I’m currently having too many tools in my bike’s frunk, and can’t seem to remove more stuff to make more space inside to fit other things in it, so I’ve made a list of the top 10 things you need on a motorcycle!
1) First Aid Kit
You never know when you need to use it. For assisting, aiding yourself, aiding your injured friend, etc… I don’t even know if it’s mandatory to keep a first aid kit in your bike at all times, but for cars it is.
I’ve never used mine, but it’s a HELD First Aid kit that costs around 20€.
It’s also fairly compact at 14cm x 15cm x 5cm and includes all the neccessary things (scissors, band-aids, gloves, gauze, …). The waterproofing also makes it possible to keep it outside in the elements.
2) Tire repair kit (only for Tubeless)
This one I also never used, mainly because I never had a flat. It uses rubber plugs to plug the hole in your tire. It’s as big as the First Aid Kit at 16cm x 11cm x 5cm. It contains a reamer, a mounting tool, 5 rubber plugs, rubber cement, knife, and 3 CO2 cartridges (and hose).
This pouch has a lot of room to spare so I’ve put in some allen keys, some wrenches, but you better be prepared when it happens.
3) Phone mount
I use this all the time, for commuting, travelling, just taking a ride, navigating,… The possibilities with a phone are endless! Especially if you can make your own routes!
A good site with a lot of options (but only Samsung and Apple) is UltimateAddons.com
They have a plethora of mounts that are waterproof (Apple from 5 – X, and Samsung from S6 to S8+) They are quite expensive, but they are worth it.
Otherwise you can also build one yourself! (but it’s not waterproof)
Used in combination with a 12V socket or on bike USB charger.
4) Intercom System (or bluetooth)
This is used in combination with the phone mount, because who wants to see instructions but not hear them? If you don’t ride with friends, but do listen to music and have the occassional call from someone, the Sena 3S is the perfect candidate for you!
It has multiple versions for full face, open face and modular helmets, and the call quality is very, very good.
For riders in group, the Sena 20S or Cardo Smartpack are the best.
5) Baggage Net and Elastic Baggage Cord!
These are immensly handy if it comes to transporting huge things. I’ve bought the Givi HP1111 handprotectors and I didn’t have my topcase with me, then I remembered that I still had a Baggage net under my seat, and it never came loose!
Of course it is also usable for normal baggage.
6) Camera
For this you need to check your country’s legislation about using dashcams.
For instance in Austria and Luxembourg it is forbidden to use an action cam/dashcam on the road.
In other countries it is interesting to have, mostly because of road rage and crashes.
If you have everything on video, they can not lie about what happened.
Although you shouldn’t do anything self incriminating if you’re rolling the camera (I see you MaxWrist)
7) Factory Tool Kit
Most riders just throw the factory tool kit out, but it just contains everything you need to fix small issues on your bike like adjusting the chain, removing fairings, tightening some nuts and bolts, removing sparkplugs, replacing fuses etc…
It’s a kit that is very complete, so never remove it from the bike to save weight, just eat less and exercise more!
8) Pocket Tissues
Do you have hay fever? Are you allergic to pollen? Do you need to blow your nose?
With having pocket tissues somewhere on your bike, you never forget your pocket tissues anymore! It has saved me a lot of times when I had to blow my nose and didn’t find any tissues in my jacket. It can also be used to remove dead flies from your helmet or cleaning out a wound. A must have indeed!
9) Your DB-Killer(s)
Ever had the police to come say your pipes are too loud? Me neither! But if it happens, you better come prepared, so you can put them back in and evade a noise complaint ticket. (requires toolkit too!)
10) Adjustable levers
Are your hands too small to reach the levers comfortably?
Fret not, adjustable levers to the rescue! I have chinese adjustable levers on my bike, but should you be worried about the quality, you can always buy Rizoma or Pazzo adjustable levers. These will increase comfort and look good too. Should you be in a crash, the original levers probably won’t give way, and break off, rendering them useless to ride further.
Conclusion:
There is no need for fancy expensive gadgets to decrease the risk of stranding or having discomfort while riding your motorbike. Whatever works for you is perfectly fine. The things I listed here are things that reassure me that I won’t have any problems getting help or helping other people by keeping these things (first aid, tire kit, tool kit) on the bike.
If this list helped you, please leave a comment!
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