motorcycle travel kit

25 Top Motorcycle Packing List Items for 2024 + What to Wear & NOT to Bring

If you’re preparing for an upcoming cross-country motorcycle ride, I’ve put together a complete packing checklist to help make sure that you have everything you need for a successful trip.

Once you’ve finished the article, you’ll also know what to wear on a motorcycle trip , what NOT to bring, and answers to the most common FAQs about motorcycle trips.

Preparing for a cross-country motorcycle trip takes a lot of time and effort to prepare. However, it’s an experience that you’ll be so glad you had, especially if it’s on your bucket list.

What to Pack for a Motorcycle Trip – 25 Essentials

Safety should be your top priority, so a reliable helmet should be the first thing you pack when planning a motorcycle trip. With high review ratings, this helmet will protect your head and is also lightweight and compact, making it easy to take along with you. It comes with ventilation panels that make it easy to breathe and keep it cool inside so your face doesn’t overheat. Its fully removable and washable microfiber inner material will absorb sweat without compromising comfort.

View on Amazon.com ➜

2. Quick-Dry Travel Towel

A microfiber towel will be really useful when riding long stretches of road where the weather can be unpredictable across long distances. In case you get rained on, a super-absorbent microfiber towel will help you dry off quicker. They are also fast-drying and odor resistant, meaning you won’t have to deal with a smelly towel that takes forever to dry.

3. Virtual Private Network (VPN)

If you’re planning on accessing public wifi in hotels, restaurants, or cafes while you’re on the road – it’s wise to protect your digital information with a VPN.

NordVPN keeps your sensitive information, like passwords and credit card numbers, safe from potential hackers who take advantage of public networks to steal information. It’s very affordable and we even use a VPN at home to protect your sensitive information.

View NordVPN.com Options ➜

4. Packing Cubes

If you’re planning on a multi-day trip, then organizing your things in packing cubes is essential. They eliminate the clutter from your bag because everything has a designated space in one of these different-sized cubes. You’ll know exactly where to find everything thanks to the notecard holder on each cube, where you can write exactly what’s inside. The two bonus laundry bags are perfect for keeping dirty clothes and shoes separate from your clean laundry.

5. Tool Kit Organizer

Every biker needs a reliable and compact tool kit when planning a long road trip. This one comes with 22 pockets to organize your favorite tools, and is compact and easy to carry. It’s designed for travel and comes with buckles and a handle so you can attach it to your bike. It also comes with an internal elastic strap to keep all the tools in place, so you don’t have any fallouts during your travels.

6. Travel Insurance for Motorcycle Trips

It’s essential to come prepared on your trip, and what better way to do that than with motorcycle travel insurance? It’s cost-efficient and will give your family peace of mind while you’re out on the road enjoying your trip. Even if you don’t end up needing it, you’ll have it on the off chance that something does happen while you’re away.

It covers you for theft, travel delays, extreme sport, hotel protection, and trip cancelation. We use Faye since they make the claims and reimbursements super easy through their mobile app! * Note that you must be 100 miles from home to purchase travel insurance.

Get a quote in less than 60 seconds with Faye ➜

7. Cooling Towel

Cool off after wearing your riding gear all day with a cooling towel. They’re small and lightweight, making them easy to bring along for the ride, and they’re even easier to use. Just get it wet, wring it out, and you have a refreshing towel that’s 20-30 degrees cooler than the outside air temperature.

8. Tire Repair Kit

If you’re headed out on a long road trip, you’ll need to bring along a tire repair kit in case of an emergency. It’s always better to come prepared. This affordable kit includes everything you need to fix a flat tire until you’re able to get to an auto shop. The universal tubeless tire repair works with any make and model of motorcycle so you can share it with your travel companions.

A trusted GPS will make your cross country motorcycle trip even more enjoyable. You’ll be able to avoid getting lost and have more time to explore. The GPS is compact and attaches to your bike, so it’s easy to navigate during your trip. It’s also glove-friendly and easy to read in the sunlight. As an added bonus, you can pair it with a compatible smartphone for hands-free calling while you’re on the road. You’ll also be notified of upcoming curvy or hilly roads and avoid major highways when possible.

10. Lipstick-sized Portable Charger

Having a charger on-hand while you ride is a smart way to stay ahead of a dead battery. Whether you’re charging your phone, GPS, laptop, tablet, kindle, camera, or any other device that powers your trip – this little lipstick charger will keep batteries full on-the-go. It has multiple USB charging ports and is way easier than stopping at gas stations along the way to wait for a charge.

11. Leather Jacket

It’s a right of passage to have a leather jacket if you’re a biker. However, that doesn’t mean that it can’t be affordable. We’re giving you the best of both worlds. Get one made from 100% genuine leather, thermal lining, and micro-mesh lining so you can bike in any weather for a price you can’t beat! There is also removable padding on the back, elbows, and shoulders if you’d like to add extra safety precautions during your trip.

12. Protective Padding

If you’re planning a long motorcycle trip, your safety should be top of mind. These sturdy knee and elbow pads will make sure that you’re protected in case of an accident. They’ll also be lightweight and breathable, so you won’t even notice that you’re wearing them. The adjustable strap makes it easy to tighten or loosen the pads.

These outdoor gloves are ideal for motorcycle rides. They come with fingertip touch-screen technology on both the index finger and thumb that works with all touchscreen devices, so it’s hassle-free if you need to update your GPS or access your phone. These gloves come with full protection, including knuckle protection and palm pads. They are super comfortable and provide breathable air vents to help with better airflow in the pads.

14. Windshield Cleaner

This reliable plastic cleaner makes it easy to clean your motorcycle shield when you stop for a break. If you’re on a long road trip, chances are you’re going to hit a few bugs along the way, so you’ll want to make sure that you clean off the shield when possible so you have good visibility.

15. Neck Wallet

More secure than a traditional wallet, a neck wallet will keep your valuables safe and easy to get to. It’s discreet enough to wear underneath your shirt and can hold your credit cards, cash, passport, and phones so you won’t have to worry about anything accidentally slipping out of your pockets. It’s smarter to have it around your neck than where it could fall out on the road.

16. Motion Sickness Patches

If you’re in for a bumpy ride, it may be beneficial to use a gentle motion sickness patch. It will soothe any nausea and won’t make you fall asleep like similar brands. My wife field-tested a bunch of brands and this one came out on top!

17. Bandana

It’s essential to have something that you can use to cover your face or keep your hair out of the way during a long ride. This classic set of bandanas makes it easy. They are lightweight, so you can throw a couple in your duffle bag so you’re prepared anytime that you may need one. They’re also a great gift that you can share with your fellow travelers.

18. Baselayer

The weather can be unpredictable, especially when you’re on a long motorcycle ride. A base layer makes it easier to control your temperature so you’re comfortable during your trip. You can easily add a jacket or vest to go over your shirt if you’re cold, especially in the fall and winter months. This classic waffle knit design traps heat so you’ll be able to stay warm even when it’s a bit chilly. It always fights odor and reduces sweat, so you stay comfortable during long hours of riding.

Boots are a motorcycle trip staple. And the Harley Davidson brand is just the cherry on top, right? These comfortable classics are the perfect addition to your motorcycle packing list. They’re made with genuine leather and a rubber sole that will easily grip the footholds of your motorcycle so you’ll be comfortable on your long trip.

20. Duffle Bag

This heavy-duty bag is perfect for your upcoming motorcycle trip. It’s water-resistant, so your clothes and personal items will be protected during long rides, even if you end up getting stuck in bad weather. It’s super simple to hook the bag to your motorcycle, and with plenty of pockets, you can easily access some of the compartments if you need anything during a rest stop. It comes with plenty of room for everything that you may need during your upcoming road trip.

21. TSA-Approved Locks

Locks are important to secure your items throughout your travels. We use them for checked luggage, backpacks in crowded areas, lockers in the city or our hotels, and even purses in a place known for petty theft. These are TSA-approved so they won’t cause you any delays through security checks, but you’ll find plenty of uses for them along the way.

22. Toiletries Kit

Make it easy and get all of your toiletries at once to save time. The set comes in a mini travel bag so you can just throw it in your duffel, and you’re ready to go. You’ll have everything you need to keep up with good hygiene while you’re on the go. The best part is everything is mini-sized so you’ll be able to save plenty of room.

23. Rain Jacket

If you’re headed on a long cross-country road trip, chances are that you may come across rain at some point. To avoid getting drenched to the bone the moment it starts to rain and making you spend hours uncomfortable, get this lightweight and effective rain jacket. It comes with a hood and adjustable cuffs so you can keep the water out at all costs. It’s the perfect addition to your packing list that you’ll be glad you brought along.

24. Flashlight

If you’ll be riding in the dark, this is an essential item for your trip, especially if you have an emergency or problems with your bike at night. It’s ultra-bright and long-lasting, so you won’t have to worry about it running out of battery when you need it most. It’s compact, so you can easily toss it in your bag and access it whenever you need to. The best part is its water resistance, so if you need it during a rainstorm, rest assured it’ll hold up.

25. Compact Sleeping Bag

If you’re camping along the way or sleeping in some strange places, use this travel sleeping bag to create a hygienic barrier between you and those accommodations. This set is waterproof and great for backpacking or hiking. It folds up in its compact case and won’t take up much space strapped to the back of your bike.

Other Motorcycle Trip Packing List Items

• Waterproof Tail Bag
• Universal Adapter
• Global Tours
• Luggage Lock
• “Just in case” Bag
• Travel Umbrella
• Storage Canister
• Affordable Action Camera
• Portable Charger
• Waterproof Phone Case
• Flotation Straps
• Bug Repellent
• Mosquito Wristbands
• First-Aid Kit
• Degradable Toilet Paper
• Steripod Toothbrush Cover
• Bungee Cords
• Clear Glasses
• Mini Notebook
• Bag for Dirty Clothes
• Emergency Contact Info Card
• Hydration Pack
• Protein Bars
• Led Flashlight
• Mini Toiletries Kit
• Hanging Toiletries Bag
• Packing Cubes
• Hand Sanitizer
• Clothesline
• Sanitizing Wipes
• Sleeping Bag
• Sleeping Pad
• Portable Pillow
• Water Bottle
• Filtered Water Bottle
• Spare Bike Key

What to Wear on a Motorcycle Trip

It’s also not a motorcycle trip without a genuine leather jacket . Not only will you look the part, but it’ll add an additional layer of protection while you’re out on the road. You’ll also never want to go without proper gloves so you can keep your hands comfortable during the duration of your trip.

Motorcycle trips aren’t just for men. It can be a fun way to bond with your significant other or a great way to spend time with your friends. When you’re preparing to pack for your upcoming ride, make sure to pack light. The majority of the trip, you’ll be on your bike, so you won’t need as much as you think. A duffel bag should allow for plenty of room for all your gear. The most important piece of gear that you’ll need is a comfortable pair of boots , and you’ll be wearing them most of the time. It’s also a good idea to pack along a bandana to keep your hair out of your face, especially on windy days. Also, bring along a comfy t-shirt that you can use a base layer. what MEN should wear on a Motorcycle trip – (Click to expand) Below is a sample men’s clothing list. (All items link to Amazon.com for your convenience).

Packing for the Seasons in Motorcycle Trip

Spring – march, april, may.

The springtime is popular for motorcycle riders. The weather is starting to warm up, and its the perfect chance to get your bike back out on the road. You’ll need to bring along a reliable rain jacket since rain showers are likely. You’ll also want to make sure that you bring along mesh gloves that allow easy airflow and vented motorcycle boots to stay comfortable during your long stretches of being on the road.

SUMMER – June, July, August

Although it can get very hot, it’s still a great time to head out on a cross country ride. Be sure to pack along a moisture-wicking t-shirt to avoid getting too hot and a Light-weight vest on the occasion that you may need to add an extra layer.

FALL – September, October, and November

September, October, November: This is a very popular time to venture out on a cross country trip. It will be a little chilly, so be sure to pack along a long sleeve shirt and a jacket that you can throw on as an added layer. You’ll also want to bring along some jeans and a comfortable pair of riding gloves .

WINTER – December, January, February

December, January, February: It’s not ideal to ride in the winter, but it’s definitely doable. Make sure to bring along a turtleneck to protect yourself from the windchill. A warm jacket is also a must in order to make sure that you stay warm enough. You won’t regret wearing insulated jeans or wool socks , so the bottom half of your body is nice and warm, especially on days when the weather is extra brutal.

What NOT to Bring on a Motorcycle trip

1. don’t pack headphones.

For the most part, it’s best to avoid having music or other audio recordings going when you’re on a bike ride. You’ll make sure that you’re fully aware and alert of your surroundings and listen for any danger so you can be safe on the road

2. DON’T TAKE Suitcase:

The key to a successful motorcycle trip is to pack light. A duffel bag or backpack should do the trick. You’ll be riding most of the time, so you won’t have any need for a large suitcase because you won’t need much. You’ll also want to pack light if you’re planning to stop along the way and need to bring your belongings with you on any detours.

3. DON’T BRING Flip Flops

Always wear closed-toed shoes on your motorcycle trip. This is a safety precaution to make sure that if you’re in an accident, your body is covered as much as possible to avoid injury.

FAQs About Motorcycle Trips

1. do i need a special license to ride a motorcycle.

Yes, a valid driver’s license with a motorcycle endorsement is required to legally ride a motorcycle. Check your state’s specific requirements before planning your motorcycle trip.

2. Are motorcycles good for long-distance road trips?

Yes, cross-country road trips are a popular pastime for motorcycle enthusiasts. The key is to take a bike that you’re used to and feel comfortable on and make sure that you are well prepared beforehand.

3. How far can you drive on a motorcycle?

Most riders plan to go anywhere from 250-500 miles a day. It’s important to take breaks along the way. You’ll also need to plan on driving fewer miles if you plan to stop at places along the way.

4. Where do you stay on a motorcycle road trip?

A motorcycle ride is similar to any other vacation. It depends on where your ride takes you, but the most common types of accommodations include camping or staying in hotels. It’s important to plan ahead, so you’ll know where you’re going to stop each night and what you need to pack along with you.

5. How many hours should I ride every day?

The key is to make sure that you’re taking rest breaks in between. It will vary for each person, so be sure to listen to your body. If you’re feeling tired, it’s time to stop and take a rest. This means making sure that you schedule in plenty of time for breaks if needed.

6. Is it safe to go on a motorcycle road trip alone?

Yes, if you plan it accurately, you should be safe. Make sure to let other people know the route you’re taking and come prepared if you have any bike problems or have an emergency.

7. Can I plan a motorcycle trip around the US?

Yes, it’s actually much easier than you might think. It’s a very popular pastime with other riders so there are plenty of routes that you can easily find online if you’re looking for inspiration and will also save you time in the process.

Asher Fergusson

Motorcycle Tourer

Motorcycle Touring Checklist: Your Complete Packing Guide

Motorcycle Tourer | 1 February 2024 24 November 2020 | Touring , Touring Tips

Motorcycle Touring Checklist Table of Contents :

• Full list & recommendations
• Bike Preparation
• Riding Gear
• Others (miscellaneous)

Motorcycle Touring Checklist: Introduction

Ahhh, the notorious motorcycle touring checklist.

I’ve done this whole touring thing a fair few times over the years. And as a result, I’ve come into contact with many people from all over the world.

And whilst there are a million things we can all agree on, there is one fundamental aspect that nobody can seem to get right.

I’m in a fortunate position where I will be away a lot over the coming year, so I’m currently negotiating the whole debacle of what to take and what to leave at home.

And this got me thinking. Because this is something we all have to do, yet very few of us get right.

As a result, I wanted to share my motorcycle touring checklist (the exact one I’ll be using personally for my trips this year.)

I’ve made it into a PDF that you can download and check off as you start your packing preparation. You can find it at the bottom of this post.

The Variables

I should point out here that I live in the UK, and all of the places on my upcoming motorcycle touring checklist are in Europe. If I was going to Africa or the US, my list would be slightly different.

Also, if I were going somewhere remote, my gear would be different as it would no doubt include camping equipment.

If you are planning to camp on your upcoming trip, add a motorcycle camping checklist to the PDF for your own use.

Variables aside, this motorcycle touring checklist should go some way to helping you prepare for your two-wheeled adventure.

Want more about gear? Try our dedicated Gear category!

Motorcycle Touring Checklist Snapshot

Listed below is a snapshot of all the items that should be considered for a motorcycle tour in Europe. Underneath the snapshot is a detailed version complete with further reading and more information.

• Bike safety check (from mechanic)
• Consider new tyres
• Spare keys (bike & luggage)
• Heated grips/gloves (fitted & working)
• 12V USB / Power Bank
• Warning triangle (legal requirement)
• Country sticker (GB, D, FR, E, etc.)
• Tools & multi-tool
• Puncture repair kit
• Spare bulbs (legal requirement)
• Hi-viz jacket (legal requirement)
• Gaffer tape
• Bungee or ratchet straps
• Kickstand plate
• Ziplock bags (documents & cash)

Clothes & Toiletries:

• Zip-off pants
• Trainers (comfortable evening shoes)
• Travel shampoo
• Travel shower gel
• Sun cream/sunblock

Riding Gear & Documents:

• Winter & summer gloves
• Textile jacket
• Textile pants
• Waterproof boots
• 2-piece waterproof suit
• Base layers (pants and top)
• Mid-layer (fleece)
• Riding socks
• Heated jacket
• Cash & credit card
• Passport & driving licence
• Motorcycle insurance certificate
• MOT certificate (if required)
• Breakdown cover
• Inform motorcycle insurance
• Inform breakdown company
• Inform bank
• Ensure phone works abroad

Tech & Navigation:

• Phone charger
• Camera gear
• Action camera gear
• Plug adaptor
• Tablet or laptop if needed
• External hard drive
• Smartphone apps
• Backed-up routes (hard drive)
• Any location guides/notes
• Offline maps on smartphone
• Toilet paper (just in case!)
• Petrol station gloves
• First aid kit
• Spare glasses/shades
• Washing powder/liquid
• Prescribed meds
• Accident plan
• Breathalysers (legal requirement)
• Hydration pack if required
• Carrier bags (multiuse)
• Face mask (COVID requirements)
• Long-lasting snacks

Motorcycle Touring Checklist In Detail

Here you will find a comprehensive breakdown of the list above. We have also included links to relevant information.

Preparing Your Bike

Motorcycle health check:.

Once I have my dates set and am at the point of booking accommodation, I always call my mechanic to schedule a check over two weeks before departure.

I don’t expect there is anything wrong with my bike, but the simple fact of having my trusted mechanic give my bike a basic health check helps to put my mind at ease on the road.

Doing this two weeks before departure ensures I have enough time to fix any issues that need attention.

As part of my motorbike health check, I consider whether or not I need new tyres.

If my trip is 2,500 miles and I have 8,000 miles left on the tyres, I probably won’t change them.

But if I know the end-life of my tyres is either on (or near the end) of my trip, I will sacrifice the remaining rubber and swap them out for new ones.

Related: How Long Do Touring Tyres Last?

Heated Grips / Heated Gloves:

Whilst not essential, I always like to make sure that I have heated grips pr heated gloves when I tour.

If you’re touring in the height of summer, you probably won’t need them. But I once remember being in the Pyrenees at the end of September, and I was so glad I had heated grips!

And besides, even if you don’t use them whilst touring, it’ll be winter a few months after you get back, so you’ll likely need them anyway.

Our recommendations include the Keis G601 heated gloves , or the Oxford Advanced Hot Grips .

Related: Do You Need Heated Grips To Tour? Hell Yea!

12V USB Port / Power Bank:

Whilst not a necessity, one thing I absolutely hate touring without (especially when camping) is a 12V USB port or a power bank. So I always make sure the fitting of one is on my motorcycle touring checklist.

You might not need it, but if your GPS mounting system fails, you’ll be so pleased you can power your device via the USB port or the power bank. You should also be able to use them to power heated clothing or gloves.

At the very least, it’s handy to be able to charge your phone whilst you ride – especially if you want to use it for navigation.

We recommend Anker power banks.

For more on touring, check out our Touring category

Spare Keys:

I’ve seen it too many times where keys have gone missing, and tours have come to an unwavering halt. And it doesn’t take much to knock your hand as you get off the bike and drop your ignition key down a drain!

For this reason, I’ve rigged my luggage to lock/unlock off a different key from that of my ignition (in other words, two different keys.)

I keep a spare luggage key on my person (or in one of the lockable cubby holes on my bike) and a spare ignition key in the top box.

This way, I always have a spare key to access my luggage or the ignition – no matter which one I lose, 

Spare keys should be on everybody’s motorcycle touring checklist no matter where they’re headed!

Warning Triangle:

This is one I’ve never had to use, but they’re cheap to buy and lie flat at the bottom of your top box.

In many European countries, a warning triangle is a legal requirement. And you  must  display it if you have a breakdown.

Make sure you tick it off on your motorcycle touring checklist.

You can find them in most hardware stores or online.

Related: How To Deal With A Breakdown On Tour

GB (or country) Sticker:

Depending on who you speak to, you will always get wavering opinions on whether this is a legal requirement or not.

I can’t be bothered trolling through European laws and by-laws. So my number plate has a GB-Euro symbol on it and I put a GB sticker on my panniers/top box as well.

This way, I’m covered twice – whether it’s a legal requirement or not.

Spare Bulbs:

As with the GB stickers above, this seems to change depending on who you speak to. For many new bikes, it’s difficult to even  get  to the headlights if you need to change a bulb.

But if you can get to them and you can buy bulbs for them, I recommend you put it on your motorcycle touring checklist and throw a spare set in your top box.

Puncture Repair Kit:

Again, I’ve been very fortunate that I’ve never had to use one whilst on my travels.

There are a plethora of puncture repair kits out there. Find one you get along with by researching it on YouTube and ensure you get the correct type for your particular tyres.

Reasonably priced ones are available online.

GPS & Heated Jacket Connections:

Same as heated grips, really. Using the same example in the Pyrenees above, I was out when I got caught in a rainstorm.

I was freezing cold, and all my kit was back at the hotel.

Fortunately, I’d thrown my heated jacket in my top box, and it saved me from a very wet and shivery ride home in what was already treacherous conditions.

It’s well worth sticking it on your motorcycle checklist to have your mechanic give the connections a once-over before you set off.

In my opinion, the best heated jacket is the Keis J501RP heated jacket .

Related: Why You NEED A Keis Heated Jacket!

• Tool kit and multi-tool
• Hi-Viz jacket (legal requirement)
• Cargo net (if not using luggage)
• Bungee straps
• Ratchet straps
• Ziplock bags (for documents and cash)

Motorcycle Touring Checklist: Riding Gear

Obviously, there’s a legal aspect to this, but there is also one of comfort.

Make sure you’re 100% happy with the fit and comfort of your lid because you’re probably going to be spending just as much time in your helmet as you are in bed!

I use the HJC R-PHA 90s Carbon and highly recommend it.

See our dedicated Helmet category for more info on lids

Winter Gloves:

It doesn’t matter to me that I’m touring in mid-July, I will always have a pair of winter gloves in my top box. Not only will they keep me warm if the weather turns cold up in the mountains, but they will also keep me dry if I get caught in a deluge.

They’re small, light, and take up next to zero room in my top box. Therefore, they will always have a place on my motorcycle touring checklist.

These ones from Richa are exceptional value for money.

Summer Gloves:

Summer gloves are a game-changer in hot weather, so I won’t go anywhere without them!

If you are blessed with glorious sunshine on your travels, having the option to swap out to your summer gloves makes for an all-around more enjoyable experience.

For me, the Furygan TD12 summer gloves are absolutely perfect for riding in the summer months.

Related: Furygan TD12 Summer Gloves Review

People will argue until they’re blue in the face about the best type of material.

Personally, I find that whilst the top-of-the-range textiles do a flawless job of keeping you warm and dry, they lack ventilation.

This means you get hot as soon as the temperature rises. And not only this, but they are unbelievably expensive!

I find mid-range kit keeps me dry in moderate rain, but also keeps me cool in moderate heat. I then have layers for rain and cold.

Either way, put textiles on your motorcycle touring checklist and get some that work for you.

For high-quality mid-range textile, you can’t go wrong with these from Oxford .

Waterproof Boots:

For me, decent boots are essential. My dad bought me some Altberg boots a few years ago, and whilst they were expensive, they have never failed to keep my feet warm and dry.

Related: 30,000-Mile Alterg Boots Review

Waterproofs:

If you choose to buy top-end textiles, you likely won’t need waterproofs .

But if you choose to buy mid-range or budget kit, I would highly recommend throwing a cheap waterproof rain suit (2-piece) in your top box.

Not only will it keep you dry, but it’s lightweight and can be used to keep you warm even if it isn’t raining.

Whether you end up taking them or not, make sure waterproofs are on your motorcycle touring checklist.

I highly recommend the Rainseal range from Oxford .

Base-Layers and Mid-Layers:

Even if I’m sure I won’t need them, I still like to carry a thin set of base layers.

Not only do they wick away sweat whilst you ride, but base layers also feel more comfortable underneath your riding gear.

I also like to take one mid-layer (fleece) that I can throw on if it gets chilly in the evenings.

Base/mid layers can also be worn off the bike.

The Rukka Mark thermal set is great value and quality for the price.

Related: The Best Summer Motorcycle Base Layers

Riding Socks:

Nothing much to say here! I find that decent socks stop your feet from rubbing in the heat. But I don’t recommend riding in the same socks for consecutive days.

If possible, wear clean socks at the start of each day and wash them as you go along.

Motorcycle Touring Checklist: Documents

Cash & credit cards:.

I don’t go mad with carrying cash – mainly because I’m in the habit of informing my bank before I leave. This means they know to expect transactions in whatever country I’m in and not to decline my card.

I carry a few hundred euros to pay for coffees or meals in off-grid places where they only accept cash.

Motorcycle Insurance:

This can vary from company to company and policy to policy, so check your own paperwork!

As with my bank, I always email my insurance provider to let them know my itinerary. If there are any problems, I can sort them out before I leave.

Green Cards:

It’s worth checking whether you need a Green card or not before you leave. 

Before 2021, UK riders didn’t need them to go to Europe.

Then we did, and now we don’t again!

You can find out more on the .gov website  here .

Breakdown Cover:

Ensure your breakdown policy covers you for the countries you wish to visit. As with my insurance, I always email them my itinerary, so they know where I will be on any given day.

• Driving licence
• MOT (if required)
• Ensure your phone will work abroad (call your service provider if you are unsure)

Motorcycle Touring Checklist: Clothes

• Trainers (or comfortable shoes for the evenings)
• Sweater or fleece (you can use your riding mid-layer)

When it comes to clothes, a guy once told me that a small bottle of washing liquid requires a lot less room than extra clothes – and it always stuck with me!

If possible, buy synthetic clothes that have antibacterial properties. Not only are they lightweight, but they resist odour incredibly well and do a great job of keeping you fresh.

You can wash them at night, and by morning they will be dry.

Take fewer clothes, substitute the rest for a small bottle of concentrated detergent and wash them as you go.

• Sun cream (or sunblock)

Motorcycle Touring Checklist: Navigation

Gps & phone apps:.

Whether you choose to travel with a dedicated sat nav unit or with a phone app, make sure the maps are fully updated.

I would also recommend testing it on a local route after updating as it can mess with your settings.

Make a note on your motorcycle touring checklist to ensure your GPS is working as you want before you go. Also, check your routes are pre-installed and good to go.

If you choose to use your phone as your navigational aid, be sure to download any maps you might need so you can view them offline as well as when you have a signal.

Related: The Best Motorcycle Apps For Touring

Paper Maps:

Sometimes I take paper maps, and sometimes I don’t – it really depends on where I’m going. If you’re going off-grid, I recommend taking a paper map and keeping it in your top box.

The last thing you want is to have all the information you need on your phone only to realise you’ve lost it. Or broken it.

Putting paper maps on your motorcycle touring checklist ensures you at least consider whether you need one or not.

Back-Up Your Routes:

It’s happened to me in the past where my sat nav has updated and wiped my routes mid-trip. I recommend that you make copies of the routes and back them up to your laptop.

If you’re not taking a laptop, back them up to cloud storage so you can access them with WiFi or mobile data on your travels.

Planning a route? Read our dedicated Route Planning category

Motorcycle Touring Checklist: Tech

• Smartphone and charger
• Action cam kit
• Plug adaptor (country dependant)
• Laptop or Tablet if required

Others (Miscellaneous)

No matter where you’re going, don’t ever leave the hotel without water.

Whether you choose to use a hydration bladder or simply carry bottles, make sure you have enough water to get you through the day.

I’m a big fan of the Kriega Hydro 2 in orange.

Chances are you won’t need it all, but you’ll be surprised at just how much water you lose – whatever the weather.

Consider your hydration plan for your trip

Accident Plan:

I know you’re all excited about your trip, and I hate to dampen the mood. But take an hour to formulate an action plan for if something goes wrong on your trip.

This is even more important when  solo motorcycle touring .

Get your emergency contacts in order and develop a plan for what you will do if the worst comes to the worst.

Motorcycle Touring Checklist: The Rest

• Toilet paper (because a motorcycle touring checklist isn’t complete if it doesn’t include emergency toilet paper!)
• Petrol station gloves (an excellent last resort if your gloves leak in the rain)
• Basic first aid kit (pain killers, ibuprofen, plasters, small bandages, sterile water, mosquito repellent etc.)
• Drybag(s) – to keep dry kit dry (or to store wet kit)
• Spare glasses
• Coffee (there’s nothing worse than not being able to have a coffee in the morning!)
• Any prescribed medication
• Spare carrier bags (for organisation or storage of wet gear)
• Earplugs (an essential on your motorcycle touring checklist)
• Face mask (whilst still COVID-19 risk)
• A few long-lasting snacks (energy/cereal bars for if you get caught out)

Related: 12 Motorcycle Touring Essentials You Never Thought Of

Motorcycle Touring Checklist: Your PDF Download

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Top image via Matheus Triaquim

The Motorcycle Wave: Banging Heads Together!

Motorcycle touring packing tips: hard vs soft luggage.

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Home » Budget Travel » Motorbike Touring 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Travelling by Motorcycle (2024)

Motorbike Touring 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Travelling by Motorcycle (2024)

Travelling by motorbike is like uncasing yourself and releasing true freedom. Does that sound a bit poetic? Ok, but motorcycle touring really does allow you to travel at your own pace through both cities and totally offbeat locations.

Not to mention the act of riding is far and away more rewarding than catching any old bus! Camping at the foothills of majestic mountains and slow mornings in a foreign country are both favourites of longtime motorcycle travellers.

But with great freedom comes great responsibility! Travelling by motorcycle can be difficult to organise and even downright dangerous. I mean, you are careening around blind corners with nothing but a leather jacket between you and the tarmac.

The times I’ve got to enjoy a motorcycle trip have stood out as highlights of my travels. So I put together the basics for the nervous first time motorbike traveller ! And, dare I say, even the veteran pros might be reminded of some good points while reading. 😉

Because hitting the open road astride your badass bike should be a bucket list item for EVERY traveller. This beginner’s guide to motorcycle touring is for you, to go zipping off down Route 66.

After all, the road is always the best teacher.

Why Travel by Motorbike?

How to plan a motorcycle adventure, we need to talk about safety, packing to travel by motorbike, destination inspiration – top 3 places to travel by motorbike, final thoughts on travelling by motorcycle .

“ On a motorcycle … you’re completely in contact with it all. You’re in the scene, not just watching it anymore, and the sense of presence is overwhelming .” – Robert Pirsig

This quote sums up what draws a lot of us to travel by motorcycle. The thrill of having the “windows” removed and leaning into every curve of the road is utterly exhilarating.

There’s never the feeling that you’re commuting or simply getting from A to B. You’re busy asking locals for directions and taking side roads into the remote hinterlands of various countries. 

Because you often travel to offbeat areas , even the most popular countries can be seen in a new light when you travel by motorbike. Any time you want, you can simply pull over and take an epic photo. At your leisure, you can stop off and have a chat with some locals or explore your surroundings.

Not to mention that, when motorcycle touring, you’re free to design your own itinerary and slow down your travels . These days, there’s rightfully a bit of hype around living minimally and living freely. Travelling by motorbike encourages you to be both minimal in your stuff and maximal with your experience.

On top of alllllll that, the beer just tastes better after a long day riding . 😉 When you kick your bike into gear and take it to the road, you can be sure that you’re going to return home with bountiful stories to tell.

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When it comes to adventure travel, there are usually two types of people: the ones who over-plan and the ones who under-plan. So I present to you: the dreaded compromise . Before you saddle up and roar off into the peachy sunset, I think you should have a rough plan.

This is not a meticulously kept itinerary that has you in 3 places at once and all your accommodation booked out months in advance. But it’s also not just a napkin with a smudged name of a town that someone told you would be cool to visit.

Still, it’s not rocket science – it’s simply travelling by motorcycle! So with a couple of epic rides under my belt now, I present to you the main considerations to factor into your plan to travel by motorbike.

Number One Tip: Buy a Good Bike

For as many motorcycle travellers as there are as many different opinions on the best bike! But one thing we can all agree on is that spending a little extra money on a bike that’s in better condition will save you money in the long run. 

You’ll spend less time sitting on the stool outside the mechanic and more time taking in the scenic and curving roads if your bike is in good condition! And especially if you’re going to be on the road for an extended period of time, it’s gonna really help you out if you know how to fix your own bike. 

Take it from someone who learned to take being covered in engine snot over phoning a mechanic every time something went wrong – it’s worth it! Not only do you save money, but if your motorbike adventure goes the way you plan it to, you might not be close to a mechanic!

If you’re in the wops of the Laos jungle or the rolling plains of Kyrgyzstan there’s not always going to be someone who knows how to fix your bike! Plus, it’s so satisfying and such a confidence boost to know that you can make a beast of a bike run with just a little tinkering. 

When considering your bike, I’d also consider whether you want to rent or buy . On shorter trips in countries far away, it makes more sense to rent a bike. If you go through a reputable company, the bikes should be well taken care of and you won’t need to spend too much time in the mechanic! However, for longer trips or if you already have a badass touring bike, then service your big beautiful beast and hit the road.

Make A Budget

The secret to motorbike travelling is to treat it like you’re long term backpacking – at least in terms of your budget. That means all the budget backpacking hacks stay in play and you can travel off the beaten path longer. 

Once you have a budget in place, you can more thoroughly enjoy the place that you’re travelling to -without the stress of running out of money. 

I mean, who doesn’t want to ride the Old Silk Road and channel the empires of years gone past? You’re going to have one of those adventures that sounds almost mythical when you retell it years later. With a proper grasp on the budget of your adventure, you can really lean into the wilderness and slight insanity that always makes a motorcycle trip worth it.

As with any kind of budgeting, putting a price on the trip is like asking how long is a piece of string…

Still, if you have a timeline and a maximum amount that you can spend you’re halfway there. I recommend putting aside 5% – 10% for emergencies and dividing what’s left amongst the number of days you expect to be on the road. When that number turns out to be a little lower than you think is possible, it’s time to go back to budget backpacking basics!

What’s the Deal With Accommodation? 

If you’re on the cheap end of a shoestring budget, our old friend camping plays a big part. Get a good motorcycle tent and boom! The world opens up to you. 

Of course, if you’ve got a little extra cash to throw around then staying in a hostel and hotels along the way is going to be more comfortable. But I’d argue that part of the experience of a motorbike adventure is the gritty camping style sleeping arrangements. The stars are just a little more clear and the morning coffee just hits different when you’re camping. 

When you set up your camp for the night you can leave room for a washing line and hang your clothes out to dry (weather permitting). And you will likely be cooking your own food instead of eating out. Sure, you might have a cheeky can of beer to celebrate the end of a long day of riding, but you won’t be heading out to the club and spending money.

Camping encourages you to slip back in time to when we played cards in the evening and chit-chatted the night away. It’s about more than saving money: it’s about gaining experience. 

But, I won’t lie. The motorbike travelling life can be tough. Sometimes – especially on long trips – the spirits can get a little down . And you know what picks up the spirits like nothing else? A hot shower and an actual bed. 

It’s worth factoring in a little “splurge” money into your budget so that you can book an Airbnb or stay in a hotel every so often. It’ll do a world of wonders for your morale when riding all day!

Let’s Talk Food

Eat local and cook for yourself. 

That is how I would sum up eating on a budget! And trust me, it’s not so bad. If you decide to do a motorbike trip through Vietnam , you’re in luck when it comes to cheap and delicious foods! Roadside stalls abound and they’re all chock full of delectable soup, spiced fruit, and beef cooked in more ways than I have fingers to count.

Even motorbiking through New Zealand as I did, I didn’t totally stick to cooking for myself. I indulged in the pit stop style food: hot chips slathered in vinegar . And I do mean lathered – the completely unbiased fact of the matter is that chips taste better when they’re so soaked in vinegar that they become soggy.

Ok, it’s not the healthiest thing to eat on the road, but I’ll tell you what, after 8 hours of driving, those hot chips tasted bloody divine . 

Typically though, if you’re travelling through an expensive country like New Zealand you’re going to want to cook for yourself. This isn’t soo bad though! If you get yourself a nice camping stove then your imagination is the limit when it comes to cooking for yourself. I’ve had particularly memorable one-pot meals – although maybe I was just so tired after the day’s riding that anything tasted good?

What About Those Extra Expenses? 

Factor in those extra expenses from the get-go! You never know when a tricky to source repair piece is going to hit you with a big price tag. 

Also, knowing whether your trip is going to be a round trip or whether you’ll need to ship your bike home is also important. Shipping a bike is not cheap. But when you compare it to the thousands of extra kilometres and cost of being on the road, it can suddenly become more palatable.

And then there’s YOUR health. What if you eat some dodgy curry and become best friends with a toilet for a few days? What if the worst happens and you come flying off your bike and end up all bruised up? It’s not nice to think of these kinds of things, but it’s definitely worth having contingency plans!

That’s why I recommend having 5% – 10% of your budget set aside for emergencies. Think of it as your wee crash landing pad; your financial leather riding jacket. 

Annnnnd, Have Insurance

It’s important we talk about insurance – and not just because it should have your back if your back ends up splattered on the road. A lot of major travel insurance companies DO NOT cover motorbike travelling. 

You’ve got to pull out your magnifying glass and read the fine print to find out that they only cover “incidental” motorbike rides.

Look, I’m not gonna get on my soapbox. It’s up to you whether or not you get insurance. But as someone who’s had to crawl into the nearest hospital in Guatemala and get hooked up to the good stuff, lemme tell you: it’s nice to not think about money when you’re sick!

And one travel insurer that does cover motorcycle travel that I’d recommend is SafetyWing . They essentially act as international health insurance and function a little like a subscription service. You pay for the months that you want to be covered. It’s super flexible, the customer service is top-notch, and they follow through when you need them most.

Month to month payments, no lock-in contracts, and no itineraries required: that’s the exact kind of insurance digital nomads and long-term traveller types need. Cover yo’ pretty little self while you live the DREAM!

SafetyWing is cheap, easy, and admin-free: just sign up lickety-split so you can get back to work! Click the button below to learn more about SafetyWing’s setup or read our insider review for the full tasty scoop.

Well, amigos, it goes without saying that you are intentionally zipping around corners at 100 kph with nothing except a sexy leather jacket between you and the road. You’re also probably hoping to go offbeat travelling into countries where bribery is not so much as frowned on, but given the sly head nod of almost approval.

And then you add in the fact that you’re still travelling and that often involves a drink (or seven). I don’t need to pull my hair out and lecture you about staying safe. You are more than likely going to be perfectly ok and stay safe and healthy during your adventure!

But I’d be remiss if I didn’t give you these top safety tips for travelling by motorbike:

• Know the local road rules. 
• Don’t drink, snort ketamine, or otherwise drive inebriated.
• Keep your valuables locked away.
• Know your bike.
• Know your limits.
• BONUS! When the cops start asking for bribes, you stop speaking English…

Oooooh boy. Systems on systems!

A motorbike often comes with two paneers and a rack close to the seat. This is not a whole lot of storage so you need to travel light ! And yet there are definitely a few crucial bits of ingredients that you can’t go travelling without.

If you’re in the jungle you need mosquito spray . If you’re in the cold tundra, you need bulky layers .

And wherever you are, if you’re on a badass motorbike adventure, you need a badass packing list.

Osprey Aether 70L Backpack

Ya can’t go backpacking anywhere without a blasted backpack! Words cannot describe what a friend the Osprey Aether has been to The Broke Backpacker on the road. It’s had a long and illustrious career; Ospreys don’t go down easily.

Feathered Friends Swift 20 YF

My philosophy is that with an EPIC sleeping bag, you can sleep anywhere. A tent is a nice bonus, but a real sleek sleeping bag means you can roll out anywhere in a and stay warm in a pinch. And the Feathered Friends Swift bag is about as premium as it gets.

Grayl Geopress Filtered Bottle

Always travel with a water bottle! They save you money and reduce your plastic footprint on our planet. The Grayl Geopress acts as a purifier AND temperature regulator – so you can enjoy a cold red bull, or a hot coffee, no matter where you are.

Petzl Actik Core Headlamp

Every traveller should have a head torch! A decent head torch could save your life. When you’re camping, hiking, or even if the power just went out, a top-quality headlamp is a MUST. The Petzl Actik Core is an awesome piece of kit because it’s USB chargeable—batteries begone!

First Aid Kit

Never go off the beaten track (or even on it) without your first aid kit! Cuts, bruises, scrapes, third-degree sunburn: a first aid kit will be able to handle most of these minor situations.

Wanna know how to pack like a pro? Well for a start you need the right gear….

These are packing cubes for the globetrotters and compression sacks for the  real adventurers – these babies are a traveller’s best kept secret. They organise yo’ packing and minimise volume too so you can pack MORE.

Or, y’know… you can stick to just chucking it all in your backpack…

This world is full of some pretty epic destination inspiration . There are so many roads to travel and so many more crumbling mountain paths that you can share with goats. But for me, there are 3 places in the world that have the best motorbike riding .

Feel free to have your own favourite motorcycle routes, but I think you’ll find it hard to argue that these 3 places aren’t bloody spectacular!

#1 The Big, Bold, and Beautiful US of A

Ah yes, the iconoclastic home of the bald eagle, Route 66, and 50 states desperately singing the star-spangled banner in an attempt to glue themselves together and call themselves a nation. America, fuck yeah. 

The United States of America is a lot of things; ‘boring’ is not one of them. Back in the 1950s and 1960s, they committed to becoming a land connected via highways. Today there are 4 million miles of public roads . Damn!

And all these roads have to go somewhere. The USA has an incredibly varied landscape to match its incredibly varied patchwork of cultures. Motorbike travel across the USA is a wild ride (pun intended) through southern fried chicken, crumbling monuments, the Rockie Mountains, and Walmart. 

The sense of spiritual vastness and of resilient lands is inescapable when you ride through the prairies. And yet the cultural bankruptcy is rather inescapable when you see homeless Walmart employees in every other major town. The roads and landscapes themselves make for amazing motorbike travelling, but the USA makes for a wild journey in and of itself.

This was the first country I ever went travelling by motorcycle in – and oh boy, did I save the best for right off the bat! Vietnam simply cries out to be explored by motorbike. It’s a long, thin strip of mountains that taper off into epic coastlines.

The cities are bursting at the seams full of highrises and steaming noodles. Motorbikes are THE choice of transport here and you’ll be one of a sea full of them as you navigate your way through the cities. But as you cajole around mountainous back roads, the cities fall away and the other Vietnam is revealed.

You and your noble steed of a motorbike will have to wait for buffalo to cross the road before you travel on through rice paddies, hill tribes, and mind-melting sunsets. This is all without even mentioning the fact that Vietnam is one long culinary excursion.

Vietnamese food is a perfect balance of salty and sweet; yin and yang. The food is often simply by necessity – for many years Vietnam has been beaten down by poverty and war . But the food is always rich and delectable in flavour. There is so much more to Vietnamese food than pho noodle soup… 

You’ll notice a change from noodles to rice; from flavoursome to spicy; from dry ingredients and fish sauce to “green”, fresher ingredients as you move from North to South. 

I got so caught up in the excellence of the foods I didn’t even wax poetic about the excellence of the roads! A motorbike trip in Vietnam is really like no other – just know that if it’s your first time exploring the country by motorbike, then you’ll be hooked for life!

#3 New Zealand

Aotearoa, New Zealand. This beautiful, thin slice of sub-tropical island paradise also makes for sublime motorbike travelling. 

When I was living on the South Island of New Zealand , my neighbour owned a badass Royal Enfield bike. The stars aligned that we could take a trip together and that sold New Zealand to me: it’s simply one of the best places in the world to travel by motorcycle . The mountains are glorious and sky grazing; the cows are exceptionally curious.

The roads are fairly well maintained and the feeling of leaning into each and every curve reminds you about why you started riding in the first place. Not to mention, the Kiwis are resourceful and friendly. So if any troubles do come up with the bike, a helping hand is never far away. 

New Zealand has an edge over its vast neighbour across the Tasman Sea (Australia) in that the distances between places is not prohibitive. You can drive for a few hours each day and end up in completely new landscapes and towns. In the morning it might be subtropical palm fronds and by afternoon it’s snow-capped peaks. 

This makes New Zealand doable on a time budget, too.

We’ve tested countless backpacks over the years, but there’s one that has always been the best and remains the best buy for adventurers: the broke backpacker-approved Osprey Aether and Ariel series.

Want more deetz on why these packs are so  damn perfect? Then read our comprehensive review for the inside scoop!

While it might be a little intimidating to the first-timer, travelling by motorcycle is freaking addictive! Once you have a taste of the glorious mountain road adventures, the sneaky food stops along the way, and the satisfaction of a beer at the end of a day of riding, you’ll be hooked for life.

Throw in a tent and a thirst to go further and you’ll be looking to quit your job and travel the world . Freedom camping and unrivalled adventure is something that is hard to top. As long as you layer up with a leather jacket and a wee bit of insurance you’ll know that you won’t be flying off your bike and stopping your travels before they began!

After everything these past few years have thrown at us, a motorbike ride would probably do us all some good. 

Remember, motorbike travelling ultimately gives us more time on the road. And the road is eternal, the wind is constant, and what else comes with a guarantee like that?

And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links . That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!

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5 Best Motorcycle Travel Bags for Riders Who Get Around

You spend a lot of money on your gear. If you're planning on subjecting it to the horrors of airline travel, you'll want a motorcycle travel bag to protect your investment. 

You're sitting on a plane getting ready to take off. You're a smart traveler with a reasonably-sized bladder, so naturally you're sitting in a window seat to enjoy the view and a little extra elbow room. 

Maybe you're flying to South America to enjoy our Full Patagonia Adventure with a few friends... Maybe you're getting ready for the long-haul out to Chiang Mai to experience our breathtaking Northern Thailand Experience ...

Wherever you're headed, you happen to glance out the window and see something that puts your stomach in knots for the rest of your flight: Your duffel bag full of expensive motorcycle gear flying through the air and crashing down (bottoms up) onto the baggage conveyor.

Is your helmet scuffed? Did your GPS screen shatter? Has your adorable travel-sized container of Q-tips come open and spread throughout your luggage? Reckon you'll find out when you land...

This is precisely the situation we want to avoid, and a motorcycle travel bag is precisely the solution we're looking for. 

What to Look For in a Motorcycle Travel Bag

Ok, so we've established there's a difference between a giant duffel and a proper motorcycle travel bag, but what makes one superior over the other for two-wheeled travelers? Here's what we look for when choosing a gear bag for one of our tours: 

Motorcycle Travel Bag Capacity

It's easy to forget just how bulky motorcycle gear is until you try to cram it into a bag. Helmets alone often take up nearly half of a sizable duffel bag, and you've still got boots, gloves, and protective outerwear to account for. 

For this reason, we recommend starting your search for the right motorcycle travel bag by looking at capacity. Your individual capacity needs depend on the type of gear you own, and while there's no one-size-fits-all solution here, we believe too much room is always better than too little. 

"It's easy to hit those luggage capacity limits with motorcycle gear"

For your typical adventure gear loadout (tall boots, ADV helmet, goggles, gloves, jacket, and pants), you're likely to need about 100 liters of capacity , and even that requires some creative packing. Not all manufacturers list their capacity in liters, but the sweet spot for most riders is about 125 liters, for reference. 

Specialized Compartments

One of the major characteristics separating a dedicated motorcycle travel bag from your run-of-the-mill luggage are motorcycle-specific compartments, specifically for boots, helmets, and goggles. 

Any motorcycle travel bag worth buying should have a specific compartment for your boots which is completely separate from the rest of your gear. This gives you a safe place to store wet/muddy/stinky footwear in transit without worrying about getting the rest of your gear wet/muddy/stinky. 

"Like this guy is definitely going to need separate compartments in his motorcycle travel bag"

Some models do this by dedicating an entire zippered-off portion of the bag to just boots, which others do it by including a separate standalone "boot bag" to achieve the same outcome. Personally we prefer the separate boot bag approach for ease of cleaning, but either both designs get the job done. 

As far as helmet compartments are concerned, our favorite models both separate and protect your helmet by sectioning it off from the rest of your bag with padded dividers.

A well-made helmet compartment removes the need for traveling with a separate helmet bag , which simplifies your load out and minimizes our baggage fees. 

Goggle pockets can be either on the interior or exterior of the bag. Regardless of where they're located, you'll want to ensure they're lined with fleece to protect your eyewear from annoying scratches and scuffing. 

Airport Friendliness

Most riders shopping for a motorcycle travel bag are looking for a way to fly with all their gear, so we recommend looking for a bag that'll work well with air travel.

In our book that means you'll want a bag that (a) has wheels and (b) is tough enough to survive the rigors of being constantly loaded and unloaded (read: thrown) to and from an airplane . 

The wheels part is self-explanatory for anyone who's traveled with a roller bag before, but we put an emphasis on durability mainly for the sake of your helmet, which is designed to protect against one serious impact before being replaced.

For this reason we recommend looking for a motorcycle travel bag that includes as much additional padding and rigid support/protection as possible, particularly on the underside of the bag, which will take the lion's share of the shock and abrasion from conveyors. 

Our Top Picks for the Best Motorcycle Travel Bags

Taking the above "basics" into account, we've pulled together a few of our favorite options for gear haulers into the list below. From heirloom-quality bags that cost more than some helmets to budget-friendly luggage with a focus on the essentials, here are our five favorite ways to get your gear from A to B. 

1. Ogio Rig 9800 Pro 

Most moto-travelers would agree that Ogio's original Rig 9800 was by far the best motorcycle travel bag on the market for those that could afford it. The Rig 9800 Pro improves on the Rig 9800 formula by adding some extra pockets, even beefier construction, and a high-quality boot bag into the mix for a few dollars more. 

Capacity is essentially the same at 125 liters total, which we've found is ideal for a full suite of off-road gear including your helmet, boots, knee braces, body armor, and neck brace. We're also particularly fond of the Rig's helmet pocket divider, which carves out a separate space for your lid at the top of the bag with a little extra padding for protection. 

Speaking of padding and protection, the Rig 9800 Pro sports some of the best in the business, and we love Ogio's "iFOM" construction, which incorporates a layer of protective foam backing throughout the bag. The 9800 Pro also includes Ogio's trademark "SLED" system, which is a hard molded decking on the underside of the bag that helps it maintain its rigidity and also serves as an uber-durable layer of hard armor that greatly extends the life of the bag. 

Aside from the Rig's price point, we really don't have any complaints with this bag. It's expensive, but you're getting the toughest motorcycle travel bag in the business, which is now tougher than ever and even includes a high-quality boot bag for the money.

• Ideal 125-liter capacity
• Padding and armor protect gear from damage
• Separate boot bag included

CHECK PRICE:

OGIO Rig 9800 Pro

REVZILLA | AMAZON

2. Klim Wolverine Carry-On Bag

Unless you're planning to wear your boots, helmet, and riding suit onto the plane to save money (yes, we've seen it happen), you'd be wise to resign yourself to checking your bulky stuff and carrying the more packable items onto the plane. If you want a carry-on bag to match the toughness of a hardcore adventure duffel, Klim's Wolverine is the one to beat. 

So what makes the Wolverine so special? Well, for starters, Klim built the Wolverine's internal structure entirely from molded EVA polymer rather than the thin plastic and wood composite structure found on cheap luggage, so it's built to last and then some. 

You'll find the same quality construction throughout the bag as well, from the beefy YKK zippers to the heavy-duty grab handles and oversized wheels. In addition to being well built, we also appreciate how well organized the Klim Wolverine is with multiple quick access exterior pockets (one of which happens to be fleece lined) and a well thought out system of interior dividers. 

The main thing to keep in mind here is that Klim designed this specifically as an airline carry-on bag, so its total capacity is limited by airline regulations. That means you won't be stuffing your helmet and/or boots inside this motorcycle travel bag, which can make the price tough to swallow, but for what its worth, the Wolverine is the last carry on bag you'll ever have to buy. 

• Incredibly rugged construction
• Makes the most of carry-on approved dimensions
• Fleece-lined exterior pocket for goggles/eyewear
• Not enough capacity for larger gear
• Expensive for what it is

Klim Wolverine Carry On

3. Alpinestars Komodo Gear Bag

Few companies know moto quite as well as Alpinestars, and the Komodo is the Italian manufacturer's take on the premium motorcycle travel bag. They've thought of just about everything with this one, and the Komodo's moto-specific features are some of the best we've seen. 

For starters you're getting a full 155L of capacity, which is large even by gear bag standards , and the largest on our list overall. That includes a large ventilated compartment for boots (along with a waterproof storage bag), as well as a main interior pocket with adjustable padded dividers to keep your helmet as protected as possible in transit. 

Size and organization are top notch, but another place where the Komodo really earns its keep is durability. Alpinestars includes hard armored bumpers on the bottom four corners of the bag, and they also built the bottom and sides of the bag out of incredibly thick (and waterproof) tarpaulin to keep your gear protected from both abrasion and weather. 

We think of the Komodo as a smart choice for travelers who want a premium and fully-featured bag, but aren't quite ready to drop $300+ on an Ogio Rig. It isn't quite as protective, but the overall build quality and feature set are some of the best in the business, and who wouldn't want a bag to match their shiny new Tech 10 boots ?

• Extra large 155L capacity
• Rugged and weather-resistant construction
• Excellent modular internal organization 
• Size is overkill for some

Alpinestars Komodo Gear Bag

4. Klim Team Gear Bag

Klim gear has a well-earned reputation for being expensive, but believe it or not, the Klim Team Gear Bag actually made our list for its quality-meets-affordability appeal. 

Reading through the Team Gear Bag's spec sheet, you'd be excused for thinking this was one of the most expensive bags in our lineup: From its incredible 150L of space to its integrated changing mat, ventilated boot storage pocket, and modular internal helmet divider, there's no reason to doubt this motorcycle travel bag goes for well over $200, but alas...

Klim even includes features on their Team Gear Bag that other premium options lack including a waterproof rain cover and tie town points for hauling it on a roof rack or inside a truck bed. We also appreciate the Team Gear Bag's rigid base and integrated roller wheels, which look and feel like they'll last for years of hard travel. 

Our main complaint with the Klim Team Gear Bag is that although it does include a rigid molded base, it doesn't have the same amount of structure that options like the Ogio Rig and Alpinestars Komodo above bring to the table. This makes it a bit less protective and more likely to tip and fall over when parked on its wheels, but considering the cost savings, both are welcome tradeoffs for this much quality. 

• Outstanding quality, capacity, and features
• Waterproof rain cover included
• Great value for the money
• Lacks the padding and structure of more expensive bags

Klim Team Gear Bag

5. Fly Racing Roller Grande Motorcycle Travel Bag

If you're looking for a reliable gear hauler on a budget, Fly Racing's Roller Grande is an airport-friendly motorcycle travel bag that'll leave a few extra dollars in your bank account for in-flight beverages. 

We're fans of the Roller Grande as a budget pick because although it costs a bit less than the competition, it still delivers an impressive amount of travel-focused features. Capacity certainly isn't an issue here, as the Roller Grande sports a solid 125 liters of storage space .

In addition to its healthy size, we also love that Fly includes a large vented pocket on either side of the bag. These are great for letting muddy boots/gear "air out" without getting too funkified in transit, and also make it easy to keep dirty items separate from your other gear. 

You're also getting a fleece-lined goggle pocket, an integrated "mud mat" that folds up into the center of the bag, and a sturdy set of smooth-rolling wheels for easy transport. Truth be told the only real drawback we see with the Roller Grande is that its PVC-backed polyester construction doesn't feel quite as tough as more premium options we've tested, but it still feels plenty strong enough to survive the abuses of your typical airline baggage check. 

• Great price
• Plenty of space
• Multiple ventilated pockets for dirty boots/gear
• Doesn't feel as tough as some premium options

Fly Racing Roller Grande

Closing Thoughts on Motorcycle Travel Bags…

While traveling with motorcycle gear will never be the highlight of your trip, it shouldn't be a headache either. A good motorcycle travel bag takes all the guesswork out of how and where to pack your bulkiest gear, while also keeping crucial protective equipment like your helmet safe from loss and damage.

Motorcycle travel is our business, and we've been at it at for well over a decade at this point. Take our word for it here: Having a place to separately store your nasty boots after a week on the road is well worth the price of entry alone!

→Read More: 5 Best Motorcycle Luggage Options for the Long Haul   and Best Motorcycle Helmet Bags .

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Home Articles Touring Packing A Lady Rider's Guide To Packing For Motorcycle Travel

Margaret Dean R. Dean Sep 12, 2016 18 Comments Share

Take a gander at our FTC disclosure opus here . The following article was last updated on Sep 10, 2022 ...

A Lady Rider's Guide To Motorcycle Packing

Let's admit it, shall we? Packing isn't easy for everyone. Only the most prepared A-types have a go-bag always ready. The rest of us hem and haw over what to bring and wear. What if I need this? We might do that so I should bring X or maybe Y.

Motorcycle trips make it easy because you know you have limited space and can't overpack. Motorcycle trips make it hard because you know you have limited space and the line seems to blur when deciding what is necessary and what is optional.

I'm writing to female riders and passengers as I am both. Also, I'm a recovering overpacker. I've adopted a minimalist mindset when packing for long distance trips with my husband riding two-up. I had to. I'm about to embark on my first long distance trip maneuvering my own bike . I decided it was time to form my own moto packing list, one that better suits my needs as a female rider.

“I'm writing to female riders and passengers as I am both. Also, I'm a recovering chronic overpacker.”

Keep in mind that packing isn't just about the physical volume you see (how big the luggage) but the weight limitations as listed by the manufacturer. When packing, whatever clothes you are wearing under your ATGATT counts. You also don't need an outfit for every day of the ride.

Let me clarify, you do need some type of clothing to wear everyday but you don't need a fashionista and different outfit for each day of the ride.

For a longer trip, launder using a local laundromat, utilize laundry services at a hotel or do-it-yourself using a Scrubba . If using a Scrubba, bring items that are quick-dry so that items are ready to be packed or worn the next day.

If you're a low-maintenance kind of gal, kudos.

High-maintenance gals may need to come to Jesus. Condense as much as possible into smaller travel containers and bonus points for finding multi-purpose products. For example, most tinted CC or BB creams take care of moisturizer, sunblock and foundation. Campsuds can be used as both body wash and shampoo. Or challenge yourself to go low maintenance for the trip.

I keep my hair braided or pulled back under the helmet but you're off the bike sometimes and may spend an extra day sightseeing, so the hair management products are optional and as needed. Consider dry shampoo, a hat or hair band.

Clean, comfortable clothes and underwear are the goal versus "best dressed" off the bike. Besides, you're already awesome - you're traveling by motorcycle and experiencing life in a different way!

If you're riding your own bike with luggage, you'll have more room than if riding two-up and sharing precious cargo space. You'll be tempted to bring more than you need. Don't. Admit it, you never quite wear everything you pack in your vacation suitcase. You don't need as much as you think. Stick to essentials. Any extra room may be able to tote a have-to-have souvenir.

Sidenote: There's something about luggage (and purses) that makes us want to fill them to capacity. We also tend to adapt to what we see. If you go from a 34 liter to a 52 liter top case, you'll wonder how you survived before with the smaller case.

Lists are handy. This one is meant to be helpful ... a way to organize what to pack and if nothing else, a way to think about what you need to bring versus what you think you need to bring.

Once you have the luggage volume and trip duration in mind, let's start with the clothes:

• Denim jeans - 1
• Comfortable pair of walking pants, shorts, chinos/khakis or skirt - 1
• Underwear - 2 or 3 at most
• Riding socks - 2
• T-shirts, tanks tops, blouse - 2, 3 at most
• Fleece pullover/jacket - 1
• Comfortable walking shoes, sandals or flip-flops - 1
• Rain gear - 1 set top and bottom
• Optional: Bathing suit; long underwear top and pants, comfortable dress, hat

Toiletries:

• Facial cleanser or wipes
• Moisturizer

*eye cream, make-up, hair products if camping (shampoo is usually provided at lodging), mini blow dryer, brush/comb, hair band, etc.

You'll want to use some kind of bag or compression sack to contain your items within the luggage. This makes it easier to transport your items from the bike to a hotel room if you want to leave the luggage mounted on the bike. It also organizes everything from spilling out when opening the luggage whether you choose to leave it on the bike or not.

If you're riding solo, then you already know that there are bike essentials you need room for. Consult this list if you want to check yourself. If you're camping, that list can be found here .

My husband and I have gotten better and better at condensing what we bring with every trip. Another tip I have to remind myself of every time: If you forget something, there's a retail store out there somewhere that is more than happy to sell you what you need.

What Do My Fellow Female Riders Pack For A Long Distance Motorcycle Tour?

One size rarely fits all. Did I miss something above? What basics do you bring or would you suggest? Your input is invited. Leave a comment !

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About Margaret Dean

"Girl spectates through life no more" - Those six words capture it all. I used to spectate. I was one of the watchers of the doers of things. Then I became a doer .

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I love your post! I was forgetting so many things on my list. Just bookmarked it to come back every time I need it.

For a 2 week trip, I take: - a large ziplock bag full of granola bars. Often, we're in the middle of nowhere at lunchtime, so just have a granola bar. - quick-dry black polyester zip-off/convertible to shorts hiking pants-take less room and dry in an hour, and are decent enough in a dressier situation, and cool enough as shorts if walking in a hot place. I have also swam in the zipped off shorts since they are quick-dry. - 1 tank top, 1 short-sleeve quick-dry sports top, 2 quick-dry long sleeve shirts (sometimes I take 3) - 1 large t-shirt for sleeping, hiking, swimsuit coverup - 2 pair of silk sock liners that I can wash every other day that dry in an hour; 1 pair motorcycle socks - rather than washing the motorcycle socks repeatedly, I just wear the liners under the big socks and wash the liners that dry quickly. - 3 pair Ex Officio quick dry underwear. If I want to skip laundry one night, I can. - I take a pair of all black minimal/barefoot shoes that take minimal room, are just 5 oz,. comfortable for walking/hiking and can pass for dressy enough in a nicer restaurant. - CampSuds little bottle of concentrated liquid soap for doing laundry by hand, washing hands. Just need 1 drop. - 1 Buff - tubular knitted headband/neck scarf for warmth or covering motorcycle hair or cold ears - 1 quick-dry baseball hat - Chapstick with sunscreen - Earplugs - Decongestant - sometimes my ears plug up and don't unplug with elevation changes/wind - I wear a Camelback hydration pack only about 1/3 full with an extension on the hose - when riding 2-up, we can sip water from it without removing helmets. - 1 paper map that covers the whole area we're riding - USA Map, or Western States Map, etc. so that I can see the 'big picture' for the whole day and the whole trip rather than just a little at a time. - I print a detailed planned itinerary, then make notes on it as we go. Each night or morning, we re-check/re-evaluate the itinerary and decide whether our plan for the day is still reasonable after checking weather and things we want to see on the way, and if we're staying in motels, we make a reservation for that night, noting the reservation on the printed itinerary. At the end of the trip, we make a printed photo album containing the mileage and notes with the itinerary. - 1 thin book to read in case we take a day off for rain...if I can find one related to background or history of the area we're traveling, that's what I take so that we can talk about it as we ride. Next time, I might try to switch to an e-book on my phone. - Wet wipes - Ponytail rubber bands, wide-tooth comb, foldable brush, nail clippers, toothbrush, floss, q tips - We have always taken sunscreen and bug repellent but haven't used it.. - small pocket camera with wrist strap in case worn cross-shoulder over motorcycle gear. - 1st aid kit, safety pins

Thanks for sharing your list!

I should probably update this post as I've swapped out some things from the original list.

You've got a great list here, I also invite you to submit your own post about this topic to the site :-)

Awesome lists! I like Joyce's list too. Helps to get an idea together. My husband and I are taking our first longer trip (8 nights, we've only done 3 nights a few times). I have to learn to pack knowing we'll be doing laundry every few days and buy some clothes to help with this (quick dry undies for one!)

Congrats to you and your husband on your first long moto trip!

Glad to hear the lists are helpful!

Would love to hear how the packing and laundry worked for you after your awesome trip.

Even better if you wanted to write about your trip on the whole :)

Thank you for this list! I am preparing for my first trip to Sturgis, which will be a 2 week trip on the bike (no trailers for us!). Packing will be key...and probably mailing a box or two back with souvenirs along the way :)

2 weeks on a bike will guarantee you come back with stories!

Would love to hear what your final packing list included - Joyce shared some awesome tips in her list above.

Hope you have a great time :)

Omg I’m doing the Sturgis trip also. First time on a bike for 2 weeks, the longest I’ve done is probably 5 days to various places all over SO CA. Been looking for something like this that tells me specific lists of things.

Maybe you and Lauren will run into each other at Sturgis!

I love seeing how many ladies are out riding whether as a rider or passenger.

Please consider coming back here to either write about your trip or let us know what packing list you'd recommend for long moto trips.

Have a great time!

Good list. I've been riding for years, came here to get better ideas for packing. I like to save my camera battery for emergencies and take a small digital camera on trips. Also, in case you misplace the camera put a document or picture on the SD card with your contact information.

Thanks for the camera tip Vicky!

I'm saving up all the tips we've received for my next long-distance trip and update this post :)

Taking my first 2-up, 5 day moto from Utah to Grand Teton and Yellowstone. Nervous and excited, but scared about packing too little with 20°-30° temperature changes. What’s a Florida girl gonna do in this moto climate!? Do I wear the same thing out to dinner that I wear under my bike gear? Please help.

Thank you for all these wonderful suggestions! I'm going on a 5 day trip in September (I've never been on an overnight trip on the bike) and needed some direction in what to pack. Love everything!

I'm glad this list helped you Mary! It's not perfect but a place to start and then you can make it your own :)

Dear Theresa - I'm bummed I missed seeing your comment and didn't respond to your question in time to help further. I hope the trip went well and you've developed tips of your own for lady riders/passengers.

Thank you for sharing your lists! I'm going on my first multi day trip cross country to OC CA. Renting a bike, riding thru Orange County. I am having AGITA just thinking about the small amount of belongings that I'm able to carry. Where would one find silk sock liners?

Great suggestions for a ladies packlist. I'm going solo on my Harley down the southern east coast of US for 4 days to visit my adult son. This is my first solo long distance trip and I'm really excited and it's a personal challenge. The biggest challenge is packing the minimum on my sport glide. LoL!! Wish me luck!

Wish you luck and a wonderful solo trip Tammy :-)

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The Best Motorcycle Tool Kits For DIY Home & Roadside Wrenching

By: Tim Huber Published: Aug 15, 2023

Though motorcycles serve as a means from getting from A-to-B just like any other mode of transportation, we tend to have a much more personal, sentimental relationship with our two-wheelers than we do the other rides in our garage. As such, a great many motorcyclists gravitate towards doing their own maintenance and wrenching on their bikes. Furthermore, unlike cars with spatially-restrictive engine bays, motorcycles afford easy access to the lion’s share of their systems and components, making them incredibly conducive to DIY upkeep and labor.

Affording the ability to get up and running again should you breakdown on the side of the road, tool kits can be literal life-savers. Though, with extremely-limited storage space on the majority of most  production motorcycle models , it can be tricky picking out a tool kit that’s both robust enough to sort out most common mechanical gremlins, and compact enough to lend itself to motorcycle travel. With this in mind, we’ve generated this handy list of the best motorcycle tool kits currently on the market in which we’ll be delving into our picks for the latest and greatest options available, along with what to look for when shopping and tips on how to piece together your own mobile moto tool kit from scratch.

The Best Motorcycle Tool Kits

Best Travel Tool Roll

Velomacchi Speedway Tool Roll

Best Off-Road Kit

Motion Pro MP Tool Metric

Best Metric Kit

CruzTools DMX2 Fender Mount Metric Tool Kit

Best Off-Road Tool Roll

RSD X Kriega ROAM Tool Roll

Best SAE Kit

H-D Snap-On Tool Kit

Best Full Kit

Craftsman 450-Piece Mechanic’s Tool Set

Best Overall Kit

Snap-On 33 Pc Motorcycle Tool Set

Best Upgrade Kit

Black Widow Professional Motorcycle Shop Kit

Wrenching instruments 101.

What To Consider When Buying A Motorcycle Tool Kit

No matter your bike, budget, or experience wrenching, there are a few common elements to keep an eye out for when shopping for a moto tool kit. Below, we’ll touch on some of the more important elements to take into account when in the market for tools.

Overall Quality:  For the uninitiated, reading about toolset specs and descriptions can feel like trying to decipher a foreign language, though even the most novice of wrenches can get a basic understanding of a kit’s quality by asking some of the following questions. What material(s) and construction technique(s) were used to manufacture them? Are the tool’s moving components sealed and/or guided by ball-bearings? Does the manufacturer stand behind the tools with any  kind of warranty ?

Functionality:  Another enormously important aspect to take into consideration when shopping for a tool kit is the overall function and utility offered by each respective kit. This means thoroughly checking into a given kit’s number of included tools and said tools’ number of functions.

Overall Value:  This area is more or less determined by coupling a kit’s function and utility with its price and quality. And there is a wide range of value and quality when it comes to toolsets, with some offering much better bang for your buck than others. For more precise instruments or diagnostic equipment, we don’t recommend trying to take the budget route, though, for basic hand-tools and the like, there’s nothing wrong with going with a more affordable set.

Brand:  While most wrenches and tools probably look very similar to the outside observer, anyone that’s spent their fair share of time spinning a spanner is likely abundantly aware of the immense difference in quality between a tool from Snap-On and a tool from Harbor Freight. Purchasing a kit from a more reputable brand does admittedly come at a significant financial premium, though the investment really does pay for itself over time, as the more high-end tools on the market really are built to last a lifetime. If you’re unfamiliar with this product space, it’s well worth your time to read up on some of the more popular brands to get a better sense of where they stand in the industry.

Tool Rolls Vs. Tool Kits

The Pros & Cons Of DIY Versus Preassembled Tool Kits

There are various benefits and drawbacks of buying a preassembled tool kit versus purchasing a tool roll that you custom-load with wrenches, drivers, and other hand tools. Below, we’ll briefly explore some of the main pros and cons of both categories. 

Preassembled Moto Tool Kits: Having spent decades manufacturing the actual tools themselves, tool manufacturers tend to have a pretty top-notch understanding of what items to bundle together to yield the best, most robust, yet compact kits. These not only include a curated selection of hand tools for performing basic tasks, but are also sold with a convenient case for easy two-wheeled travel. So, whether you require SAE or metric items, the below list of pre-assembled tool kits will almost certainly include a kit that jives with your needs.

Motorcycle Tool Rolls: Chances are that nobody knows your bike and its faults better than you. As a result, you can piece together  a custom moto  tool kit to specifically address the exact problems that your bike is most prone to suffering from suffers from. Each of the tool rolls below provides a stellar means of accommodating a hand-picked selection of tools for your two-wheeled travels.

Metric Vs. SAE

Standard Moto Sizing 101

Mechanics tools  are sold in two basic varieties; standard (also known as “SAE,” short for “Society of Automotive Engineers”) and metric. Standard tools are measured in sizes using fractions of inches as where metric tools are measured in millimeters. Unsurprisingly, most motorcycles manufactured in the United States are compatible with SAE tools as where most bikes made in Japan, Europe, or anywhere else outside the US typically employ metric sizing. Some bolts can be adjusted using both metric and SAE sockets, though the fit won’t be exact and one runs the risk of stripping a bolt. You’ll want to figure out which style your bike uses before making your purchase.

On top of knowing whether your bike uses SAE or metric tools, it’s also wise to look into the exact tools needed for performing basic maintenance tasks on your exact make and model. As an example, my 2007 Suzuki GSX-R600 requires a torque wrench for performing oil changes. Because of this, I know to either include one of these in my kit or just be privy to the fact I’ll need one for specific jobs.

Supplementary Considerations

Additional Tips & Areas To Consider When Buying A Moto Tool Kit

Regardless of what type of bike you ride, its age, make, model, or what kind of tools it’s compatible with, there are a few general tricks that can benefit just about every rider. Just like with the actual tool kits themselves, these items enormously increase your ability to remedy most basic maintenance jobs and roadside repairs and should be carried alongside your main tool kit if possible.

This includes products like J.B. Weld, zip-ties, and duct tape. Being armed with a comprehensive manual from Clymer or Haynes is also highly recommended by most seasoned riders, as it clearly conveys how to perform just about any basic roadside maintenance job you could imagine. Lastly, even if you consider yourself to be a generally handy person, wed’ still urge you to get aquatinted with your tools in the comfort and safety of your driveway or garage. 

• Crafted around reinforced ballistic shell w/ quilted front panel
• Doubles as parts tray when unrolled
• Great for both touring & daily use
• Exterior has adjustable aluminum hook closures & TPU laminated handle
• Also makes for great compact auto tool roll
• Small-batch manufacturing can make it hard to get in-between production runs

Best Travel Tool Roll: Velomacchi’s Speedway Tool Roll is a top-shelf item through and through, boasting a thoroughly  reinforced ballistic nylon  shell with a quilted front panel, a TPU laminated handle, YKK zippers throughout, and adjustable aluminum webbing straps and aluminum hook closures for closing the roll or securing it to your bike. An embedded magnet also anchors loose nuts, bolts, or other hardware while working, preventing it from “wandering off.”

Case Material: Reinforced Ballistic Nylon Closure: Aluminum Hook Closures

• Clever ultra-compact moto multi-tool design
• Made specifically for off-road/trail use
• Offers great value
• All tools feature hard nickel pewter finish
• Can be upgraded w/ 1/4″ & 3/8″ drive socket attachments
• 1/4″ & 3/8″ drive socket attachments not included

Best Off-Road Kit: Hardcore off-road riding opens your bike up to markedly more opportunities for impacts and abuse, which is why it’s so crucial to keep a bike multi-tool handy for basic repairs such as this fairly universal metric kit from Motion Pro. Including some of the most common socket, hex, and Allen sizes (plus #2 and #2 Phillips), the kit’s tools are treated to a hard-nickel-pewter finish and come sold with an included carrying case. In addition to lending itself to use wrenching on dual-sports and dirt bikes, this kit is also a great choice for working on quads and UTVs. 

Included Items: 7 Carrying Case: Nylon Size: Metric

• Crams enormous number of essential tools into super compact kit
• Conveniently mounts out of the way on bike’s front fender
• Sold in camo-pattern nylon carrying case
• Includes mechanics wire, electrical tape, & cable ties for Magiviering repair jobs
• Limited mounting options

Best Metric Kit: Dubbed the CruzTools DMX2 Fender Mount Metric Tool Kit, this robust little kit is comprised of several combination wrenches, a sliding t-driver, 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, and 13mm sockets, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm hex bits, a four-in-one screwdriver, spark plug tools, locking pliers, as well as some other items for Magiviering repair jobs such as electrical tape, cable ties, and mechanics wire. Including space-saving items such as a six-in-one tool, this entire kit comes in an incredibly compact camouflage nylon carrying case that’s designed to be mounted to a motorcycle’s front fender.  

Included Items: 24 Carrying Case: Camo Nylon Size: Metric

• Super rugged materials & build quality
• Has 4 separate zipper-secured 1-liter tool pockets
• Secured via magnetic Magic Catcher buckles
• Backside of roll lined w/ Hypalon MOLLE panel
• Can be mounted to RSD x Kriega Socket Rails
• Protected by 10-year warranty
• Expensive price for a tool roll

Best Off-Road Tool Roll: Born out of a collaboration between Roland Sands Design and Kriega, the RSD X Kriega ROAM Tool Roll is a top-shelf take on the segment that’s crafted from an ultra-rugged amalgamation of 1,000-denier ballistic-grade CORDURA, Hypalon, and Roland Sand Design’s signature waxed cotton . Backed by a ten-year warranty, this item sports Magic Catcher magnetic buckles that open, allowing the roll to reveal four individual one-liter tool pockets. 

Case Material: 1,000D CORDURA, Hypalon, & RSD Wax Cotton Closure: Magic Catcher Magnetic Buckles

• Designed to offer maximum utility in as compact a package as possible
• Compatible w/ Harley bikes made after 2000
• Made through collab between Harley & Snap-On
• Outstanding quality
• Protected by lifetime warranty
• Expensive price for its size

Best SAE Kit: Manufactured by Snap-On specifically for the American cruiser brand  to offer the most utility in the smallest possible package, the H-D Snap-On Tool Kit is a super-premium SAE-sized kit that includes more than 20 items in total, allowing for a pretty enormous range of basic maintenance and roadside repairs. Protected by a full lifetime warranty, this kit comes sold in a roll-up pouch so it can easily be tacked onto handlebars or tucked under a seat or in a pannier. In typical Snap-On fashion, this 20-piece kit comes at a steep price, though the reality is that you get what you pay for here, as this SAE-sized set is legitimately made to offer a lifetime of use. 

Included Items: 20 Carrying Case: Nylon/Poly Size: SAE

• Has enormous host of essential metric & SAE-sized tools
• Features terrific bang for your buck
• Case offers stellar organization
• Includes 191 sockets, 187 bits, 40 hex keys, 16 wrenches, 6 extension bars, 6 adapters, & 3 ratchets
• Just as useful for wrenching on cars as it is for bikes
• Tools not as high-quality as Motion Pro & Snap-On items (though far superior to Harbor Freight)

Best Full Kit: We’d argue that dollar-for-dollar, this Craftsman tool kit offers the best bang for your buck of any mechanics toolset on the market, period. The 450-piece system is contained in a hard case with multiple drawers and includes more than 190 sockets in all the most commonly-used metric and SAE sizes, plus features 16 combination wrenches, a few extension bars, Allen keys, and a variety of other mechanic tool staples. Because of its size, this 450-piece mechanic’s set isn’t exactly ideal for two-wheeled travel. With that said, a handful of essentials can be taken out of this kit and loaded into a tool roll — such as one of the stellar models seen above — in order to make an ideal set for roadside wrenching. 

Included Items: 450 Carrying Case: Injection Molded 3-Shelf Case Size: Metric & SAE

• Boasts unbeatable quality & craftsmanship
• Made in America & backed by lifetime warranty
• Designed specifically for roadside maintenance & emergency repairs
• Sold in compact tri-folding carrying case
• Very expensive price

Best Overall Kit: Snap-On has long been considered the Rolls-Royce of the tool industry, so unsurprisingly this 33-piece kit from the renowned manufacturer comes highly recommended on our list.  Made in America  and backed by the brand’s usual lifetime warranty, the kit is designed to allow for a wide range of jobs using minimal tools. The overall quality and construction of these tools are pretty much second to none — as one would expect from Snap-On. Like the above Snap-On item, this 33-piece set does carry a fairly exorbitant MSRP, though you really do get what you pay for — as countless mechanics can attest to. 

Included Items: 33 Carrying Case: Nylon Size: Metric & SAE

• Amazing upgrade to any DIY/home mechanic
• Makes basic wrenching jobs much easier
• Hydraulic lift has robust 1,500lb capacity & 32” max height
• Shipped to customer on wrapped pallet
• Also great for professional use
• Doesn’t include any hand tools
• Expensive price

Best Upgrade Kit: Shipped directly to the customer’s door on a shrink-wrapped pallet, the Black Widow Professional Motorcycle Shop Kit doesn’t include any traditional metric or SAE hand tools, however, if you’ve already got a decent set of ratchets, wrenches, Allens, and drivers, this professional-grade kit is an absolute game-changer, opening up the door to a plethora of different jobs that require speciality equipment, and making regular wrenching jobs markedly easier. This is thanks to the kit’s included wheel balancer and truing stand, tire bead breaker, and aluminum moto dolly. The kit’s biggest selling point, however, is undoubtedly its ProLift Heavy-Duty air-hydraulic motorcycle lift table that features a 1,500-lb weight capacity along with the ability to raise bikes anywhere from 7″ to up to 32” off the ground. Rounding out this kit is also a rolling shop seat and a robust tie-down strap kit with two 2″ cam straps, a pair of 2″ ratchet straps, and four 1″ soft loops.

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The Ultimate Motorcycle Camping Gear Checklist

Welcome to the Motorcycle Camping Gear Checklist for bike travellers. We use the majority of these items on our round the world motorcycle trip and have thrown in a few extras and non-essentials just in case you want a splash of luxury. Here’s everything you might need on a long-term motorcycle camping trip. 

Your sleeping gear will be the bulkiest items in your motorcycle luggage. A tent, sleeping bag and roll matt take up enough space without throwing extras in like pillows, and so it’s worth spending a little extra for high quality stuff. The aim is to get low-volume and lightweight kit that you can compress to make as small as possible. Here are three essentials for minimalist motorcycle travellers and four things that add a little extra comfort. 

The MSR Hubba Hubba tent is one of the lightest on the market. We use this tent because it's freestanding, meaning you don't need to peg it into the ground to erect it. That comes in very handy in the desert! You can also use it without the fly cover, which makes it perfect for hot countries and star gazine.

Sleeping Bag

With sleeping bags, if you spend a little you get a lot. But not in a good way. Cheap bags are huge and usually rubbish. It's worth going for a premium bag that packs away as small as possible. Consider where you're travelling, what temperatures you need it to work in and don't get caught out with an unsuitable bag.

The best roll mats for long-term camping are quick inflating air mattresses. They pump up in about 10 breaths and roll away tightly. Foam roll ups are fine for short trips but too big, bulky and uncomfortable. Go for a mattress with a low volume but decent thickness so the cold from the ground doesn't transfer through.

Non-Essentials

If you have the space, go for an inflatable but comfortable pillow. If you want a minimal kit then you could use your bag, bike jacket or a pile of clothes instead.

Foil Blanket

Very handy in emergencies or if caught out on a freezing night. We're glad we packed ours. They're super cheap, very handy and smaller than a pack of cards.

Most riders use a neck scarf on their travels. They also double up as hats when camping in cold conditions. Makes more sense than carrying a woolly hat.

I've had my Jag Bag for six years and love it. It's a tough and light silk liner that keeps sleeping bags clean and can be used in questionable hotels too.

What cooking equipment you carry (if any) completely depends on how often you camp, how long your trip is and how much you like cooking. Long-term motorcycle travellers usually need to cook on a regular basis, and so it’s worth carrying extra kit to make life easier and the food taste better. Here are the essentials and a bunch of extras for road chefs.  

The MSR Dragonfly stove has been with me for six years and 60,000 miles. Gas canisters make no-sense for bike travellers. This runs on petrol, was developed for mountaineering, is easy to maintain, doubles up as a Jerry can and you can control the flame.

Cooking Equipment

We use the MSR Quick 2 Cooking set, but for solo riders there's the MSR Trail Lite system. I used to use a single mess tin on previous trips where I didn't cook that often. Now, because we cook so much we use a larger set that cleverly slides into itself to maintain space.

Durable and tough plastic cutlery (not the flimsy rubbish ones) is the way to go. Metal is fine but weighs more and scratches non-stick pans if used to stir food or scrape out pasta. If you're cooking regularly and make more than rice and beans, it's worth having a set.

Foldable Washbowl

There's not always going to be access to running water, especially if you're wild camping. A washbowl saves wasting H2O. It's worth carrying a small sponge, tea towel and washing liquid too.

Mini Chopping Board

Cutting garlic and onions on your lap is a pain in the arse. Go for a mini chopping board (or cut your one in half) and you'll be dicing those carrots like Gordon Ramsey in no time.

We use a Swedesih 'Mora kniv' on a daily basis. Life would be hard without it. All food chopping and preparations are made with this knife, its well-made, will last forever and costs around £10.

Hand Sanitiser

Food hygiene is important, especially if handling raw meat and eggs. A little bottle of sanitiser means not wasting your water on washing hands if wild camping and away from water sources.

By definition, ‘comfort’ items are non-essential. They’re there to make your camping life that little bit easier, so if you’re a minimalist bike traveller, or on a short trip, or don’t camp that often then you can do without these items. We’re limited by what we can carry and how much space we have when motorcycle travelling. So it’s a balance of what you need, what you want and what’s worth making space for.  

A sheet of tarpaulin is extremely versatile when motorcycle camping. You can use it for an additional shelter to cook under if it's raining (with the fire just outside it of course). It can also be used as a large ground mat, a ground sheet when working on your bike or as a motorcycle cover.

Camping Chairs

We started our trip with chairs and sent them home after the first month because we didn't use them. We regretted that decision for the next eight months. Especially when we saw other travellers relaxing in theirs. Once you try one, you won't go back to sitting on the floor with an achy back.

If you don't want to carry a large tarp sheet, then a simple, roll-up and lightweight camping mat is a great option. It stops ground dust flicking up into your cooking. A ground mat also stops your feet and all your equipment from getting dirty and provides a place to rest outside of your tent.

Everyone has their own extras that they take on a motorcycle camping trip. Here are a bunch of extras that you might need. We use six of these items but have at some point travelled with and camped with all of them. Like with the comfort items, it’s your luggage and your balance. Take whatever you need and have space for. And if it doesn’t work out, send it home. 

This is the most important extra of the bunch. Far handier than a hand held torch because it makes cooking, walking and going for a pee in the middle of the night a doddle.

A small but strong lamp makes life so much easier when camping. It lights up your site and can also hang inside your tent when it's time to get into your sleeping bag.

Most bike travellers carry paracord because it comes in so useful. It probably has a million uses but we mainly use ours as a washing line and to fix the the tarpaulin to a tree.

Shower bags come are used when there's no water source or it's too tricky to get into the water. Fill up the bag, hang it from a tree, turn the nozzle and wash away the day's ride.

Foldable Grill

This type of grill is very light and packs away flat. If you like the occasional BBQ and don't want to make your own grill every evening then these are brilliant.

Sometimes you can't waste your drinking water on something silly like washing your smelly arm pits! The wet wipe sorts your showering needs.

A bar of eco-friendly soap can be used to wash both your body and the dishes if you want to reduce your kit and do away with proper washing up liquid.

Tupperware that folds into itself comes in surprisingly useful when camping. Store leftovers and stop your food from getting contaminated by the petrol stove.

Fire Starters

We can all get by with a lighter or matches. But be honest, starting a fire with one of these just looks cooler. Seriously though, if your matches get wet then you'll be grateful you have this.

We've met plenty of people who carry can openers and multi-tools. Why? Nearly every pen knife has a can opener. It makes more sense to get a decent multi-tool like a Leatherman.

Depends on how Ray Mears you are with your camping. If camping in wooded areas and want to chop firewood, then go for a quality, wood handle hatchet. We recommend Gransfors Bruks.

Water Bladder

Foldable water containers pack away small and can be stashed in your bag when you don't need them. You can then top them up before you head to the campsite and saves carrying bottles.

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How to Go Motorcycle Camping FAQ

Here’s a bunch of the most frequently asked questions we get on motorcycle camping.

The benefit of camping on your motorcycle trip is two-fold. Firstly, accommodation is easily one of your biggest daily expenses. And on long-term travel, staying in hotels and hostels every night will quickly eat away at your budget.

Wild camping is free! And on the rare occasions you’re not allowed to wild camp in a certain area, simply ask the locals where you can camp – I’ve been invited to set up my tent in people’s back gardens, in green houses, garages, next to restaurants, football pitches, private beaches, inside houses (weird), on farms, in barns and so on and they’ve been some of my best travelling experiences. You’ll save so much money camping and that’ll mean you’re able to spend that money on petrol and travel further for longer!

And secondly, being able to camp on your motorcycle trip gives you greater freedom. You’re able to venture further because you don’t have to be constantly thinking about where the next hotel is. You can ride until you’ve had enough and just pitch up. You’ll sleep under the stars and have that visceral experience that makes motorcycle travel what it is.

You might find this article handy: How to Motorcycle Travel on the Cheap

You need a tent, sleeping bag and mattress. That’s the bare minimum you need to sleep. Everything else is optional.

Next up is cooking equipment. You could go to a restaurant and then back to your campsite to sleep and that’ll do away with all the cooking gear, stove, food and water etc.

But, dependent on where you travel you won’t always be able to do that as you may need to set up camp in the middle of nowhere and will need to be self-sufficient. So, cooking equipment is pretty important for long-term and long-distance motorcycle travellers.  

If, however, you know you wont camp much and hate cooking, then you can always leave it at home and just take emergency dry food that doesn’t require cooking.

If you’re after a more comprehensive guide on everything you might need for a big motorcycle trip, check out the below guide:

READ MORE: The Complete Motorcycle Trip Packing List

This is a really common question. There are a lot of factors that make for a good motorcycle tent. The most important factors are that it should be: waterproof, lightweight, freestanding and low volume.

Waterproof is obvious, but not all tents are made equally. Read the reviews and make sure you’re buying a quality tent. Ideally weight should be under 2.5kg so that it can be easily carried on your bike. Freestanding means you don’t need to peg it down to erect it like with tunnel tents. This isn’t a must but if you’re camping on multiple terrains it makes life a lot easier as you don’t have to find rocks to tie the ropes to. Imagine camping on soft sand with a non-freestanding tent!  And finally, low volume is just as important as the weight, because you could have a super light tent but if it packs up into a huge bag then you’re eating into precious luggage space.

There are other factors to consider like removable fly covers, space and vestibule etc.

We have a very detailed guide on how to pick a tent for motorcycle camping included in our 10 best biking tents guide. 

READ MORE:  The 10 Best Motorcycle Camping Tents

We have a packed and detailed guide that answers this exact question. The guide lays out the different options available, their pros, cons, features who they’re for and recommendations. Have a read of that one here:

READ MORE: The Sleeping Mat and Bag Guide for Motorcycle Camping   

Hammocks are cool. No question about it. But they’re not practical for motorcycle travellers – especially not RTW motorcycle travellers. If you’re trip is one country and you know the terrain and you’re in and around forest areas, then yeah, great. But as soon as you start traversing the globe and riding in mountainous, desert regions and arid regions – the last thing you want to be doing after a long day’s ride is searching for hours for two trees.

Your camping gear bag will be the biggest and bulkiest bag on your motorcycle. If you’re going to be camping often and in remote areas where you need to prepare your own food then you will need lots of equipment. So, it’s worth spending a little extra in this department and getting as low-volume and lightweight kit as possible.

What you put it all in though is dependent on your luggage system. If you have hard or soft panniers then you may need to split it between the two panniers if you can’t fit it all into one. It’s not a good idea to ram it all into a top box as it’ll probably be too heavy for it and the top box is better used for quick access to important stuff like cameras etc.

In all cases, the best option is to place your camping gear in a single duffel bag and use Rok Straps to safely secure it to the pillion seat. It makes life a lot easier keeping all your camping gear in one bag on your motorcycle.

That’s because often your gear can be slightly wet in the morning and if you need to pack up in a hurry without it drying you don’t want that sodden gear touching and getting mixed up with your clean gear in your panniers. And you don’t want to have to be emptying your panniers in search of a missing piece of equipment. It’s also easier if you can’t camp directly next to your bike because you can just take the one bag with you. Same goes for leaving the bag in a hotel if it’s not needed for a few days. And finally, having all your camping gear in one easy to access place just makes life easier when setting up and taking down your camp site.

We use a Lomo 40 litre duffel bag. You can check out our review here: Lomo 40 litre Review

Here are a few other guides that you might find useful for luggage:

• All your motorcycle luggage options are listed here:  The Motorcycle Luggage Guide
• Check out The Motorcycle Luggage Resource page for all our luggage guides 
• The 6 Best Soft Panniers if you want to go down the pannier storage route
• And if you’re undecided on luggage options, take a look at Hard vs Soft Luggage for Adventure Bikers

Where can I camp?

You’ve got three choices when it comes to setting up camp. Firstly, there’s paid and official campsites. In some countries, these paid campsites can be nearly as expensive as a low-budget motel. But they come with facilities such as toilets and showers and often washing and cooking areas too. In some countries there are official or government run campsites provided for free. You’ll find many of these dotted all over Japan for example.

Next up is wild camping. This is the most common option when motorcycle travelling and simply means camping anywhere that’s not a paid or official site. At first, this can be a bit nerve racking as you’ll most likely be veering off a small road and heading into a wood to try and find a spot. Once you get used to it, it’s actually really fun.  And the more you do it the more brazen you’ll end up being in picking your camp spots. Wild camping is a lot easier in some countries than others. In very built up countries and areas it can be difficult, in places with wide open spaces and plenty of forests etc you can just about camp anywhere you like. It’s a magical thing, finding a secluded and empty spot, pitching your tent and waking up to a stunning view with your bike.

The third option is simply asking people if you can camp on their land. This could be asking a restaurant owner if you can camp in their back garden, knocking on a farm house to ask permission to camp in their field and so on. This has made for some of my absolute best memories of bike travel and is always worth a shot. If you think somewhere may be private, always ask permission.

Park your motorcycle so it’s leaning away from your tent so that if it falls over it won’t crash into your tent. Make sure the side stand is on a flat surface too as you don’t want your bike sinking into soft mud if it starts to rain. A handy tip is to weld a wider footplate onto your side stand to help you when parking up on soft ground. Check out our How to Adventure Proof Your Motorcycle Guide for more tips like that.

Stop earlier than you think to find a good spot for the night. If the sun is anywhere near setting then it’s already too late. It usually takes a while to find a spot and you don’t want to be setting up in the dark because it makes it harder to find a good area and spot any potential dangers. Also, you’ll have bugs and flies diving into your soup as you try cooking with a torch.

Tie a line from your tent to your bike so you can feel if anyone tries tampering with your motorcycle.

Use your bike to hang clothes and make a washing line

Be comfortable; pack enough warm clothes, food, water, a mini lamp, lightweight camping chair and ground mat. Also make sure you have your  sleeping mat and bag combination correct.

Try and pick a spot not far from a water source. But make sure the water is fresh and running as stagnant water usually means mosquitos. Running water is perfect for washing yourself and dishes.

Go for a dry run. Pack what you think you need and head out for a long weekend of camping in your home country. Be sure to camp in multiple spots and not just stay in the same place as that’ll help you get a feel of your packing system too. You’ll quickly realise what you do and don’t need and if you’re missing anything. Motorcycle camping is a brilliant experience, so don’t stress it, just enjoy it!

And most importantly, check out our packed guide below.

READ MORE: The Ultimate Motorcycle Camping Guide

Read more on motorcycle kit, equipment and travel gear 

Thanks for checking out the Ultimate Motorcycle Camping Gear Checklist. We hope you found it useful! Here’s a few more articles on motorcycle kit that we recommend you read next. 

• Motorcycle Camping Guides
• The Ultimate Motorcycle Camping Guide
• The 10 Best Motorcycle Camping Tents
• The Sleeping Mat and Bag Guide for Motorcycle Camping
• Motorcycle Luggage Guides
• Motorcycle Packing Guides
• Riding Gear Guides

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Hard vs Soft Luggage for Adventure Bikes

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The Motorcycle Luggage Guide

How to Motorcycle Round the World

Chuck your comments on Motorcycle Camping Gear below. We’d love to hear from you!

16 thoughts on “the ultimate motorcycle camping gear checklist”.

I was introduced my my (Aussie) cousin to hammocks. Got my own now, takes up so much less space and far more comfortable, and can sling it anywhere there’s a 3-6 metre gap between a pair of suitable tethering points!

Hi Mal! Yes! We’ve seen a few travellers with hammocks, they look like a fantastic option, especially with the protective mesh and waterproof covering options. They must save on a ton of space as well. We did consider one, but there have been so, so, so many times where there would have been nothing to tie it to – especially in deserts and baron places. Glad it works for you though. Cheers Mal and happy camping mate!

I use one too they’re hard to beat in comfort and packing space..

Interesting to hear you use one too Luke, where abouts do you travel? I assume you don’t just rely on a hammock for long trips though? Cheers, Andy

Hi, what do you guys think about good tents for motorcycle trips? Do you have any advice on what type of tent I should pick eg 2 man or tunnel etc? Any advice would be helpful thank you

Hey Jet! Thanks for your comment, we have an article literally called the 10 Best Tents for Motorcycle Camping here https://www.madornomad.com/the-10-best-motorcycle-camping-tents/ That guide also lists loads of important criteria for picking a tent for bike trips, which should help. But to directly answer your question – it’s tricky because everyone’s trips and needs are unique. Personally, we prefer freestanding tents because they can be erected on any terrain (desert, snow, rocky hard ground), two-person so you have extra space for gear, removable covers for hot nights (and so the cover can be used as a quick shelter) and importantly – low volume and under 2.5kg. Hope this helps! If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask anytime in a comment, shoot us an email or ask in the Forum! Cheers

If I may comment another experience, too: I had twice a really bad tent: The first time and the last time ***twinkle***. Since more than 40 years I pay attention on a high quality tent/general stuff for nature time! I saw other campists with really bad stuff in storm and waterfall like rains! They had that kind of 19.99$ pop up tent and were in a hard emergency one night (saw it in Swiss and Norway), many things were blown in the river or elsewhere. Tentpoles crackled, the outer skin just torn by wind. So we had a no funny night with 4 in my 2 pax tent. One even didn.t have a sleeping bag… closely, but dry.

Many “special offers” from supermarkets oder cheap material can bring one in hard situations (high passes, where you suddenly can.t get through or nights in the desert at about 0 or 3°C with “summer sl.bags” or even none, because “it.s so warm in the desert”. It.s only 3 or 4 times sparing a restaurant dinner to spend it for good stuff for at least 5 or 10 years. If you are forced to sit on your bike because of pain or hard cold, to reach a town/doc/ hospital -and all that because of bad material- Sooo many people fail in the Alps/Highlands/desert-like scenery because of bad equipment. They think, expensive stuff ruins their trip, but the thing is: It ruins their health for days or weeks. THAT’S the ruin of a trip…..

Hi Henry, Thank you for your comment. Yeah, I agree completely. High quality gear can make the difference between a good (and safe) night’s sleep and an absolute (and potentially dangerous) disaster of a night. But, like you said, it all depends on where the rider is going and what they’re doing. If it’s a round the world trip or to an extreme location with a harsher environment then it’s important to go for proper kit. If someone’s on a weekend tour or camping for one night somewhere or is just carrying a tent in case they get caught out without a hotel, then cheaper equipment is fine. Good gear costs money, but it is a worthwhile expense!

Out of curiosity, as you mentioned you’ve kept a good eye on high quality kit for over 40 years, I’m interested to know what tent you are currently using? Thanks and all the best, Andy

Hi Andi, @1st. I had a no-name tent on a hitchhiker journey to Greece/Crete. After 4 weeks as a backpacker the slopes to fix the tent to the ground teared etc. It was such a “big market special offer” sh…. it.s not worth to spend time for it!

Then I had a VauDe, don.t know the model now. But for the last 10 to 12 years I use tents by “Wechsel”. I didn.t know them, and I was worried, because Wechsel means in english “change”. Hee? Changing tents or what? No, at frist it was a small and unknown manufacturer, but grew up quickly because of good qualitiy. I own three now: The “Pathfinder”, a small tent, 2.2kg for hiking, lightweight, very durable. Was a big mistake to take it to a norway bike tour, because there was too less space for wet gear in rainy days.

So I saw another, bigger one, the “Forum 4-2”, what means: 2 pax, 4 entrances. I love this one, and bought them used in colour ‘sand’ for hot regions and ‘green’ for normal/woody regions. This was the one, I told of with the poor campers in that swizzy dizzy bizzy stormy night. The quality is superb, rip stop nylon, endlss points to fix it on the ground and absolutey wind&waterproof, til today. The abolute high is the quick building up, meanwhile I can do it in the darkest night, but I exercised that! Really: I built it up several times with an aircraft sleeping mask. The different poles I marked with no tape and thick tape at one end. The time to built up came down from 3 minutes, best time from unpacking_to crawling into the tent is 1:18. It helps a lot in heavenly rain! Thanks, father!

Before this one I had an “Exped Venus II”, but the complete duffle bag with all my camping gear was stolen in southern France (the region with the highest theft rate. I’ve been there several times, many, many robbers, I ever had been (OC organized crime scene). The “Venus II” was funtastic, too, very well stuff and well sewn.

If the bikers god, my so called “Big Manitou” is well disposed to me, he let me (and friend Klaus) run to Mongolia 2023. If Russia is impossible, we go via TUR/AZB/KAZ and the Stans.

Let me at least call a big “Thääänx, Andyy” for your funtastic website! Even I could be your dad, you sum up so many worthful information and experience hints for globetrotters. Let me confirm, that there is no sentence in all the sections, which I wouldn.t sign, indeed!! You really help other bikers/hikers, to discover answers on REAL IMPORTANT QUESTIONS!!!

At least, what helped me a lot: During and AFTER the tours I wrote tour diaris of succeeded or failed stuff/behaviour/plannings or right/false expectations. I grabbed a lot of situations, which went good or bad… how can I notice, if s.o. tries to f… me up, who is really hospitbale or who is hostile… who wants to grab the “very best of you” (your money) or who is interested to share tea time with you… who invites you showing of as the “Big Spender” in front of others or who wants to hear s.th. from the other world… and one can only experience it ON TOUR!

Maybe I dare one day, to create my personal website? And I love your one!!!

I hope, you and Alissa are still in love… it’s worth every hour!! Kind regards from Henry

Hi Henry, Very interesting, I’ll check out Wechsel. Sounds like you’ve got a very well thought and and decent setup – and that’s an exceptionally quick put up time! I hope your planned trip to Mongolia goes well! It’s an incredible route through Central Asia and you will love it! (Loads of good camping along the way too). I really appreciate your kind words on the website! Thank you very much and it’s nice of you to say! And yeah, definitely build a website with your experiences! Still very much in love haha, thank you and all the best mate, Andy

Hello Andy, thanks for your comment! This are two Links for the “Wechsel” tents: Wechsel Forum 42 (very!!! much space to put gear in the tent or in the apsides)

and Wechsel Pathfinder Dome (I call this one a “dachshound garage”: You better step in with the position, you stay for the next 96 hours)!!! ;-))))) Perfect for hikers/mountain climbers, and in emergency you can rest there your bike-untensils, too… if wet, you have to open “the doors” sometimes.

And I just discovered naturzeit.com website offer the Forum 4 for an exceptional price, 300€ less!!!!

Have a good 2023! Henry

Thank you guys that has helped a lot. I took a look at the tent article and also saw that you use the MSR. I think i’m going to give it a go. Thanks again

Great checklist, clearly laid out and everything you’d need. This has just saved the day! Only thing i can think of to add is insect repellent and sun cream… but that’s just because i get bitten all the time and go red raw in the sun ha!

Hey Michael, thanks for your comment and glad you liked the article! Yeah, you’re 100% right, sun cream and insect repellent are super important in most countries (especially insect repellent as I always get bitten like crazy)! Cheers for the additions mate 🙂

A great tip I learned is to find a stove that uses Gasoline as fuel. It serves 2 purposes as it will have a small fuel bottle that can also double as a fuel reserve for your motorcycle. In addition, you will never run out of cooking fuel as long as you have gas in your bike!

Hi Jim, yes! We agree completely. The MSR stove we listed above in the cooking section is a petrol stove and we’ve ended up using it as emergency fuel for the bike one too many times. And like you say, it’s far easier to find petrol in the middle of nowhere compared to gas canisters. I’ve had that MSR stove for nearly seven years now and it’s been around the world, no way would I change it!

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The Best Motorcycle First Aid Kit

When you think of First Aid, it’s easy to think of a bike in a million pieces, the rider in a ditch and general pandemonium. But on the thousands of miles and probably two-hundred-plus rideouts I’ve done, I’ve only ever been on the scene of a big accident a few times.

In those situations, an underseat first aid kit isn’t going to be of much use. A charged-up mobile phone is vital, so you can call the emergency services. Followed by a basic understanding of the process of treating a casualty – this knowledge is a very useful string to your bow.

So it goes without saying, the times I’ve required a first aid kit haven’t been those big incidents. I’ve used my first aid kit when I was stung by a wasp and when I burnt my thumb on an MV Agusta exhaust (damn those underseat pipes!).

If you’re going touring, a First Aid kit is an excellent addition to your packing list. In fact in a majority of European countries it’s a legal requirement to carry one.

They needn’t be bulky and should be able to fit under most seats – although, on some sportsbikes, finding a tiny amount of free space can be a challenge.

They’re not expensive either, at under a tenner, you’d be mad not to grab one.

General Medi Mini First Aid Kit

Amazon’s top-rated first aid kit.

This kit contains 92 different items in a pack that is about the size of a VHS tape (remember them?). The kit contains: Triangular Bandage, PBT Conforming Bandage, Sterile Gauze Pad, Latex Tourniquet, Nonwoven Position Tape, Scissors, Plastic Tweezers, Emergency Blanket, CPR Face Mask, Alcohol Prep Pad, Plastic Adhesive Bandages, Cotton Swabs, First Aid Guide, Security Whistle, Disposable gloves, Safety pin, Eyewash. 

QBag First Aid Kit

Quality first aid kit, designed for bikers.

The QBag first aid kit contains everything you’d need for minor bumps and scrapes. It includes: Adhesive plasters, first-aid dressings, compression bandages, Medium metallised polyester foil blanket, sterile gauze, first-aid scissors, Disposable gloves and a First-aid guide.

The cheapest first aid kit

There are countless First Aid kits on the market and the cheapest we could find was this one which is amazingly under two-quid . We haven’t tried it but it actually looks pretty good – it contains a handful of plasters, some alcoholic wipes, gauze, some tape and a pair of scissors. 

However, I’d rather have a kit that I can rely on. I’m not convinced those plasters or that tape will stand up to the rigours of ‘being attached to a biker’.

For around a fiver, this first aid kit is a good option, it looks to include fewer but higher-quality items. The only thing that’s missing is a pair of scissors but the bag itself is large enough to stuff in some extras, like paracetamol, hayfever tablets, insect-bite cream and of course, scissors.

Get First Aid trained

A first aid kit is a great start but having a solid understanding of what to do in the event of an accident is even better. 

There’s an initiative called First Bike On Scene which is a long-standing training course designed for bikers. Just Google for FBOS to find a course in your area. Expect to pay around £85 for the course which lasts a day.

The training will stick with you for life – you never know when you might need it.

Other good first aid kits

We’ve scoured the user reviews to find these other good buys.

LifeSystems Pocket First Aid Kit

Cartrend Motorcycle First Aid Kit

Dainese Explorer First Aid Kit

Givi First Aid Kit

Golab First Aid Kit

St John Ambulance Small First Aid Kit

Thanks to the following websites which helped us research and write this motorcycle first aid kit guide:

firstbikeonscene.co.uk

torrensvalley.ulyssesclub.org/First-Aid-For-Motorcyclists.pdf

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• Motorcycles

The Best Essential Gear for Your Motorcycle Emergency Kit

This is some of the best survival gear if you have an accident, need medical assistance or get a flat tire.

Sure, it's a beautiful spot for a photo, but it's a crappy spot for a breakdown.

As the cliche goes, it's better to be safe than sorry -- especially when riding motorcycles. Whether you're going on a motorcycling trip across the country or a a quick day trip outside the city, every motorcyclist should have a motorcycle first aid kit on hand. This "first aid kit" doesn't necessarily just have to include medical supplies, but anything you may need in an emergency.

Mine has saved my butt more times than I can count. When things go wrong, whether you're in an accident or get a flat tire, you need to be prepared. That's why I'm going to let you in on what equipment I use and even what I keep it in, so you can be sure you won't be left stranded miles from home.

While you obviously can't prepare for everything, carrying a small, well-thought-out emergency bag is one way of mitigating some of the risks of riding a motorcycle -- or, at the very least, taking the sting out of those risks if they catch up to you. This list is composed of stuff that I personally use or things that are similar to what I use. Some of it might seem like overkill -- like a GPS tracker or a spare bolt kit -- but rest assured, there's a good reason for everything on this list.

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Kriega US10 Roll-Top Dry Bag

The best bag for your emergency kit.

If you're going to put together an emergency motorcycle bag, you kind of have to start with the bag itself. The bag you choose should be compact, ruggedly built and waterproof. It should also be easy to attach to your motorcycle, put in a saddlebag or your backpack securely. That's why I use the Kriega US10 drybag. It's not super cheap, but it's one of the best-made bags I've ever used on a motorcycle trip.

The bag itself is a roll-top design and features a white, ripstop nylon interior that's removable and washable. There are straps included to attach it to any bike, and it's also easy to hook to any bag with MOLLE webbing. Kriega makes a smaller five-liter bag and a larger 20-liter bag, but this 10-liter model is the Goldilocks of the bunch.

Leatherman Wingman

The best multitool.

Carrying a multitool is kind of a no-brainer for a motorcycle rider. The odds are good that you'll need some sort of knife or pliers or screwdriver at some point that's in an easily accessible spot so you can avoid having to break out your other tools. I love this Leatherman because it's compact, and the pliers are spring-loaded.

Leatherman and others like Gerber make all kinds of multitools. Pick whichever one you prefer, but the Wingman is an excellent place to start if you don't already have a preference.

Adventure Medical Kits Ultralight 7

The best first aid kit.

Another no-brainer is carrying a first aid kit in your emergency bag. Whether it's getting stung by a bee when you're riding, burning yourself on a hot exhaust pipe, or even dealing with blisters from a new pair of riding boots, there are many reasons to carry a basic first-aid kit.

The ultralight version I've chosen is compact, reasonably complete, waterproof and affordable. This is the one I keep towards the top of my bag, so it's easily accessible, and it gets used more than you'd think. Make sure you keep yours stocked, too -- if you use a bandage, replace it when you get home. An empty first aid kit is a useless first aid kit.

Lightning X Products Premium Nylon Molle Pouch Emergency Kit

The best trauma kit.

This is a more serious medical kit for when things go really, really wrong. Unlike with the first aid kit, this one takes some education to use correctly, but it could mean the difference between you or a friend surviving a bad crash and dying on the side of the road waiting for an ambulance. Nobody likes to think about that stuff, but it's better to be prepared than not, right?

This kit is great because it comes with lots of gear to help stop bleeding, seal wounds, clear an airway and more. I especially like the RATS-style tourniquet that this kit comes with, more than the cheaper SWAT-style that comes in most other kits. If you get this, make sure you know exactly how to use it before you need it.

Slonik 1000 Lumen Rechargable LED Headlamp

The best headlamp.

Breakdowns or crashes don't only happen during daylight hours, and I know from experience that trying to fix something on your bike while laying in the dirt and trying to prop your phone up, so the light on it stays in the right place is lame.

A headlamp like this one is a lifesaver. It's also great if you're going motorcycle camping and need to set up camp in the dark. This one is powered by a rechargeable battery charged via USB, so you don't have to worry about carrying spare AAs. This is especially handy because many new motorcycles come with built-in USB charging ports.

Cambridge ZipIts Cable Ties Assortment 150 Pieces

They'll fix almost anything.

If you're in a pinch, you can fix just about anything with the judicious use of zip ties and swearing. I carry a pack like this with many different sizes of cable ties, and they've saved me from having to get a tow on more than one occasion.

Pro-tip: Don't forget to trim the ends flush and make sure they're not going to point towards any part of you. They will cut the crap out of you, and the last thing you need to add to a breakdown is blood loss because you were lazy.

Homvale 304 Stainless Steel Screw and Nut Assortment

The best metric spare bolt kit.

This is one of those things that seem kind of extreme to have in your repair kit until you find yourself on the side of a freeway in the middle of nowhere at midnight with a missing bolt on your shifter, or worse, a brake caliper.

These things happen because motorcycles vibrate -- like, a lot -- and bolts can work their way loose. Obviously, checking your bike over and making sure things are tight on a semi-regular basis is a good thing to do, but a small stash of extra bolts is a nice thing to have, just in case.

Pro Bike Tool CO2 Inflator

The best co2 tire inflator.

Flat tires happen, and they happen more often than you'd think. If you don't happen to be near a gas station when one does (and that seems to be more often than not for me), getting air back into your motorcycle tire can be challenging.

These CO2-powered inflators are genius, take up almost no space in your tire repair kit and are powered by readily available disposable CO2 canisters. I also carry a compact manual bike pump, but I've yet to have a CO2 inflator not work or not be enough to get me going.

Stop & Go 1000 Pocket Tire Plugger

Best tire plug kit.

If you're going to put air in your tire after a flat, you first have to make sure your tire is air-tight, right? The good news is that most modern motorcycles come with tubeless tires, so doing a roadside repair on a puncture is often as simple as using a plug kit.

This one is the one I keep in my motorcycle tire repair kit, and I like it because it's compact, complete and doesn't force you to deal with rubber cement or anything to make sure the plug is sealed.

Motion Pro 08-0536 BeadPro Forged Steel Tire Bead Breaker and Lever Tool Set

The best tire levers.

If you ride a dirtbike or an adventure bike, or almost anything with wire-spoked wheels, then it's likely that you aren't going to be getting away with just a tire plug. Nope, you're going to find yourself staring down the barrel of a more involved flat tire repair.

Specifically, you'll need to get your tire off the rim, once you get the wheel off the bike, of course -- and for that, you'll need tire levers. The BeadPro levers from MotionPro are the nicest I've ever used and make the process suck slightly less thanks to their leverage-increasing bead-breaker design. Don't forget to carry a spare innertube or two in the correct size for your wheels.

Muc Off Visor, Lens & Goggle Cleaning Kit

The best visor cleaner.

Trying to see through a bug-splattered or greasy visor sucks. While most helmet manufacturers recommend only using water to clean your visor, sometimes on the road, that's not an option, or if there's water aplenty, it's just not enough to do the job.

Permatex Fast Orange Hand Cleaner Wipes

The best hand cleaning wipes.

Performing roadside repairs is a dirty job, and you don't want to waste water you're carrying on washing them. These Permatex hand wipes are great: They cut grease and even smell nice. Plus, they take up essentially no room in your pack. Don't be a greaseball; keep your mitts clean.

Simpli-Magic Red Shop Towels

The best paper towel alternative.

These are perfect for cleaning things that aren't your hands that you don't want to gunk up a microfiber towel with. I use them all over the house too because they're easy to wash, and unlike paper towels, they don't create a bunch of waste.

Wera Tool-Check Plus Metric Bit Ratchet Set

The best compact tool kit.

Carrying tools with you on your bike is a necessity, even if you don't work on your machines as a habit. Emergencies exist and being able to nip up a screw or bolt on the side of the road can mean the difference between a flat bed tow or enjoying the rest of your drive. The trick is that motorcycles don't offer much space for extra stuff, so getting a comprehensive tool kit in as small a package as possible is key. Enter the Wera Tool-Check Plus. It's got bits and sockets, a ratchet and a bit driver and even an extension -- and it's tiny.

Spot 3 Satellite GPS Messenger

Our favorite gps tracker for motorcyclists.

The GPS tracker is another list item that seems kind of extreme, and it's not super cheap, but there are plenty of places not that far outside of big cities like Los Angeles that don't have a cell signal and that aren't necessarily regularly trafficked by people. Having some means of letting people know where you are even when you're way off-grid is good.

The Spot tracker has become an industry standard, and the Spot 3 offers an SOS function, a periodic update function that lets others track your progress via Google Maps and plenty of other cool features. It's also a small and relatively robust piece of gear, and it's something worth considering if you ride a lot by yourself.

The downside is that the Spot requires a service plan to work, which is either $122 a year or $15 a month if you choose a pay-as-you-go plan. Both include unlimited SOS calls.

The best gear for your motorcycle emergency kit

If you're stuck in the middle of the desert, you don't want to have to wait for someone to happen along and help you.

When things go wrong, make sure you packed right

While it's not necessarily practical to carry this bag all the time (like if you're just riding around town, for example) it's easy to toss it on your bike if you're going to be riding all day and aren't planning on leaving the bike unattended. If I'm only going to ride around town, I'll keep the Leatherman, the small first aid kit and the tire inflator and plug kits in my riding backpack (also a Kriega, this time an R20). That's enough to feel like I can handle a situation just a couple of miles from home or not far from a shop. It's also helpful to carry some cash in your emergency bag. You don't have to go crazy here, $20 or so should suffice -- enough for some food or a coffee and a tank of fuel should you forget your wallet on a ride. 

I'm a firm believer in the whole ATGATT mentality, which stands for "All The Gear, All The Time." It's something I've spoken about before at length. While most people apply that to safety motorcycle gear like riding clothes and helmets, I also feel like it's responsible to have what you need to stay safe in a variety of situations without relying on technology or the kindness of strangers.

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Mobile mechanic: Best portable and onboard toolkits

There are times when you need some tools with you on a ride. It might be a day out or a long tour but somewhere along the line you might need a portable and onboard motorcycle toolkit to do a little fettling.

We’re not talking about a full-on service or repair here but perhaps you need to pop one or two bits of bodywork off to check a level or re-route some wiring.

Maybe you need to connect or disconnect an accessory from the battery. Perhaps you need to make some repairs to your camping gear. Something that will mean more than your bike’s original tool kit can offer.

Related: Best socket sets for motorcycle owners

In any of these cases, a portable and onboard motorcycle toolkit will be invaluable. You won’t be able to remove the rear wheel or change a spare plug, for example but you will be able to undo screws or the battery terminals. You’ll also be able to trim guy ropes or get boy scouts out of horses hooves…

Whether you’re after an all-in-one multi tool or a more conventional – yet small and portable – toolkit, here are some good portable and onboard motorcycle toolkit options to take with you.

Venhill Cruz DMX Fender mount tool kit

'a must for off road riders'.

By Jim Blackstock

Keen wet weather rider and dedicated product tester for MCN and sister publication RiDE Magazine.

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The 5+ BEST Motorcycle Tool Kits (Reviews) in 2023

As an affiliate, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases. We get commissions for purchases made through links on this website from Amazon and other third parties.

With the best motorcycle tool kit you’ll be able to work on your bike wherever you are. Whether you’re wrenching in the garage or stuck on the side of the road, tool kits are a motorcycle essential.

All of the tools you need for most maintenance and repairs are included in these tool kits. With a kit, everything is kept organized in one place rather than tossed haphazardly into a bag or your backpack.

These kits are portable and should help give you some peace of mind when you’re out riding. If you know what you’re doing, you’ll be able to repair some minor issues and easily work on your bike at home.

In this post we’ll be looking at the best motorcycle tool kits for most riders. This way you’ll be properly equipped for whatever happens wherever you’re riding.

Keep scrolling past our top recommendations for a helpful buyer’s guide and FAQ. With that out of the way, let’s jump right into it!

Jump Ahead To:

Pit Posse Motorcycle Tool Kit (Best Motorcycle Tool Kit Overall)

The Pit Posse Motorcycle Tool Kit is our top recommendation as the best motorcycle tool kit for most riders. This is a metric tool kit and is well suited for Japanese bikes.

Included in this kit is just about everything you would need for working on your bike. Whether you’re on the side of the road or at home in your garage, this kit is fully loaded with practical motorcycle tools.

This tool kit consists of 8, 10, 12, 13, and 14mm wrenches, an adjustable wrench, a 6 in 1 screwdriver, a 9-piece metric hex set, a spark plug socket, and locking pliers. It also comes with an LED flashlight, zip ties, air pressure gauge, and an assortment of metric bolts.

All of these helpful tools and accessories are stashed in a portable pouch with a zippered pocket. This keeps everything in place and protects the tools from the rain.

The zippered pocket is perfect for storing the included bolts as well as any spare bolts or accessories you have. all this can be rolled up neatly into a tight little case and stashed under your seat or in a tank bag.

Overall, it’s the Pit Posse Motorcycle Tool Kit that we would recommend if you’re looking for the best metric motorcycle tool kit. This set comes with everything you need for minor fixes, quick adjustments, and basic motorcycle maintenance.

Biker’s Choice Roll-Up Tool Kit (Best Motorcycle Tool Kit For Harley Davidson)

The Biker’s Choice Roll-Up Tool Kit is our top choice as the best motorcycle tool kit for Harley Davidson bikes. Almost everything is included for basic roadside repairs and essential motorcycle maintenance on your Harley.

Included in this kit are all of the essentials to use for working on your bike. Whether you’re at home in the garage or stuck on the side of the road, this kit is equipped with just about all you need for working on your Harley.

In this kit you will find various open-ended wrenches matching the Imperial measurement system. Also included is a 10mm combination wrench, a drive ratchet, a 6-inch adjustable wrench, locking pliers, cable ties, tire gauge, electrical wire, and a mechanics wire.

You’ll also be pleased to find a 10-piece hex key set, flashlight, 6-in-1 screwdriver, spark plug sockets, and a spark plug gap gauge. Like I mentioned, just about everything you need for basic and intermediate maintenance and repairs is included.

Everything is organized and included in a rolling pouch. This protects the tools from the weather elements, keeps them organized, and allows you to stash the kit in a tank bag, under the seat, or in saddlebags.

Overall, the Biker’s Choice Roll-Up Tool Kit is a great choice if you’re looking for the best Harley-Davidson tool kit. It really comes with just about everything you need for basic to intermediate maintenance and repairs on your bike.

CruzTOOLS RoadTech H3 Standard Tool Kit

Next up our list of recommendations is the CruzTOOLS RoadTech H3 Standard Tool Kit. This is a small, portable, and cheap motorcycle tool kit that comes with the basic tools needed for minor roadside repairs and maintenance.

As a set from CruzTOOLS, this is a high quality and durable set of tools. It doesn’t come with everything you need, but it comes with the basics to help you out in a pinch.

The tool kit comes with a set of combination wrenches, an adjustable wrench, a mini ratchet, a socket set, and locking pliers. It’s also equipped with a tire gauge, hex and star keys, zip ties, and electrical tape.

This is about everything you would need for basic and minor repairs and roadside maintenance. For bigger issues consider going with one of our previous recommendations, which are equipped with a wider range of tools.

Everything is stored and organized in a rolling pouch. It’s equipped with drawstrings to keep everything bunched together and the pouch itself is weatherproof. Thanks to the portable, minimal design, This tool kit can be easily stashed in your motorcycle tank bag, top box, or saddlebags.

Overall, the CruzTOOLS RoadTech H3 Standard Tool Kit is a great choice if you’re looking for the best small motorcycle tool kit. It’s not equipped with everything you can need, although it has enough tools for basic roadside repairs and minor maintenance.

Cruztools SpeedKIT Compact Tool Kit (Best Small Metric Motorcycle Tool Kit)

The Cruztools SpeedKIT Compact Tool Kit is a great choice if you’re looking for something small and portable. It’s equipped with a minimal selection of metric motorcycle tools to help you with minor repairs and basic maintenance.

As mentioned earlier, CruzTOOLs is well known for their high-quality tools and durability with their products. That makes it easy for us to recommend another of their sets if this is what you’re looking for.

Inside this tool kit you’ll find two wrenches, hex keys, spark plug socket, pliers, 6-in-1 screwdriver, and a tire gauge. Compared to the other kits, this one is rather small, although it’s perfect if you’re looking for something minimal and lightweight for basic fixes and repairs.

Everything is contained in a small, sturdy zip up pouch. This is easy to stash in your tank bag, underneath the seat, or in your motorcycle luggage for easy access.

It’s important to mention that this is a metric motorcycle tool kit. This makes it ideal for all Japanese motorcycles as well as other recreational vehicles.

Overall, it’s the Cruztools SpeedKIT Compact Tool Kit that we would recommend if you’re looking for an even smaller motorcycle tool kit. It has just enough to fix any minor issues and stay on top of any basic maintenance when you’re out on the road.

Windzone Tool Kit

The Windzone Tool Kit can be used for up to 99% of roadside and garage repairs. This makes it a great set to have whether you’re worried about getting stuck on the road or wrenching in your garage.

Included in this kit are various hand wrenches, screwdrivers, Torx head wrenches, spark plug sockets, ratchet tools, zip ties, and a flashlight. Just about everything you need for maintaining or repairing your motorbike can be found in this kit.

All of this is stored and organized in a heavy duty nylon tool wrap that’s equipped with a vinyl moisture sheath. This keeps everything organized, compact, and protected from the weather and road elements.

Overall, it’s hard to go wrong with the Windzone Tool Kit . Just about everything you need for roadside repairs and garage motorcycle maintenance is included in this useful set of tools.

The Best Tool Kits for Motorbikes | Helpful Tips

It’s a good idea to have a motorcycle tool kit somewhere on your bike just in case something happens. With the right tools you can avoid being stranded or having to call for a motorcycle tow.

However, most breakdowns and issues can be avoided with proper motorcycle maintenance. This means regularly inspecting your bike, having it serviced regularly, and following the recommended maintenance schedule in your owner’s manual.

You may have noticed that your motorbike already comes with a tool kit. This is great to have, although it doesn’t always come with everything you need for basic repairs and maintenance.

With our recommendations above, you’ll be able to find a motorcycle tool kit that’s properly equipped. Most of these should help you perform bigger jobs and fix minor issues that can get you going on your way.

It’s also possible that you can put together your own tool kit with whatever you have at home or by buying new tools. The drawback to this is that it can be more expensive than a kit that comes with everything already included.

Whether you’re heading out on a motorcycle tour, using your bike for motorcycle commuting, or just spending time wrenching in the garage, you never know when you’ll need a fully equipped tool kit. Save yourself the hassle now and pick up one of these sets so that you have it when you need it.

Types of Motorcycle Tool Kits

Rollup Tool Kit

Rollup tool kits are small, portable, and can be easily stored on your bike. They’re designed to roll up in a small pouch that contains the essential tools for basic motorcycle maintenance and repairs.

The main drawback to this type is that they don’t come with as many tools as other types of tool kits. Thankfully, the easy storage and portable design more than makes up for the drawback of tool availability.

Hard Case Toolbox

The motorcycle tool kits that come in a hard case typically are fully of different types of tools. Everything is stored in a durable and weatherproof plastic storage case.

This is the kit you would probably want to be using at home. It’s bigger, bulky, and can be heavy so it’s not ideal to bring with you on the road.

The advantage of this type is that it comes with a wide range of different tools. This makes that idea for maintenance, upgrades, or any motorcycle repairs that need to be done on your bike.

Motorcycle Multi-Tool

It’s not a bad idea to carry around a motorcycle multi-tool, especially if you’re not bringing a tool kit with you. This is also a good tool for bikes that don’t have any extra space for a tool kit.

A multi-tool is an all-in-one device that comes with a number of different tools attached. They typically include screwdrivers, socket, wrenches, hex keys, and other practical tools, all in a small, compact unit.

Having a multi tool can be used for basic maintenance and emergency repairs. They’re small enough that you should never leave home without one, especially if you’re not bringing a kit with you.

Features to Look For

Included tools.

Each motorcycle tool kit is different than the rest. However, there are certain tools that should be included when it comes to repair on your bike, especially in an emergency.

Look for basic kits that come with Allen wrenches, flathead screwdriver, pliers, and an adjustable wrench. It’s also not a bad idea to have a tire repair kit, zip ties, a flashlight, and battery cables.

If you do your own basic maintenance, you’ll know which tools are the most important to have. Make sure you include these in the kit so that they’re readily available if you ever happen to need them.

Another feature to consider is the quality of the best motorcycle tool kits you’re looking at. Typically, spending your money gets you a better quality kit, which means the tools are going to last longer.

Some of the cheaper, portable motorcycle tool kits use flimsy tools. These aren’t reliable and it’s possible for them to break after just a few uses.

It’s a better idea to invest in a tool kit with quality tools that will help you if you get stuck on the side of the road. It also sucks having to replace something when you’re halfway through your maintenance.

One more thing to consider is the overall size of the tool kit you’re planning on carrying on your bike. If your bike doesn’t have a lot of storage space, you’ll want to avoid a large, heavy, and bulky kit.

For smaller bikes, going with a roll-up pouch or a portable motorcycle tool kit is the best idea. Otherwise, you can leave a fully stocked kit in your garage for whenever you need to work on your bike.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should be included in a motorcycle tool kit.

Everything you need if your bike breaks down should be included in the tool kit. This would be all the tools required for both basic repairs and preventive maintenance .

Whether you’re making your own or buying one online, all of the best motorcycle tool kits will come with a similar set of practical tools. These would include wrenches, a screwdriver, pliers, hex keys, Allen wrenches, spark plug sockets for changing spark plugs , zip ties, electrical tape, and ratchets.

This is just a basic list of recommended tools. Depending on your bike there may be other tools and accessories you need, such as spare bolts, that would be ideal to ride with.

Tire puncture repair kits are something else worth considering adding to your tool set for repairing a motorcycle flat fire . Also, if your bike is suffering from any recurring problems, carry the proper tools and necessary parts for any roadside repairs.

Are Motorcycle Tool Kits Expensive?

Better quality tool kits with a larger assortment of tools tend to cost more. Cheaper tool kits are available, although the tools might be poor quality and not everything required for basic maintenance and repairs is included.

The better quality, more expensive sets will come with a wide range of tools and some additional extras. Along with a flashlight, zip ties, and electrical tape, better quality sets also come with carrying pouches for easier storage and organization.

Don’t forget to get a motorcycle tire repair kit as well. These can be helpful if you happen to get a flat tire or puncture when you’re out riding.

Do Motorcycle Tool Kits Fit Under the Seat?

This depends on the motorcycle and size of kit that you’re using. Not all motorcycles have space underneath the seat for storage.

If that’s the case, consider using a motorcycle tank bag , motorcycle top box, or storing the tools in your motorcycle saddlebags . You can also stash the kit in your motorcycle backpack if you’re wearing one while riding.

Smaller kits are best suited for shorter rides and local day trips. Bigger kits are better for longer trips, bikes with issues, and if you’re someone wrenching on your bike at home.

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