Alot of motorcycle accessories are expensive but there are some that are actually really good and can be had on a budget. Today I'll cover 7 of those things that you can get for under $100.
Great vid. I have done several of the upgrades mentioned in this vid. The first upgrade to my 18 FLTRXS was the Oberon adjustable clutch lever (I replaced the brake lever also). The clutch lever made a HUGE difference, especially with low speed maneuvering. I have noticed that most motor officers in my area (NJ) have switched out to these levers.
Jump box, tire inflator, bungees, tools, extra fuses, rags, gloves, neck gators and shemagh, riding glasses for night time, cup holder, phone holder, wired in a USB plug inside my saddle bag for phone charging, and I vacuum sealed $50 and i leave it inside one of my bags for emergency purposes.
The best $10 accessory ever, I have on all my bikes and I've seen in your video, you already have on yours: the cramp buster throttle boss. Everyone thinks they don't need it with cruise, but I find it the best thing I have ever used, because I don't always use cruise, especially in group rides. Also, the cup holder comment: you need a good cup. Don't fall for the hype of these tippy, gimbal, holders, you aren't going to be riding with a cup that doesn't have a lid. Get a Contigo, they have a trigger that opens when you grab it, releases when you put it down, and have a lifetime warranty. Not that you need it, haven't replaced the one I dropped at 80mph. I found some on clearance, if you look hard you can find them for under $3, but definitely worth the normal $25. And air bag vests- some come with back protectors, like you mentioned. I have a definite preference for those, but for non electronic, that are not built into a jacket, the only 2 you really should look at, are hit air and helite. You can get a lot of fancy here, but helite does what is supposed to, simply, without a subscription fee, and goes over all your current jackets. They also have a version built into a fairly normal looking backpack. Oh, and a tool 'box'- I use a drink bottle with a big screw top. Holds all of the (purchased special for this so all long and skinny) tools I need, is waterproof, and all the little pieces (like sockets) don't fall out in the saddle bag.
My add to the list is a throttle friction lock adjustable while riding. I put one my 2010 Fat Bob. On highway I tighten to the point I can easily move the throttle but it doesn't snap back. I don't remember the brand but I got it from Amazon for about $10. It has a thumb lever to easily tighten or loosen as I ride.
Love your vids and subscribed. I'm just now getting into riding and taking the BRC course at Trident Tech since you are in SC you know. I'm definitely on the older side in my early 50s and have always wanted to own a motorcycle and settled on an Indian. Maybe a good video is what should you get in terms of helmets, safety, gear, etc. that you would recommend for a new rider and. Talking head to toe max protection.
My favorite cheap accessory for my bike is this garage door opener fob. It clips on my zipper of my jacket and I never have to get off my bike to get it into the garage.
Phone charger/usb ports. I use mine all the time for longer trips. I can charge my phone and my headset so im never lacking on music bonus points if you get one that reads the voltage as well 🤙
One item yhats a definate must have that you forgot about is a TOOL KIT. This is a relatively easy thing to put together for less than 30.00 and has everything you need for those road side repairs.
Skip the cup holder and phone holder, which keeps these items in the hot sun. My drink stays cooler longer in a bag or trunk. My phone in my pocket means it's screen won't get burnt. And less chance of phone getting lost or damaged, by excess vibration, falling off, etc. Plus if I ever go down again, I want my phone to survive, staying with me (not my bike), so I can call for help. My "Old School" list; 1. A simple bicycle pump, the pump being cheaper and more reliable then most electric pumps. 2. A tire patch kit, to repair the tubes and tires the pump hopes to inflate. 3. Loctite, or the old lady's nail polish, to keep things from vibrating loose after roadside repair. 4. Spare tune-up kit and extra chain master links, so don't stay dead on side of the road over something simple. 5. Duct Tape and JB Weld, for when roadside repairs require a more creative approach. 6. A good length of 1/2 inch rope, to wrap multiple times around back rim and tire like a make shift tire chain, to improve traction if caught in surprise snow storm. 7. Waterless hand cleaner and some clean rags, to clean up after making repairs. 8. Common Sense, without which everything else on this list is worthless.
good list. i recently added some Memphis shades hand guards to my 2019 Chieftain Darkhorse. After adding some mid rise bars last year I realized that my hands were no longer behind the faring - being in Michigan we ride in cold weather a lot...cold, wet, windy weather. Anyway, these handguards are worth their weight in gold and only $80
I always need a few balaclavas, bungy cords, or the motorcycle net, and of course, a whole bunch of zip ties, because they are well under $100 and are functional in many situations.
This question is to all: thoughts about having aftermarket tire pressure sensors? I have a 22 tri glide w them on. I’ve got a little rechargeable monitor that shows me all the pressures. Kinda neat to watch it rise w riding.
Get a camelback or similar with a thin wall between the bladder and your back. Fill with ice, add water, wear it over your shirt but under vest, jacket, etc. Great in the summer.
Fork tool bag. Bungee cords. Small satchel cooler to bungee to P pad or between the license plate and seat. Helmets are a life saver. ‘Click’, the former owner of Carolina Harley Davidson of Gastonia died of a head injury when he was at Sturgis one year because he didn’t wear a helmet. Several years ago a fellow church goer died from head injuries when a dog jumped out in front of him on the road. SC doesn’t have a mandatory helmet law for adults over 21 which can be freeing in a way but very deadly in a major get off.
Years ago my brother wrecked an old sixties vespa scooter. Luckily he was wearing an old '50's air force helmet that split in two when the scooter came crashing down on his head. He was fine but r.i.p. for the helmet
I have a plastic ammo box (approx 3US gallons) mounted to my Hollywood handlebar (Softail Slim) which gives me storage, as well as acting as a windshield. Not exactly stylish, but cheap and effective.
I would say it's too late for this video because Christmas has come and gone. But let's face it, I don't get anything for Christmas because I'm Santa at my house and I buy everything. Including toys for myself without waiting for Christmas. Definitely looking into the seat lock for my mustang seat, the jump starter pack, and the drink holder. Freakin' seats are crazy expensive and thinking how easy they are to steal sucks! The drink holder is half the reason I don't ride as often as I should. Too hot want my ice tea, too early want my coffee. And of course momma wants a place for her drink so we may have to fight over that one 😅. This was great list. I always wear my gloves and my favorite pair of foam sunglasses. My regular glasses are cool and all, but need the foam to keep eyes from watering with excess wind.
Beyond PPE the number #1 safety device I have found is YELLOW LENS fog lights (not white and not amber). Within the first mile a very distinct behavioral change occurs with other vehicles as you approach an intersection. As added benefits , direct the lights about 30 degrees outward and slightly upwards so that they shine directly into the eyes of a driver stopped at an intersection. The change is significant and extremely noticeable.
Most important accessories for a bike: - non battery inflator and tire plugs and tools - what? Yes, if you‘re remote you will have to fix the tire and that may take a couple of tries, the battery then dies with such high-volume tires. A vehicle-powered inflator is the only thing helping you and your friends. - duct tape to hold plastics broken - 2 long straps to fix your luggage, pull a bike or get yours pulled. - gas-tube, long enough to reach over to a second bike, car, canister to suck gas from - pin-code for fob-bikes - why? Well, you start your bike with the fob under a Cell-Antenna Tower? Won‘t work. Or, Battery empty. Fob lost. Use the code. Most important accessories for the rider: - smartphone pocket in your jacket. What? Yes, only morons mount their life-line smartphone to the bike. Shut up, there‘s no Argument for that. Use a secondary one if that‘s your thing, but never ever your master Smartphone. - Best helmet you can pay for. I leave it to you. - Protective Motorcycle Boots or solid high hiker boots, the least. For heavy or off-road bikes those serve your stance/position and bike control. - Protective gloves, yes, not the gardening leathers that are price-hiked for chopper-morons by aging them. If you‘re one of them buy the cheap wear them, they age quickly and look rad, but don‘t serve a fall well. - Back-spine protector, if you don‘t want to add up like a structureless turtle - 2-piece leather suit, any style, but quality leather and protectors (today these are thin and squishy but can offer top protection), at least a leather jacket and very solid high-end aramid denim, if you‘re not into the full textile cordura bucket. Try using hip-protection. When you fall, you fall on head, hands, shoulder and hip sides and the legs/knees/feet get swung around like hammers. Imagine and remember that. Other: - don‘t be a fool and drink a bucket while riding. To do so, you need to open the helment or have an open one. Use a hip bladder instead 2-3L, or hydro-backpack I don‘t like because your main body should be free to move, thus the hip hydropack is the best solution. Forget your can-holder crap. Or just stop for a pause, anyway. - 2 Heavy Duty locks, a disk-lock and a short U-lock, one of them with alarm. Yes, I know, your bike has an alarm, yes, people give a damn on alarm. So why? 1) Well, the u-lock allows you to connect a chain if you happen to prepare for a longer outside stay and you or your friends carry one and you can lock two bikes together or to something solid. 2) 2 locks for layering security, sure, ordered theft will still take it, takes longer, but they will work it. But the occasional theft is prevented as most others are faster and easier to crack, he‘ll always opt for the quick and lazy choice. 3) Your bike-alarm sucks your bike battery out in 1-3 nights, yes. The lock‘s alarm doesn‘t it holds much much longer. So keep your bike‘s battery safe and let the little buddy cry out loud - for what? Well for dogs, dogs love noise, or donkeys, wherever you are in remotes there are animals that love to join the singing, and that is what makes people look up what‘s going on.
My list of must have upgrades under $100. 1. Phone holder $118 on amazon, but the extra $18 is necessary. Charges, grips, anti-vibration, anti-theft, etc. 2. Led bulb upgrade headlight and brake light $30 or so. 3. Jacket liner (never know when temps will drop) 4. Co2 powered tire plug repair kit. 5 tire inflator. I put tools, inflator, repair kit and liner in saddlebag and leave em there. Helmet and gloves with long pants and boots are my minimum riding gear, but I'll go with t shirt in the summer 110F+. And i count my hiking boots as boots. The only MUST HAVE upgrades over $100 for me is a good saddle and a good helmet. Thankfully my Valkyrie seat already locks so i didn't have to get a seat lock
Your like me...Budget $ upgrades you put on yourself....Pay all those Thousands of $'s on a Bike that doesnt fit you?....Not very smart in my Book🤔....
Tech gripper or Techmount. Best thing guy I’ve had run on my bikes since 2008 had it on about a few bikes oh my friends used them their American made out of New Jersey lifetime warranty as long as you own it you call you need something you got it. No Chinese junk here, brother
I have had much more problems with hydraulic clutches than cables. Cables eventually break then you put a new one on and good for another 10 years. Hydraulic seems to act up every year or two.
I went with a decorative one that's hidden with the rack and bag. It takes some effort to get to it. I did get the HD locking gas cap, that one really bothered me.
A good phone mount is a worth while investment. Personally I'd spend more than $100 on it. I went Rokform and it's seen 3 bikes and 2 phones in 5 years. Since they are all metal they hold up real well. But with how big phones are now days, it can be hard to move if you have one in your pocket. Even if you don't use it, it's nice to have a bespoke place for your expensive tech rectangle. Also they cases are magnetic, and I didn't know how useful that was going to be till I had it. Something on your bike that you can't figure out how to get off? Look up a VT vid stick it to your bike and work along with it. doing something at work and don't want your phone in your pocket? Stick it to a pole or tool box. I use that shit on the daily now. Also in the summer a hydro pack is premium. I ride a FZ1 so I couldn't/wouldn't be caught dead with a cup holder on my bike. Even the small ones will hold like 2l of water. It's got a long hose so you can feed it through your helmet. Just fill it with Ice and water before a ride, and you're good to go (They say not to do that, but it hasn't stopped me or effected how it works).
quad lock is better. hands down. beard guy gets paid to shill rokform, but it's not working. the riders I know that tried them found them finicky and clunky.
One thing I personally need is away to keep my gun safe and secure while traveling. I'm old school and I ride in jeans a jacket and boots I will wear a helmet that is dot approved but I want as much wind as I can get.
My motorcycle is perfect from the factory, does not need any enhancement ;) I don't understand why everyone must have mounted phone on the bars. I want to enjoy the route and not watch small display. I like music, but I can have the phone in the jacket pocket and hear the music in intercom. Much more comfortable. Traffic signs are mostly enough for navigation, but it is priceless in cities and reporting speed cameras ;) Cup, uselessness for me. At first, I wear only full face helmet, at second, I make short breaks exactly due to drink or refuel petrol maximum every 2 hours. But I live in EU at the level of USA/Canadian border and the southest part of EU is at level of White House. Clothing absolutely agree. With one comment. Only and ONLY ORIGINAL MOTORCYCLE WEAR with protectors! NOT CIVIL jackets, not civil gloves, not civil jeans! This is not enough!
I love my Rokform but you have to buy a vibration dampener or your cameras are gone. And my dampener literally fell apart and completely disconnected from the original latch so to remedy that was to completely rebuild the vibration damper with Loctite on every screw.
you don't know how to treat your bike! it wants a diamond necklace, a night out, including a great dinner, flowers an to be sexed up after... oh wait thats a girl. You bike is just a vehicle. I forget with all these " must have accessories". " must have" is a comfortable seat, bars that fit your triangle, full tank of gas and destination.
What ever happened to having money in your pocket, a map & a final destination and enjoy the ride? Riders are becoming such wimps with no adventure attitudes anymore. I feel sorry for them. It is 99% all marketing. Astetics is in the eye of the beholder. With Quad lock I have to take off the Quad case to put the phone in my pocket as the case adds thicks? No thanks. I carry a small high pressure bicycle hand air pump. Requires no electricity, is light weight & small.
seven must have motorcycle accessories? but you have an arsenal behind ya big enough to storm Normandy? What do alll these guns have to do with motorcycle accessories? Lol
Sorry man this video is horrible way to boring and slow paced. I’ll give another video a look . I may not be in your viewer range . Sorry no hard feelings 😊
I'm really sorry, but I'm having a really hard time with your videos. As a European, I find it really bizarre to see how much you adore firearms. And they are not for hunting for a nice piece of meat. They are intended to kill other people. To guarantee your freedom? But do you actually have more freedom in the United States than we do in Europe? I actually don't think so. And how many incidents involving firearms occur in the US compared to other countries? I would love to talk to you about motorcycles, but those guns scare me away.
Ever read history? There is a reason why we have the 2nd Amendment. I get you don't understand because you don't live here but guns are not scary if you're properly trained on how to use them.
@@cloydash6878 I know: 2nd Amendment is to protect your freedom. But I also have a lot of freedom and we don't have to defend that ourselfs. What's the difference?
To be honest, when I see what happened in January 2021 and the fact that Mr. Trump still has a chance to win another term, I understand that you are concerned about your government. Your democracy appears to be more fragile than we all thought. However, most Western European democracies are older, have also experienced such semi-coups and have prepared themselves against them in terms of regulations. I am now indeed concerned about democracy in the US. Such a polarization would not easily occur in Europe.@@roadhard
How about shoulder pads? You know, just in case. To go along with your chest protector Or may Kevlar bubble wrap, or an armored suit like a knight?? How much protection do you get before it becomes completely uncomfortable to ride? Just asking. The idea of riding a motorcycle is to experience the freedom of it. A helmet, gloves and boots, I can follow along but when you start talking about all the other unnecessary stuff, you start to sound totally anal
