Do you spend a lot of time on your motorcycle, whether it’s to get around every day or for your leisure? So you need a GPS. It will allow you to take the right directions to avoid getting lost, and it will especially give you the opportunity to analyze your efforts and your performance as a cyclist if you like the competition or passing. Of course, we must analyze a minimum GPS motorcycle, to find the one that best fit your needs.
Formerly a simple odometer, the adventurous motorcycle GPS is now a real on-board computer. It is not always easy to navigate. Do not worry, here are some ways to help you to make your choice. You will discover the important elements not to be neglected, and the options that will sometimes be essential.
The quality of GPS signal reception
This is obviously the key element of your GPS motorcycle. Since without reception, your accessory turns into a small plastic case without any interest, if not to decorate your handlebars … Generally today, most models offer a reception quite correct, and test devices on our site is among the most powerful, so do not hesitate to trust us.
More and more meters are using Glonass technology, which is based on the same principle as GPS, but doubling the number of satellites that can locate and therefore providing a more reliable and more accurate reception. If you’re used to mountain motorcycling in some remote areas, then a GPS using Glonass is preferred.
Readability
This is obviously an important point for a GPS motorcycle. It is small, but it must be perfectly legible in the blink of an eye, so as not to leave the road for too long. The screen can be color or black and white, but it must be especially visible, whether it is a little darker or you are in full sun.
ANT + and Bluetooth connectivity
ANT + connectivity is very widely present in complementary equipment. If you have device that uses this technology, such as a power sensor, or a heart rate monitor belt, then you can transmit it immediately to your GPS meter. It is a low-energy technology that offers good connectivity because it is never affected by interferences of high voltage lines in particular.
Bluetooth is less present, but on the motorcycle equipment, but it is found more and more on GPS meters. We can connect our GPS to our smartphone, opening the field to many possibilities. For example, it becomes possible to receive a message or call notification, or to share our progress easily on social networks.
Autonomy
This is obviously an important choice criterion. If you just leave a few hours on your outings, then there is no problem. The vast majority of GPS motorcycle offers for a full charge about 15 hours of autonomy. On the other hand, if you like the longer outings, which last several days and do not always leave you the time to recharge your GPS, then it will be necessary to inform you on this point.
Keep in mind that the more powerful GPS you have, the more power it will consume. For long rides, it is usually better to have a GPS as classic as possible, or to be able to cut some of its applications so that it consumes less energy.
The cards
All the models do not offer a detailed cartography and thus indicate you simply on a definite course, the directions to take. This is sufficient in some cases, especially to move in the city. On the other hand, if you risk going to discover Europe, or that you like the countryside and the mountain, then a GPS motorcycle with cartography will necessarily be better for you.
Sealing
Of course, you will never be safe from a downpour. That’s why most motorcycle GPS, if not all, have increased resistance to water. It is still prudent to check the IPX standard that will define this resistance. The IPX5 standard will indicate protection against splashing water, but not immersion, while IPX7 offers resistance up to 1 meter immersion. For the city protection projections is usually largely sufficient, for mountain motorcycling I tend to think that prevention is better than cure and opt for protection against immersion.
