What Maps Work with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay?

 

Strapping a phone to the bars has become the modern biker's compass. Doesn't matter if you're on a big GS crossing Europe or a little single buzzing through town - sooner or later you'll need directions. Trouble is, not every app plays nicely with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, and not every one of them understands that a motorbike isn't a car.

I've spent enough hours swearing at clunky interfaces and useless reroutes to know what works and what's just dead weight. Here's the rundown.

 

Google Maps

The obvious one. It just works. Free, updated, and with voice commands through Google Assistant, it's about as idiot-proof as it gets.

It won't plan a scenic mountain detour or import your mate's GPX route from last year's Alps trip - but when you're in a strange city and just need to find fuel, food, or the hotel, Google Maps is king. I still keep it installed for those moments when fancy tools fail.

 

Waze

Think of Waze as the street-smart cousin of Google Maps. It's powered by its community, so you get live warnings about accidents, traffic jams, and speed traps.

Perfect for commuters and city riders. Less so if you're chasing twisties in the Dolomites. Waze wants you to get there quickly, not enjoy the ride - and sometimes that's exactly what you need.

 

HERE WeGo

A bit of an unsung hero. Offline maps, good traffic info, owned by Audi, BMW, and Mercedes, so the data is solid.

I've used it as a backup when roaming abroad. No mobile signal? Doesn't matter. It's not designed with bikers in mind, but it won't leave you stranded when Google throws a wobbly in the middle of nowhere.

 

TomTom GO Navigation

Remember those chunky TomTom units bolted to windscreens in the 2000s? They're not dead - just living in your phone now.

TomTom GO feels like a proper satnav: reliable rerouting, weekly map updates, and rock-solid offline support. If you like a bit of old-school predictability with modern polish, this one's worth paying for.

 

Sygic GPS Navigation

This one's for the prepared. Download your maps before you ride and you're bulletproof, even in the middle of nowhere. Works with Android Auto and CarPlay, does voice guidance, speed limits, the lot.

Crossing borders or heading into dodgy coverage zones? Sygic is the safety net. You do pay for premium features, but it beats watching your signal die halfway up a mountain.

 

Kurviger

Now we're talking. Built for bikers, Kurviger doesn't care about saving ten minutes - it cares about giving you the most fun route possible. Twisty roads, GPX import/export, planning tools, all tailored to riders.

Integration with Auto/CarPlay is still maturing, but plenty of us already use it without issues. For me, this is the go-to app when I want the ride itself to be the reward.

 

OsmAnd

OsmAnd is the nerd's choice. Open-source, offline, endlessly customisable. You can stack map layers, tweak routes, and play with it until it does exactly what you want.

It's not the smoothest fit with Auto/CarPlay, but as a backup map tool it's unbeatable. I've carried it across South America just for the offline security.

 

Maps.Me

Lightweight, simple, works offline. It even doubles as a tourist guide if you're wandering a new city on foot.

Not bike-specific, but handy to have in your back pocket when everything else decides to crash.

 

Final Thoughts

If you just want plug-and-play, Google Maps and Waze cover the basics. For long tours, TomTom GO or Sygic will keep you out of trouble. If your heart beats faster for bends and backroads, Kurviger is the one that gets it.

Me? I keep a mix. Google Maps for the quick "get me there," Kurviger for the joy rides, and Sygic tucked away for those trips where I know I'll vanish off the grid. Because in the end, navigation isn't about the shortest line between A and B - it's about finding the roads worth riding in between.

 

Testing it all on the CK3

 

At Cokima we build gear with one thing in mind: the ride. Our CK3 Smart Riding System, the feature-packed CK3-Plus, and the big brother CK3-Max for BMW are all designed to handle the real world - rain, dust, gloves, and long days in the saddle.

We'll be testing every single one of these apps on our CK3 units to see how they really perform for motorcyclists. Not theory, not marketing slides - just honest testing, in the wild.

There'll be videos on our YouTube channel showing how each app runs on the CK3, which ones shine, and which ones don't make the cut. If you want to see those tests, ride along with us:

👉 Subscribe to our YouTube channel

👉 Follow us on Instagram and Facebook

That way you'll see the good, the bad, and the unexpected - straight from the road.