Anyone have a proven cheap cell phone mount?

[CoreyP]

There are a million cell phone mounts for hand bars with the prices being very low to really high. I want it for GPS use.

What do you guys have that didn't cost a bunch of money but has worked well for a couple of years?   

[Warlock]

Had thought about one until I had a wreck on my Goldwing. The bike was a good 100 ft down the road from where I landed. Not being able to get up and no one around luckily I had my cell phone on me and was able to call for help. Just something to think about in a what if situation. I will mount a gps but never my phone. Could be a life or death.
David

[Jack B]

Ram mount has a good phone holder it’s shaped like an X with rubber bungee to help hold your phone on, you don’t want to lose your phone

[yrunvs]

The Ram mount using the handlebar bolt mount works great. You really dont even need the X bungee band

[-mike-]

CoreyP?

What's your limit?

I have a aluminum one that even has QC3.0.

product picture:


You can see it mounted in this clip:
https://youtu.be/uXnQWHytLfY?t=8

You may find it sold locally, too.

-mike-

[RonW]

the question was posted previously and Quad Lock was an option. Whatever the product you ought to watch Youtube reviews of the product. For example, https://youtu.be/VQm3XcmGTYA?t=508 and https://youtu.be/VQm3XcmGTYA?t=472

[RonW]

I have a aluminum one

• that even has QC3.0

.

That makes a difference. or a deciding factor

[..]

Whichever make you buy I would advise using a tether cord as well.

Many videos of phone floating into the slipstream of a bike when they come unmounted.

[CoreyP]

Whichever make you buy I would advise using a tether cord as well.

Many videos of phone floating into the slipstream of a bike when they come unmounted.

Exactly what I'm worried about. Not sure how you would use a tether on a phone? 

Good point of flying off your bike and not having your phone any more to call someone. I have a com system so I can hear the GPS on my phone talk to me. I like the visual though.

I did all the maintenance on my new to me Valkyrie now I'm going for quality of life issues.  Took me a year or so to go through the whole bike.   

[RonW]

Then if it's mounted too tight there's another issue due to vibration damaging smart phones. Sumpthing about the focus of the optical image stabilization sensor (OIS) on newer smart phones. Quad Lock has a vibration damper that's purchased separately. X grip designs have rubber clamps. Using the X-shaped rubber band sounds better idea than a tether. I came across this on YouTube, kinda like rubber engine mounts at idle, here. Really old technology applied to new technology.

[-mike-]

Then if it's mounted too tight there's another issue due to vibration damaging smart phones. Sumpthing about the focus of the optical image stabilization sensor (OIS) on newer smart phones. Quad Lock has a vibration damper that's purchased separately. X grip designs have rubber clamps. Using the X-shaped rubber band sounds better idea than a tether. I came across this on YouTube, kinda like rubber engine mounts at idle, here. Really old technology applied to new technology.

True if you
1. own an iPhone
and/or
2. use the camera while riding as dashcam or for action clips.

There's usually no harm done if cam(s) are switched off, as the delicate mechanics are in secure position then.

The aluminum mount I use is damped. Just in case.
And I don't (and won't) use an iPhone, too.

[RonW]

what I've read vibration affects all the newer Image Stabilizing technology whatever the brand of smart phone. For example, if your smart phone went on the blink, specifically the camera, after using it on your bike, the warranty is void if you disclose use of the smart phone on your bike. True, who does that. There is even a death list of which bikes are high risk to the demise of smart phones. Actually, smart phones should never be mounted on a motorbike that vibrates. Valkyrie purhaps is the exception.

[Bighead]

Velcro

[Willow]

I bought one at Walmart for about $16.  Its full name is Goxt Motorcycle/ATV Phone Holder and Action Camera Mount.

It's a little more bulky than I would like on the handlebar all the time so I only put it on when I want to use the phone while riding, such as mapping software.  I own multiple GPS devices but I have come to prefer the mapping software on the iphone.

The mount holds the phone firmly from both sides but additionally has four stretchable loops that hold each corner.

[CoreyP]

I didn't think of vibration killing phones but I can stand a nickle upright on my engine while running so I doubt that applies to Valkyries? I also don't buy expensive phones which that one lady had a good Idea, use an old phone. I have an old android which I could use, I think because google maps is downloaded by the internet if you do your route on wifi then it uses the GPS which I don't think the phone even needs to be activated to a cell phone network.


I have to do some experiments. Goal is to use an old android phone to load up the map at home and then see if it is functional for a small trip. If that works I can use my new android to update info if needed, like a new destination.

Goal over all is use out of service phone as GPS unit on the handle bars. If something happens to it, not really a problem.

Side note I don't buy Iphones and never will or any high end cell phone. I have no use for a high end cell phones and they break easily. Have to say I have gone through 3 Motorola's and none have broken. Just retired my Moto G5 because I wanted a better camera, no other reason.
 

[Icelander]

I've used my Pixel 3 on the handlebars with a RAM X-mount for years without a problem. Either I'm lucky or the phone is well built. 

I believe that you can load up maps on your phone but will have to connect to wifi if you're needing to have the phone plot an impromptu destination.

I heard, but not done myself, that you can set up some conditional situations for when your phone notices your "gps phone" and turn on wifi to tether. This would preclude you from having to d/l the maps and when you turn off the "gps phone" your wifi turns off on your phone.

Been thinking about doing something like this with the android head unit in the dash of my Tahoe since the thing is stupid as hell when I get away from the house wifi.

[CoreyP]

Old phone works fine when you use wifi to put a map on it.

Looked up directions, drove my car to that destination, used a short cut from the route suggested. GPS worked fine map reset to my new road to the destination. Turned the phone off and when I came back to drive home, I hit home on Google maps, no problem. Everything was just like normal. It has stored other destinations you have saved, those will work too.

Plan is use old phone that I don't really care that much about something happening to it. Carry current phone in jacket pocket. I'm going to get some under $20 phone mount, I think.

If any of you have an old phone in your draw somewhere this might be the way to go or at least it is for me. 

[RonW]

It's better that way in case you forget to remove the phone when you walk into a store then somebody swipes it.