Riding a motorcycle has become so much easier with technology, and with the exponential growth of computing power and smartphones, it’s bound to get even better. Having a motorcycle app on your smartphone is helpful for a lot of reasons; they can help you keep track of maintenance, tell you how the weather is, help you navigate, and so much more. In this article, I’ve made a rundown of the 10 Best Motorcycle Apps for your smartphone.
Navigation Apps for your Motorcycle
Scenic
Scenic is the best rider navigation and route finding app. Scenic is specifically made for riders so the interface is minimal, intuitive, and have large readable fonts. In other words, it’s easy to glance down while riding and get the information needed. Scenic also lets riders search for great riding routes which are handmade by other motorcyclists
I’ve personally used scenic and the routes I’ve gotten so far are the most consistently fun to ride. If you want to contribute to Scenic routes, simply input a start point, waypoints, and an endpoint and include a ‘fastest route’ or a ‘most efficient route’. You can even choose to input things to avoid like tolls and highways.
A downside to Scenic is that it doesn’t let riders search for routes with the most curves. And every rider knows we love those curves. You can get Scenic for paying an annual subscription of 10 USD/year or a 50-dollar lifetime purchase.
Eat Sleep Ride (ESR)
Eat Sleep Ride does all the same things but with two extra features. One, community building. When using ESR, you’ll be able to see all the other riders nearby who are also using the app and you can easily get in contact for group rides. Since ESR is the most used motorcycle app, it makes it ridiculously easy to make new riding friends. There’s also an ‘Explore’ section which is basically Facebook but for motorcycle riders. Anyone can post, share, and blog.
ESR is great for community building but the second feature that makes this app great is Crashlight. Crashlight uses the accelerometer in your phone to detect a crash. When it does, it will notify pre-set contacts when and where the accident occurred, unless the user cancels it within 3 minutes. Worried about false alerts? Don’t worry. The app doesn’t detect the phone falling or hard braking as a crash. Though the rest of the ESR app is free, Crashlight actually costs 20 USD/year.
Maps.Me
The best feature for a navigation app is the offline capability, meaning you’d still be able to use the app 100% without Wi-Fi. What’s great about Maps.Me is that riders can download a map based on when and where they want to go there. When navigating and zooming into an area in the app, the ‘download’ option appears and gives riders the capability to download a more detailed version of a map. When you’re done with the map, simply delete it. This app is also free and available for iOS and Android. To learn more about Maps.Me, check out Motortrek’s video on this subject.
Maintenance and Tracking Motorcycle Apps
Pirelli Diablo Super Biker
Pirelli Diablo Super Biker is pure performance. No navigation, no route planning. It will only track your ride and the information from it. Speed, lean angle, distance, g-force, altitude, and even lap time! Riders can relive their entire races in this app, unfortunately, there isn’t really a lot to do. The only other thing riders can do is input their bike and tires but it’s still a pretty useful app for motorcyclists.
Autosist
Autosist is a maintenance helper app. First, you input your bike and information. The app allows owners to input any and all service their bike received like tire changes, oil replacements, clearance checks, and so much more. It even allows you to input the receipt of the performed maintenance. The app also allows for setting up reminders for forgetful riders. The ‘Glove box’ feature of the app also allows riders to keep records for the vehicle registration, driver’s license, insurance papers, etc. Then there’s the Notes section where riders can keep a link to their owner’s manual, contacts to their favorite parts supplier or preferred oil type, optimal tire pressure, and more things one might forget. Autosist also allows riders to create a printable record of everything and can also transfer data to new owners of a bike.
Weather Apps
Motorcycle Weather
For the weather, there’s Motorcycle Weather. It doesn’t get frequent updates but the app is so simple that it wouldn’t matter that much. Riders can simply input their favorite riding condition, filling out information like temperature, precipitation, and wind speeds to name a few. After inputting the information, riders can simply take a look at the week ahead and know which time of day is the best for riding. The app also sends a notification if the weather reaches your preferred riding condition. Though the app gives a more of a general impression of the weather, rather than a minute by minute interpretation.
Weather Bug
For a more immediate weather report, there’s Weather Bug. With this app, riders would be able to see the current behavior of weather systems based on an international network of weather meters, and radar stations with a complete live view. The app also allows for layers to add on the map to see storms, pollen, precipitation, lightning, and more. When you’re in the middle of a ride wondering how to outrun the rain, Weather Bug is your best friend.
Other important apps
Gas Buddy
Gas Buddy lets riders find the cheapest gas prices in their area. Gas prices may vary only slightly in a given area but when you’re riding 10,000 km, every cent is going to count. It also allows riders to find gas stations with decent food and lets riders filter in gas stations that have premium gas. Every rider knows the annoyance of pulling up to a station and finding out they don’t have the right gas for you.
Waze
Though Waze isn’t a motorcycle-specific app, motorists have benefitted a lot from using it. It’s an awesome alternative to Google Maps and relies on every motorist to report on their surroundings; traffic, obstruction, and most importantly, police presence. If you have a twisty wrist (which most riders do) and you don’t want to get penalized for it, check out Waze before every ride. Waze has actually been known to be too accurate that police departments are starting to protest this feature. Waze also tends to create routes that have the least congestion and in turn, bring riders away from bigger roads.
Red Cross
One app that I think every single motorcyclist absolutely should have is the Red Cross app. It’s a first aid app and basically walks you through emergencies and the most effective way to respond. This app also provides the capability to dial emergency numbers. The app also contains most of the information and quizzes found in an actual first aid course. This, of course, does not compare to attending an actual first aid course. In the years I’ve been riding, I’ve been present in two motorcycle crashes, and have been in one. Unfortunately, they’re not an uncommon event. Always be prepared.
Always be prepared
The most unexpected things to have ever happened in my life happened when I was riding. There’s a lot of risk in driving and it goes double for motorcycles; from a tight blind turn to unexpected weather, to unfortunate accidents. With these apps, motorcyclists can prepare for each ride better and experience more rides longer.