Walk into a motorcycle shop after a long break and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Airbags, heated grips, intercoms, dash cams, three different kinds of glove — and a price tag on all of it. Here’s the truth about motorcycle kit for returning riders: you don’t need most of it on day one. What you do need is the right kit in the right order.
Spend on what protects you first. Everything else can wait.
In This Article
Start with your head
If you’ve dug your old helmet out of the loft, treat it with suspicion. Most manufacturers suggest replacing a helmet every five years or so, and one that’s been dropped, or has spent a decade in a shed, may not protect you the way it once did. Look for the ECE 22.06 label on newer helmets, and try before you buy — a helmet that fits properly is one you’ll actually keep on.
If you’re going to splurge on one thing, make it this.
Then the bits that hit the road first
In a fall, your hands go out first. Good gloves aren’t optional, and they’re one of the cheapest upgrades you can make. A waterproof pair will also keep you riding on days you’d otherwise stay home — we’ve tested a set of Gore-Tex winter gloves that stay comfortable down to about 5°C.
Boots come next. Proper motorcycle boots protect your ankles, which trainers and walking boots simply don’t. Again, fit matters more than fashion.
Jacket and trousers: armour matters
Look for a jacket and trousers with removable armour at the shoulders, elbows, hips and knees, and a back protector if you can. Check the CE label — it tells you how much abrasion protection you’re actually getting, not just how it looks on the hanger.
In hot weather, a mesh jacket is a genuinely different experience. Our Richa Force 2 D3O review looks at a slim, armoured mesh layer, and the BMW Paceguard jacket is a heavier, all-round option for adventure riding.
Should you wear an airbag?
This is the one piece of kit that’s easy to put off and hard to justify skipping. An airbag vest adds protection to your chest, back and neck where armour alone can’t. A mechanical tethered design needs no batteries or charging, which suits riders who just want to get on and go — we’ve covered one in our Motoairbag MAB V4 review.
It’s not the first thing to buy, but it’s worth budgeting for early rather than as an afterthought.
Dress for the weather you’ll actually ride in
Comfortable riders ride more. Think in layers: a thin base layer, your armoured jacket, and a waterproof outer for the days that need it. Cold hands and wet feet end rides early, so it’s worth getting the basics right before you spend on anything clever.
Gadgets can wait
Sat-navs, phone mounts, dash cams and comms are lovely to have, and none of them will save you in a fall. Sort your protection first, then add the gadgets you actually miss. If you do want navigation on the bars, our Carpuride W702BS review covers a neat plug-in option for BMW riders.
The essential motorcycle kit for returning riders: a priority list
- A helmet that fits and meets the current standard
- Proper motorcycle gloves
- Motorcycle boots
- An armoured jacket and trousers
- Back protection or an airbag vest
- Weatherproof layers for wet and cold days
- Only then: navigation, comms and other extras
Where to save, where not to
Save on the extras and on things you can swap later, like a phone mount or luggage. Don’t save on the helmet, gloves, boots or armour. Getting the motorcycle kit for returning riders right doesn’t mean spending on everything at once — it means spending on the right things first. You’ll notice the difference when you need it, and you’ll wear good kit more often because it’s comfortable. If you want the full picture across bike, kit, training and insurance, our guide to the cost of getting back into motorcycling puts realistic UK numbers on all of it.
Buying gently is part of coming back well too — it’s the same instinct as avoiding the classic returning-rider mistakes, and it means your first rides, like the ones in our 30-day plan, start with confidence rather than compromise.
Our free 30-point Returning Rider Checklist covers kit alongside licence, insurance, training and everything else worth sorting out before you get back on two wheels.
You don’t need everything. You just need the right things first.
If you’re choosing boots, I’ve worn a pair of Gore-Tex touring boots for four years in all weathers. My verdict is in Alpinestars New Land Gore-Tex Boots Review: Four Years in All Weathers.
