You can add Android Auto to your motorcycle

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Android Auto makes it easy to access your phone’s apps and features right on your car’s infotainment screen. Although it has many advantages and disadvantages, it is an increasingly common feature on modern cars. However, if you want to enjoy the same on your motorcycle, only select models like Harley-Davidson, Indian Motorcycle, Honda, and BMW Motorrad come with native Android Auto support on factory-installed head units. That said, even if your motorcycle doesn’t support Android Auto or doesn’t have a proper infotainment screen, you’re out of luck.

Just like you can add an aftermarket head unit with Android Auto support to your old car, you can do the same with your motorcycle. There are two main ways to achieve this. You can either replace your motorcycle’s existing head unit with an aftermarket option that supports Android Auto or opt for a handlebar-mounted display that has Android Auto. If you don’t want to bother installing a head unit, you can simply mount the phone on your motorcycle and run Android Auto on your phone itself.

If your motorcycle didn’t come from the factory with an Android Auto-enabled head unit, one of the easiest ways to integrate Android Auto is to get a third-party display that you mount on your motorcycle’s handlebars. Because they generally don’t require modifying your motorcycle’s existing systems beyond powering the display, they are relatively easy to install. Plus, you have plenty of choices on the market, with Android Auto head units available from multiple manufacturers and in different screen sizes. Some of the most popular and highly rated options include units from Carpuride, Chigee, Ottocast, and RiderNav.

When looking for a handlebar-mounted head unit, it’s a good idea to check the waterproofing to make sure it can handle dust, rain, and other elements; an anti-glare coating for better visibility under the sun; vibration resistance in mounting hardware for adequate support against driving vibrations; and glove support for touchscreen typing. You may also want features like wireless Android Auto support instead of cable for convenience and a quick-release design in the mount for easy removal when parking your bike in a theft-prone area. Above all, opt for a screen size adapted to the space available on your motorcycle.

For some motorcycle models, you have the choice of replacing the existing head unit with an aftermarket unit that has Android Auto. This fits perfectly with your motorcycle. For example, Power Acoustik’s HD-14KIT and Soundstream Reserve HDHU.14 are two notable replacement head units for Harley-Davidson touring motorcycles manufactured since 2014. Soundstream also sells its HDHU.9813RG replacement head unit for Harley-Davidson Road Glide motorcycles from 1993 to 2013. However, such head unit replacements are not available for all motorcycle models. Additionally, they can be expensive and sometimes require professional installation depending on your skill level.

Beyond these, there are other options that are more integrated into the motorcycle’s system than handlebar units, but not as much as an aftermarket replacement head unit. These usually fit into official motorcycle parts, like the Carpuride W602BSPRO and RiderNav R7M for BMW motorcycles. Chigee and Alien Rider also offer similar products. These plug into a BMW navigation mount, also called navigation preparation, and have access to data from the motorcycle’s CAN bus. In some newer BMW models, you can even use the factory-included “Wonder Wheel” to control Android Auto menus. However, these are also only available for specific makes and models of motorcycles, leaving you with handlebar-mounted displays as the only other suitable choice.