Quad Lock Smartphone Motorcycle Mount Review: Handlebars and Mirrors
For many of us, snapping our smartphones into a holder in our four-wheeled vehicles has become as routine as clicking our seat belts. From nav apps to audio apps, we’ve become so reliant on our devices we feel almost naked without them.
Of course, we’ve all experienced the frustration of securing a mounting device in our cars. Fortunately, securing one to our motorcycles is actually easier and more secure thanks to Quad Lock.
The back of the case has inset molding that mates to a hard plastic notched ‘wheel’ that is mounted to either your motorcycle’s handlebar or mirror. When snapped into place, the smartphone is absolutely secure and can be operated just as you would use it if was mounted in your car or truck.
Installation takes less than five minutes. You’ll need to determine where you have enough clearance for your phone, as well as at what angle you’d like to place the phone for optimum viewing without moving more than your eyes too far from the road.
Once this rubber piece is fit over the bar or stem, the mounting clamp is attached securely using two provided screws and an Allen wrench. The Motorcycle Mount kit has one component that the Mirror Mount kit does not—an extender piece that provides a bit more flexibility in positioning.
Because the mounting unit has a pivoting wheel, you can make slight adjustments to straighten up your phone once the Quad Lock is installed. When you arrive at your destination, simply press the tab to release and twist. Your phone detaches easily and off you go.
If you plan on using the phone while riding, you will need to invest in gloves that are touchscreen compatible. Of course, you can simply set the phone on whatever screen you want visible before you take off—say a nav app such as Waze—and disable the auto-lock/sleep mode on your phone.
Quad Lock is handy if you have no need to look at your phone while riding, but you simply want the convenience of being able to quickly grab it at a stop and shoot a picture, then snap it back onto your handlebar.
You can still activate the touch screen through the thin but durable TPU cover. Note, if you’re going to be using the Poncho, make sure to mount the Quad Lock with the Poncho installed, as it takes up a little more room than when your phone is going au naturel.
Before using the Quad Lock I was a bit dubious, thinking it would be a distraction to have my smartphone in view while riding. I was already using the Waze app via Bluetooth to the Sena 10C installed on my helmet, so didn’t feel the need to have my phone in view. However, it is helpful to have the visual when traveling somewhere unfamiliar, especially at night.
If you use Notification banners on your smartphone, you will want to disable them if you find the pop-ups distracting while riding.
Quad Lock is an excellent option for anyone looking to mount a smartphone to a motorcycle. This is a quality product with durable pieces, easy to use, and spare in design. Quad Lock’s proprietary cases fit all iPhones and Samsung Galaxy phones.