Why I Swapped My Phone Mount for the Beeline Moto II
Evan Rally
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I used to think I had motorcycle navigation sorted, voice in the helmet for most rides, phone on the bars when it got tricky. Seemed fine… until it wasn’t.”
In practice, it was a constant source of frustration.
- Voice directions are often useless in a chaotic city. When the GPS says “turn left in 50 metres” but there are three tiny side-streets packed together, you’re just guessing.
- Mounting a phone is a massive pain. You’re dealing with screen glare, massive battery drain, and the very real risk of vibrations destroying your phone’s camera, even with an expensive, bulky dampener.
I needed a better way. I wanted a simple, clear visual guide without risking my thousand-dollar phone or cluttering my handlebars.
That’s what led me, reluctantly at first, to the Beeline Moto II. Beeline was kind enough to send me one, and I’ll be honest, I did not think that I would find this device very useful. It looked like a minimalist gadget, maybe even a gimmick.
But I was surprised how elegantly designed this little device is.
So, here’s the full breakdown of how the Beeline Moto II went from a device I was skeptical of to the one piece of tech I won’t ride without in the city.
A minimalist motorcycle GPS that sits neatly on your bars, providing clear, anti-glare navigation via your phone. Waterproof, glove-friendly, and built for riders who value simplicity and reliability on everyday and adventure journeys.
- Glove‑operable buttons and anti‑glare screen for easy use on the move
- Lightweight & waterproof design mounts anywhere without wiring
- Fast & fun route modes with solid battery life (~14 h)
- Compact size keeps handlebar clutter free
- Limited to app-based routing—no internal maps or live traffic
- No hard-wired charging without optional mount accessory
First Impressions of the Beeline Moto II
At first glance, the Beeline seems almost too simple. It’s a small, sleek puck that feels incredibly well-made. There’s no massive touchscreen, no complex menus. But that’s the entire point. It’s designed to do one job, show you where to turn, and do it perfectly, without distracting you from the ride.
What I was really looking for was a solution to the chaos of navigating Bangkok. When I used to live in Chiang Mai, where there’s less traffic and fewer turn-offs, voice directions were fine. But in Bangkok, with cars and bikes buzzing around you constantly and a dozen small sois (side streets) for every main road, trying to process a long vocal description of a turn is a recipe for disaster.
The Beeline has completely solved this problem for me. Its super simplified interface makes it incredibly easy to see exactly what turn I need to take with a quick glance. I can process the clear, visual arrow much faster than a voice command, which means my eyes are back on the road sooner.
This device is perfect for urban riders who want a distraction-free and rugged maps display, or just don’t want to risk their phone’s life on the handlebars!
What I Love About the Beeline Moto II
Nice Interface for Motorcycling
Everything about the Beeline just fits the motorcycling use case nicely. It’s small, and its clean, watch-like aesthetic looks really nice on any bike, from a modern classic to a rugged adventurer. The screen has a brilliant anti-reflective coating, meaning there is zero glare at any angle, a massive improvement over a glossy smartphone screen.
Compared to the first-gen device, the Moto II now has a much better display. It’s larger, full-color, and double the resolution. That extra detail makes navigating complex city streets or big roundabouts way easier. What used to be minimalist symbols are now clearer map visuals that help avoid second-guessing turns when things get hectic.
The display is free of any other distractions. It’s not showing you notifications or tempting you with other apps. It’s just a clean, clear map showing your route and your next turn. You can also set it to flash its bright LED and make a little “ding” sound when a turn is upcoming, a very helpful feature when you’re focused on traffic.
It also now features bright LED turn indicators and a subtle built-in speaker that gives you a heads-up when a turn is coming. That might sound small, but when you’ve got traffic swirling around you and the screen’s in your peripheral vision, it’s a big help.
Incredible Battery Life
In my experience, the battery lasts even longer than the 14 hours advertised. I honestly rarely even think about the battery. I think the first month I had it, I only charged it once. This is a huge advantage over using a phone, where a few hours of screen-on navigation can drain your battery completely, leaving you stranded without a map or a way to call for help. The Beeline just sips power, both from its own battery and your phone’s.
Great Mounting System
I can quickly pop the unit off its mount and store it in my bag or bike when I arrive somewhere, so there’s no temptation for thieves. The mount has a similar “twist and lock” style to modern phone mounts like Quad Lock and SP Connect, but I’ve actually found it to be a lot smoother and easier to engage. Those companies should take note!
Beeline also sells a bunch of different mounting options for any setup, including standard handlebars, mirror stems, and fork stems. It’s incredibly versatile.
Need to Knows & My Gripes
I need to come clean on a couple of quirks. They aren’t dealbreakers, but they are part of the experience.
The first is that the Beeline app is the only way to load up a route on the device. It’s a good app, and has improved massively since the first generation, but it took some getting used to. I’m a Google Maps power user and have all my favorite locations saved there. You have to either rebuild the route in the Beeline app or export a GPX file, which adds an extra step.
Source
My other gripe was with the device controls. Interacting with the device itself took some getting used to, how to click around and navigate the menus, when to short-press versus long-press the “RockerTop” buttons. It wasn’t immediately intuitive. But once I figured it out after a couple of rides, it became second nature. Just don’t give up on it in the first ten minutes.
Another thing I’ve noticed, if you’re wearing thick winter gloves, the rocker switch can still be a little tricky to press precisely. It’s better than the tiny side buttons on the older model, but not perfect for cold-weather riders.
And while the screen is improved, the directions are still pretty basic compared to a full sat nav. At busy multi-lane roundabouts or junctions, it can be easy to second-guess the turn. You learn to anticipate a bit, but it’s not totally foolproof.
How It Compares to Other Navigation Options
vs. Phone Mount (Quad Lock): This is the Beeline’s biggest rival. While a phone gives you a full, detailed map, it comes with major downsides: risk of camera vibration damage, battery drain, overheating in the sun, and screen glare. The Beeline solves all of these problems. It’s a dedicated tool that does the job better and more safely.
Secure Quad Lock mount with vibration dampener protects your iPhone’s camera and ensures clean, steady navigation during rides.
- Patented dual-stage lock keeps phone firmly mounted
- Vibration dampener absorbs high-frequency shock
- Quick twist-and-go attachment makes it easy to remove
- Fits a wide range of handlebar sizes, tool-free install
- Strong build with glass-filled nylon and stainless steel hardware
- Some users report residual shake on high-vibration bikes
- Mount clamp can be bulky on smaller handlebars
vs. Full GPS Unit (Garmin Zumo XT2): A dedicated Garmin unit is a powerful tool for long-distance touring. It has a huge screen, complex trip planning features, and doesn’t rely on your phone. However, it’s also more expensive, bulky, and can feel like overkill for daily commuting or on a bike with clean, classic styling. The Beeline is the minimalist, more elegant solution.
The Zumo XT2 is a rugged 6" motorcycle GPS with a bright touchscreen, built for both road touring and off-road rides. It offers group tracking and smart navigation.
- Bright, glove-friendly 6" HD screen
- Real-time group ride tracking
- Easy switch between street, topo, and satellite maps
- Tread app can be buggy
- Not compatible with Garmin BaseCamp
- Audio prompts may be too quiet over Bluetooth
If you’re weighing up different types of navigation tools, whether you want a rugged GPS unit, a phone-friendly setup, or something in between, check out our full guide to the best motorcycle GPS units.
Why I Chose the Beeline Moto II
For my ride, for my needs here in Bangkok, I needed a navigation tool that was simple, clear, and robust. The Beeline Moto II delivered on that promise better than I ever expected. It eliminates all the frustrations of using a phone while providing a visual clarity that voice commands can’t match in a complex urban environment.
It has genuinely made my daily rides less stressful and more enjoyable. It’s a rare piece of technology that adds a huge amount of function while reducing distraction, and for that, it has earned a permanent place on my handlebars.
It’s the kind of upgrade that makes you wonder how you rode without it, definitely in the same league as the essentials we cover in our motorcycle accessories guide.
A minimalist motorcycle GPS that sits neatly on your bars, providing clear, anti-glare navigation via your phone. Waterproof, glove-friendly, and built for riders who value simplicity and reliability on everyday and adventure journeys.
- Glove‑operable buttons and anti‑glare screen for easy use on the move
- Lightweight & waterproof design mounts anywhere without wiring
- Fast & fun route modes with solid battery life (~14 h)
- Compact size keeps handlebar clutter free
- Limited to app-based routing—no internal maps or live traffic
- No hard-wired charging without optional mount accessory
