Best Compass for a Motorbike - Advice Please
 

I am looking for a cheapish but reliable compass to mount on my motorbike that I can use to help navigate roughly on the move - like through large cities etc. I have looked at the Silva Black Star small boat or vehicle compass 58 that has compensation adjustment.

Does anyone have any experience in using this or something similar and whether they work and are reliable?

Any advice welcome.

I use the sun.

If that doesn't work for you, then use the compass on your GPS and/or smart phone.

Thanks but I don't have a GPS and don't want to use a smart phone just a basic compass.

Large cities have loads of metal objects, that will confuse the compass, both above and below ground.

If, and I know you've said you don't want to, go the GPS route, then be aware that some of them will only show a meaningful direction on the compass when you're moving. Others have a flux valve that shows directions when stationary, but with the same problems that apply to a "normal" compass.

A compass is a magnet. A motorcycle is a big hunk of magnet material and associated electrical fields. The two are not very compatible.

Having used a magnetic compass to set up a sun compass, the above is all good advice. Any magnetic compass goes into roulette wheel mode when within 10m of a single bike (and an XT at that, so minimal real metal content) and things like electric train power supplies just sent them loopy. Where the sun is and your watch is going to be more accurate if you don't want to go the far easier and reliable phone GPS route. Boats and aircraft sit in a huge, flat, barely magnetic plain field with a fluid between them and conducted currents, hence the adjuster systems stand a chance.

Andy

Have you checked it against known features or just trust the fact that the oil gives it a steady reading? An arrow painted on the steering wheel is accurate typically once every other day and gives a nice steady reading!


Andy

Thanks for your advice. I was hoping to get some feedback from people who have tried to use a compass so thanks Cleland. I know how a magnet can be effected by the electrics and magnetised parts of the bike but some do come with compensating magnets so I was hoping they might work ok. Cleland, does yours have compensation and if so have you adjusted it or were you just lucky it worked straight away?