Holiday Motorcycle Gifts Under $50

[video transcript]

Holiday Motorcycle Gifts Under $50

Helmetlok II Carabiner

Most of our gift guides are broken down by style, but this is a general money-saving moto list so I picked stuff that every motorcyclist wants, like a Helmetlok II carabiner.

We’ve all lugged our helmets into town, begged servers to put them behind the bar, tried to keep an eye on our them from across the dancefloor … carrying a helmet sucks.

But the Helmetlok lets me leave it behind with reasonable peace of mind. Through the D-ring, around the handlebar, and I’m off.

There’s not much to a device like this, but you’ll be surprised what Helmetlok thought of. For one, it opens outward which makes it way easier to get a piece of your handlebar for subframe in here.

They also made sure that it clicks shut even when I don’t lock it. So I can hook it to my belt loop while I ride without fussing with the combination.

On that note, they also made it so I choose the combination. No more struggling to remember random digits – I just poke a pin through this little hole and set it to my favourite number.

Helmetlok even thought to rubberize the exterior, so it doesn’t scratch my baby.

Now obviously, this ain’t gonna thwart Ocean’s Eleven. Nevermind the strength of the carabiner – your weak link is right freaking here.

But the HelmetLok is a good enough deterrent friendly Canadian neighbourhoods. It costs 30-something dollars, which is kinda what you’d expect, and yes, it makes a good cover lock as well.

Battery Tender Junior 12V .75A Charger

Next idea – the Battery Tender Junior 12V .75A Charger.

Oooh what a cool, sexy motorcycle gift … said no one ever. But every rider can use a trickle charger, especially this time of year, so it’s a practical present.

Battery Tender would love for me to tell you that this is a clever little robot – always measuring the voltage so that it doesn’t unnecessarily load the battery.

But this is 2016 Battery Tender – I pretty much expect your device not to cook my battery.

Anyway, I get two options for hooking it up – gator clips or the screw-on hoops. And there are two LED colours that come through here – red for charging and green for good-to-go.

Battery Tender makes a lot of devices. Some charge fast, some slow, some are waterproof, some are digital… but this is the most popular choice. Why?

Because it does the job and it costs 30-something dollars. Plus it’s really small – I can actually fit it under the seat of my V-Strom through the winter, and that takes care of the whole waterproofing thing anyway.

You can’t argue with it. Universal usefulness, zero reliability problems… makes it damn hard to write an interesting review.

Kappa TK752 Tank Bag

Now, no one gets motorcycle luggage for Christmas, because it’s freaking expensive and fitment is complicated.

Not so with the Kappa TK752 Tank Bag. Under 50 bucks and installation only requires a metal surface ‘cause … magnets.

What’s weird about the TK752 is that it isn’t basic. There’s faux leather, multiple textiles, reflective piping. These zippers are rubberized so they’re easier to catch with gloved hands. And this strap lets me wear it as a fanny pack when I’m off the bike … of course I’m too vain to for that but I know a few dads that could pull it off.

At this price point, you might expect the Kappa to be pretty weak, but it’s not. This 1680-denier nylon ain’t exactly tissue paper. You can go ahead and drop your bike on the tank bag – it’ll be the least of your problems.

I also love that the magnets are removable. So many manufacturers sew them in, which is stupid because magnets don’t stay strong forever. For what it’s worth, the ones in the TK752 are pretty mediocre but at least you’ll be able to remove and replace them down the road.

Oh, and I should mention that it comes with a rain cover. Seems crazy, because some companies charge nearly 50 bucks for the shell alone, but there you have it.

I honestly don’t know why this tank bag is so cheap. Except for the fact that it’s pretty small. 2 litres might look a lot bigger on this teeny motorcycle, but it’s still 2 litres.

Cruz Tools Speedkit Compact Tool Kit

Another sub-50-dollar gift idea – for any motorcyclist – is a tool kit.

I chose the Cruz Tools Speedkit Compact Tool Kit because there’s nothing I hate more than bad tools. And these ones aren’t bad.

Here’s what my Suzuki factory kit looks like. The Allen keys would rather be round than hexagonal. The pliers hurt my hands. Screw the basic screwdriver. These wrenches have the torque of a decorative nutcracker. And the bag is floppy and unusually large.

Enter the Cruz Tools Speedkit. Much tighter package – zippered textile. Then I have longer wrenches. The screwdriver has 9 different heads, all of which are magnetized. Pliers with real soft grips, proper Allen keys, plus a spark plug socket, lever and a pressure gauge which I didn’t even have before.

I guarantee that the Speedkit is superior to whatever came with your giftee’s bike, so it’s a sure-fire gift. Just make sure you know what part of the world their machine comes from, because Cruz Tools makes a different set for Japanese, European and ‘Murican motorcycles.

Oxford Helmet Care Kit

My last gift suggestion is the Oxford Helmet Care Kit.

See cleaning a helmet is harder than it looks. A lot of regular soaps will degrade the manufacturer’s resins, which is real bad when it comes to safety equipment.

But, obviously, the Oxford Kit is tailormade for the job. I get an internal sanitizer – antibacterial and odour-killing for the inner lining. And then there’s an anti-fog spray for your visor. We both know that dandruff shampoo works just as well but no one told Oxford that.

Then there’s an exterior helmet cleaner for the rest. It’ll take the dirt and bugs right off, and leave your helmet with a shiny finish. Obviously that’s not so great for a matte helmet, but then again nothing is.

Add the zippered carrying case and a micro fibre cloth, and it’s a pretty slick kit. Whether or not this should cost 50 dollars is another story… but I can’t deny that it’s useful.

And that’s it for my favourite moto gifts under 50 bucks. Much like It’s a Wonderful Life, these holiday gift guides never seem to end – we’ve got more coming up.

Holiday Motorcycle Gifts Under $50