The gear lists telling you to focus on a helmet, jacket, gloves, pants, and boots are a dime a dozen—and as such, we won't be adding another one. These are the new rider motorcycle essentials you'll wish you had that nobody told you to buy after your initial load out.
Your first year riding is a liberating and thrilling experience, but for a lot of people a stressful situation can be the tipping point in deciding "this isn't for me." This list aims to prevent said situations with essential motorcycle gear for new riders.
Improve Your Visibility On The Road
Getting used to riding a motorcycle while also navigating traffic without the protection of thousands of pounds of metal can be unnerving for even the most confident of folk. And while you should always ride defensively, you can take a few steps to improve your visibility on the road and make sure other drivers can see you.
Be Seen With Brake Free
This plug is pretty obvious—we think that adding a Brake Free to your helmet is step one here. One big takeaway for new riders is that you don't just reduce your speed by braking like most cars do.
You can reduce your speed by rolling off the throttle or downshifting, neither of which light up your brake light. Brake Free solves that problem by detecting any reduction in speed and illuminating at drivers' eye level to let people behind you know you're slowing down, no matter how you're doing it. Get yours right here and instantly improve your visibility.
Add High-Visibility Gear
While motorcycle gear comes in all sorts of different colors, a lot of it isn't designed to prevent accidents—but to keep you safe in the event of one. A high-vis vest, gloves, helmet, or even high-vis tape placed strategically on your gear can improve your chances of being seen on the road, and as such help prevent you from getting into an accident in the first place.
Every addition counts at this stage, particularly before you've developed comprehensive defensive riding techniques. Any step towards being seen is worth taking to help prevent getting rear ended on your motorcycle (or any other type of accident, for that matter).
Practical Gear For Comfort
After the initial ATGATT setup, there's still room for improvement when it comes to comfort on the road. If you took the MSF course (or any other training equivalent), you'll remember they mention to never ride cold or hungry. While we can't control the outside temperature, we can be prepared for its fluctuations. And sometimes, we forget to grab a bite before we get rolling—but we can make sure we've got snacks on hand.
Tank Bags and Luggage
Depending on your bike's ability to add luggage (or even just your personal preference), adding storage options can make riding more enjoyable in the long run. While a backpack is easy and you probably already have a handful, they offer some pitfalls when riding on a motorcycle. Carrying bulky or heavy gear in a backpack can shift your center of gravity and put excess weight on your spine. And if you do happen to get in an accident, a backpack is another point of stress on your spine and an additional opportunity for material to get caught on something while you're sliding.
A tank bag or saddle bags are a great way to bring the essentials you need (like snacks!) along for the ride without sacrificing comfort or safety on the road. Which brings us to what you can put in them.
Cold-Weather Clothing
In addition to your normal extra layers, a neck gaiter or balaclava can make or break the joy of a ride. When we're going from city streets to mountain roads and back, temperatures can fluctuate wildly depending on where you are. And as your neck is typically exposed to the elements while you're out there, keeping something on hand (or in aforementioned tank bag) is an important step to staying comfortable—and focused—while you're out riding.
Earplugs
This can't be overstated—wind noise is real. Even the highest-quality helmets still have it. Get yourself a solid set of earplugs (or a handful of disposable ones) and throw 'em in your tank bag to make sure you've always got some around. It'll save your hearing in the long run.
The At-Home Motorcycle Maintenance Essentials
There's a short list of things that'll help you get through the inevitable—and you'll wish you had them before you need them the first time. For some of us, part of the joy of owning a motorcycle is maintaining it, and this list of maintenance needs will help set new motorcycle riders on the right path.
A PSI Gauge
Always, always, always check your tire pressure before you ride. While this is an important element as related to regular driving, it's even more critical when you're riding a motorcycle. As temperatures change (or air just leaks out of your tires over time since rubber is porous), your PSI can drop. Knowing your PSI before you even get on the bike is an important habit to build as properly inflated tires keep you upright. Having a gauge on hand can help build this habit and keep you safe.
Front And Rear Motorcycle Stands
Speaking of tires, eventually you'll get your first flat—so now what? Removing a front or rear tire is easy, and worth knowing how to do on your own to save yourself labor costs. Bringing a bike into a shop and having them remove the wheel in question for you is an expense that most of us would prefer to leave off the table if possible.
And while most households have the necessary tools to remove a wheel, new motorcycle riders often lack a critical component: a method to keep the bike off the ground while it's without shoes. A set of front and rear stands won't set you back drastically, but are important to have around to keep the turnaround time as short as possible.
A Battery Tender
Motorcycle batteries have a shorter lifespan than car batteries and a much smaller capacity. As such, having a quick charging method is essential to making sure you don't miss out on a day of riding thanks to a dead battery.
A battery tender—along with a ring terminal harness (also known as a pigtail)—makes keeping your battery charged up and in good health. Having this ready to go during the winter months is important for proper motorcycle winterization, too.
Additional Motorcycle Tech To Make Riding Easier
These two critical components are essential gear for new riders—and they're both based around something you already have. Your phone. Back before smartphones, we'd often write directions down on a piece of paper and either pop them in the clear compartment of our tank bag or tape them to our forearms. Thankfully, we don't have to do that anymore, but we do need a couple of add-ons to make commuting with technology seamless.
A Bluetooth Headset
Aside from the obvious addition of music to your ride, being able to pump directions right into your helmet makes getting to where you want to go a lot easier. Skip pulling over to check your phone every 20-30 minutes and use your phone's existing navigation effectively. Popular bluetooth headset brands include Cardo and Sena (among others)—find something within your budget and keep connectivity with other headsets in mind if you plan on going on group rides.
A Phone Mount
After the obligatory don't-text-and-ride statement, having your navigation displayed where you can see it can prevent wrong turns or confusion on the road. There are a variety of options and this differs from bike to bike based on handlebar setup, but you can opt for a steering stem mount, a handlebar mount, or a magnetic mount that pops directly on to your tank.
Keep It Comfortable And Stay Seen
These essentials go beyond the typical "get your gear" lists—and will help you stay comfortable while you're out riding while helping you stay safer on the road. Don't forget to grab your Brake Free to help drivers behind you know how you're slowing down, no matter how you're doing it.
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