Best Motorcycle GPS Units to Help Find Your Way

The Garmin zūmo XT replaced the zūmo 595LM as Garmin’s top-of-the-line motorcycle GPS unit. The 5.5- in. display is brighter than previous models, and the crisp HD resolution in landscape or portrait mode can be seen in any lighting condition with an automatic transition to night mode. Its rugged, IPX7 build quality can handle vibration, shocks, and wet weather, all without sacrificing the glove-friendly operation. Adding to the unit’s utility, it comes with preloaded off-road topographic maps featuring North and Central America public land boundaries. If you crave even more detail, the zūmo XT has access to BirdsEye Satellite Imagery for around the world via downloads via WiFi with no annual subscription. All of the map layers, from road to topographic to satellite imagery, can be accessed easily from the map screen to aid in your navigation. All of these maps come with free lifetime updates.

The Garmin zūmo XT can do more than just navigate. Pairing it to a helmet communicator and a smartphone turns it into a hub for your music and notifications, in addition to turn-by-turn directions. Importantly, the XT can pair with inReach devices, such as the Garmin InReach Mini 2, to enable satellite location tracking, text messaging, and SOS signaling all from the zūmo XT interface while out of cellular service. In fact. Some riders prefer to keep their inReach tracker separate from the GPS unit so that they could still signal for help even if separated from the bike in a mishap.

Rounding out the zūmo XT’s features are functions you typically associate with GPS units: import/export GPX files, save/manage tracks and routes, and rider alerts. When paired with a phone, riders benefit from traffics information via the Garmin Drive app.

If you spend time on both public roads and dirtier environments, this may be the perfect motorcycle-focused GPS for you.

The Montana has been a favorite motorcycle GPS unit for off-road and adventure riders for many years. It has a large, well-lit, five-inch touch screen and enough memory to store tracks for a ride around the world. It also has the ability to store multiple map sets simultaneously, allowing you to switch from a hard-core topographic map set to a more road-friendly set, like City Navigator. Though the Montana is marketed toward hiking, there are plenty of riders we know who swear by them for use off-road.

The Montana 750i features an eight megapixel rear facing camera which automatically geotags pictures, helping you to better remember points of interest when looking back at your tracks. The 700 series also includes a built-in three-axis compass with barometric altimeter and the ability to share your files with other compatible Garmin units wirelessly.

The Montana 700 series gains extra functionality if you link it to your smartphone such as live weather updates. See, they can work in harmony. In addition to that functionality, with the 700i and 750i, you can purchase a separate satellite subscription which will then allow you to use Garmin’s inReach SOS technology should you find yourself in trouble. This also allows messages to be sent via satellite which can come in handy if you’re waayyy out of cell service.

A great motorcycle GPS unit for those focused on off-road riding while still being able to navigate the odd stretch (or more) of pavement.

Garmin’s zūmo 396 LMT-S is the slightly smaller sibling to the zūmo XT. The zūmo line was the first truly specific motorcycle GPS offered on the market. Since its inception, it’s been refined with thousands (if not millions) of user-tested miles on motorcycles. Though intended primarily for use on streetbikes, it can also be used for mild adventure riding, too. Like all Garmin products, it uses Garmin’s collection of proprietary mapping products with domestic and international coverage.

The zūmo 396 LMT-S packs a GPS-load of features for its price point. The unit features a 4.3-inch glove-friendly, sunlight-readable display which is resistant to harsh fuel vapors as well as UV rays it will likely find itself in the majority of the time. As far as software goes, users will have the ability to connect their smartphones via the Smartphone Link app which allows for hands-free calling, smart notifications, and control of music playlists. Live weather and traffic information can also be viewed when the zūmo 396 LMT-S is connected to your smartphone.

Garmin Adventurous Routing helps riders find the best roads for motorcyclists with adjustable parameters such as hills, curves, and the option to avoid major highways. Automatic incident reporting and rider alerts are also helpful to give a heads-up for upcoming curves, animal crossings, and real-time traffic incidents. Wi-fi is also available for easily keeping your maps up to date. To round out the laundry list of features, the 396 LMT-S has a built-inservice log in which you can set notifications for service items such as brake pads, air filters, etc. to be checked.

TomTom has been designing and manufacturing GPS units with a solid motorcycle pedigree for a long time. Several OEMs have partnered with TomTom for original equipment installations on premium streetbike models. Though TomTom seems to have lost the battle with Garmin for popularity, they still produce a quality motorcycle GPS unit, which is seen in the Rider 550.

TomTom’s maps, traffic, and safety camera alerts are all available to Rider 550 users for the useful lifetime of their GPS. Bluetooth smartphone connectivity is available for calling and messaging as is the ability to use Google Now and Siri voice controls with your connected helmet. Like Garmin’s adventure routing, TomTom too allows for elevation and curve level setting when constructing routes to deliver motorcyclists the desired thrill they are looking for. If you’ve got any friends, you can share your route through social media, email, or by GPX file with other compatible GPS units. Wi-fi updates are available to update maps wirelessly making staying current a cinch. Touchscreen sensitivity is also adjustable for thick or thin gloves to give users the most optimal touchscreen experience. The TomTom Rider 550 is a feature-rich GPS unit that punches above its price point.

Let’s get this out of the way real quick, the Trail Tech Voyager Pro is not going to be the best on-road motorcycle GPS unit on this list. It has road maps, but they are basic, and this unit will not provide turn-by-turn navigation. Think of this unit basically like an electronic paper map with a lot of features.

The Voyager Pro from Trail Tech comes loaded with North American base maps with topo and hill-shading and other map regions outside of North America can be downloaded for free. The four-inch color touchscreen display is glove-friendly and is visible easily in all light situations. As with previous products from Trail Tech, the Voyager Pro can be connected via a multitude of sensors to your motorcycle to provide data like engine speed, coolant temp, battery voltage, speed/distance, and more. Bluetooth smartphone connectivity can also be had for phone and media controls. This motorcycle GPS works more like a map with breadcrumb tracking features to keep tabs on your route while displaying the map on the screen. Another really cool feature is the ability to connect with your friends (as long as they also have Voyager Pros). Trail Tech calls this their Buddy Tracking feature which allows you to see up to 20 of your friends in real-time moving around on your map. There is also a distress button to let your fellow riders know that you’ve run into some sort of issue.

While it’s fairly dissimilar from other units on this list, we think it’s a fun way to enjoy motorcycling on or off-road with friends or on your own while having unique motorcycle integration not found on other units.

Magellan burst onto the scene with its handheld products several years before Garmin, who were focused heavily on marine and aviation units at the time. The company’s downfall would be its mapping software, which was cumbersome and ended up being much more difficult than Garmin’s impending software. Magellan’s software has since become more refined, and the TRX7 Dual Mount Trail and Street motorcycle GPS falls somewhere between the Garmin Zumos included on this list and the Trail Tech Voyager Pro for its on and off-road features.

The rugged TRX7 features a seven-inch touchscreen display, making it one of the largest screens on this list. More than 160,000 OHV routes are preloaded onto the unit with 2D topo and 3D viewing capability, with updates available numerous times per year. Satellite view is available for an annual fee. Users can share tracks via Magellan’s community database to help discover new trails and routes together. If you’re looking to spend some time off-road, but don’t know where to go, check out the Magellan TRX7 Dual Mount Trail and Street.