10 Innovative Gift Ideas For Motorcycle Riders In 2023

It can be tricky to think of a suitable gift for friends and family members –unless that person happens to ride a motorcycle, that is. The diverse nature of biking lends itself to plenty of exciting and practical gift ideas to enhance your motorcycle, improve the riding experience, and keep you safer on the road.

Motorcycles are constantly evolving, creating opportunities for product development in keeping with innovations in motorcycle tech. It wasn't so long ago that the idea of conversing with other riders, streaming music, or navigating via GPS would have seemed like science fiction, yet here we are, thanks to the ubiquitous smartphone and a host of groundbreaking digital accessories.

Safety is always on a motorcyclist's mind, and there are also plenty of essential accessories to help ensure you make it home safe and sound. These might include wearable gear, helmet tech, or maintenance items. Additionally, there are many useful tools and gadgets based on rider comfort, vehicle security, improved visibility, and aesthetics. 

Here are 10 of the best innovative gift ideas for motorcycle riders right now.

Riding a motorcycle used to be a solitary pursuit, and communicating was restricted to some recognizable hand gestures and a few blasts on the horn. Bluetooth connectivity and, later, MESH technology have since revolutionized motorcycle communication. With modern wireless headsets, we can not only talk to each other over a range of hundreds of meters but also listen to music, take phone calls, and receive directions from navigation apps. The Flagship Cardo Packtalk Edge — which retails for $350.95 on Amazon – is one such unit that will change the way you experience riding a motorcycle.

When shopping for a quality Bluetooth motorcycle headset, there are two market-leading brands to choose from — Cardo and Sena. Both offer excellent products that are easy to use, effective, and comparable in terms of features. Having owned models from both manufacturers, why did I choose the Cardo? Put simply, it communicates with other headsets more easily. With a Sena unit, you must jump through hoops to connect with anything but another Sena device, whereas Cardo offers cross-platform compatibility via Bluetooth.

The Packtalk Edge uses wireless MESH technology for long-range connectivity and comprises a host of innovative features. These include a magnetic Air Mount attachment, voice command functionality, a fully waterproof rating, a glove-friendly, intuitive interface, a JBL sound system, and an excellent companion app. When combined with its compatibility with other brands, this Cardo headset offers far more real-world practicality than most other headsets, especially when bought as a gift.

Tire maintenance is an essential part of life on two wheels. After all, your tires are the final frontier between you and whatever surface you find yourself riding on. Michelin suggests you check your bike's tire pressure at least every two weeks, and different riding conditions — such as changes in ambient temperature and when carrying an extra load or a passenger–  affect the optimal tire pressure. While on long road trips, I routinely find myself pulling into a gas station to ensure that each tire is topped up to its suggested levels.

It is, therefore, much more convenient to service your tire pressure at home or on the move. To do that, I purchased the Lexin P5 Portable Tire Inflator for $69.99 on Amazon. Not only does this air compressor keep your tire pressure topped up to precise levels, but it also inflates tires fully in the event of a flat. Keeping this compact item handy while traveling (as well as a puncture repair kit) will not only afford you peace of mind but will also help ensure that you are not left stranded and miserable at the roadside.

The Lexin P5 offers different inflation modes for various applications and a bold LCD. It runs on an integral battery that's good for multiple full tire inflations and charges via USB-C. To use, you simply dial in your target air pressure in PSI, connect it to your tire's valve stem, and turn it on. It'll then inflate or deflate your tire until it hits the magic number. This somewhat utilitarian item may not be at the top of every motorcyclist's wishlist, but it is something that every rider would find particularly useful and would be gratefully received as a gift.

A brake light is essential for any motor vehicle as a warning signal for following traffic. This requirement is magnified when applied to motorcycles, as a rear-end shunt that might cause a minor whiplash in a car could be catastrophic to those on two wheels. Brake Free, which can be found for $169.99 from Brake Free, is a smart, wireless LED brake light that attaches to the helmet. It uses sensors to detect when your bike slows down and cautions those behind you with a bold, eye-level warning.

Visibility should be a priority for anyone riding a motorcycle, and additional lighting is always a good idea. Also, brake lights can sometimes be obscured by top boxes, dirt, bright sunlight, or bad weather, or they can experience connection or bulb failures. Unlike conventional brake lights, Brake Free also works with engine braking, activating as you shift down through the gears. It also offers three riding modes that are either constantly illuminated, brightening as you decelerate, gently pulsing lights at the edges, or lighting up only when braking.

Since helmet tech is constantly evolving with new integrations to keep us safer, connected, and informed on the road, it's undoubtedly a matter of time before wireless brake light technology is included in helmets right off the shelf. However, in the meantime, you can gift someone an extra line of defense when riding with this innovative piece of kit.

Motorcycles are far more susceptible to theft than their four-wheeled counterparts, and it is every rider's nightmare to return to their prized steed only to find it missing. For this reason, most of us carry a lock of some description, but these usually come with their drawbacks. Cable locks and chains can be easily removed with bolt croppers, and disc locks can badly damage the motorcycle's brake calipers if the bike is moved or if you try to ride away with it still attached.

The $229.99 Roadlok is an innovative motorcycle lock that attaches to the brake caliper. As it is integrated with the braking mechanism, you won't damage your motorcycle if you roll it with the lock activated, you cannot forget to bring it with you, and there is the added convenience factor, which means that you are more likely to use it, even when leaving your bike for a short time.

You can't cut the brake disc to remove the Roadlok or unbolt it from the motorcycle while in use, making it more effective than standard disc locks. The U.K. company Bennetts extensively destruction tested the device and found it to be resistant to bolt croppers, hammers, drills, and angle grinders, ultimately rating it as "highly recommended." However, if you do choose to gift a Roadlok to someone, be sure that it is compatible with their motorcycle, as the design varies according to each type of brake caliper.

No matter what you ride or where you do it, we all like to take pride in our bike's appearance. Not only does regular cleaning keep your bike looking its best, but it also helps keep it well-maintained, as caked-on dirt and grit can cause mechanical issues and facilitate corrosion. Regular cleaning is all the more important if you often ride on salted roads or take your bike on dirt or unpaved surfaces, but some cleaning devices can also damage your bike.

The Muc Off is a $200.00 pressure washer designed by riders for riders as a compact and effective means of keeping your motorcycle in pristine condition. It is safe to use on bearings and delicate surfaces, such as paintwork and plastic fairings, as well as intricate parts, including electronics and suspension components. It sprays water at a pressure of around 1,000 pounds per square inch, and once you have doused all the dirt away, switch it to the foam setting to lather up your pride and joy before buffing it and rinsing to a pristine glossy shine.

Muc Off offers a variety of accessories to use in conjunction with your pressure washing unit, including chamois, detergents, polishes, lubes, and various bundles. It has been extensively tested by respected reviewers such as Motorcycle News and is considered to be a high-quality, useful product that is excellent value for money, especially when gifted as a standalone unit.

Even fair-weather motorcyclists can find themselves riding in chilly conditions when the sun is low in the sky, and for those of us who use our bikes for year-round transport, keeping warm is an essential part of staying safe and focused when the thermometer starts to fall. One solution is heated grips, but if your bike doesn't come with these fitted, they can be a costly and intrusive addition to your bike's setup, especially when there is a simpler solution — quite literally — at hand.

Winter riders can enjoy toasty hands courtesy of Highway 21 Heated Motorcycle Gloves, which can be found for $167.88 on Amazon, without having to install heated grips. These seven-volt battery-powered mitts stay warm for up to four hours, depending on your warmth setting, and consist of a leather outer and Thinsulate lining with a waterproof Hipora membrane. According to Rider Magazine, they are exceptionally toasty, but they run a little large in size, so bear this in mind if you are choosing these as a gift.

Highway 21 gloves have haptic fingertips that enable smartphone use, so you don't need to remove them to navigate. They have large buttons, making operation easy while they're in use, and a bold LED to let you know that they are active. If you or someone you know is a year-round rider or living in a cooler part of the world, a set of these heated gloves could well be a gift that keeps on giving.

As previously mentioned, maintaining the correct tire pressure is imperative for safe riding. While a tire inflator is the more accurate means of checking tire pressure, it is helpful to be able to constantly monitor pressure levels in between topping up. As optimum tire pressure varies according to load, road conditions, and temperature, a wireless monitor also helps you stay on top of things from day to day.

I purchased the SYKIK SRTP300 Wireless Tire Pressure Monitor for $54.95 on Amazon before undertaking a three-month, 4,000-mile motorcycle trip around the Philippine islands. I was about halfway into this trip when I rode over a nail and was forced to plug my tubeless tire by the roadside. Not only did its display reassure me that my tires were keeping pressure, but it also provided front and rear temperature data in real time. Had I experienced a significant loss of pressure, it would have alerted me with a flashing, audible alarm.

Installation was as easy as replacing my tire stem dust caps with the SYKIK dust caps, each of which has a built-in sensor and is labeled for front and rear wheels. The companion LCD monitor can then be mounted on your handlebars or, in my case, on the inside of my crash bars. It could just as easily be kept under your seat or in your top box if you are only using it for casual routine checks. As far as gift ideas are concerned, this is a thoughtful and innovative system that goes nicely with the Lexin P5 Portable Tire Inflator, as mentioned above.

The smartphone has revolutionized life on two wheels, chiefly as a navigation tool but also for entertainment and communication when used with a wireless headset. Many brands stepped up to the challenge of designing a secure, robust means of attaching your cherished device to the handlebars, but most were fallible, overly fiddly, or downright ugly. That is until Quad Lock came along.

The $34.99 Quad Lock has become the go-to solution as an innovative motorcycle phone mount that is integrated into the phone's case. Simply depress a lever, align your device with the unit, and give it a quarter turn. A satisfying click lets you know that your phone is locked securely in place, and you must reverse the process to release it, making it an almost foolproof design. The Quad Lock comes in a variety of attachment configurations, from a wide handlebar mount and slim mirror stem mount to fork stem and brake reservoir adapters.

Quad Lock also offers some useful accessories, such as a vibration dampener and a wireless charging dock. The latter can either be connected via USB or directly to your bike's battery for handy connectivity without messy cabling, and the former protects your phone from harmful shocks. This is especially useful if you regularly ride offroad or on uneven surfaces.

I recommend Quad Lock to all my motorcyclist friends ever since my own device was unceremoniously dumped from a lesser phone mount onto a busy highway and subsequently run over. This was indeed a lesson learned the hard way, and since using a Quad Lock with a mirror mount, I have experienced no issues whatsoever.

Airbag technology has been in use in cars since the mid-20th century, but it has only relatively recently been applied to wearable motorcycle tech. With its Smart Airbag Jacket, high-end motorcycle apparel brand Dainese uses technology it developed for MotoGP in this svelte undershirt. It activates in the event of a collision, providing an essential cushion that could potentially save a rider's life.

The Dainese Smart Jacket uses its patented D-Air technology that comprises an inner vest with seven sensors that activate an air-filled bladder at the back and chest areas. This intelligent system uses Mac and Windows-compatible firmware and is powered on when you close its magnetic fastenings as you put it on. The jacket uses yet more sensors to detect when the bike is in motion based on its engine vibrations. It then switches to armed mode as you exceed six miles per hour, treating you to 26 hours of protected riding on a single charge.

The Dainese Smart Airbag Jacket could well be the gift you never knew you needed, but as anyone who has watched MotoGP riders stroll away from fast crashes will attest, it is a welcome innovation. While the vest isn't cheap at $779.95 direct from Dainese, anyone who puts a lot of miles on their bike would take reassurance from owning one.

Most motorcyclists shudder at the thought of their prized possessions being stolen. Especially given that there is a lucrative market for pilfered motorcycles, many of which are then stripped down and sold as parts. However, should you experience the waking nightmare of realizing that your motorcycle isn't where you left it, all is not lost.

The MiniMoto 7 Motorcycle Tracker and Alarm can be found for $149.00 on Amazon and will notify your phone as soon as your bike is moved. All that is then left to do is to notify the local authorities and use the real-time GP data to trace your vehicle to whatever robber's lair or chop shop it happens to end up in. Installation is easy, and the unit can be secured under your bike's seat with a couple of zip ties. The device then uses an intuitive companion app to relay data to your phone and deactivates when in the vicinity of its counterpart key fob, so it knows when the legitimate owner is simply taking the bike for a spin.

It's hard to put a price on peace of mind, and the MiniMoto 7 greatly improves your odds of retrieving a stolen vehicle. However, if you are considering gifting one, be aware that a yearly SIM subscription is required to keep the bike protected, and further payments would be required on behalf of the account owner. With that said, most motorcyclists would be happy to pay a relatively small annual fee for this useful service, which potentially saves you a lot of grief.