Accidents happen – when they do, a dash cam can help keep things simple.
Add GPS functionality to your device, and you can dispute speeding fines or verify your whereabouts at specific times.
Sounds shady. It isn’t. It’s the smart thing to do.
Motorcycle Dash Cam Reviews
Let’s dive into our shortlist. We’ve judged them all on the same criteria to help you make the best choice.
VSYSTO Motorcycle Dash Cam Motorbike Camera
Connections
The VSYSTO is intended to be wired directly to the ignition or connected via USB.
It contains a replaceable lithium-ion cell, which will automatically charge from your bike’s battery when necessary.
Video Quality
Both front and rear cameras record at full 1080p 30fps.
The money saved on making this a no-frills device has been spent on the Sony IMX323 light sensors.
These are the same sensors used in many higher-end dash cam setups and mean that footage captured at night is bright and clear for such a low price point.
150-degree lenses front and rear.
Auto-Start
Hardwired through the ignition or powered via USB, the unit will start recording once you turn the ignition and stop once you turn it off.
Auto-loop
The VSYSTO features an auto-looping system.
Users can set how often they want the loop to reset depending on the size of the SD card installed.
This unit also features a G Sensor Lock – capable of detecting crashes and collisions. Footage of any accidents will be permanently saved to the SD card and can’t be overwritten by the auto-loop function.
App
It comes with a proprietary app to view footage on your phone.
GPS
Nope.
This is a no-frills offering.
A compatible GPS unit can be bought as an optional extra.
Waterproof Rating
Cameras, screen, and remote control are rated as IP67 waterproof.
Feedback from customers in the UK weather is positive.
Mounts
The unit ships with everything needed to mount it to your bike.
The cables are plenty long enough to fit a variety of bike styles; however, some users note they might be a little too long unless you’ve got a lot of fairing or boxes to hide the extra cable behind.
INNOVV K3 2021
Connections
The K3 is intended to be hardwired through the ignition – there is no lithium-ion battery option.
The system is easy to install and ships with instructions.
This camera system doesn’t come with a USB option.
Video Quality
Feedback is very positive on this.
It captures full 1080p at 30fps and can be set to 720p to conserve space on the SD card.
Quality Sony CMOS processor ensures sharp image quality in low-light conditions.
Auto-Start
As it must be wired through the ignition – the K3 will automatically switch on and off when you start your bike.
Auto-loop
The unit automatically loops once the card is full and includes a G Sensor – which will automatically save footage in an accident.
The K3 supports SD cards up to 256GB – which will get you about nineteen hours of footage.
GPS
Full GPS functionality is supported and you can view all the usual data using the proprietary app.
UK riders report the app as fairly well-designed and easy to use.
Waterproof Rating
I got my hands on one of these units just the other day.
The aluminium case feels solid and the cameras and cables are quality and feel durable.
All components are rated as fully waterproof.
Mounts
Previous iterations of this setup shipped with bolts that rusted over time.
Innov has addressed this issue and included stainless steel bolts for the mounting system included.
The cameras are also compatible with RAM and GoPro mounts.
Other
It can be used in parking mode to monitor your bike whilst you are away from it.
Techalogic DC-1.DUAL Lens Camera
Connections
This little 2-in-1 front and rear camera unit mounts on your helmet and relies on an internal lithium-ion battery. This gets you about 2.5 hours of recording time.
An optional power bank (not included) will extend this time significantly, but the seller on Amazon has suggested using this in the rain could be a problem.
Video Quality
Both front and rear are 1080p and use a field of view of 140 degrees. Unfortunately, we don’t have any specifications for framerates, but consumer feedback is pretty positive regarding picture quality.
The SONY Starvis IMX307 Sensor is excellent in low light conditions – an essential feature for insurance/security purposes. The dynamic lighting range here is good. Darks are dark, and bright colours show up naturally.
Auto-Start
Because this isn’t wired through the ignition, it doesn’t have an auto-start feature. Its one-button operation is pretty simple to get to grips with but does require you to remember every time you ride.
Auto-loop
This unit supports an auto-loop function. You’ll get about 9 hours on a 128GB SD before it starts to record over old footage. There is a little wrist-mounted device that allows you to lock footage just taken onto the disk too.
App
The included app makes it pretty simple to watch back and edit footage on your phone. The UI here is decent enough to do some rough cuts, deciding which footage you want to keep and what to ditch. You’ll probably want to do your final edit on a PC, though.
Waterproof Rating
The DC-1 is rated IP65 weatherproof and shouldn’t give you any trouble in the UK weather. Attaching a power bank in the rain might not be a good idea, but the included battery gets you 2.5 hours – enough for the majority of us.
Mounts
This is a helmet-mounted camera setup and uses a similar system to the popular GoPro units. This can be mounted in several ways for other sports, but on motorcycle helmets, it’s secured to the shell with a 3M adhesive pad.
Buyers Guide
AKA what you need to know before spending your hard-earned cash.
Dash Cam vs. Helmet Cam
Dash cams are mainly used to keep you as safe as possible in the event of a crash or unfortunate road rage incident.
That said, some people enjoy editing their dashcam footage from tours and rides to share with friends and family. If you fall into this category, consider buying a setup that supports larger format SD cards so you can capture long rides.
Generally speaking, those looking to edit exciting and engaging footage from their rides would be better served by a motorcycle helmet cam.
A front and rear dash cam is more an investment in your safety than in your budding Hollywood career.
Hardwired Or Battery?
All the units on our list are powered by hardwiring to the ignition or a USB port.
This facilitates the auto on-off function built into each kit.
Several options have backup lithium-ion batteries so that the camera can be used off the bike, though we can’t imagine a situation where this would be useful.
None of these dash cam setups requires you to think about charging their battery packs as all support automatic charging when necessary.
Video Quality
To identify license plates, particularly in low light – it’s best to stick to 1080p.
All dash cams on our list support auto-looping, so there’s no reason to downscale resolution for storage purposes.
As far as the viewing angle of the lenses – the wider, the better.
That said, the differences between the various models in this regard are unlikely to make a significant difference in the event of an accident.
Memory Considerations/Auto-Looping
Units that support larger capacity SD cards might appeal to those looking to record and edit footage of epic tours and rides.
Though, as we said – helmet cams are more suited to this task.
In reality, a smaller SD card set to auto-loop when full will suit most riders in most situations.
The G Sensor Lock function in many of these setups is arguably a must-have.
The unit senses the dramatic change in motion and automatically saves the footage so the auto-loop can’t overwrite it.
Auto-Start/G Sensor
Auto start allows the unit to start automatically when you turn on the ignition – this is a godsend for the forgetful among us.
Look for units with a G sensor – this will sense when an impact occurs and autosave the video for use later.
GPS
Added GPS functionality is a nice touch.
Like we mentioned before – it’s a good insurance policy if you feel you’ve been unfairly booked for speeding.
I like to play around with the route data and figure out the most efficient way to get around.
Waterproofing or Waterproof Case?
All of the cameras, controllers and displays on our list are fully waterproof.
Mount Types
Every dash cam kit ships with mounting brackets, though those compatible with GoPro and RAM mounts have a clear advantage if you’ve already installed either of these systems.
After several complaints about rusting mounting bolts, Innovv has begun shipping their unit with stainless steel mounting bolts.
Conclusion
However, if you’re prepared to make some compromises – the VSYSTO basic model will keep you safe at a low price.