Motorcycle Accessories
Best Motorcycle Accessories Every Rider Needs
7 picks compared
10 min read
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The short answerThe most important motorcycle accessory is a DOT-approved helmet like the ILM Full Face, followed by protective gloves. A Battery Tender Junior keeps your bike ready through the off-season, and a K&N oil filter covers routine maintenance. Buy safety gear before convenience items.
?How we pickedWe compare published specifications, safety certifications and thousands of verified owner reviews, and we do not physically test every unit. Read the full process in our review methodology.
ILM Full Face Motorcycle Helmet
★★★★★ 4.6 / 5 Best overall
A DOT-approved full-face helmet with a drop-down inner visor, at a price that leaves no excuse to ride without proper head protection. It is the single most important accessory any rider owns.
Type Full-face helmetSafety DOT approvedVisor Drop-down innerBest for Every rider
- Full-face DOT protection
- Built-in sun visor
- Affordable
- Sizing runs specific
- Heavier than premium lids
Best for: Essential head protection
Battery Tender Junior 12V
★★★★★ 4.8 / 5 Best maintainer
A 12V smart charger that keeps a bike battery topped up through the off-season so it starts first try in spring. Motorcycle batteries die from sitting, and this little maintainer prevents it.
Type Battery maintainerOutput 12V, 750mAMode Automatic floatBest for Winter storage
- Prevents dead batteries
- Fully automatic
- Extends battery life
- Slow charge rate
- Needs a power outlet
IRON JIA'S Summer Motorcycle Gloves
★★★★★ 4.5 / 5 Best summer gloves
Breathable warm-weather gloves with knuckle protection and touchscreen fingertips. Gloves are the gear you are gladdest to have in a fall, and these keep hands cool while doing it.
Type Summer glovesProtection Knuckle guardsFeature Touchscreen tipsBest for Warm weather
- Breathable for summer
- Touchscreen compatible
- Knuckle protection
- Not for cold or rain
- Lighter armor
Best for: Hot-weather riding
INBIKE Hard Knuckle Mesh Gloves
★★★★★ 4.4 / 5 Best protective gloves
Mesh gloves with a hard knuckle shell for riders who want more impact protection while staying ventilated. A step up in armor from basic summer gloves.
Type Mesh glovesProtection Hard knuckle shellFeature TouchscreenBest for Extra protection
- Hard-shell knuckles
- Breathable mesh
- Touchscreen fingers
- Not waterproof
- Warm-weather focus
Best for: Protection with airflow
K&N KN-171B Oil Filter
★★★★★ 4.7 / 5 Best maintenance
A high-flow oil filter with a nut welded on for easy removal, a staple of routine bike maintenance. Regular oil and filter changes are the cheapest way to keep an engine healthy.
Type Oil filterFit Model specificFeature Removal nutBest for Oil changes
- Easy-off removal nut
- Trusted K&N quality
- Cheap maintenance item
- Must match your model
- Consumable
Best for: DIY oil changes
Motorcycle Riding Glasses (3-Pack)
★★★★★ 4.4 / 5 Best eye protection
A three-pair set of padded riding glasses with UV protection to shield eyes from wind and debris. Cheap, and you get lenses for different light conditions.
Type Riding glassesQuantity 3 pairsProtection UV, foam paddingBest for Open-face riders
- Three pairs included
- UV and wind protection
- Foam padding seals out debris
- Not a helmet visor
- Basic frames
Best for: Wind and sun protection
VEVOR 50L ATV Rear Cargo Bag
★★★★★ 4.5 / 5 Best storage
A 50-litre padded rear cargo bag for ATVs and powersports machines, for hauling gear on trail rides. When you need to carry more than your pockets hold, strapped storage is the answer.
Type Rear cargo bagCapacity 50 LPadding Sponge linedBest for ATVs, trail rides
- Large 50L capacity
- Padded protection
- Secure straps
- For ATV/powersports
- Adds bulk
Best for: Carrying gear on trails
The best motorcycle accessories fall into two groups: gear that keeps you safe and gear that keeps your bike running. New riders should spend on protection first, then add the maintenance and storage items that make ownership easier. Below, the essentials for both, at prices that suit any rider.
Safety gear comes first
Nothing matters more than a properly fitted, DOT-approved helmet, which is the single most important thing you can buy. Gloves come next, because hands almost always hit the ground first in a fall; summer mesh gloves protect without cooking your hands, and hard-knuckle versions add impact armor. If you ride open-face, padded riding glasses or goggles shield your eyes from wind and debris. Buy protection before convenience, every time.
Keep the bike ready to ride
Motorcycle batteries often die from sitting rather than use, so a 12V battery maintainer is one of the smartest low-cost buys, keeping the bike ready through winter and starting first try in spring. Basic maintenance items like a quality oil filter make routine servicing cheap and easy, and staying on top of oil changes is the best thing you can do for engine life. These small purchases prevent the biggest headaches.
Comfort and carrying gear
Once safety and upkeep are covered, accessories that add comfort and utility are worth considering. A rear cargo bag lets ATV and powersports riders carry gear on longer trips, and touchscreen gloves save you peeling off a glove to use your phone. These are the finishing touches that make time on the bike more pleasant, but they come after the essentials, not before.
Fit, certification, and matching your machine
Two rules guide every purchase. First, protective gear must be certified and fit correctly: a helmet should be snug without pressure points and carry a real DOT or ECE mark, and it should be replaced after a crash. Second, match parts to your specific bike, especially consumables like oil filters, and match gear to the speeds and vehicle you ride. Get those right and inexpensive accessories will serve you well.
Questions people ask
What motorcycle accessories should a new rider buy first?
Start with safety gear: a DOT-approved helmet, then gloves, and eye protection if you ride open-face. After that, a battery maintainer keeps your bike ready and an oil filter covers basic upkeep. Protective gear comes before convenience items, because it is what keeps you safe on every ride.
Is a cheap motorcycle helmet safe?
An affordable helmet is safe as long as it carries a genuine DOT (or ECE) certification and fits you properly. Certification means it has passed impact testing regardless of price. Fit matters just as much: a helmet should be snug with no pressure points, and it should be replaced after any crash or every several years.
Do I really need motorcycle gloves?
Yes. In almost any fall, your hands hit the ground first, so gloves with knuckle protection are among the most valuable gear you can wear. Summer mesh gloves keep hands cool while still protecting them, and models with touchscreen fingertips let you use a phone without removing them.
What does a battery tender do?
A battery tender, or maintainer, keeps a 12V motorcycle battery at full charge while the bike is parked, then switches to a float mode so it never overcharges. Bike batteries often die from sitting unused over winter, and a maintainer prevents that, so the bike starts on the first try in spring.
How often should I change my motorcycle oil and filter?
Follow your owner's manual, but many bikes call for an oil and filter change every few thousand miles or once a season. Fresh oil and a quality filter are the cheapest insurance for a healthy engine. Always use the filter that matches your specific model, and change the filter with the oil.
Are riding glasses enough eye protection?
For open-face and half helmets, padded riding glasses or goggles shield your eyes from wind, sun, and debris and are essential. For a full-face helmet, the visor already protects your eyes, though sunglasses can help in bright light. Choose lenses to match the conditions you ride in.
Can I use these accessories on an ATV or scooter?
Much of it, yes. Helmets, gloves, and eye protection apply to ATVs, scooters, and powersports machines alike, and cargo bags are made specifically for ATVs. Always match protective gear to the speeds you ride, and check that a helmet is rated for your type of vehicle.
What is the best value motorcycle accessory?
A battery maintainer offers a lot of value, since it prevents the common and frustrating dead-battery problem for a small outlay. Gloves are the best value in protection, guarding the body part most likely to hit the ground. Both cost little and save you money and trouble down the road.
The bottom lineSo which one?
Every rider should start with the ILM Full Face Helmet and a good pair of gloves, then add the Battery Tender Junior to keep the bike ready. Fit and certification matter most for safety gear, and match consumables like the K&N filter to your exact model.