EDC is all about convenience, utility, and preparedness, arming its carrier with the tools needed to tackle and overcome whatever the day might bring. If motorbikes happen to be your primary means of transportation, there’s a particular crop of items that can collectively make for a markedly more optimized and utilitarian loadout, for use both on and off the bike.
Aiming to compile the ultimate rider’s daily loadout, we’ve thoroughly considered some of the main obstacles and issues bikers experience when commuting daily on two-wheels in order to scour the moto gear and accessories market as well as pouring through our own riding kit in order to individually select an array of offerings that all serve a vital function, add major utility or convenience to the riding experience, and/or address the most hazardous or frequent problems riders face out on the roads. So, with that in mind, let’s dive into our picks for the best motorcycle EDC essentials.
EatSleepRIDE Crashlight Service
At less than a nickel per day, we’d argue that every rider should be using ESR’s Crashlight feature, as this service can automatically detect crashes and send live alerts with GPS locations to pre-selected emergency contacts should the rider be unresponsive. The free version of the app also tracks your rides, allows you too look up local routes, or review metrics from your rides like speed, elevation, and lean angle, all by simply utilizing the accelerometers and gyroscopes (which are run through an advanced algorithm) that you’re already carrying in your smartphone.
Deus Blanco Clip
Locking or gated keychains serve several worthwhile purposes to riders, helping to prevent keys from being misplaced, allowing several keys to be bunched together, and adding some obvious style points in the process. This item from custom motorcycle and lifestyle juggernaut Deus Ex Machina is comprised of a genuine Heckler & Koch Type 1 clip that’s mated to a key ring via a mid-weight nylon webbing.
HelmetLok II Helmet Lock
While it’s difficult to place an exact financial value on your brain, you’ll probably agree that it’s worth spending a decent chunk of cash on a quality motorcycle helmet to protect your skull and its contents. And if you’re going to invest in a high-end helmet, you’ll also want to protect that investment by securing it to your bike. At less than $35, the second-gen HelmetLok saves you the trouble of having to carry around your lid while off the bike, and affords peace of mind when you leave it on the motorcycle.
BikeMaster Tire And Tube Flat Repair Kit
Flat tires are an unfortunate inevitability the vast majority of riders will eventually face out on the road, and when this happens, you’ll want to be prepared. One of the best and easiest ways to accomplish this is with BikeMaster’s Tire And Tube Flat Repair Kit as it contains everything needed to remedy a flat — whether running tubes or a tubeless tire — including four compressed air charges and a valve to reinflate the rubber once it has been repaired. The entire kit also comes in a compact 6.5″ x 4″ x 2.5″ travel case.
Case Cutlery TEC X Boot Knife
An officially licensed Harley-Davidson product produced by Case, the Tec-X fixed blade boot knife is a 7.5″ item that features a 4″ plain edge dagger 440 steel blade with branding from the Milwaukee MoCo that’s joined to a black contoured G10 handle. Designed specifically for boot carrying, the knife — which weighs just 3oz and wonderfully lends itself to riding duties — also boasts a flared guard to mitigate accidental deployments and is sold with a polymer sheath.
RAM Mounts X-Grip Handlebar U-Bolt Base
Since the release of the first iPhone in 2007, we’ve grown increasingly reliant on our smartphones, keeping the devices at our sides and at the ready whether out of obligation or pure habit. And this constant need to keep one’s smartphone accessible doesn’t change when in the saddle, which is what makes a quality and thoroughly trustworthy moto phone mount so crucial. As the undisputed leader in the space, you really can’t go wrong with anything from RAM Mounts, though the brand’s X-Grip Handlebar mounts are particularly reliable and secure as well as incredibly easy to setup and use.
Revival Cycles Limited Almony Card Wallet
One of the most eminent customs shops in operation today, Revival Cycles is best-known for its world-class one-off builds, though the East Austin outfit also has an in-house division that crafts ultra-premium accessories and leather goods known as Revival Limited. Good for accommodating five cards, the sub-brand’s Alimony Card Wallet is stitched by hand in Texas and crafted from American-sourced Tasman leather that’s finished with a 5.5 oz. orange coated Vachetta lining, whip-stitched details, and turned edges.
Fuel Rodeo Gloves
Taking inspiration from vintage riding gloves of the ’70s and ’80s, Fuel Motorcycles’ Rodeo Gloves offer unmistakably old-school looks while boasting modern materials and safety standards with integrated PVC knuckle armor, an antibacterial poly-microfiber lining concealed beneath a cowhide main construction supplemented via suede palm panels, stitched accordion baffles, and raised welt detailing on the back of the hand. These CE-rated gloves are also available in several color options including yellow, olive, and black.
Antigravity Micro-Start XP-1 Power Supply
Almost certainly the finest moto EDC power bank currently on the market, Antigravity’s Micro-Start XP-1 Power Supply is an ultra-potent yet ultra-compact item, tipping the scales at just less than 1lb while boasting 12,000mAh of energy. Capable of holding a charge for a full year, this power bank has enough juice to jumpstart a motorcycle battery, or fully recharge smartphones, tablets, and even laptops thanks to its 19V port. The power bank also packs a battery level indicator, built-in overcharge protection, and an integrated 110-lumen LED flashlight with a trio of light modes.
SKRAM Ones (Polarized)
While they might look like a typical pair of high-end sunglasses, the SKRAM Ones have been engineered from the ground up specifically for riding duties. As such, the glasses are constructed around an acetate frame — offered in black or bare “Havana” — that houses a polarized pair of wildly shatterproof and impact-resistant polycarbonate lenses. Sold with an included SKRAM-branded leather carrying case, keyring, microfiber cleaning towel, and an adjustment tool, these moto glasses also make for just as stellar a pair of shades off the bike as they do on it.
Monimoto M7 GPS Anti-Theft Tracker
The Monimoto M7 GPS tracker is a state-of-the-art tracking system made specifically for motorcycles. Completely wireless, this GPS-guided smart device utilizes the LTE-M network and consists of a compact 3.7″ x 2.4″ x .074″ tracker unit that can be hidden — in an airbox or under the seat — on a motorcycle in order to keep constant tabs on its whereabouts. This product does require a subscription fee of $49 per year, though it comes with a free two-month subscription.
Roeg x Victorinox Swiss Road Tool
In an effort to deliver something of the ultimate moto rider’s multi-tool, Victorinox has joined forces with Roeg, resulting in the surprisingly capable and utilitarian Swiss Road Tool. Made in Switzerland, this moto-specific multi-tool boasts a ratchet, a plethora of screwdrivers, and a variety of other tools that are legitimately conducive to basic wrenching, as well as a bottle and can-opener, scissors, a file, wire cutters and crimpers, and a plain-edged drop point blade. Available in limited numbers, this item can also legally be carried in both the US and UK and is sold with a leather carrying case.
Velomacchi Speedway 28L Backpack
Though it’s been on the market for several years, we have yet to find a better bag for daily riding duties than Velomacchi’s 28-liter Speedway backpack. Boasting a waterproof and highly-abrasion-resistant ACQUAFORTE 500D nylon main construction supplemented via a ballistic quilted back panel (with tuck-away shoulder straps), the 28L Speedway bag features a patented three-point rotating harness system with a magnetic sternum coupler, a watertight roll-top main closure with a magnetic top, grippy side stabilizing pads, a myriad of tie-down and anchor points, an action camera mounting plate, and a helmet carrying system with an aluminum clip, amongst numerous other moto-specific amenities.
Insta360 GO 2
Measuring just 2.08″ and weighing less than 1oz, Insta360’s recently released GO 2 model is the world’s smallest and lightest action camera. Despite its incredibly diminutive size, the GO 2 contains a stabilized camera with a scratch-proof, hardened-glass lens that offers a 110-degree field of view, 1440p resolution, and up to 50FPS. Equipped with hyper-lapse and slow-motion modes, this IPX8-rated camera features a 210Ah battery, though also comes with a 1,1000mAh true wireless headphone-style wireless charging case that affords more than an hour of additional film time.
Cardo PackTalk BLACK JBL Headset
Almost certainly the finest moto comm system that money can currently buy, Cardo’s PackTalk Black utilizes a cutting-edge “mesh” technology that doesn’t require individual pairing with each use — though can also operate in a traditional Bluetooth mode with its dual-core wireless technologies. Capable of connecting with up to 15 other riders, this comm system offers up to a one-mile range (though can competently operate at 3,280′ in real-world conditions), 13 hours of talk time, voice command recognition, automatic volume control that adjusts itself based on ambient sound conditions, and best-in-market audio quality thanks to a pair of 45mm JBL speakers.
SA1NT Unbreakable Slim Jeans (W/ Armor Pocket)
Though it may sound like a bold statement, we’d argue that SA1NT unequivocally produces the finest riding jeans on the planet. The world’s first-ever pair of CE-rated single-layer denim riding jeans, SA1NT’s Unbreakable Slim Jeans are crafted from the Aussie brand’s proprietary 7th generation denim, which is woven with Dyneema to offer maximum abrasion resistance with minimal heat transfer and bestowed with D30 Ghost armor to optimize impact protection. Because these jeans look and feel like your average pair of high-end denim, they’re also sure to get plenty of use, both in and out of the saddle.
JANE Moto Driggs Waxed Canvas Riding Jacket
JANE’s Driggs Waxed Canvas Riding Jacket is the result of the boutique gear company setting out to deliver the ultimate daily-wear moto layer, resulting in a garment that lends itself to use on and off the bike. Made from a water-resistant waxed 8.5oz canvas, the Driggs features reinforcements along the shoulders and elbows that sit above pockets for accommodating D30 armor (which is sold separately). Offered in a variety of colors including a woodland camo option, the Driggs also sports a satin liner and a Bedford cord at the cuffs and neck collar.
AETHER Moto Boot
Aiming to combine old-school looks with modern materials and construction techniques, AETHER’s Moto Boot is an heirloom-quality riding boot that’s been built to last. Built atop a Vibram commando-style sole with low-profile forefoot lugs and a waxed-nylon blue thread Blake-stitched through the proprietary compound, AETHER’s Moto Boot features vegetable-tanned Italian leather uppers paired with a leather lining and hidden D30 ankle armor. The exterior of the shoe sports reinforced leather toe shift-pads and five pairs of eyelets supplemented via a quad-hook speed-lacing system. Produced in black or tan finishes, this boot will take on a unique patina over time with daily use, too.
Dainese Smart Jacket
Dainese’s smart airbag systems represent the pinnacle of moto safety gear, and while these devices were previously only available to top-level MotoGP and WSBK riders, the Italian brand is making this technology markedly more accessible to the riding public with the debut of its Smart Jacket. The moto vest utilizes gyroscopes and accelerometers that run data through an advanced algorithm that monitors real-time conditions some 1,000 times per second in order to detect a crash and then deploy its airbag. Unlike traditional airbag jackets, this item is designed to be worn under any existing jacket, bestowing the garment with Dainese’s D-air smart airbag tech.
Apple Watch Series 6 Titanium Case
Though the vast majority of the population is familiar with the Apple Watch, far fewer are privy to just how well this cutting-edge smartwatch lends itself to riding duties. In addition to being compatible with a host of moto-focused apps, the Apple Watch also allows riders to use turn-by-turn GPS directions, live speed or RPM readings, and control music playback, among an almost endless slew of other possibilities. Thanks to its immense durability and lightweight, the titanium-cased version of the Apple Watch is particularly conducive to use in the saddle. Some riders have also enjoyed mounting the Apple Watch’s case directly to their handlebars, thereby offering a super-compact alternative to traditional displays.
The 21 Best Pieces Of Urban Commuter Motorcycle Gear
Interested in checking out an additional array of items for your daily riding loadout? Then be sure to cruise over to our guide to the best pieces of urban commuter motorcycle gear for a diverse selection of must-have offerings for daily riders.
