Best Motorcycle GPS: Get Lost Without Losing Your Way

The Garmin XT2 recently launched and builds on the success of its predecessor in almost every way. It features a 6-inch ultra-bright, glove-friendly HD screen, which gives you .5-inches more real estate. Handlebar vibrations and downpours won’t phase this model, thanks to its IPX7 rating. If you pair this unit to the Tread app, you can start a group ride and see the positions of other riders on the screen. There’s also a subscription-free feature that enables you to check out popular routes preferred by other riders.

It comes pre-loaded with on-road maps of North America, topographic maps, and satellite imagery. And you can choose the route that best suits your mood with Garmin’s Adventurous Routing feature. As you’d expect, there’s real-time traffic, weather, and smart notifications when you pair the XT2 with the Treat app. You can review the stats of every ride, including speed, acceleration, deceleration, and elevation. You can also pair this model with a compatible inReach satellite communicator (sold separately) and use two-way messaging, location sharing, and SOS features. It’s packed with features, so it should come as no surprise that it’s one of the most expensive GPS units on the market.

The Garmin Zumo 396 LMT-S doesn’t have as many features as other units on this list, but it fulfills the fundamentals of a motorcycle GPS device for a relatively low price. It has a glove-friendly 4.3-inch screen that’s easily readable in sunlight and resistant to harsh weather conditions and fuel vapors. If you want to turn a boring trip into a fun one, you can use Garmin’s Adventurous Routing feature, which finds curvy roads and limits time spent on highways. Using an app and your smartphone, you can share live status updates and good routes you’ve discovered with friends and other riders.

The unit will alert you to hazards and driving laws, such as sharp curves ahead and changes in helmet laws as you cross state lines. This isn’t the option for riders who want to discover new off-road adventures, as the device doesn’t have any preloaded trails. Another thing to be aware of is this GPS unit doesn’t have a long battery life, but you can hardwire it to your bike.

As long as you like staying on asphalt, the TomTom Rider 550 Motorcycle GPS should give you all you need. The GPS device gets maps and software updates via Wi-Fi, so you’ll never be out of the loop. It’s compatible with Siri and Google voice controls and syncs with your smartphone so, if you have a headset, you can use it to control this unit. You won’t have a problem seeing the 4.3-inch touchscreen while riding as it’s sunlight-readable, and you can adjust its sensitivity to make it work better with thick or thin gloves. This model doesn’t offer a birds-eye view which, combined with the lack of pre-loaded off-road routes, means it misses out on being my top pick.

You can personalize trips to find more twisty roads and avoid highways, and then share your adventures with friends via social media, email, or a GPX file. The Rider 550’s robust design and IPX7 rating mean it’ll handle any weather conditions with ease. One of the downsides to this model is that it’s not very intuitive when you’re first getting to grips with it, so give yourself a few practice runs before tackling any major trips. The unit works with a specialized RAM mount and switches smoothly between portrait and landscape mode.

The Garmin inReach Mini 2 serves more as an emergency SOS beacon than a conventional GPS unit. This device works with an Iridium network to provide 100 percent global satellite coverage and features two-way messaging and a two-way global SOS feature (active satellite subscription required). As well as GPS, the inReach Mini 2 also uses GALILEO, QZSS, and Beidou satellites for tracking. It uses the same battery as its predecessor, but thanks to an improved processor, it lasts for up to 30 days when tracking your position every 30 minutes. The Mini 2 now features a USB-C port and charges much faster when compared to the previous model.

Here’s what managing editor Jonathon Klein has to say about the inReach Mini 2. “Garmin’s inReach Mini 2 is something I don’t leave home without. Not because I’m in any danger, but because when I do leave home, it’s usually for the backcountry and there’s no cell service out there. It’s given me and my wife such peace of mind with its ability to navigate the woods, send messages, and hit an SOS if needed. I, honestly, don’t know why I didn’t get one sooner. And Garmin’s smartphone app makes it that much better, as the two devices work in tandem to provide exceptional versatility. Get one if you do a lot of backcountry riding.

The Garmin Montana 750i ticks almost all the boxes for adventure enthusiasts. If it wasn’t for its high price and non-motorcycle-specific design, it’d be a contender for the best overall pick. For some people, particularly off-roaders, its price is justified. The sturdy 5-inch device is built to last and meets MIL-STD 810 for thermal, shock, water, and vibration resistance. So it’ll be more than capable of tackling its preloaded topographical routes of the U.S. and Canada. You can seamlessly transition from dirt to the asphalt with its City Navigator street mapping feature.

While on your adventures, you’ll be connected to the 100 percent global Iridium satellite network (inReach subscription required), so you can send messages, your location, and have an SOS beacon. A stand-out feature of this model is its 8-megapixel camera and geotagging capabilities, meaning you can capture any special areas you find and revisit them. The rechargeable lithium-ion battery can last up to 18 hours in GPS mode and 330 hours in expedition mode. The downsides of this device are that it’s heavy, costs more than any other model on the list, and it’s not specifically for motorcycles. So it lacks some of the route-specific features that are nice for riders who like finding the twistiest road between A and B.