Phone mounting issues

ride4now_imp

Road warrior
Thread starter
Hey guys, I’d like to use Ram Mounts X-Bracket on my bikes to hold my IPhone11. However, I’ve heard some negative reports that the phone can’t handle the vibration. Has anyone had an issue with their phone on their bikes? I probably wouldn’t use it on my KLR (if I’m off-road) but seem to think it would be ok on my CB and even my Harley. Any thoughts?
 
Isn’t it the iPhone 12 camera that can’t take vibrations?
 
Thread starter
Thanks... I read the whole series of threads. I think I’ll keep my phone in my pocket and upgrade the maps on my Zumo GPS. And maybe invest in a SPOT too...
 
ride4now_imp said:
Thanks... I read the whole series of threads. I think I’ll keep my phone in my pocket and upgrade the maps on my Zumo GPS. And maybe invest in a SPOT too...
Grab an old iPhone or Android and wirelessly tether it to your pocket iPhone. This way you don't care about the camera on the old phone, yet it will provide you with app joy.
 
I rode for 20,000 miles with my iPhone X in a Ram mount and the camera worked just fine. The 11 or 12 are different phones than the X, but Ram and QuadLock both have vibration dampeners. Tell ya what. Keep your phone in your pocket, buy the Spot (it’s a great device) and follow my reports here in 2021. By July, I’ll have something like 4,000 miles with my iPhone in a QuadLock with the vibration dampener installed. I will let everyone here know what my real world results are.
 
RAM X-Grip: None of my Android phones have failed in its cushy rubber nubby grip.

Nevertheless, I typically mount an old "slave phone" that is wirelessly tethered to my primary phone in my pocket. Just in case I walk away leaving it there, there is no value in an old "slave phone" that has no SIM card, memory card, etc. The old slave phone happens to be waterproof too.
 
Yep. No interest in having yet another device on my bike. I’d buy a Garmin or something before I’d buy a “slave” phone. The whole point of my having my nav app on my phone and that phone connected to my Cardo is to have everything on one device.
 
GoldOxide_imp said:
RAM X-Grip: None of my Android phones have failed in its cushy rubber nubby grip.

Nevertheless, I typically mount an old "slave phone" that is wirelessly tethered to my primary phone in my pocket. Just in case I walk away leaving it there, there is no value in an old "slave phone" that has no SIM card, memory card, etc. The old slave phone happens to be waterproof too.
^^+1^^ for any RAM
 
EmptySea_imp said:
Yep. No interest in having yet another device on my bike. I’d buy a Garmin or something before I’d buy a “slave” phone. The whole point of my having my nav app on my phone and that phone connected to my Cardo is to have everything on one device.
Yeah, everyone will figure out what fits them best for sure.

The "slave" arrangement provides all-in-one-device utility too, basically a mirror of the primary phone without the monthly bill. The "slave" can change out anytime with little financial or effort hardship.

I use a Cardo system as well. So far I like the product.
 
A buddy of mine rides with his phone in a holder, and I've noticed he keeps futzing with it at every stop light, stop sign, any time the bike stops, he's f-ing with the phone. I like to plot the route out in sections, commit one section to memory and ride that section, and when I get to the next section, it's time for a pit stop anyway. When I started riding again, lo these many years ago, I was astounded that my BIL never looked at a map, never took his phone out of his pocket, didn't have a GPS, but we never got lost or had to backtrack. It was all in his head.
 
"Thus, drivers are prohibited from talking, texting, typing, dialling or emailing on hand-held devices, cell phones and other entertainment devices while driving, which includes while drivers are stopped at a light or in traffic. ... If drivers are programming a GPS device, they can only do so through voice commands"
 
Rocky_imp said:
I found the perfect place for my phone. It's in a pocket inside my jacket and secured by a Velcro pocket flap.
You are a responsible rider, Rocky :thumbsup:
 
Arguably in some jurisdictions, even having a mobile device mounted is a chargeable offence. I think that is true in the province of Ontario. It is not clear how well it is enforced. My device is clearly mounted on a RAM X-Grip.
 
ride4now_imp said:
Thanks... I read the whole series of threads. I think I’ll keep my phone in my pocket and upgrade the maps on my Zumo GPS. And maybe invest in a SPOT too...
I use a spot tracker on all big trips. Just mount it to yourself if riding solo and not somewhere on the bike. Worst case scenario you likely won't be near the bike or ambulatory.

Also I have used 2 handlebar phone mounts from Amazon and 1 I picked up at laconia bike week. Both clamp onto the handlebars and then have almost a rubber band that goes over each corner of the phone. Ridden thousands of miles, highway speeds, Mt. Washington auto rode and such. Never had a problem. My friend had his IPhone on the same mount for the same 2k mile trip on a suzuki savage 650... that thumper has vibration.

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I use Waze generally but the app "Cali Moto" is designed specifically for motorcycles. You can choose routes by how curvy you wanna get. You/other users can also save their tours so you can go for a ride out and back or loop that is in the app on the weekend. Saved with ratings, details, photos.

It also measures your speed, elevation, lean angle and most importantly saves your track. I got it originally to track my route on big trips so I could look back and see where I actually was on a map. Really good for finding your way back to those cool places you find on accident out on the road.
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At my last job, we used Ram X-mounts to secure phones to the steering wheels of racing go karts to collect telemetry data. You can't get more vibration than that, and we never lost one, even in severe off-track excursions.

For me, I keep my phone in my pocket and use a single Bluetooth earbud for navigation when I need turn-by-turn directions.
 
As explained on the other thread, later iPhone cameras will literally take a sh*t with the RAM X mount, due to the vibrations. This is not the case for every smartphone out there though- I ran a 6S Plus over the course of 4+ years on different bike/stem mount setups, camera didn't even flinch.

You can try to get some foam and make some sort of dampening pad to help ease the vibrations if you want, but as someone who has been to the Apple store for repairs/replacements more than 5 times over the course of 6 months, I don't recommend you try your luck, at least not without having Apple care or some other form of warranty.

The RAM X cradle works wonders, provided you have all 4 rubber pads AND use your corner "net" restrain. Why it's too much to handle for the newer iPhones is beyond me

Is it the bike that produces vibrations that are too intense? or is it that the phone/camera design is flawed from the go? Who knows

You have been warned
 
E11even_Hunnit_imp said:
As explained on the other thread, later iPhone cameras will literally take a sh*t with the RAM X mount, due to the vibrations. This is not the case for every smartphone out there though- I ran a 6S Plus over the course of 4+ years on different bike/stem mount setups, camera didn't even flinch.

You can try to get some foam and make some sort of dampening pad to help ease the vibrations if you want, but as someone who has been to the Apple store for repairs/replacements more than 5 times over the course of 6 months, I don't recommend you try your luck, at least not without having Apple care or some other form of warranty.

The RAM X cradle works wonders, provided you have all 4 rubber pads AND use your corner "net" restrain. Why it's too much to handle for the newer iPhones is beyond me

Is it the bike that produces vibrations that are too intense? or is it that the phone/camera design is flawed from the go? Who knows

You have been warned
(+1) Totally.
 
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