Bikers Should Download These 4 Android Auto Apps for Their Motorcycle

There are both pros and cons of Android Auto, but for the most part, it’s considered an improved in-vehicle experience compared to just controlling apps with your phone. With Android Auto, drivers can control things like music selection and volume levels, as well as navigation and productivity app functions. Although the majority of Android Auto users access the platform from a standard, everyday vehicle, it is also accessible to motorcyclists with a number of compatible apps that are particularly useful to motorcyclists.

Driving a motorcycle is a unique experience and for this reason, there are several apps with features and modes designed for particular tasks, while using Android Auto on a motorcycle. Whether heading out for a local ride or an epic road trip, every rider needs to make sure the right technology goes with them. While there are many cool gadgets that every motorcyclist needs, here we take a look at some Android Auto apps that are worth downloading.

Most navigation apps are designed for the general public: everyday vehicles for everyday places. They emphasize the fastest routes and shortest travel times, while bikers often prefer a path less traveled. Sygic has a standard operating mode for daily driving, but it also has a Motorcycle mode. This allows the user to choose more scenic and winding roads, in addition to providing a motorcycle-friendly navigation screen.

Sygic’s Motorcycle Mode works directly through Android Auto on a motorcycle’s dashboard for a number of different manufacturers and models. It even incorporates a comprehensive feature set including real-time lean angles, altitude data, speed limits and weather. With some motorcycle models, Sygic even offers larger maps and voice guidance via compatible Bluetooth headsets.

Although installing the Sygic app is free, Moto Mode comes at a cost. Access requires a one-time purchase of $50. The Sygic app has over 50 million downloads on the Google Play Store and has an overall rating of 4.1 stars. Popular options like Waze and Google Maps may be more comprehensive for local trips, but Sygic’s Motorcycle Mode makes it unique for riders who like to go out for weekend getaways or take long, scenic trips.

Where Sygic is a full-featured navigation app with a mode designed specifically for motorcyclists, the entire Calimoto app is aimed at those who get out on motorcycles regularly. It positions itself in a way “for bikers, by bikers”. Calimoto relies heavily on directions submitted by users around the world and works well as both a navigation app and a route discovery platform. Where this can prove more beneficial than other navigation apps is when you don’t have a particular destination in mind.

Every time a user follows a route with Calimoto, data such as speed, altitude and lean angles are recorded. This allows riders to compare their ride to other trips they have taken, as well as to other riders in the Calimoto community. The crowdsourcing aspect of the app is what sets it apart from other navigation apps that riders may prefer, but it’s also what may give some riders pause on the subject. Several Google Play Store reviewers have reported user-submitted routes that lead nowhere, sometimes even along roads that don’t exist.

But overall, Calimoto received an overall rating of 4.3 stars on the Google Play Store, based on over 1 million downloads. Its Android Auto integrations also make it a worthwhile app to consider for bikers. It displays selected routes and navigation information directly on a motorcycle’s dashboard screen.

Bad weather poses a much greater risk for a motorcycle ride than for a Sunday stroll with the family. Every motorcyclist should have a pretty good idea of ​​the impending weather before hitting the road throughout each day of travel, as well as knowing whether or not a storm is on the way when just wanting to get around town. The AccuWeather app provides real-time weather alerts for hyper-specific locations, giving riders a good idea of ​​when rain may fall at any given point during their ride.

As for Android Auto integrations, the app can display current weather conditions and short-term forecasts directly on a motorcycle’s dashboard screen. It can even provide riders with severe weather alerts right on the screen if bad weather is heading their way.

Although the AccuWeather app is incredibly popular with over 100 million downloads on the Google Play Store, reviews are mixed. It has an overall rating of 3.5 stars from over 2.5 million reviews. Some users say they are disappointed with the app’s design, while many consider it their favorite weather app. Many of the AccuWeather app’s most popular features are available through the free, ad-supported version, while more comprehensive features are available through subscriptions.

Bikers going on road trips will want to be sure to find suitable places to sleep along the way. For those who head out on a motorcycle to enjoy the great outdoors, an app called Campendium is worth checking out. Basically, it’s one of the apps every RV owner should download, as it provides secure navigation and detailed information on where to park large vehicles for long periods of time. But Campendium’s database of campgrounds and overnight parking areas has also made it popular with bikers.

The app covers more than 70,000 campgrounds in the United States and Canada, including information on which sites allow tents and whether or not there is access to restrooms and running water. BLM lands are popular among travelers because they are free and allow for extended stays, and Campendium includes information on BLM lands, Forest Service lands, and even campgrounds in national parks. The app can be used via Android Auto for turn-by-turn navigation, to find campsites and points of interest, and to find nearby gas stations and rest areas.

RVers and motorcyclists have turned to Campendium for years to make their travels easier, but its fans have become more divided. Many reviewers on the Google Play Store rave about it, while several others believe it only deserves a one-star rating. Most of the bad reviews seem to come from an acquisition period, which drops the overall rating to 1.8 stars. But Campendium seems to be bouncing back in this regard, with several 5-star ratings among its most recent reviews.

There are essential Android Auto apps you need to install if you own an everyday vehicle, but here, motorcyclists were our sole focus. The apps listed here can benefit passengers on different types of journeys. These include daily commutes, local getaways, and long-distance road trips. Our only technical hurdle for each app was that it offered useful features and integration through Android Auto.