Looking for gift ideas for the motorcycle rider in your life, or even just looking for
an idea for the perfect gift to give yourself?
Stick around!
Because here comes some of our top gift ideas for the motorcycle rider in your life, even
if that happens to be you.
We're going to quickly mention what not to buy for the motorcyclist in your life.
Avoid buying them oil, tires, chain lube, helmets, visors, gloves or any riding gear
as a general rule.
We motorcyclists are incredibly fickle about such things, so unless you know exactly the
size and type of kit they want... don't do it.
Fit is paramount, and we often have very specific needs and even stronger opinions.
It's best to just avoid these things as gifts.
So, instead, we're going to cover some of the items that most every motorcycle will
love and appreciate, starting with less expensive items and working our way up to some more
extravagant gifts towards the end.
So, without further ado, let's dive in.
Riders who struggle with hand or wrist pain really love to have a Throttle Rocker.
These guys are about $10 for a pack of two.
They just slip over the handgrip, and you set them to barely touch the heel of your
hand when the throttle is closed.
It works to allow the rider to keep the throttle open using all of their arm muscles, without
having to hold on as tightly to the handgrip with their fingers.
Every rider needs to have a pair of silk glove liners.
Especially for about $15.
Silk is incredibly warm but also super thin, so they'll fit under any favorite pair of
leather motorcycle gloves.
And can really make the difference on those cooler rides.
If you or the rider in your life rides a motorcycle with a chain, a Grease Ninja is a must.
Yeah, I know, the name is silly, but, these things are only about $15 and make chain maintenance
infinitely less messy.
Also, because it puts the lube where it matters most, the Grease Ninja helps extend the life
of a chain.
Chain lube is almost as sensitive of a topic as politics and religion.
So, just buy them this tool and let the rider in your life choose their own chain lube.
Speaking of devices that may need power, you can pick up one of these slick little USB
charging plugs.
They attach directly to the battery on any motorcycle and will allow your rider to charge
their phone, or whatever else may need to be charged, while they are out riding.
These things are super cheap, typically less than $20, and super handy.
Riders who enjoy touring will really appreciate these therapy balls.
They are small so they don't take up much space, but when they stop for the night they
can roll around on them, and it works wonders on back and shoulder muscles.
If you worry about the rider in your life riding in the dark, well, buy them slick set
of black, retro-reflective, 3M stickers.
They can stick them just about anywhere and because they are black, it won't detract from
the beauty of their bike.
In the daylight it just looks black, but when light hits the tape after dark, they reflect
bright white, making the rider a lot more visible.
$20 gets you this pretty large set.
Touring riders especially need to carry a basic assortment of tools with them.
Most motorcycles come with these janky plastic tool bags, but you can get these much nicer
nylon bags that will allow the rider to better customize the tools they carry and organize
their tools with these pockets.
So they can find the one they need without having to dump everything out.
And they're only about $20.
This next gift is pretty universal but when it comes to road trips we love having our
favorite adult beverage stowed in our luggage.
And our favorite storage device are these flasks from Stanley, for about $35.
They have never leaked a drop, and they, seriously, take a beating.
They seem to be the perfect size to stow nicely away without taking up too much space.
Probably one of my personal favorite items of riding gear; one that I will not leave
home without regardless if it's hot or cold is the humble Buff, at about $25.
They come in hundreds of colors and patters, but the Merino Wool version is, far and way,
our favorite.
It's a tube that goes over the neck while riding, keeping the sun, rain, bugs, wind
and cold from them they are otherwise pretty exposed.
But most importantly, they don't impact the ability to turn their head and look around.
In fact, if you only buy the rider in your life one item off this list, this item would
be our recommendation.
All the wind noise and highway sound your rider is being exposed to is hard on their
hearing.
Show them you love them, and that you want to keep being heard by buying them a box of
our favorite ear plugs.
The yellow and pink Laser Lites from Howard Leight (without cords) are some of the most
comfortable and quiet plugs we've ever used.
And an entire box, which should last them a year or more, is only around $25.
If your rider has ever had to transport their bike anywhere, like maybe a track day, then
they'll need these tie-down straps from Pro Taper.
These are, without a doubt, the best straps we've ever used.
They lock into place, they have these integrated soft-straps and they have this great Velcro
bit to keep the excess strap from flapping in the wind.
At only $35, they would still be a value at twice the price.
RAM Mounts have become the universal method for which most riders attach phones, action
cameras and GPS devices to their bikes.
But they've come a long way in the last few decades.
They now make a myriad of motorcycle attachments allowing the rider to put a RAM Mount virtually
anywhere.
We are especially fond of the Fork Stem Ball Base and the Handlebar Clamp Base.
Add in a Double Socket Arm and they now have the means to put any electronic device, pretty
much, anywhere in their bikes cockpit.
More and more riders are keeping their phones attached to their handlebars, largely to use
as a GPS, but the struggle comes from finding a mount that prevents that $1,000 device from
bouncing down the road.
Our current favorite attachment system is the Quad Lock.
The device will snap into place just by rotating it, and it's really nifty how you can get
a case specific to their phone that isn't big and cumbersome; either on the bike or
the device, making this system our current favorite.
Cold hands are miserable and this heated grip kit from Bike Master is a great solution.
These will work on virtually every motorcycle out there.
Once you have heated grips, it’s hard to ever go without.
I may have even installed these on a race bike at one point in time.
However, you may want to check with your rider before you buy because while /most motorcycles
do not come with these from the factory a few bikes do.
Going back to motorcycle tires.
Motorcycles are incredibly sensitive to tire pressure.
Even the difference in pressure as little as 5% can cause the bike to handle dangerously
and wear out expensive tires even faster.
Every motorcyclist needs to have a high-quality tire pressure gauge that they can rely upon
to be sure their pressure is set perfectly before every ride.
One of our favorites is this one from Intercomp.
It’s one of the best values in tire gauges.
It’s about $50, but it performs on par with gauges two and three times more expensive.
And yes, you can buy $200 tire pressure gauges.
You can really take the tire thing to the next level with a small pancake compressor.
Small enough to fit in a closet and coming in at only about $60-$70, these little guys
will make your riders life so much easier allowing them to air up their tires from their
driveway or their garage, and saving them from the huge hassle of having to find a gas
station with a working coin operated tire pressure station.
Plexus is the best cleaner we’ve found for cleaning visors and windscreens.
It was developed by the Air Force for cleaning fighter jet canopies.
It’s the only stuff we’ve used that doesn’t scratch or make the plastic on helmets and
windshields become hazy.
It’s a little bit on the pricey side for what it is, a two-pack is around $45 dollars.
But a couple of cans of this and a pack of microfiber cleaning rags will for sure/ make
the rider in your life smile.
Now we move into the bigger ticket items Starting with this great little tail bag from Nelson
Rigg.
For a tail bag is super affordable at around $100 - $125 depending on which size you opt
for.
It comes in at least four sizes.
It attaches to the back seat of most any motorcycle.
It’s sleek, expandable, attaches and detaches quickly and keeps stuff out of the way without
looking too frumpy.
And won’t scratch the paint.
It’s a great way to carry those extra necessities in a way that/ you can get at them without
a lot of hassle.
For day rides or week long trips, the rider in your life will enjoy having a little extra
storage.
This next one is kinda weird, but also kinda awesome.
The Exotogg Vest at $130 dollars.
It’s this super slim, super light underlayer that packs just about anywhere because it
folds up to about the size of a large envelope, but can be quickly deployed if things get
really cold.
Basically put it on, blow in a little bit of air, and then the riding jacket goes on
top.
The rider in your life will have an extremely warm, windproof layer of insulation, no matter
what kind of riding jacket they use.
It’s a relatively new product that was voted as the Best New Gear of 2019 in the UK, and
despite how weird it is it’s one of my favorite bits of kit, largely because of how small
it is, how packable it is,and it’s uncanny how well it works.
Plus it can be used for other things, like as a pillow.
I even put it on my dog once when he fell into a creek in the middle of winter.
The Kaoko Throttle lock is another great way to minimize hand, arm and shoulder fatigue
on long rides.
It basically holds the throttle open, but what we like about the Kaoko is these big
lugs on the side make it super easy to turn on, off or adjust while riding and while wearing
motorcycle gloves.
But for around $140 dollars or so, this is the best throttle lock we’ve come across,
even if we have no idea how to say the name.
Helmet communication systems/ are another product that have come a long way over the
last few years.
Even riders who ride alone most of the time love these things because they’ll link up
with their phone or GPS device, and allow the rider to receive turn-by-turn voice prompts.
Or they can listen to a favorite podcast or music while riding.
They can be purchased as a solo or double set so the price ranges from $250 to $450.
We currently prefer the Cardo Packtalk Slim or Bold, but the Sena systems are also really
good.
Action Cameras are nothing new.
GoPro is practically a household name.
But the new GoPro Hero 8 is a pretty major advancement in action cameras,largely because
of what they are calling “hypersmooth.”
It basically makes everything you shoot look like it was done with a steady cam or a drone.
A lot of riders use these, not only to record their favorite roads, or their track day glories,
but they are super popular with riders who use them like a dashcam during their daily
commutes should anything go awry.
The new 8 also has attachments for lights or microphones.
making it really suitable for doing a motorcycle V-Log.
At $400 they aren’t exactly a whimsical purchase, but this really is the best, and
most practical camera, we think, GoPro has ever made.
This one may actually be more for you than them.
A satellite communicator.
These devices will send out a live track of where your rider is, and should they run into
trouble, they can send an SOS and call for help.
Or more likely, just keep you informed that everything is going smoothly.
The new ones even have two-way satellite texting capabilities.
So, no matter where they are in the world or how far out into the boonies they may be,
they are not out of touch.
We really like the Garmin inReach systems, our favorite is the inReach Mini starting
at around $300 dollars, but SPOT is another popular brand that a lot of people use.
And finally, what may be the ultimate gift...
A spot in the Yamaha Champions Riding School.
Yeah, it's not going to be that cheap.
While the ChampStreet courses start as low as $150 to $500, the ultra-mega, two-day ChampSchool
hovers around $2,200.
While they are based out of New Jersey they do operate out of a few other locations, but
there is no better gift than the gift of riding more proficiently.
In the description, we’ve provided links to all the items on this pretty long, comprehensive
list of motorcycle rider gift ideas.
We really hope this has helped you find something for your motorcycle obsessed loved one.
Also, I would love to hear about some of the best and some of the worst motorcycle gifts
you’ve ever received.
So let me know in the comments.
Thanks so much for watching and ride well!