How to use Google Maps on the Stark VARG dashboard

Why this works (and why it’s not obvious)

If you’ve tried running a navigation app on your Stark VARG, you already know the problem. The moment the bike goes into Drive, the Stark app takes over the screen and shows the gauge display. Your map disappears behind it. There are workarounds for this, but most of them are clunky or unreliable.

Google Maps has a trick that most riders don’t know about. When you start turn-by-turn navigation and press the Home button, Google Maps drops into a small floating window - Android calls it Picture-in-Picture - that stays on top of everything, including the Stark gauge display.

It’s the only free way to get a floating navigation window on the Stark dashboard. It has limitations (more on that below), but for road navigation and getting back to your vehicle, it gets the job done.

How to set it up

This takes about 30 seconds once you know the steps. The key is getting past the Stark app’s dashboard lock first.

1. Disable the dashboard lock. Tap the gauge display, then tap Home. This unlocks the screen so you can access other apps.
2. Open the Android navigation bar. Swipe inward from the right edge of the screen. You should see the three Android buttons - triangle (Back), circle (Home), and square (Recents). Tap the circle (Home).
3. Open Google Maps. Find it on the home screen or in the app drawer.
4. Start navigation. Enter your destination and tap Start. Google Maps needs to be actively navigating for the floating window to work.
5. Press the Home button again. Swipe from the right edge to reveal the Android navigation bar, then tap the circle (Home). Google Maps will shrink into a small floating window.
6. That’s it. The floating window stays on top of whatever is on screen. Open the Stark app or just start riding - the Google Maps window stays put with your turn-by-turn directions.

Switching between the floating window and full screen

This is where things get tricky. Read this section before you ride, it’ll save you from getting stuck.

The floating window has a small button to expand Google Maps to full screen. That’s useful when you need to see the full map, adjust your destination, or explore your route. But there’s a catch.

When Google Maps goes full screen, the Stark app’s dashboard lock hides the Android navigation bar. That means you can’t press the Home button to shrink Google Maps back into a floating window. You’re stuck in Google Maps with no way out - the only escape is turning off the bike (which disables the lock) or restarting the phone.

The safe way to switch

The trick is to always disable the dashboard lock before you expand Google Maps.

1. Tap the gauge display (behind the floating window).
2. Tap Home. This disables the dashboard lock and reveals the Stark dashboard.
3. Now tap the expand button on the Google Maps floating window. Google Maps goes full screen, and since the lock is off, the Android navigation bar is still accessible.
4. Do what you need to do. Check the route, change your destination, explore the map.
5. When you’re done, press the Home button (circle). Google Maps drops back into the floating window.
6. Start riding or switch to the Stark app. The floating window stays on top.

It becomes second nature after a few times, but the order matters. Always disable the lock first, then expand.

For comparison, Head North has a dedicated button that toggles between the floating window and full screen without this issue. It was built specifically for the Stark dashboard. But if you’re using Google Maps, the workflow above keeps you out of trouble.

Tips that make it better

• Use walking directions for enduro riding. Google Maps’ walking mode creates direct routes instead of sticking to roads. When you’re out in the middle of nowhere and need a straight line back to the car, walking directions are surprisingly useful.
• Download offline maps before you ride. Open Google Maps while you have signal, go to your profile, tap Offline maps, and download the area you’ll be riding in. Cell coverage disappears fast once you’re on the trail.
• Drag the floating window to reposition it. If it’s covering your speed or battery percentage, just drag it to another corner of the dashboard.
• The floating window shows next-turn instructions. It’s small, but you can see the next turn direction and distance at a glance. Enough for road navigation.
• Best for getting to the trail and getting back. Google Maps knows every road. It’s great for navigating to the trailhead or finding the fastest route home when you’re running low on battery.

Where it falls short

This workaround is genuinely useful, but it’s worth knowing what it can’t do.

• No GPX support. You can’t load a planned trail and follow it. Google Maps only navigates to an address or a dropped pin, it doesn’t know what a GPX file is.
• The dead-end problem. Expanding to full screen without disabling the dashboard lock first gets you stuck. It works fine once you know the steps, but it’s easy to forget in the moment.
• Fixed window size. The floating window is whatever size Google Maps decides. You can’t make it bigger or smaller.
• No heading indicator. The floating window shows the route and your next turn, but not which direction you’re facing. On a winding trail this matters.
• Road-focused navigation. Google Maps is built for roads. It doesn’t know about single track, fire roads, or trail networks. For actual trail riding, you need something that supports GPX routes.

If you want a map that follows a GPX trail, shows your heading, and toggles between the floating window and full screen without the dead-end, that’s what Head North is built for. But for free turn-by-turn on roads, Google Maps with the floating window is a solid option.