Triumph Motorcycle Mounts for Phones and GPS Devices

Triumph Bonneville MotorcycleTriumph is the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the UK.  You can find these motorcycles all over the world.  The company started in 1902 and although it’s changed ownership several times in the past century, they are still churning out approximately 50,000 motorcycles each year.  While not as mainstream as Honda or Harley-Davidson, you do see dealerships throughout the world offering the Triumph brand which gives us reason to discuss Triumph motorcycle mounts for phones and GPS devices.

Motorcycle owners like to mount devices on their bikes.  What they like to mount changes with the times.  It used to be GPS units and satellite radios.  Today the most popular device is a smartphone with a lot of new interest for action cameras such as a GoPro.  GPS units are still very popular for mounting and satellite radio has declined probably due to the fact that smartphones have taken the place for entertainment purposes.  I receive a few questions each year regarding the potential use of a suction cup on a motorcycle which I do not recommend as the vibrations can easily compromise the effectiveness of the hold of a suction cup.

Triumph motorcycle models are not all the same and therefore, mounting locations will vary.  Sometimes, it’s a matter of personal taste and other times it will be practicality.  If using your smartphone as a GPS or if you are mounting a dedicated GPS unit from a company like Garmin or TomTom, you will want to place it where it can be easily seen so a handlebar might be the best option or perhaps the fork stem.  If you are using your smartphone for music and have Bluetooth, then tossing it into a saddlebag and not worrying about a mount might work best.  We will look at a few popular locations in this article.

When selecting a Triumph motorcycle mount, you want to ensure the device that you are mounting will be secure.  There are a lot of inexpensive mounts, and you do get what you pay for.  My general rule of thumb continues to be that if it’s selling for a few dollars, it’s probably not going to hold up well.  Use metal or very heavy duty fiber reinforced plastic wherever possible.

Consider the RAM Fork Stem Mount with Universal X-Grip Holder.  This mount base fits many Triumph models including the Triumph Daytona and Triumph Street Triple R.  The mounting base fits into the cylindrical bore wall of the motorcycle fork stem.  The mount uses RAM’s famous one inch ball mounting system.  The mount is coupled with RAM’s equally famous X-Grip cradle for cell phones.  We have been fans of X-Grip for a long time and wrote a detailed article on this topic which can be read here.  This particular cradle opens up to 3.25 inches so it will fit most smartphones currently available.  A similar mount coupled with a larger cradle is the RAM Fork Stem Mount with Large X-Grip Holder.  This uses the same base but includes a larger cradle that opens up to 4.5 inches.  This mount is perfect for the largest smartphones such as the Apple iPhone 6s Plus or Samsung Galaxy S6.  It will work well with or without a case or skin on your phone.  All of these mounts come with a lifetime warranty from the manufacturer.

Some of the Triumph Sprint, Triumph Street Triple and Triumph Tiger models can use the M8 size handlebar bolt as a mounting point.  The Ram Mount Motorcycle Handlebar Clamp Base with M8 Screws will replace that bolt with a standard RAM ball mount.  Add a RAM arm and one of the X-Grip cradles to finish off your mounting solution.  The X-Grip cradles can also be used to house almost any GPS as well.  Most modern GPS devices have sizes similar to a smartphone so these cradles should work well for those devices as well.

Handlebar space is available on many Triumph models and a traditional mount with a good cradle that works well on smartphones and GPS units is TechGripper Handlebar Mount Kit.  The mount is metal and coated in black and the cradle opens to 4 inches.  It fits handlebar diameters from 7/8 to 1.25 inches so it covers the majority of motorcycle models that can accommodate a handlebar mount.  The mount takes up .75 inches of handlebar real estate and the phone sits somewhat close to the handlebar.  Installation of the mount is completed with a small hex wrench which is provided.  This is a nice feature that helps prevent theft of the mount since most thieves aren’t walking around with a set of hex wrenches.  Installation is easy and you should be able to do this yourself.

Those looking to mount a GoPro camera can look at the RAM Mount GoPro Hero Adapter Handlebar Rail Mount.  This mount features a custom adapter that fits the weatherproof case that comes with all GoPro cameras.  The mount is made of metal and has a u-bolt handlebar attachment that fits diameters up to 1.25 inches.  There is a 3 inch arm that articulates at the base and tip.  This mount comes with a lifetime warranty from RAM.

Lastly, we always recommend that your smartphone have a good case to prevent any residual damage from small stones popping up off the roadway.  It’s a small investment to protect your expensive phone.  We also recommend that you tether your device whenever possible for added safety.  We also like to recommend using a tether on your device for added safety.