So far there has not been a specific motorscooter navigation system on the market. One had the choice to go for normal motorcycle navigation system, which would be a challenge to mount on a scooter due to size / type of mount / power supply, or go for navigation via smartphone, for which a weatherproof bracket would need to purchased and again the challenge of providing power to your smartphone as continuous GPS usage drains the smartphone battery pretty quick.
TomTom just introduced the TomTom Vio which jumps into the (niche?) market of navigation systems for motorscooters. The TomTom Vio is visually different from normal motorcycle navigation systems by being round shaped, and with a flexible mounting system which enables, aside of handlebar mounting, a mount solution on scooter mirrors. The unit receives power via an internal battery which is able to approximately provide 5 hours of operation time, and can be recharged via a USB cable. By this no external power is required saving installation time and challenge. The housing is waterproof.
The mounting bracket enables to easily mount and remove the Vio, and the mount is sturdy enough. By putting the Vio on the mount and rotating it, it gets fixed. Only risk of loosening this connection is when you by accident hit is in such way that it rotates, but that likely will not happen too quickly.
For usage the TomTom Vio relies on availability of a smartphone (Android or iPhone) which runs the TomTom Vio app. In affect, the TomTom Vio acts more like an external screen of the smartphone. Only limited operations can be done via the touchscreen of the Vio (which is designed to accept also input when having motorcycle gloves on): settings and entering an address needs to be done via the smartphone. In order to help preserve battery life on your smartphone, the TomTom Vio carries a GPS receiver and puts this information via Bluetooth available to the TomTom Vio app. The whole solution is made on simple user experience and for simple A to B navigation. This means that there are limited possibilities to influence the route from A to B. Via settings you can for instance set avoidance of highways, which is less of a driving domain for scooters. But you can not load, like with normal motorcycle navigation systems, a predefined route or a nice scenic route which you downloaded from the internet. The only way you could predefine such a route is via settings and via via-/way-points.
The TomTom Vio has no speaker, but you can use your smartphones audio system and when having a Bluetooth communication set in your helmet you can have audio navigation commands next to listening to Spotify or Apple Music.
Traffic congestion is overwatched by the TomTom Vio app on your smartphone and when necessary there will be a dynamic rerouting in order to achieve shortest travel time. The Vio also warns visually for speed check points.
In order to enable a nice match between the TomTom Vio and you motorscooter, you can order it in different colors and the backside can be changed to a different color over time by swapping the silicone rear cover. Colors available are: black, blue, green, white, pink, red and yellow.
So when you are in the market for a simple and elegant motorscooter or motorcycle navigation system which takes you from A to B, and you always have a smartphone with you when driving, then the TomTom Vio is a product to look at.
I have just ordered one TomTom Vio to mount on my Vespa GTS 300 i.e. Super, which I use to do smaller drives in and around the city and I take it occasionally on a little creative tour which often ends in places I have never been so that I need a little navigation guidance to get back home. When having the TomTom Vio I can keep my iPhone in the Vespa’s glove compartment which nicely hosts an USB charger / connector so that I can keep my iPhone fully charged while navigating around. And when you leave away with the TomTom Vio and forgot to take you smartphone with you, it will warn you when it looses the smartphone Bluetooth connection so that you can return to your vehicle to pick it up.
As soon as I have built some experience with the TomTom Vio I will write a review on this TourOn2Wheels blog.
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