Affordable GPS Tracker for Motorcyclists
At the recent American International Motorcycle Expo in Las Vegas, a new product caught our eye: the GPS Vehicle Finder. This budget-friendly GPS tracker promises to revolutionize motorcycle security and ride tracking. If you are focused on preventing theft, tracking every ride effortlessly, and sharing routes with friends, this is the device you’ve been looking for. The GPS Vehicle Finder is reliable, easy to use, and best of all, surprisingly inexpensive.
Product Highlights
- Installing and operating this device is incredibly easy.
- Location coordinates and vehicle status are continuously sent to the web and easily viewable.
- Configure email and text alerts for a range of conditions, including entering and exiting geo-zones, leaving a country, or exceeding a user-defined speed threshold.
- At $189, with the first three years of data service included, this is the least expensive vehicle tracker we found.
- Designed, engineered, and supported by Universal Positioning in San Diego, California.
Before we jump into features, let’s be clear about the origins of this product. It was initially designed for finance companies and fleet managers, so the website may seem more geared towards them. However, as the company expands into the consumer market, expect improvements. In the meantime, don’t be deterred by its commercial origins.
Essential Location Tracking for Motorcycle Riders
The GPS Vehicle Tracker reports vehicle status and location every 5 minutes while in motion and sends a heartbeat signal every 4 hours when stationary. Once installed, it continuously sends data to the web, viewable on the GPS Vehicle Finder website or app, with no need for manual operation. There are no configuration switches on the device and no action needed to stop, start, or pause reporting. It simply works – all the time.
The device uses a pre-configured built-in cellular data connection to send data to the web. When riding in areas without cell coverage, data are stored in the device and sent later when a connection becomes available. There is no interruption in the resulting GPS trail.
Three things you will absolutely love about the GPS Vehicle Finder are enhanced motorcycle security, conveniently keeping friends informed during your ride, and easily recalling and sharing favorite routes. But there are even more reasons to like the product. For example, the system can send maintenance reminders at user-defined mileage intervals or issue alerts when a rider exceeds a pre-set speed threshold (though this one may not be helpful).
Let’s take a closer look at three high-value scenarios.
Always Know Your Motorcycle’s Location
The top benefit of a GPS tracker is the security of always knowing your motorcycle’s location, offering peace of mind. If it is stolen, it assists police with near-realtime location information.
The zones feature turns location signals into proactive alerts. Riders can define geographic zones and configure alerts when the motorcycle enters or exits these areas. This is particularly reassuring while parked overnight. The device also has built-in battery backup, so even if disconnected from the motorcycle, it will continue to send location data.
Let Friends Follow Your Ride
Friends and family often want to follow along on a ride but only have a list of roads and overnight stops. They don’t know where you are during the day.
With the GPS Vehicle Finder, they can view your location in near-realtime on the web. If you set up geo-zones, for example, around hotels or other major waypoints, they will receive alerts at important stops without needing to access the web.
Share Your Favorite Routes
Another good reason to use a GPS tracker is to create a record of your precise route, one that can be viewed on a map and shared with fellow riders. The GPS Vehicle Finder effortlessly tracks your motorcycle location 24/7, whether you are on a ride or the bike is parked in the garage.
To view a past route, enter the start and end dates for the ride on the GPS Vehicle Finder website. The resulting chronological list of location coordinates, which can include additional information such as vehicle speed, mileage, and street address, can be viewed in a data table or graphically on a map.
Route data is easily exported to share with friends. To view an exported route on a Garmin or in Google Maps however, the exported comma-delimited file must first be converted into a GPX file (GPS Exchange Format). The easiest way to do that is by asking ChatGPT to convert the file for you.
How to convert a CSV file to a GPX file using ChapGPT
- Upload the CSV file to ChatGPT.
- Enter a prompt that reads something like this: “I uploaded a CSV file containing the latitude and longitude for a series of points on a route. I’d like to convert the CSV into a GPX file. Please do that.
- Download the resulting GPX file. You can now view the GPX file in Google My Maps and share it with other riders.
Additional Observations and Insights
Installation is a Snap
If you can find a power wire and a frame bolt for grounding, you can install this. Hide the device under the seat, connect the power lead and ground wire, and it is up and running. An orange and green LED indicate the device has cell and satellite reception. An optional third switched power connection allows the device to immediately recognize when the motorcycle starts.
Tracking Intervals Are Sufficient
Competing GPS trackers log location coordinates more frequently than the GPS Vehicle Finder, but logging every 5 minutes creates enough data points to follow any route. The route is easy to see in both the GPS Vehicle Finder website and on Google Maps.
Geo-zones Are Useful But Tricky to Set up
Geographic zones trigger location-based alerts. However, configuring a geo-zone on the GPS Vehicle Finder website is tricky. New zones are drawn by double-clicking on the map to create shapes that outline the zone. Narrowing them to precisely contain a desired area takes some dexterity and is not something one is likely to do during a ride. Instead, riders will find it easier to set up zones around locations where they intend to leave the motorcycle in a high-risk unattended area or parked overnight.
The Website is Not Designed for Consumers
The GPS Vehicle Finder website is highly functional but unlikely to win a prize for modern design aesthetics. It was designed for fleet administrators but can work for the rest of us. After a little practice, using the site is not overly difficult. Site navigation is easy to follow, views are customizable, and help pages are never more than a click away. So, while the site may harken back to the early days of the web, the important capabilities are there.
Can’t Beat the Price
Perhaps most importantly, the device is inexpensive compared to competing products. The GPS Vehicle Finder is priced at $189 and comes with the first three years of data service at no additional cost. After three years, each additional year is currently priced at $39. Competing GPS trackers from companies like Brickhouse Security and LandAirSea sell for as little as $12 but require monthly subscriptions costing as much as $20, making their comparable three-year cost run anywhere from $380 to $735.
The Bottom Line
The GPS Vehicle Finder emerged as a notable highlight at the American International Motorcycle Expo. Our testing confirmed this low-cost device delivers reliable location tracking and all the features needed for anyone seeking a no-frills GPS tracking solution and the peace of mind that comes with it.
To purchase or learn more, call Brett Wells at 503-683-2550 or send an email to brett.wells@gpstrackingpartners.com.
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