THE BEST GIFTS FOR MOTORCYCLE ENTHUSIASTS
We know this isn’t the only “Best Gifts for Motorcycle Riders” guide you’ll see this holiday season. But we’d like to think it’s one of the best. Why? Because we’re not getting compensated to feature these gift suggestions here.
No. These are real world recommendations here. Everything that you see in our 2022 holiday shopping guide has been used by the Roadcraft USA team. Not only do we think enough of these items to recommend them…we’ve actually written about them previously. In addition to the convenient links we’re providing for you to source these items; we’re providing links to the very Roadcraft USA features where they were originally introduced to our readers. Let’s see what made Santa’s list this year.
Helmets
Two modular models made the Roadcraft USA 2022 list of best gifts for motorcycle riders. The first is the HJC I-90. The second is the Bell SRT. We understand that all riders prefer different styles of headgear. Some like smaller half helmets. Some will only wear non-modular full face helmets. These are two modular helmets that made the grade by offering great performance and protection at reasonable prices.
You can read about these two helmets in this Roadcraft USA feature:
Battery Booster
All motorcyclists should be carrying a self-contained battery booster for emergencies. Our choice is the Noco Boost Plus GB40 power pack. We have had to put this unit to the test on a number of occasions and it has never let us down.
You can read about the Noco Boost unit in these Roadcraft USA features:
BARE NECESSITIES • PACKING SMALL FOR BIG TRIPS
And
You can purchase the Noco Boost Battery Booster Here:
Rain Gear
Sooner or later all serious riders will have to face Mother Nature’s wrath. Good rain gear is one of the best gifts for motorcycle riders you can give. Our choice is a two-piece oversuit, the Nelson Rigg Stormrider. It is lightweight, folds up to very compact dimensions and is highly effective. We have used it in some torrential rain events and it performs wonderfully.
You can read about the Nelson Rigg Stormrider Suit on these Roadcraft USA posts:
BARE NECESSITIES • PACKING SMALL FOR BIG TRIPS
And
You can purchase the Nelson Rigg Stormrider suit here:
GPS Navigation
Here at Roadcraft USA we are firm believers in using dedicated GPS units for navigation. We know there are those riders that choose to use their smartphones for this purpose. For those that are looking for the best bang for your buck in motorcycle GPS units, look no further than the Garmin Zumo Model 396 LMT-S. It has all the features that one could ever really need. It is 100% waterproof and is designed to withstand the abuse that motorcycles put on electronics.
You can read all about motorcycle GPS navigation in these Roadcraft USA features:
ROADS LESS TRAVELED • THE ABSOLUTE BEST MOTORCYCLE TRIP PLANNING APP
You can purchase the Garmin Model 396 LMT-S GPS unit here:
Waterproof Gear Bags
One of the best gifts for motorcycle riders is a way to keep their belongings safe and dry on long distance tours. We have a couple of great gear bags to recommend. Our top choice would be the First Gear Torrent roll bag. We are so impressed with this bag that we devoted an entire product review post to it on Roadcraft USA. You can read that feature here:
As we send this feature to press the First Gear Torrent is, sadly, on backorder. No surprise. It has become quite popular.
We also recommend the Osah Dry Pak, which is very similar to the First Gear bag. One of our Roadcraft USA riders just returned from an 8,000 mile transcontinental round trip and his Osah bag performed marvelously.
Portable Air Compressor
Again, there are different styles to choose from. Some are completely self-contained. Some run off the battery/electrical system of the bike. We choose not to burden the motorcycle’s electrical system when pumping up a flat tire. They are also extremely convenient for making hassle-free, small tire pressure adjustments. Our choice is the Ryobi 18 Volt ONE+ Power Inflator Kit.
You can read about the Ryobi unit in these Roadcraft USA articles:
BARE NECESSITIES • PACKING SMALL FOR BIG TRIPS
And
You can purchase the Ryobi Power Inflator kit here:
Cold Weather Riding Gear
This time of year what could be more appropriate as one of the best gifts for motorcycle riders? The items that make up good cold weather riding protection could fill two complete blog posts of their own. In fact they did! You can read those posts here:
Everything from under layers to heated gear, boots, gloves, neck warmers, etc, etc. is covered in those posts. You’ll also find convenient links within those posts to easily source the Roadcraft USA recommended gear.
Warm Weather Riding Gear
I’ve got 20,000+ miles on my Alpinestars riding suit and the only wear it’s showing is the road grime on the white-colored panels. It has been an extraordinary performer…even when I gave it an unfortunate torture test in a low side, low speed spill. It’s integral armor did everything it promised to do and it’s exterior shell suffered no scars from the incident. I added the optional full back protector. Great construction. Great protection. Great ventilation. This is a phenomenal suit for riding in warmer weather.
You can purchase these Alpinestars items here:
ALPINESTARS VIPER V2 AIR JACKET
Warm Weather Gloves
What more can you ask for in a warm weather glove? Comfortable. Lightweight. Extraordinary protection. Great ventilation. Superior construction. And…they match the Alpinestars Viper V2 Air Jacket perfectly. You can find the gloves here:
Motorcycle Cover
We’ve used big brand name covers in the past. They haven’t held up well despite having a high price tag and an enviable logo printed on them. This budget-priced cover may be the best one we’ve ever used.
100% weatherproof. Integral windproof fastener straps. Breathable material that won’t harm your bike’s finish…even when getting blown about in high wind. Extremely durable. Don’t spend big money. This one is a champ! You can find it here:
Emergency Road Service Plan
We don’t like to think about mechanical breakdowns on the road. But they do happen. A good roadside assistance plan is one of the best gifts for motorcycle riders…one that they hope they’ll never use. One that they’ll be thrilled to have if a problem arises.
We’ve used different plans in the past. Best bang for your buck seems to be the AAA plan. Buy it for a four wheeled vehicle and add the bike for a few dollars more. Still competitively priced with all motorcycle-only plans. This one’s a no-brainer!
Read about other great travel savings hacks here:
Not all motorcycle-related purchases are expensive, though often it seems as if anything designed for two-wheeled utility carries a premium price tag. Here are some great budget “Stocking Stuffers” for the biker on your holiday gift list:
Tire Repair Kit
Never leave home without one. After all, there’s no spare tire on a motorcycle. No need to spend big money here. This one, at $9.88, works as well as any of them.
First Aid Kit
Something that should be on any motorcycle. For six bucks what excuse do you have for not carrying one onboard? This one is used by the Roadcraft USA riders. You can purchase it here:
You can read about other recommended road trip necessities here:
Winter Reading
When Old Man Winter keeps motorcyclists from engaging in their favorite pursuit, reading about it can be the next best thing. One of the best gifts for motorcycle riders is the gift of a great book. Of course we have to put in a plug for the Amazon #1 best-selling road travel book written by the founder of Roadcraft USA. You can purchase Road Work: Images and Insights of a Modern Day Explorer here:
Additionally, there are other great highly-recommended motorcycle and travel books listed in the bookshelf section on the Roadcraft USA website. Books by Pulitzer Prize-winning authors. There are books from legendary ADV rider, the late Neil Peart. There are books from motorcycle humorist extraordinaire, Jack Reipe. You can find them all here:
Have A Great Holiday Season!
At this special time of year we would like to thank all of our loyal readers for their support of the Roadcraft USA website. We wish you and yours the happiest of holidays and all the best for an exciting & rewarding New Year.
Click Here to view an interactive visual index page where you can quickly browse through all of the great features that are published on the Roadcraft USA blog.
Please help support the Roadcraft USA online resource by making product purchases through the links in this post. As Amazon Associates we earn commissions from qualifying purchases made through these links. There is no additional cost to you whatsoever. Thank you for your support!