After having my iPhone camera wrecked by the vibrations from my Speed Twin (Quad Lock handlebar mount), I wanted to buy a SatNav for use on longer rides. With the usual suspects costing lots, I decided to try the Beeline Moto device. This is essentially a dumb display, which is driven over bluetooth by the Beeline app on your phone. I'm fairly sure Beeline use Google Maps for their mapping data, but you don't get the whole host of features that you normally do in pukka Google Maps (like traffic diversion, voice commands, etc.). After a doctor appointment, I took the long way home from sunny Watford via even sunnier Ivinghoe Beacon. It's a neat little screen, which I mounted over the "Speed Twin" moniker in the middle of the handlebar clamp. The only problem I encountered was my eyesight. I wear my long-sight specs while riding, so the small display was a little too close to focus on. I suspect the solution will be to mount it above the clocks, or to continue to follow the v-shaped arrow, which is the main indicator of direction anyway. Happy so far, especially for the price.
Had mine a while now. Display is a bit on the small side and it does take a bit of getting used to compared to a standard satnav. Having used it a few times now I absolutely love it!
I was a backer of this project and have had this on my Speed Triple since it was released. Sits unobtrusively on the bars and does a really good job once you accept it is not a full-blown Garmin/Tomtom. One thing I learnt early on is that your phone battery is going to be discharged pretty quickly with it in use. So, either rig up some form of usb phone charging or carry a battery pack, or two. I run a usb lead into my tank bag where the phone lives and the battery stays at 100% all day long.
I have a 7 inch tablet that I have no use for. Is it possible to rig this as a satnav and get it installed on the handle bar or somewhere and use it? I have a Thunderbird and have a windshield.
Any idea how he fixed it to the bike? If possible I would like to know. Mine is a 7 inch one and I have to use my phone for the GPS connection. Its a new one but one of those cheap ones that I got free and I do not use it for anything so thought I will try as a satnav screen on the bike.
I can try that and prefer the one hooked on the handle bar rather than on the tank. I will try that. Hope that it does not shake too much.
I'm a bit surprised at this. I was under the impression that once your Beeline journey was set up with the phone, it wasn't needed and could be turned off ?
My tablet since it is an older one is not suitable I have found out. I have an old iphone 3. Would this work as a GPS? I know the GPS works but what I meant was will it be too small to see anything? And also the glare?
The Beeline widget is just a dumb display connected by Bluetooth to your phone. This runs the Beeline app and uses your phone GPS. Once my route is set, I tuck the phone away in a pocket. Only leave connected to power on a long distance so the GPS use doesn't flatten the phone battery.
This review, and the comments which are posted beneath it, indicate that the phone must be on for the Beeline to function, but that phone battery life is not much of an issue since only the phone's GPS and Bluetooth functions are being used by the Beeline display. The phone's screen does need not be active and is not consuming power from the battery. One user comment notes that a fully charged iPhone had 60% of battery function left after 9 hours of connectivity to the Beeline.
Ah, maybe that explains why my phone drained so quickly. I have never checked whether the Beeline app is keeping my screen on. As I carry it in my tankbag, I don't see it while I riding. Will remember to turn the screen off if it's not doing so automatically.
Do let us know how you get on - certainly, the device is more appealing to me if there is no need to hard-wire a phone to work with it for even longer rides.
Well, that was easy! I’m sat in the living room, bluetoothed to the Beeline on the bike in the garage. Start a journey on the phone app and the screen does NOT turn off. Moral of the story: turn off screen and your phone shouldn’t die after a few hours. Glad we’ve sorted that out
Just to add to my post above, I turned the Beeline on yesterday evening as I was riding home. Turned phone screen off and didn’t have it charging. So, in 38 minutes the battery charge dropped by 5% which would give approx some 12 hours of running time from my phone, a Huawei P20 Pro. More than sufficient for most journeys.
Good to know, Neil. I'd imagine a small external power bank would be a easy way to extend that running time if need be, with no wiring required apart from the connection between the phone and the power bank. Some inexpensive and very compact power banks can provide 10,000 mAH, enough for two or more full recharge cycles to one's phone before needing to be recharged from the mains themselves.
Yep, a small power pack would be ideal for backup. Just gotta remember to charge everything up before leaving on that loooong trip
I’ve just ordered a Beeline moto Can’t get on with sat nav screens so I reckon this will be right up my street
They're brilliant mate. Just an arrow, countdown to a direction change and an indication of how far into the trip you are. If you go wrong, arrow turns black and redirect you.
Yeah you’re view and others is what made me look at them in more detail Did some research and watched some reviews and decided I like it Don’t like sat navs as I think they give too much information and I find them distracting
