Cell phone - gps security

[wphillips007]

i mostly use my iPhone as my GPS which is mounted on top of my dash with the RAM mount X grip cell phone holder. It works great. However, I'm so concerned about somebody stealing it, that I always unhook it and take it with me, even when I'm going into the gas station for just a few minutes. What does the rest of you do? Maybe your GPS's are more securely attached to the mounts. I'm thinking of putting a cloth bag over it so that it would be out of sight, out of mind. Anybody have any suggestions? Wendell

 

[EX Winger]

I use a old unit no one would want to steal, a garmin 2720, and if running tandam the second is the old 2610 On NT or wing they are both sort of shielded by tank bag. I have not been using my I-ph on bike as a GPS unless I was really looking for something, then it would be inside theplastic cover of my tank bag. On the ultra classic I just use the 2one or the other. .which bike are you using for your serious rides?

Eldon

 

[Rob]

iPhones (and apple products in general) are popular, and valuable. I would never leave one on the bike.

I generally leave my Garmin on my bike unless it's overnight or something but it wouldn't be the end of the world if I lost it. Losing my phone on the other hand, would be much more problematic to me.

 

[Phil Tarman]

I leave my GPS on its mount and put my helmet over it. The only time in 16 years anything has been taken from me was one evening when I came out of the church in Fort Morgan and my old, stinky, dinged-up Nolan was gone. The Garmin 2720 I had then was still sitting right there.

 

[Miairhead]

Phone is something I have on my person, if you get run off the road, mounted on your bike is not a good idea I believe.
GPS is cover by my under durag when I go for breaks or a meal. Night it goes in the case.

 

[charlie b]

I use my phone that way too, in a RAM Xmount and GPS software running on it.

And, yes, I take it off the mount whenever I leave the bike. That is one reason I like the Xmount, simple to get the phone off.

The helmet stays with the bike. At short stops I just hook it on. Longer stops I lock it.

If I had a lot of money I'd have one of the fancy Garmin's in a more permanent mount on the bike and keep the phone in my pocket. I'd probably also have a Beemer RT and one of their integrated GPS mounts. But, I don't and probably never will.

As to being thrown off the bike...my helmet is linked to the phone with bluetooth. So, unless the crash is enough to damage the headset I remain connected to the phone (and, yes, it has a speed dial feature for 911 and a few others). Yes, there are circumstances where that won't work, but, there are similar circumstances where a phone in a pocket will get busted up in a crash too. I've weighed options on this several times and like my bike mounted phone and linked headset the best.

 

[Rich]

I have a Zumo 660 mounted on the bike. Mostly I just leave it there, but if I am parking it for awhile I pop it off and lock it in the top box. It's actually easier to remove than the ignition key.

My phone normally sits in an interior breast pocket of my riding jacket, so I have it with me when leaving the bike. But sometimes it sits locked in the trunk. It works fine back there via bluetooth and used as just a phone it doesn't need charging for the duration of a riding day.

 

[JQL]

Because I ride in a busy city it is not a good idea to take your eyes off the road. For this reason my GPS (Navigon - which is on my Windows Phone) is in my pocket and is connected by Bluetooth to my helmet therefore no visual distractions and you can ignore the voice in your ear if you're busy. If I need to look at the screen I stop, take it out of my pocket, check out the info I need, then put it back in my pocket.

I would never leave anything on my bike I didn't want to lose (even chained to the bike!).

 

[Warren]

When parked I put my helmet and Zumo in my top box. It only takes a second for someone to take the GPS and those Zumo's are to expensive to loose that easily.