5 Of The Best Gadgets For Motorcycle Riders

Some riders take the approach that the best kind of ride is one that's free of distraction – the kind of ride where nothing gets in the way of the connection between the rider and the machine. No screens, no tech, no motorcycle accessories whatsoever. While there's certainly some appeal to embracing the purity of that kind of ride, there is also a case to be made for embracing a few modern gadgets that will increase comfort, improve safety, and maybe even keep you from getting lost along the way. After all, how much can you enjoy the ride if you've lost track of your friends and you don't know where you're going?

With this list, we go over several gadgets, ranging from simple mounting hardware to sleek communication systems that will improve your riding experience. We've put together this list of some of the best motorcycle gadgets by using them all in the real world, riding with them, and sometimes trading out old tech for new — fine-tuning the riding experience as a result. Everything listed below is tried and tested. As different kinds of riding will facilitate the use of unique gadgets, this list is put together with a wide range of riding styles in mind. From long highway cruises to back-road twisties, there's a gadget for everyone. A more in-depth explanation of our methodology is available at the end of this list.

Riding alone, especially in scenic areas, can be one of the most rewarding parts of owning a motorcycle. Being out in the mountains, breathing fresh air and soaking up the beautiful views is a major part of why I ride. However, more often than not, being out on the road in the middle of nowhere means I don't have cell service. Furthermore, being alone without cell service on a motorcycle is the optimal time and place for a minor problem to turn into a major one. A small crash that leaves you unable to ride, could become much worse if you're unable to call for help. That's where a device like the Garmin inReach Mini 2 comes into play.

The inReach, and other GPS devices like it, allow for SOS alerts, two-way messaging, and location sharing — all without cell signal. As an added bonus, these features are available in more than just riding scenarios. I often go on hikes in unfamiliar places, and it's always wise to have some sort of emergency lifeline. The discontinued inReach Mini (pictured above) and the latest, upgraded iteration of the gadget, the inReach Mini 2, is small enough and light enough to bring on any hiking or backpacking trip. When it's turned off, it holds a charge for up to a year. When it's being used for activity tracking, the inReach's battery can still last for several days — more than enough for most motorcycle trips. The convenient strap means you can clip it to the outside of a motorcycle jacket or along your belt loop and it'll be in a good spot for pressing the emergency SOS button should you need it.

I've used multiple helmet communication systems throughout the years, along with many different audio systems. In my early moto days, there were even a number of times I just used regular headphones to keep the tunes going. The reality is that in-ear headphones can become dislodged when you put on your helmet, or they can easily shift in the middle of the ride, and the last thing you want is to pull over to fish an ear-bud out of your helmet on the side of the freeway. They also tend to drown out or block ambient noise. Fortunately, helmet-mounted speakers and bluetooth headsets provide audio, without drowning out all ambient noise, and if you've connected the system to your phone's GPS — you can get voice directions in your headset as you ride.

In the past, I've used systems like Sena's 20S Evo, which works well and is extremely easy to use when you've got gloves on. The large, tactile knob for controlling volume is a smart solution for thick gloves and the big singular button in the center helps too. Unfortunately, it causes real wind resistance at speed — especially on a bike with no windscreen. Slimmer systems like the Cardo Packtalk Edge tuck in nicely against the side of my helmet. Cardo's speaker quality is also pretty impressive for the price, providing enough volume to listen to music or podcasts at highway speeds.

Being seen is a top concern for riders — especially when riding at night. It might feel cool to dress up like Batman in all black and zoom through your local downtown area, but being harder to spot could increase the likelihood of an accident. Lighting kits like the LightMode Night Shift use sticker-mounted LEDs to make you much more visible — at the highest point possible, your helmet. The app used to connect to LightMode is easy to use, intuitive, and it provides all sorts of cool animations and color sequences for the helmet lights. Less expensive kits are available, with fewer features, but I like the customization levels that are built into the Night Shift model. 

Other lighting systems can be connected to your brakes, essentially providing a very high-mounted third brake light on the back of your helmet. I opted for LightMode because I wanted to be seen from the side and the rear. This particular system was optimized for my AGV helmet. LightMode also provided an impressive level of customer service — when one of the two LED strips on my helmet was damaged after a year of riding, they sold me just the replacement piece I needed — no requirement to purchase an entirely new kit. Don't expect the battery that powers the LED lights to last all night, but there's definitely enough battery life to provide side lighting for an evening commute.

If you're not the type of rider that wants to hear directions pumped into your helmet, or if you want to see your text message, e-mail, and phone notifications while you ride, a phone mount is likely in order. Systems like Quad Lock and Ram Mounts are some of the best mounts for your ride. These mounts are typically attached to the handlebars, giving your smartphone screen a place front and center on your ride. That means you can look at maps, find lunch stops, even see important alerts, all without fiddling around in your pocket for your phone. And, if you've got smartphone-sensitive gloves, you can interact with your phone on the mount along the way (provided you've come to a stop and it's safe to do so, of course).

I'm not a huge fan of the case required to use a quad-lock system, so on my motorcycles I've opted for RAM Mounts' X-Grip kit and it's never failed me. Even at highway speeds, the system is stable and my phone feels secure when it's strapped in properly. Regardless of which system you purchase be sure to invest in a vibration dampener as well. It absorbs some of the impact from your motorcycle going over bumpy roads and terrain, plus it can help protect some of the more sensitive parts of your smartphone.

It isn't exactly a high-tech gadget, but I never leave home without some sort of tire repair kit. Simple tire repair kits are available on sites like Revzilla and Amazon and they're reasonably priced. I opt for the compressed CO2 cartridges with my repair kit because they are small enough to store under your seat, or in a side bag or fanny pack. They generally inflate a flat tire pretty quickly too, making it easy to get back on the road in very little time.

I keep a BikeMaster Tire and Tube Flat Repair Kit with me regardless of what kind of bike I'm riding. Some riders may prefer a battery-powered inflator for its convenience, but I find those to be a bit cumbersome and harder to fit in the tight spaces beneath my passenger seat. Some of the battery-powered systems also allow you to charge your cell phone from the battery pack, but be careful — if you've drained all the power to charge your phone, fixing a flat will be out of the question. One final note: adding a small pair of pliers to your flat repair kit is a wise move. You'll want the pliers for removing nails or screws that have embedded in your tire and caused the flat in the first place.

Having personally used all the items on this list, logging hundreds of miles on multiple motorcycles with them in my arsenal, I can say that they're all a benefit for the time I spend on my motorcycles. I chose this particular range of gadgets for the varied benefits they can offer a rider. They improve my peace of mind, make my riding experience better, and give me all sorts of options for the kinds of rides I want to go on. These specific products are tried and tested, plus all are favorably reviewed by a large group of consumers. Product drawbacks noted by customers were also taken into account in the selection process.

Communication systems that allow you to talk to other riders can help keep large group rides organized. Satellite devices can send a help signal when cell phone service isn't available. Bright lights can make you more visible at night and help prevent accidents (it doesn't hurt that they give things a Tron vibe too). A phone mount helps keep you connected when necessary. And a tire repair kit has helped me and my riding friends out of several sticky situations, negating the need for a tow truck or a tire change in a remote location. All of these benefits are possible through some modern, relatively affordable gadgets.