The Beeline Moto II Is the Best Compact Navigator for Motorcycle Owners
Review by Lukas Foyle
I’ve been using the Beeline Moto II for a little over two weeks and I am pleasantly surprised at how useful this slim little unit can be. The Moto II is the latest and greatest to join the ever growing Beeline family, amongst the Velo and Velo II cycling units, and of course, the original Moto and Moto Metal.
THUMBS UP
- Small and sleek
- Well styled
- Value for money
- Durable ASA polymer and CNC Aluminium construction
- Long 14 hour battery life with conventional USB C charger
- IP67 Rated to protect against dust and resist full immersion in water
THUMBS DOWN
- Limited size does limit the amount of map the unit can display at any one time
- Not a complete standalone, needs to be run in conjunction with the Beeline App on your phone
The Moto II is one of the most compact navigation units for motorcycles on the market today, but don't let the small stature put you off. I’ve been using the Moto II for a combination of dense city riding, twisty country roads and suburban squabble, and it is yet to let me down. To really put it through its paces, I've been intentionally going of course, stopping, rerouting and turning around during my trip. The Moto II has responded by seamlessly rerouting time and time again.
The original Beeline Moto had 3 variants: Original Black (now sold out on Biker Torque website), gunmetal grey, or classic silver (both still available on clearance for $279 on the Biker Torque website). The Moto II has new and improved tactile front face buttons, but has stayed true to the original offerings of Black, Gunmetal and Silver, with a starting price of $399 (available from June 2024).
The Moto II Black is a pint sized powerhouse, with a larger display than the original Moto, and overall measurements of L 52mm* W 52mm*H 22mm, and weight of 42 grams. The Moto II is incredibly convenient to fit onto any model of motorcycle at a moment's notice thanks to a large range of mounts. Beeline offers a range of options to suit all different kinds of motorcycles. Most notably, the 12 Volt power mount, mirror/bar clamp, and of course the included universal mount, which I have been swapping between the handlebars of my 3 motorcycles. I was disappointed to see that the Moto II did not fit in my original Beeline Moto mounts, and the same is true for the inverse. Beeline does however sell two respective adaptors to rectify these issues.
The closest competition to the Moto II would be the $679 Garmin Inreach Mini2, and a range of phone mount options from Quadlock (approximately $150 for a case and bar mount). Quadlock of course relies on mounting the user’s phone, an option that is not viable for me as they do not offer a case compatible with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4.
Undeniably, the Beeline is the obvious choice from a stylistic perspective. I’m sure most of us can agree, there's nothing worse than a concourse vintage or custom motorcycle with a phone stuck haphazardly on the handlebars like an unsightly zit.
The Beeline Moto II Black is constructed out of ASA Polymer and CNC Aluminium, with an anti-reflection, hydrophobic IPS TFT Display. The Moto II also has an IP67 rating, meaning it has full protection against dust, as well as more than capable water resistance (up to 30 minutes fully immersed in water). The Moto 2 has a 600mah battery, which lasts about 14 hours from fully charged to dead. One of the massive benefits of the Moto II over the original Moto is the addition of a USB C charger, making it easier than ever to chuck your unit on charge. Location services are provided by your paired phone, and using the Beeline app, you can download routes to access them offline too. 3 years ago, when I first got the original Moto Silver, I took issue with the arrow style compass mode. In the city, it was difficult to see which exit I was supposed to take, resulting in countless moments of unintentional sightseeing. I was incredibly pleased to see a more conventional route display system on the Moto II. The new ‘turn by turn’ directions are worlds clearer, and now navigating in the rats nest of the Sydney CBD is a non issue!
Finally, let’s talk about software. The Moto II has 3 main menu options: The home screen displays a clock, battery life visual, and trip metre when directions are not loaded in. Great if your bike doesn't have a clock (It was a nice change to go through a school zone knowing what time it is!). The second screen displays the remaining battery percentage of both your phone and the Moto II. The side buttons on this screen adjust the brightness. Super handy. Finally, there's the options screen, used for pairing, factory resets, device info and legal.
As for the Beeline App, it's pretty straightforward. Plan a ride on the fly, or download one for later. You can also favourite destinations and save your favourite rides. Once saved, you can share your routes with other riders too! The app also keeps a recent history of where you’ve been riding, how long each ride took and how many kilometres were covered. I did find the record ride feature on the app to be a bit redundant, but I can see the appeal. It essentially leaves a trail of breadcrumbs to save for later.
Beeline are confident in the new Moto II and have stated “we believe that navigation on two wheels should be beautiful, functional and affordable”. At a starting price of $399 there may be some riders who opt out, however, if you are riding and exploring on a classic or retro style bike, like a Triumph Bonneville, Ducati Scrambler, or Yamaha XSR900 or you’re stupid enough to daily ride a vintage motorcycle like myself, the application is obvious. The Moto II is sleek, slender, discrete and can mount anywhere. Rather than take away from the clean, trimmed look of a vintage instrument cluster, the Moto II adds to it with its inoffensive simplistic design.
