app but there are some caveats.
What is important is:
- Get a phone with a larger screen like an iPhone Pro Max – it is so much easier to read a 5” or bigger screen while riding
- A degree of waterproofness – many of the phones that have come out in the last few years are quite water resistant now. Their Achilles heel is the USB charging port so read below to fix this.
- All (and I do mean ALL) of the issues I’ve had with a phone letting me down for navigation was due to water getting in the charging port during heavy rain and shorting the phone out. The latest iPhone’s are more intelligent now and will detect moisture and stop charging to help protect the phone. Which leads me to my next tip.
- Get a wireless charging head – as mentioned above water getting in is THE number one issue that will stop your phone. Using a USB cable to charge your phone creates more vulnerability compared to a wireless charging head. Water can still get in the port but is less likely.
- Get a vibration damper for your phone mount – I’ve heard of a few people who have killed the sensitive cameras on their phones due to mounting on motorcycles. I’ve never personally had the problem but Apple have cottoned on now and warn against mounting iPhones on motorcycles and will not warranty them. The problem “seems” to be worse with single cylinder bikes?
- Get a Quadlock Mount – Quadlock makes awesome mounts that can solve all these issues above.
- Get a good navigation app – I use “Gaia GPS” app but read below for more options and detail.
What GPS to Buy in 2024 for Off-Road Adventure Riding
I’ve been using Garmin brand GPS’s since 2011. Don’t waste your money buying any other brand of motorcycle GPS (except for maybe a tablet – see below). They have definitely advanced in that time but I have (and I’m sure plenty of others have too) experienced lots of frustrations in that time.
One of these frustrations is that depending on which model Garmin you buy, the method of following pre-planned Routes or Tracks varies. Frustratingly so. In fact the latest model Tread and Zumo models are very restrictive in the way they manage Tracks. With the Zumo XT for example it was difficult to find a way to display just one track at a time and not others.
Previously I used a Montana 680. I purchased and have been using a Garmin Tread Off-Road with 5.5″ screen since September 2022 as my main GPS.
The Tread has been good but it has a couple of quirks:
- It doesn’t automatically record track logs. It has a Track recording function but you have to remember to turn it on each time before you go riding.
- Displaying Tracks on the main map screen is not as good as the method on Garmin Montana. You can display multiple Tracks at a time which is good but you can’t easily turn off certain tracks that are saved in your device. There is a workaround but it’s painful.
- The operating system is Android based which caused real problems with getting it to play nicely with my Mac laptop.
- One neat feature is it has the Group Ride functionality where it allows you to see other riders in your Group on the map screen of your GPS. That sounds awesome in theroy but in practice it relies on:
- A) all riders need a similar model Garmin Tread
- B) you both
So, the Garmin Tread is still not the bees knees like I was hoping it would be.
So, which GPS would I recommend you buy in 2024?
In order of preference, I would suggest people consider buying:
- Garmin Montana 700 (*not the 700i and not the 750i – see below)
- Garmin Tread Off-Road (Powersports or SXS Overland model)
- Zumo XT2 (best for riding on sealed roads, not so good off-road where there may not be any roads/tracks on the maps and not good for following pre-planned Tracks)
Bare in mind I don’t own the first or third option but have played with them a fair bit.
Why do I recommend the “cheapest” of the current Montana models?
The 700i and 750i both have inReach satellite communication technology, the 750i also adds a 8MP camera. Garmin inReach technology is a brilliant thing but in my opinion riders are better off buying a stand alone inReach Mini and keeping it on their person so in the event of a crash they can reach it. Also, the camera quality on the 750i is poor compared to pretty much any Smartphone nowadays. So save your money on these two features and get the base model.
Technically the Montana is considered a “handheld” GPS in the Garmin lineup but in my opinion it works the best for off-road adventure riding in 2024.
Especially when you are following pre-planned Tracks in a .GPX file like we use on our Maschine events. You can still use it as a conventional GPS and get turn-by-turn directions on the road but it plays so nicely off-road where there are no roads. Better than the Zumo’s in this use case.
What is the ultimate setup? A Tablet?
Sounds like Smartphones and Garmin GPS still each have issues right? Yep.
I’ve got a feeling the ultimate setup in 2024 and beyond is to go to a tablet based system like Carpe Iter or DMD tablet.
If you’ve done any research about GPS devices recently you have probably seen or heard about tablets like the Carpe Iter. Technically you could buy any touchscreen tablet and make it work for navigation on a motorcycle but it is likely to be a horrible user experience. My advice is don’t scrimp, buy the right dedicated device.
Some really attractive aspects of a tablet for navigation in 2024 include:
- Large 7 – 8″ display screen
- Being able to use a plethora of other apps like Google Maps, web browser, text messaging etc. etc. etc.
- Internet connectivity when you install a SIM card and are within mobile range or connected to wifi
- Reading maps on a smart device is generally more detailed and intuitive than a GPS screen.
- Handlebar mounted controllers allow you to control the screen without taking your hands off the bars.
- The hardware and software is maturing now so you’re no longer being a test development bunny.
So my next GPS purchase is likely to be dedicated tablet based on Android operating system with software and mounts specifically designed for motorcycles. All up investment for this setup will be something like €900 EUR so in Aussie dollars about $1,500. That’s a chunk of change!
In reality though I already have that similar amount of money or more swinging off my handlebars with GPS and phone.
I can’t currently talk of any real practical experience with using a tablet but I do believe there will be a learning curve and adaptation required by riders to use this type of navigation device. Is it easier or better than using a Garmin GPS? To Be Confirmed…
Pros and Cons of Each System
All of these devices come loaded with their own pros and cons. At the end of the day they will all get you into and out of the bush and back to civilisation but they go about it very differently.
“What about paper maps”? I hear the luddites say? Pfft!!! Forget about it!
I still love drooling over a good paper map as much as anyone but for a whole bunch of reasons they just are not practical anymore. So, move on and get with the times!
Let’s summarise some Pros and Cons:
| Pros | Cons | Cost | |
| Smartphone | – “Everyone” has one already – Apps are relatively cheap – They can do so much more than just navigate – If you can “read” a map then being able to zoom in and out is brilliant – Physically smaller so you can fit them in more places – Works as a mobile phone too! | – Vulnerable to water damage – especially when using a USB cable for charging – Screens are comparatively small – Need to purchase Apps to get access to decent maps offline – Relies on touchscreen which can be tricky in gloves or when raining – Need to set it up with the right mounts and charging | – iPhone Pro Max 15 for $2,200 at the high end or around $300 for an Android at the low end – Quadlock case, mount, vibration damper and charging head $240 – “Gaia GPS” Navigation app – $60 per annum subscription TOTAL $600 – $2,500 |
| GPS | – Robust and waterproof – Good for following pre-planned routes or tracks – Can get Garmin inReach emergency satellite tracking included *see note above | – They are not always intuitive to use – Once you zoom out on the maps you lose detail of tracks and therefore makes it hard to navigate “freestyle” without a pre-planned route – Somewhat locked into the Garmin ecosystem | – Garmin Montana 700 $999 – Powered AMPS mount – $150 – Something to mount the AMPS cradle mount to depending on your bike – $30 – $200 TOTAL $1,179 – $1,349 |
| Tablet | – Open source Android software allows for many app options – Large & bright 7 – 8″ screen – Depending on the route planning app you use you can access your entire database of routes/tracks on the road – Easily download and share routes/tracks on the road – Effectively plan routes on the tablet – Install a SIM card for internet access – Handlebar controllers are available to control on screen functions | – Software is open source which sometimes does require higher technical knowledge – Mounting hardware may take a little work to fit to some bikes – Tablets are physically big which may cause mounting problems on some bikes – More susceptible to damage? – Not as easy to move device between motorcycles? Duplicate mounts may be required? – I may need to double up on purchasing some apps for both my iPhone and Android tablet – Expensive – is it really though? | – Carpe Iter tablet €908 inc. shipping = $1485 AUD – Handlebar controller €200 = $325 AUD – “Gaia GPS” Navigation app – $60 per annum subscription TOTAL $1,890 AUD (as a bundle) |
This is not an exhaustive list by any means but is designed to outline some differences to help steer your decision making. Everyones use case is different.
My Way Forward for 2024
Sometime in 2024 I will likely buy another GPS device and it will likely be an Android based tablet like the Carpe Iter or Drive Mode Dashboard system mentioned above.
This will change my navigation “workflow” on and off the bike somewhat in these ways:
- All rugged motorcycle tablets are Android based and my laptop is a Mac and my phone an iPhone so there will always be some challenges in getting used to a new operating system. I think I can overcome this fairly easily though.
- I will likely still use Garmin Basecamp for all of my route planning because I am yet to find a better program. This means an extra step of emailing the completed track file to myself after creating it but really that’s no more work than connecting a GPS via USB. I can use an app like Dropbox (or Google Drive) to store and access this data remotely from the tablet but I will need to create a workflow to suit me. I will research other route planning options though which my work well with a tablet.
- Finding space to mount the tablet on my bike may be a challenge. My DesertX already has a nav mount bar above the dash but I’m concerned the tablet may sit too high?
- I often ride other bikes (rental bikes when doing tours in Europe for example) so I really want the system to be reasonably portable which could be a challenge. I may have to buy a second cradle mount that can easily be swapped onto rental or loan bikes etc. perhaps also using RAM mounts. A 2nd cradle mount holder will cost about $250 AUD so not a deal breaker.
- The tablet will allow me to use other apps like Life360 or Google Maps and have it there on a nice big screen. I could also potentially use it for office work off the bike instead of a laptop when travelling.
- I will probably still keep my phone on a Quadlock mount on the bars so I have redundancy in my navigation if something fails. I will also still use my phone a lot for phone calls, email and text messaging which is vital for me because my office is often on the bike.
I will update this article when I go down the path of using a tablet because that is no doubt a whole new ball game.
Two Stroud Stories
Funnily enough both of these stories revolve around issues I had navigating and they both happened near Stroud NSW, but about 10 years apart.
Stroud NSW, April 2012
I was doing a recce for our 2nd BMW Safari event way back in 2012. I was riding by myself and had to cover a lot of ground in an area that was unfamiliar to me at the time but is now my backyard. I was using an old Zumo 550 for navigation and there wasn’t really nav apps on phones back then. I can’t even remember if Google Maps was much of a thing?
I had left Windsor on the outskirts of Sydney at dawn and rode up through the Hunter Valley in constant drizzle. By the time I got to Dungog at about 4pm it had become proper rain. I mean PROPER. I still had a bit of ground I wanted to cover before I got to my intended overnight stop at Port Macquarie.
I arrived at a tee intersection in the middle of Stroud and looked down at a blank GPS screen. I tapped the screen a couple of times and jiggled the mount but got nothing back in return. I seeked shelter under the verandah of a pub and tried in vain to get the GPS working. Absolutely everything on my person was saturated wet and it became clear the electrical contacts behind the GPS had caused a short circuit fritzing the GPS out. I had no hope of drying anything out and I had no real way of following my planned route, so I followed road signs for 2 hours into Port Macquarie to my overnight stop in some of the most torrential rain I have ridden in! This was about the one and only time a GPS has failed on me in some 13 years of using them.
Stroud NSW, October 2019
Again I was out riding by myself this time on a KTM 1090R preparing the course for the KTM Adventure Challenge as part of a Transmoto event. I was out in the Myall National Park at about 9pm at night trying to finish off a planned route so I didn’t have to come back a 2nd day. Again it rained in biblical proportions with thunder and lightning thrown into the mix as well!
I was trying to link up one last hard section of track and found a cool bit of single track that had just turned nasty steep and overgrown. The track wasn’t on a map but I could see a road up ahead on the map and that’s where is was trying to get to. Then my phone went blank.
No warning. Just pfft! Crap!
In this case I didn’t have a GPS on my bike and was relying on my phone for navigation.
I was literally in the middle of the bush, in the dark, with a massive thunderstorm overhead and just a bit of an idea of how to make my way out and back to my van. Not a good situation….
I backtracked out of the single track and got on the main road to find my way back to the dry sanctuary of my van like a drowned rat with my tail between my legs.
So the moral of these two stories is twofold:
- Water is likely the main thing that will cause your devices to go offline.
- Having a back up option for is vital for off-road navigation so I will always have two navigation options with me.
There is a saying used in the military regarding preparation that goes:
“Two is one, and one is none”
Military saying
Meaning that you must have redundancy in your kit. Navigation is mission critical for adventure riders and if (more like when!) one of your electronic devices fritz out you need to have an option with you to make it out of the bush safely without getting lost.
Sure the satellites could fall out of the sky after the chemtrails take them down but I’m not talking about doomsday prepping here. I’m just talking about covering your bases and keeping your butt safe in the adverse conditions we tend to find ourselves in!
So kit up and go explore!
*Full disclosure – no one is paying me to write any of the content above. I have paid retail for each of the products mentioned and I usually buy all our tech gear from Johnny Appleseed GPS. They have awesome quick service and it’s easy to buy online or in store in Australia.