Handlebar phone holder - or update a VERY old TomTom?

[Noggin]

I would really like to be able to use my phone on the bike I'm borrowing (CBF1000) - just cos it gets boring having to stop and check destructions I've written or check my phone satnav!!

So I either need to buy a phone holder for the handlebars, in which case what do you recommend? (Phone is an fairly old iPhone 8) Am happy to do this as at some point I'll get my bike registered and probably use said holder on that

Or, update my very very old TomTom Rider - this was pretty much one of the first, so I'm not even sure if it's possible to update it!!

Trying to remember if I have a car TomTom somewhere - but if I do, how do I fix that to the bars of the bike? (I can check if I do have one of these when I get home after the weekend!!)

[weeksy]

Ebay £5

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/374782942303 ... BM1pHz9eVj

Used plenty.

[Yorick]

Get a helmet device to listen to your phone. Music and directions.
I love mine and will be using it a lot over next weeks on mainland.

[KungFooBob]

Cheapy helmet mounted Bluetooth headset or even just ear buds with the phone in your pocket and listen to the nav instructions rather than looking at them on a screen?

[Noggin]

Get a helmet device to listen to your phone. Music and directions.
I love mine and will be using it a lot over next weeks on mainland.

Cheapy helmet mounted Bluetooth headset or even just ear buds with the phone in your pocket and listen to the nav instructions rather than looking at them on a screen?

Downside is that I never listen to SatNav! I struggle with working out shorter distances so it's easier for me to see the other turnings etc to work out that the turn I want is 500m away, but also the third turn!!

Never listen to music on a bike since I got distracted very early on in my biking and made a big error on a corner (no crash, but scared me enough to bin music and stay focused!!)!


I'm so used to quickly looking at a screen, I'd just like to stick with that rather than tray and sort out a headset - which I guess would also mean I'd have to replace my nice moulded ear plugs? (No idea if a bluetooth thingy would work with those?) I also don't always use the same helmet - can the bluetooth thingy be swapped?


I will look at the headset idea, but I really do prefer the handlebar holder thing. Just wary as I'm sure I've read on here that you need specific holders to avoid damage to phones?

[KungFooBob]

Some high end phones have a camera with a floating focus mechanism, they tend to break when subjected to motorcycle type vibes. You either need a special anti vibe mount, or a cheaper phone

[Noggin]

Some high end phones have a camera with a floating focus mechanism, they tend to break when subjected to motorcycle type vibes. You either need a special anti vibe mount, or a cheaper phone

The current phone is on it's last legs TBF, but I do need it to last a bit longer!! LOL Will have to see if I can find the more modern satnav when I get home as I guess the old Rider won't update after so long!! (it's probably close to 20 years old!!)

[Yorick]

If you get lost, just stop and ask a bloke for directions

[Noggin]

If you get lost, just stop and ask a bloke for directions

Don't be silly, they'd think I was taking the piss cos a bloke would never stop to ask!!

[Sadlonelygit]

You CAN update a rider 1, but for the effort involved and the fact the maps will be a good 10 yo, get a tankbag with a clear pocket and some earbuds/earphones

[Noggin]

You CAN update a rider 1, but for the effort involved and the fact the maps will be a good 10 yo, get a tankbag with a clear pocket and some earbuds/earphones

It's not my bike and has some kind of bagster type tank cover - no idea where to get a tank bag for that (and don't want to spend much!!)

Really not keen on the listening thing, but looks like I'll have to try it

[MrLongbeard]

I don't recommend bar mounted phones as nav devices, but I'm probably in the minority.
I only have one reason to not do it myself, after I've been tarmac surfing I want my phone in my pocket with me so I can call the tow truck or ambo, not 50 yards down the road, in a ditch or down a drain

[Nordboy]

I have a quadlock. It's VERY sturdy, but quite expensive as you need to buy a phone case, the mount, the attachment etc. Mine is on top of the brake fluid reservoir. I also then have a windscreen mount in my car.

Even if I came off, I don't think my phone would be going anywhere.

[Noggin]

I don't recommend bar mounted phones as nav devices, but I'm probably in the minority.
I only have one reason to not do it myself, after I've been tarmac surfing I want my phone in my pocket with me so I can call the tow truck or ambo, not 50 yards down the road, in a ditch or down a drain

I do get that. I usually keep my phone in a pocket or a bumbag. Used to keep it in the tankbag, but the same as you've written above occurred to me and I do prefer to have it on me

But I do have an even older phone around that I could put a sim into just for a sat nav


This is all getting a bit complicated

[MrLongbeard]

Even if I came off, I don't think my phone would be going anywhere.

A soapy tenner says the phone would still be attached to the mount, but both would be down the road aways.
Obviously it all depends on what type of crash you have, what speed, how the bike lands, does it slide, does it hit anything etc etc etc.

There should be a sat nav in this picture;

1 by MrLongbeard, on Flickr

Oh there it is, collected from the opposite side of the road after a slow (30mphish) impact with a car;

1 by MrLongbeard, on Flickr

And that's not the side that went down so god knows how that got ripped out

[Yorick]

Even if I came off, I don't think my phone would be going anywhere.

A soapy tenner says the phone would still be attached to the mount, but both would be down the road aways.
Obviously it all depends on what type of crash you have, what speed, how the bike lands, does it slide, does it hit anything etc etc etc.

Oh God, don't temp fate

[Scootabout]

Have you thought about a Beeline https://beeline.co/pages/beeline-moto? You can swap the mount to different bikes easily, as it's just held on with rubber bands. Expensive if all you really want's a mount, but you might prefer it to a full satnav, as I do. (Threads elsewhere on hereabout it, I think.)

[Noggin]

Have you thought about a Beeline https://beeline.co/pages/beeline-moto? You can swap the mount to different bikes easily, as it's just held on with rubber bands. Expensive if all you really want's a mount, but you might prefer it to a full satnav, as I do. (Threads elsewhere on hereabout it, I think.)

Will have a look at that for sure


Turns out I have a TomTom Go in a box here (just popped into home!) - so I'm taking it back to the cat sit house to see if it will take a charge. It's possibly too big for the handlebars but I'll have a look at supports and maybe give it a try. Only a few years old, so should update, hopefully!

Would rather not buy a whole new thing if I can make something I have work with just a 'holder/support'

[Mr Moofo]

Update on the Beeline: In Wales it was useless. When you needed directions it kept on dropping the connection between the phone and the unit and asking you "where do you want to go?" - erm, the route I programmed in?
I thought this was a phone reception issue but it did it coming through B'ham on the M6 as well.
Every time you stopped for more than a few minutes, you have to stop the route and start it on the app, or it does the above again.
I un-paired and the paired the unit several times, uninstalled and reinstalled the app, and then did the Beeline complete re stage ....

Suffice to say with the warranty running out on the 19th May, it was in a box and back to Sportsbikeshop today.

[Scootabout]

Did you have the setting disabled that lets the app go to sleep if it's not being used? You have to do that, or it can malfunction. I used it on the Welsh rally last Saturday and it worked OK.