Merry Holidays!  We’re at the point in the year where everyone goes nuts trying to find the perfect gift for friends and family.  I’ve been around the motorsports industry for a bit, and just thought I’d share a few ideas for gift-givers having a hard time finding something for the rider in their life.  So, here are my suggestions:

 

1. Freak Mount

I encountered this little phone mount on a recent sales trip visiting dealers.  It’s extremely simple and has a very strong magnet to attach your phone to your gas tank.  Granted, it may not work with covered or plastic tanks, but it is a cool little gadget that would make a great stocking stuffer for most motorcycle riders.

 Available at Freak Mount for $49.

 

2.  Heated Socks

Battery powered socks!  We talked about having the right gear for winter riding in the previous blog post.  This is one of them.  From a safety standpoint, you don’t want your feet to be frozen – frostbite is not good, plus you can’t feel your shifter and brake pedal that way.  There’s a couple of different configurations of these heated socks – AA powered, rechargeable powered, and more to fit whatever your needs are.  My personal preference arer the rechargeables, and take along a spare set of batteries just in case.

Available at Action Heat for $50-$160.

 

3. Tire Gauge

Having a high-quality tire gauge in your toolbox is a must have for every rider.  I mentioned how important tire pressure was in our winter riding tips blog as well, BUT this little gadget can be used year-round.  There are plenty of options out there, but I like this one for its swiveling head, liquid filled needle gauge, and the convenient bleeder valve.  It’ll make getting the correct air pressure a breeze!  You know the saying, “buy once, cry once…”  Well, I know this is a little pricy for a tire gauge, but it will last long enough to hopefully be the only one you need. 

Available at Motion Pro for $110.

 

4. Pinlock Inserts

We’ve all struggled with fogging shields at one point or another.  Pinlock is a simple and highly effective solution for that!  In addition, they have multiple colors – light smoke, dark smoke, yellow, and ProtecTINT (photochromic / transitional).  The benefits of these are two-fold: it keeps your helmet shield fog free AND can provide enhanced vision (depending on color). Of course, we have them available for our entire helmet line. Pinlock lenses are available for other premium helmet brands as well.

Available for Quin helmets in our accessories section and on at Pinlock for $40-$85.

 

5. Flashlight

Who doesn’t need a good flashlight handy?  I’ve got them scattered all over the place – desk, workbench, car door, underneath the seat on my motorcycle.  No, you won’t need it often, but when you do, and don’t have one, it just makes things difficult.  I prefer battery-powered rather then rechargeable, just so that it is easier to ensure it works on-the-go, but that's personal preference.  Batteries in an LED flashlight will last for a LONG time, so it’s not like you’ll be replacing them a lot anyway.  Nebo has an extensive line, so pick according to your personal preferences.

Available at Nebo for about $11 and up.

 

6. Tech-Air 5 System

I know this is pricy, but it’s one of the coolest things that’s come out since I’ve been in the industry.  It’s basically a wearable air bag that goes underneath your jacket.  It’s got three accelerometers and three gyros in it to detect crashes before you hit the ground.  I won’t get into all the tech that goes in this thing, check it out on Alpinestars website. If you want to gift the rider in your life (or yourself) the best in premium safety, I think it doesn't get better than the Tech-Air 5 and a Quin helmet. One uses crash detection to deploy additional body protection (Tech-Air 5) and one uses crash detection to ensure you receive help when you need it most (Quin helmet). 

Available at Alpinestars for $749.

 

7. Money Capsule

This was another little gadget I found in my dealership travels.  Pretty simple – it’s a small water-tight capsule to go on your keyring.  Stuff a $20 bill in there and you’ll never be without any emergency cash! I bought several of them…2 sets of car keyrings, 2 sets of motorcycle keyrings, and then an “extra” one on my backpack. 

Available at True Utility for about $10.  (You might have to look around for these a little – I found them on the UK website but not the US website.  BUT – they are all over Ebay/Amazon, too.)

 

8. Quin Quest Helmet

This is the most versatile helmet in our collection.  You guys are probably already familiar with it, but I want to touch on a few features.  It’s a modular, adventure touring helmet, but you can pull off the peak for better road aerodynamics.  Anyone from sport riders, cruisers, and touring can use this one with great success.  Of course, its got our Crash Detection and SOS Beacon capabilities, as well as a universal Bluetooth headset in it as well.  Browse through our website and check it out!  Of course, we can also do gift cards, so you can let your rider pick his lid and size, too

Available from Quin for $719. 

 

9. Butler Maps

This company has been around for years and make maps specifically for motorcyclists.  They’ve got all the best roads highlighted, the maps are waterproof, and store easily in a tank bag or pocket.  Additionally, they have them for just about every area you can think of!

 Available at Butler Maps starting at $15.

 

That’s it for this year!  Certainly, if you guys think of something – a little can't-live-without gadget that a rider could use, or something that makes their life a little safer, feel free to add it to the comments below.  Let us know your thoughts!

Happy (early) holidays!  Y’all stay safe out there!