This page explains how products are chosen, tested, and ranked on Handlebar HQ.
What we test
Electronics riders mount on or wire into a motorcycle: CarPlay and Android Auto displays, GPS navigators, phone mounts, dash cams and helmet cameras, intercoms and headsets, GPS trackers, USB chargers, and tire-pressure monitors. We don’t review helmets, apparel, tires, or motorcycles themselves.
How products are chosen
We start with what riders are actually buying and asking about — forum threads, owner groups, and search demand — and then test the products most people are choosing between, plus any credible alternative we think is being overlooked. We buy most test units at retail. When a manufacturer provides a unit, the review states that.
How we test
- Real installation. Every product is installed on a Yamaha Ténéré 700 or BMW R1200GS following the manufacturer’s instructions. We note anything the instructions leave out.
- Minimum mileage. No verdict is published before a product has been ridden with for at least several hundred miles, including at least one ride in rain and one ride on unpaved roads where relevant.
- What we measure. Screen readability in direct sun, glove-touch response, Bluetooth stability (disconnects per 100 miles), boot time, power draw, mount vibration at highway speed, water ingress after rain, and app compatibility with current iOS and Android releases.
- Long-term updates. Reviews are updated when firmware changes behaviour, when a unit fails, or when a newer model replaces the one tested. The update date is shown on each review.
How rankings work
Roundups (“Best X”) rank products on performance in our tests first, then value, then warranty and support. Affiliate commission is not a factor. Products can and do rank below others that pay us more.
Corrections
If we’ve got something wrong, tell us. Factual corrections are made promptly and noted at the bottom of the article.