BMW Motorrad has been enjoying a very nice creative phase lately. Between the unique SoulFuel series the company has been using to collaborate with artists around the globe, to releasing their GS Pure Full Face Helmet coined by our main man Jimbo as ‘so pure it makes him swoon,’ the brand has continued to live up to their reputation for quality content.
Now, they’re side-hopping into a new category: motorcycle phone mounts.
It makes sense, really. With Statista telling us that 85 percent of all American adults in possession of a smartphone today (compared to the scant 35 percent in 2011), it’s assumed that y’all would want something to keep your precious device protected on the long weekend commutes.
Whether you’re just craving the security blanket of a front-and-center mount or looking to replace a cheap gimmick that you bought in your budget-friendly phase, BMW knows you want it – so they made it.
AutoEvolution says that BMW’s new chonky boy can be ‘attached to the bike by means of adjustable side clamps, and can hold many different smartphone sizes.’
7.5 W inductive charging is the first perk on the list, with the potential for wired charging of the same capacity via a USB-C connection.
The article tells us that the ConnectedRide will not only fit BMW Motorrad’s newest showroom floor models like the sporty M 1000 RR, the adventure-inclined R 1250 GS, the touring K 1600 B, classic R 18, and the S 1000 R roadster, but will also mount up on older year models, ‘all the way back to the R 1200 GS K50, and bikes fitted with hardware meant to support navigations systems.’
Motorcycles NOT fit for the ConnectedRide Cradle Smartphone Holder:
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BMW R 1200 RT
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BMW R 1250 RT
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BMW K 1600 B (or any of the K 1600 line)
“Aside from providing the perfect platform to use the phone as a navigation screen, the Connected App and Multi-Controller will also turn the phone into a tool to show things like lean angle, acceleration, and deceleration,” states the report.
“As for the phones that can be deployed on bikes using the cradle, we’re talking everything newer than the iPhone 7, Samsung Galaxy A3, Huawei P20, Pixel 2, or HTC U11.”
The big question is this: With recent news that motorcycle vibrations are killing smartphone cameras, how will the ConnectedRide Cradle hold up on a daily brap?
Guess we will just have to bug Jimbo to get his hands on one and see how she holds up.
Stand by for more updates on this story, and while you’re at it, check out a new member of BMW’s SoulFuel series – and as always, stay safe on the twisties.
Will the ConnectedRide be available in the US? I went to my local BMW dealer and they could not find the cradle in the Parts System. Thanks and take care, JC