2024 Summer Motorcycle Gear Buyers Guide

Summer Motorcycle Gear Buyers Guide
Our Summer Buyers Guide highlights 10 motorcycle products that will allow you to get the most out of the summer riding season. Photo by Kevin Wing.

The summer solstice, which is June 20 this year, is the longest day of the year, allowing us to maximize our riding time. With longer days, spring in full swing, and summer just around the corner, we’re in the best part of the riding season. Flowers are in bloom, hillsides are green, and the hottest months are still ahead.

Our Summer Motorcycle Gear Buyers Guide has gear you need to keep the wheels turning all summer long, from cleaning products and oil change kits to helmets, tires, accessories, and a special jacket from Vanson Leathers, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary just like Rider.

We appreciate the support these companies provide for Rider, and you can help pay that forward by supporting them. Thank you, and keep the rubber side down!

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Dunlop Mutant Tires

Summer Motorcycle Gear Buyers Guide Dunlop Mutant

Dunlop’s Mutant combines unique components to create one of the most versatile performance street tires the company has ever produced. Light weight, a high silica ratio, Jointless Belt construction, Apex sidewall technology, Rayon Ply Casing, 4 Seasons Technology, and Dunlop’s exclusive MT Multi-Tread compounding combine to deliver high mileage, nimble handling, a compliant ride, and excellent grip in both dry and wet conditions. The Mutant is available in a range of sizes that fit hundreds of motorcycle models available in the U.S. Visit your dealer for pricing.


Spectro Motorcycle Wash and Shine

Summer Motorcycle Gear Buyers Guide Spectro Motorcycle Wash and Shine

Get your bike shining like new with Spectro’s Motorcycle Wash and Shine, which are some of the company’s highest rated and best reviewed products. Motorcycle Wash is a spray-on/rinse-off cleaner that tackles the toughest dirt, grease, grime, bug splatter, brake dust, and road film, leaving a streak-free clean. Shine is a long-lasting spray that provides a high-gloss finish on paints, plastics, and chrome. Shine also forms an anti-static protective film with a water-beading effect. Spectro cleaning products are available at your local dealer or powersports retailer.


Monimoto 9 GPS Tracker

Summer Motorcycle Gear Buyers Guide Monimoto GPS Tracker

This GPS tracker allows you to keep tabs on your motorcycle at all times and will alert your phone if any movement is detected while you’re away from the bike. The device, placed on the bike in a discrete location, connects to the included key fob. The device is deactivated when the key fob is nearby, but when the key fob moves away from the bike, the device automatically arms and will send alerts and its GPS position to your phone if any movement is detected. It’s available for $169 and includes two months of free SIM service. The subscription rate thereafter is $49 per year.


Suzuki ECSTAR Oil Change Kits

Summer Motorcycle Gear Buyers Guide Ecstar Oil

ECSTAR Oil Change Kits include everything you need to change the oil in your Suzuki motorcycle. The kits are available with full synthetic oil (R9000), semi-synthetic oil (R7000), or mineral oil (R5000) with three or four quarts, and the R5000 DR-Z kit comes with two quarts. ECSTAR oil has been exclusively designed for Suzuki motorcycle engines and tested over thousands of racetrack laps for performance, quality, and durability. The kits include an oil filter, a drain plug gasket, and 10W-40 oil. Prices range from $34.95 for the R5000 DR-Z kit to $74.95 for the R9000 four-quart kit.


HeliBars Performance Handlebar Risers

Summer Motorcycle Gear Buyers Guide HeliBars Triumph Tiger 1200 Rally Explorer Bar Riser

These risers, designed for the 2022-and-newer Triumph Tiger 1200 GT Explorer and Rally Explorer models, move the stock handlebar closer to the rider by 1.25 inches and up by 1 inch, and all original cable and hydraulic lines are retained. The risers are CNC machined from 6061 aluminum. The shot-peened finish provides structural strength and complements the stock handlebar color, and the clear powdercoating adds durability. Raising the handlebar provides better ergonomics and improved long-distance comfort. These risers come with a 30-day money-back guarantee and are available for $159.


Vanson Leathers 50th Anniversary Jacket

Summer Motorcycle Gear Buyers Guide Vanson Anniversary Edition Jacket

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Vanson Leathers, the Anniversary Jacket is an original Vanson signature design leather race jacket with brass hardware, a special anniversary color scheme, a slim fit, pre-curved sleeves, and an ID key fob embossed with the garment unit number for reference. Vanson Leathers made its first motorcycle jacket in 1974 and has continued making them by hand from its workshop in Fall River, Massachusetts. Vanson jackets are made from high-quality materials and built to last. This special-edition jacket is available in sizes 32-62 for $999.


S100 Total Cycle Cleaner

Summer Motorcycle Gear Buyers Guide S100 Total Cycle Cleaner

Total Cycle Cleaner from S100 attacks hidden dirt and grime that regular soap and water miss, which can lead to corrosion, rust, and tarnish. Hailed by Rider as a “revolution for the Saturday morning wash,” Total Cycle Cleaner works its way into hidden nooks and crannies to clean out the grime you can’t see, then penetrates and loosens grunge so a sharp stream of water rinses it away. The cleaner comes in a 21-ounce aerosol or a variety of liquid sizes, from the 16.9-fluid-ounce starter bottle up to the 1.3-gallon canister. Available at many motorcycle retailers.


HJC F71 Helmet

Summer Motorcycle Gear Buyers Guide HJC F71

This sport-touring helmet is lightweight thanks to its Advanced Fiberglass Composite Shell. It includes a Dynamic Multi-Step Sunshield and a wide eye port for a larger field of view, and the 3D contour design ensures a secure fit. The faceshield’s Two-Way Ratchet system provides a smooth closure and better seal. The helmet is also designed to provide a comfortable fit with glasses, and the pull tab on the cheek pads allows for quick and safe removal during an emergency. The helmet also features reflective trim for better visibility. Available in a variety of color options and graphics starting at $349.99.


Bridgestone Battlax Sport Touring T32

Summer Motorcycle Gear Buyers Guide Bridgestone Battlax

Bridgestone’s Battlax Sport Touring T32 and T32GT tires provide excellent performance, confidence, and contact feel in all weather conditions. State-of-the-art Pulse Groove Technology combines pulse-shaped sipes with small center deflectors to equalize water flow and improve water channeling and drainage across the tire. A redesigned tread pattern results in a 13% larger contact patch on the rear tire, increasing grip and feel, and 7% shorter wet stopping distances. The T32 and T32GT are available in most common tire sizes, with the GT option for heavier bikes.


Wild Ass Seat Cushions

Summer Motorcycle Gear Buyers Guide Wild Ass

Wild Ass Seat Cushions provide support and relief during long rides and utilize advanced air-cell technology to evenly distribute pressure to reduce discomfort and fatigue. The Classic seat cushion ($249.99) is made with medical-grade neoprene rubber, which reduces pain at pressure points and promotes blood flow. The Air Gel Cushion ($194.99) is made of three layers of polyurethane for durability and includes gel pads inserted inside each individual air cell. The Lite Cushion ($109.99) is made of lightweight polyurethane. Available in either Smart (15.5 x 14 inches) or Saddle (13 x 11.5 inches) sizes.

2 COMMENTS

  1. Those Bridgestone tires look an awful lot like the Dunlop Mutants as shown above in this list. In fact, they even say Mutant on the sidewalls!

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