Trail Tech Voyager GPS - Dirt Rider Magazine

There has not been a motorcycle-specific, trail-riding-focused Global Positioning Sensor. Until now. Trail Tech saw the need for this. We've all been using GPS receivers from other companies that are designed for hiking, mountain biking or running and wishing there was one for our dirt bikes. We got our wish.Not much larger in size than a speedometer/odometer, the Voyager is only as big as the screen needs to be for it to be effective. It has four buttons (one is a four-way toggle), and the user interface is about as natural as could be expected. I'm no computer geek and I was able to use and figure out 90 percent of the features before I even looked at the instructions, which come on the included CD-ROM. The unit bolted right onto my Husaberg (identical to KTM mounting) and came with the stock-style clips, so it basically plugged right in. Then I installed the in-line coolant temperature sensor and the ignition sensor and I was ready to go.The Voyager has an internal battery that is charged by the bike and can take anywhere from 12 to 160 AC volts or 12 to 60 DC volts, so it pretty much works on any ignition source, and the antenna is internal (an optional external antenna is available). The screen is grayscale, and a backlight automatically comes on when it gets dark. Viewing the information on the screen is fine if you have good eyes, otherwise some of the smaller numbers, like the temperature (ambient or bike) or mileage numbers, can take a sharp focus, something you may not feel comfortable doing while moving (and this is stringently warned against in the instructions). The one number that is easy to see is your speed on the main screen, which is good for dual-sport applications. The map page is just about right to see your track or to allow you to follow one you've downloaded into the computer. Zooming, moving and toggling around in the map page, and for that matter into the menus for any of the screens, is logical and becomes second nature after just a few times playing with the unit. Neat features like having the ability to program in warning lights (yellow and red, flashing and static) for the coolant temperature not only give you a visual warning you're cooking your bike, there is a graphical page where you can track the coolant temperature while you are riding. A similar page tracks the changes in altitude. You can choose the source for your odometer (wheel or GPS) and tell the unit when to track (when moving, when the engine is running or when the wheel is moving), additionally you can compare the differences between them or look at a number of different bits of information on two user-customizable pages.The main purpose, to log or follow tracks and allow you to save your rides, is flawless, and the GPS never lost contact with the satellites the whole time I was using it. The recorded logs can be sent to the micro SD card contained on the GPS and then transferred to your home computer and utilized how you see fit. The format is a very common .GPX file that can be dropped directly on Google earth and a sharing platform at www.ohvtrails.net that will be monitored by Trail Tech specifically for legal motorcycle single-track trails. You can also upload tracks, routes and waypoints to the Voyager and have them included on the map page for you to follow. The trails you upload serve as your "base map" as the unit does not have any maps included inside its memory. There are easy-to-use online sources for lifting base map information to add to the Voyager for most areas, all explained in the instructions. At $279.95 the thing is a steal considering what I've paid for units that don't do exactly what I want and don't fit on my motorcycle. This unit does all that and is built tough to boot! -Jimmy Lewis

Hard Parts 92.0
Installation 19/20
Function 47/50
Durability 9/10
Design 9/10
Price 8/10
www.trailtech.net
360.687.4530