If you are looking for a way to install your mobile phone on your motorcycle and go on and offroad, this is the article for you.
Some background
I have ridden scooters for a large part of my life, using a generic phone mount I purchased somewhere. My first motorcycle was a 2018 Honda CB500x, used it mainly for commuting and a bit of traveling on the weekends. Quite soon it became risky having my top-of-the-line mobile phone sitting in a small metal/ plastic accessory that can barely stand the winds. So I started looking for something I can trust my phone with.
While researching for my next motorcycle phone mount I also decided to go a bit offroad with my Honda, which means more shaking and vibrations and calls for something a lot more rugged, that can also hold the phone in place if I crash in the wild.
RAM Quick-Grip XL phone mount for motorcycles
Motorcycle phone mount- RAM Quick Grip XL
After consulting with my riding buddies I decided to order the RAM Quick Grip XL from Amazon, an American-made product with a great reputation and accessory line. Most of the riders are familiar with another product from RAM, the X-Grip which would be good for road/ bicycle use, but would not hold a phone when going offroad.
The RAM Quick Grip XL is a spring-loaded holder (cradle) and features adjustable side supports that provide a secure fit for a variety of phones and other devices. Very easy to use and insert and remove your phone with one hand and with a strong grip to secure your phone.
One of RAM's biggest features is the availability of so many different accessories and mounting options, so whether you want to install it on your navigation bar, mirror, handlebar, or wherever, you can always find the right part to connect to.
My mobile phone was a flagship Samsung so I ordered the XL version (XL stands for the size of phone you can fit, there's also an option for smaller phones) and rode with it for a year.
Only rarely was my phone ejected from the mount and that involved serious offroad crashes
Custom-made vibration dampener
My problem with the RAM Quick-Grip XL started a year later when I changed my motorcycle to a Yamaha Tenere 660 (XT660za), a single-cylinder motorcycle with tractor-like vibrations.
2 months after replacing the bike I lost my mobile phone camera when the autofocus stopped working, making it useless, and before even going offroad.
Fixed the camera for $100 but decided I need to control the vibrations. RAM doesn't make a vibration dampener like Quad Lock so I decided to create my own dampener until I change mounts.
I used a NERF gun bullet and some (new) earplugs in areas where the phone touches the mount directly (see image). It actually worked and I managed to keep this custom dampener for a few more months with no more phone damage, but it was clear it will fail at some point so I decided to change the mount again, so I don't pay for another phone.
Summary for RAM Quick-Grip XL:
It's good if you don't care about the looks and using a phone you don't really care about. It could be a ruggedized phone (for around $100) or an old phone you have.
Overall:
Look and design: 4/10
Ease of use: 8/10
Reliability: 10/10
My custom-made vibration dampener for the RAM Quick-Grip XL phone mount
Quad Lock Motorcycle phone mount
After I lost my faith in RAM's ability to keep my phone safe I started researching my next phone mount and landed on another American-made company, the highly recommended Quad Lock. They have the widest variety of products and use cases I have ever seen, from boats and fishing to cycling and running and so many more, obviously motorcycling plays a big part.
Quad Lock offers a great accessories catalog from which you need to choose how to build your kit based on where you want to install the product on your bike (you can even choose different colors). Since I already had my RAM kit for installation, all I needed was the 1" ball head and vibration dampener to complete my set.
Connecting your phone to the Quad Lock mount requires an adapter. This can be either a dedicated phone mount Quad Lock produces for flagship phones like Apple and Samsung, or simply attaching a very strong sticker to the back of your phone (what I use and recommend). I've gone a long way with the sticker, dropped my bike many times and it holds. Trust me.
Quad Lock Motorcycle Mount
The Quad Lock vibration dampener is essential no matter where you ride since motorcycles both on and off the road generate strong engine vibrations, if you don't have the vibration dampener, your phone gets all the vibrations and it doesn't matter the make or model, it will ruin something in the delicate mechanisms inside your phone eventually, starting with the autofocus of your camera.
Quad Lock Motorcycle Mount- My Experience
It takes a while to learn exactly how to use the Quad Lock mount with one hand, as you need to find the right angle to fit both sides and click them into place.
But once you do, the mount is amazing. Since I use the RAM extension arm, I can adjust the angle based on my riding, so if I'm standing up on the trails I can easily rotate it upwards so I don't have to sit down just to see what comes next on my navigation screen.
I ride daily to work and sometimes go offroad for a day or two with friends, not only on light trails but sometimes even medium-level tracks with rocks and big bumps that could easily knock your phone out of the mount, but the Quad Lock handles it bravely, even when I drop the bike, which happens more often than I can admit, it rarely pops out of the mount.
My Samsung Galaxy S22+ mounted on a RAM extension arm with Quad Lock vibration dampener and ball head
If you are in the US, you can get Quad Lock for 10% off using my affiliate link, Quad Lock ships internationally but that comes with a cost. If you are in Europe you can also purchase directly from my German favorite motorcycle shop, FC Moto, for similar prices to Amazon (which doesn't always have stock): Vibration Dampener ($16.5), Phone Sticker ($13.5), Mirror/ Nav Bar kit ($37), 1" ball mount head to fit RAM ($28), Weatherproof Wireless Charging Head ($74) and many other accessories to help you fit your needs.
Summary for Quad Lock Motorcycle Mount:
It works and it looks good. After a year of using it, I can add it's also very reliable, even if not as strong as the RAM Quick-Grip XL.
Overall:
Looks and design: 9/10
Ease of use: 7/10
Strong and reliable: 8/10
So, what's better? RAM Quick Grip XL or Quad Lock Motorcycle Mount?
If you read my article, you already know I chose the Quad Lock product, as it handles the motorcycle vibrations a lot better and keeps my phone camera safe, plus it has a much better design.
If you ride hard Enduro, have a backup phone, or have a ruggedized one, the RAM Quick Grip XL is a great option for you.
Ruggedized phone by Ulefone
Disclaimer: Most of the links in this article are affiliate links. This means I'll probably get something in return when you buy something directly from this article. This helps me fund this website and all the content I'm creating and will not make me rich. You can always look for the products yourself and buy directly, either way, the price with or without my affiliate link won't change at all.
I don't recommend product I don't use and the product in this article has been in use for a year each, so you can trust I don't write for making money off my readers.