Thomas Styles' ESP32-Powered Control Panel Puts Motorcycle Rally Roadbook Control Within Easy Reach

Motorcyclist Thomas Styles has designed a clever controller which attaches to a bike's handlebars and provides push-button control of navigation software running on a smartphone — using a Bluetooth connection powered by an Espressif ESP32 microcontroller.

"I designed this controller so that when leading group rides I am able to quickly control my map while still riding at speed," Styles explains of his device. "The default controls I use are Map Zoom In/Out, Map Center on current location, and Map Rotate/North [Up]. The controller will also hopefully lower the barrier of entry to amateur rally events as it can be used to control digital rally roadbooks."

The 3D-printed control device is designed to fit between the clutch controls and the handlebar grip on a wide range of bikes, and has been tested with software including Locus Maps, Rally Navigator, Piste Rally Roadbook Reader, and with work-in-progress but "not certified" support for DMD2. The housing is weather resistant — IP54-equivalent, Styles says, but much will depend on the quality of the print — and includes a step-down converter for powering via the motorcycle's 12V system or an optional battery box.

Inside the housing is an Espressif ESP32 microcontroller, which connects to a smartphone via Bluetooth for wire-free control. The four color-coded buttons can be configured for a range of tasks depending on the software to which they're connected, with two profiles supported — making it easy to switch between software on-the-go.

"DMD2 support is hacked in, there is a change coming from the very helpful DMD2 team which will make controller support easier," Styles writes of a planned upgrade to expand the device's software support still further. "For now I am emulating the basic functions on the map screen only."

The full project is documented on Styles' Instructables page, complete with source code and printable STL files; Styles has stated he plans to make kits available for those without access to a 3D printer, but with no pricing information available at the time of writing.