Must-have Motorcycle Gear for Commuting

If you commute on two wheels in the UK, your kit can make the difference between arriving at work feeling ready for the day… or arriving soaked, freezing, sweaty, uncomfortable, and wondering why you didn’t just take the car.

Whether you’re on a 125cc scooter, a geared commuter bike, a maxi-scooter, or you’re out every day as a delivery rider, decent motorcycle commuting gear is not just about looking the part - it’s about staying protected, staying visible, keeping the weather out, and making daily riding that bit less of a faff.

In this guide, we’re looking at the must-have motorcycle gear for commuting, what the law says, what’s worth spending money on, and the kit that can make daily riding in Blighty safer and more comfortable.

Safety comes first, but comfort matters too. If your gear is awkward, leaky or badly fitting, you probably won’t wear it properly every day.

While a motorcycle helmet is mandatory by law in the UK, I’d always recommend wearing a full set of protective clothing if you’re commuting regularly, no matter how hot it may be. That means a proper jacket, trousers, gloves and boots, not just a helmet and whatever you happened to leave the house in.

It’s also worth remembering that ‘legal’ and ‘sensible’ are not always the same thing. The law says you need an approved helmet, but if you’re riding every day in the UK, proper protective and waterproof kit is going to make life considerably safer and a lot more comfortable.

There are loads of helmets out there, and fit is everything. The fanciest helmet in the world is not the right one if it doesn’t sit securely and comfortably on your head.

According to GOV.UK, for UK road use, your helmet must meet one of the approved safety standards: British Standard BS 6658:1985 with a BSI Kitemark, UNECE Regulation 22.05, UNECE Regulation 22.06, or an equivalent European Economic Area member standard that offers at least the same level of protection and carries an equivalent mark.

If you’re buying new, I’d be looking for an ECE 22.06 helmet where possible, but ECE 22.05 is still permitted on UK roads.

I’d also check the SHARP rating if available, and look for a Pinlock-ready visor, decent vents, good visor sealing and a comfortable lining if you’re going to wear it every day. If you ride with a visor or goggles, those need to meet the relevant British, UNECE 22.05, UNECE 22.06 or equivalent European standard too.

If you want a comparison of popular options, Lexham’s Top 10 Best Motorcycle Helmets article is a good place to start.

I’ve personally used the AGV K3 for years because it works with my glasses, while my Dad cannot get on with AGV at all. That’s why I’d recommend trying helmets on at a shop like Sportsbikeshop or Infinity Motorcycles and ask for help if you’re not sure what fits well or are unsure what to look out for.

A decent motorcycle jacket is probably the first bit of gear I’d look at after sorting your helmet. For commuting, textile jackets are usually the easiest option because they’re practical, can be weather-friendly and tend to come with the sort of pockets, vents and removable liners you’ll actually use.

For commuting, the big things I’d be looking for are waterproofing, a removable liner, a decent armour setup and a proper CE rating. AA-rated kit is a strong everyday choice, while AAA-rated kit is even better if you want that extra level of abrasion resistance.

Here are a few good examples of the sort of commuter jackets worth looking at which are either AA or AAA-rated.

If you’ve got the budget to spend, the Richa Infinity Prime Laminated Jacket is a solid commuter choice. Laminated kit is useful in UK weather because the outer layer is designed to stop water soaking in, rather than relying only on a separate liner underneath.

For year-round riders, that can mean a jacket that feels less heavy and soggy after a wet ride.

The RST Alpha 5 CE Textile Jacket is a sensible budget option. It’s available in men’s and ladies’ versions, and gives newer riders, 125cc commuters and weekday riders the basics without adventure-touring money.

It’s easy to spend money on a jacket and forget your legs, but normal jeans and office trousers are not motorcycle kit.

For commuting, I’d be looking for decent waterproofing, a removable liner where possible for chillier days, and a CE rating of AA or AAA. Just like with jackets, trousers need to be practical enough to wear regularly and not awkward so that they end up staying in the cupboard.

The Oxford Hinterland Advanced Textile Trousers are the natural match for the Hinterland jacket if you want matching kit, making sense if you want a full all-weather commuter setup.

The Rev’it Ladies Horizon 3 H2O Textile Trousers are a strong ladies’ waterproof textile option. As with jackets, fit matters: if the armour sits wrong or the trousers are uncomfortable, you’ll notice it every ride.

Your hands do a lot on a commute too: throttle, brakes, clutch, indicators and visor wipes when it’s wet, so proper gloves are a must-have.

If you commute all year, I’d seriously consider having two pairs: a lighter summer pair and a proper waterproof winter pair. Trying to make one pair do absolutely everything usually means they’re too hot in summer and not warm enough in winter.

Take it from me as someone who used to commute in summer gloves when it was -7c… it was rather unpleasant to say the least, and my bluing fingers said a lot about why it’s a bad idea!

For summer commuting, the Weise Street Fight Glove is the kind of short glove I’d be looking at. They’re lighter, less bulky and should give you better feel on the controls when the weather is warm.

Of course, it’s not the glove you’ll want for winter rain, but that’s the point. A proper summer glove and a proper winter glove will usually beat one pair trying to do absolutely everything.

The Richa Summit Evo Gloves are a good budget winter option if you want something warmer without going straight for premium Gore-Tex money. For cold morning commutes, that extra warmth can make a huge difference.

As always with winter gloves, check they still let you use the controls properly. Warm hands are great, but not if the glove is so bulky that indicating feels like operating heavy machinery!

If you want a premium winter glove, the Richa Cold Protect Gore-Tex Gloves are built for cold, wet riding, which is basically UK commuting for a good chunk of the year.

They cost more than a basic winter glove, but if your hands give up first in bad weather, proper Gore-Tex winter gloves are worth considering.

Moving on to boots - one of those things new riders sometimes overlook, mostly because normal trainers feel easy and comfortable. The problem is, normal trainers are not designed for sliding down the road, dealing with a bike landing on your ankle, or keeping rain out on a wet Monday morning.

If you want a casual look, the Alpinestars J-6 Waterproof Shoes look more like high-top trainers, but with motorcycle-specific protection built in, so they are a great choice if you don’t want to bring a change of shoes with you.

For a budget-friendly boot, the Oxford Tracker 2.0 Textile Boots are worth a look. They give you a proper motorcycle boot option without heading straight into premium pricing, which is ideal if you’re building your commuter kit bit by bit.

For newer riders, I’d much rather see budget motorcycle boots like these than normal trainers, especially when you consider that they cost less than a lot of trainers in high-street shops. Even affordable riding boots are designed for the job in a way normal footwear simply is not, and it’s good to see Oxford also offers the Tracker 2.0 in a ladies’ version too.

The Oxford Ladies Sofia Boots are a good women’s option if you want a more casual-looking riding boot with ankle, heel and toe protection plus a Dry2Dry waterproof membrane.

As with all boots, check the ankle fit and make sure they feel secure on the bike; normal fashion boots will not do the same job even if they feel ‘sturdy’.

UK commuting means rain, spray, fog and dark rides, so waterproofing and visibility are proper essentials.

The Highway Code says riders should make themselves as visible as possible in daylight and wear reflective clothing or strips when riding in the dark. That could mean a light-coloured helmet, reflective panels on your jacket, a high-vis vest, bright waterproofs or reflective backpack covers.

If you don’t want to buy fully fluorescent kit, that’s fine, but I’d still make sure something on you catches headlights properly. Dark bike, dark jacket, dark helmet, rainy evening traffic… You get the idea.

The Oxford Rainseal Over Jacket in Black / Fluo is a simple throw-over layer that adds waterproofing and extra visibility without buying a whole new textile jacket. Just remember, it is not protective or armoured riding kit, so it should be worn over proper motorcycle gear rather than instead of it.

The Oxford Rainseal Over Trousers are the matching practical option for your legs, helping keep the riding trousers underneath dry and warm.

Waterproof overtrousers are easy to pack, easy to use and can save you from spending the day feeling as if you’ve sat through a cold car wash.

Once your main protective gear is sorted, there are a few accessories that can make commuting far easier. Some are about comfort, some are about security, and some are about avoiding those annoying little problems that can ruin a ride to work.

If your bike or scooter is parked outside at work or at home, a cover is well worth having, not just to keep it dry but mainly to keep unwanted attention away. Oxford Stormex covers are highly rated, but if you’re on a budget, I’ve personally used an Oxford Aquatex cover for around a year on my own V-Strom stored outside. It isn’t really waterproof anymore, but it hasn’t torn or ripped, and it still does a half-decent job of covering the bike and making it less obvious as a target.

As we cover in Lexham’s Best Insurance Approved Motorcycle Locks, Best Insurance Approved Trackers, and full Motorcycle Security Guide, security is even more important, and the best approach is usually layered security: a good chain or D-lock, a disc lock, a cover, sensible parking, and a tracker if you want that extra recovery option.

From those guides, the key things I’d pull out for commuters are pretty simple: look for recognised Sold Secure ratings, secure the bike to something solid where you can, keep chains off the ground, use a cover to reduce unwanted attention, and always check your own insurance policy conditions. If you’ve declared a specific lock, tracker or storage setup, make sure you actually use it.

A few standout options worth mentioning here from our articles include:

• Hiplok DX1000 Lock at £299.99
• Litelok X1 Moto Lock at £169.99
• Oxford Monster Disc Lock at £45
• Datatool Quantum Tracker at £249.99 (Unit Price without Subscription)
• Monimoto 7/9 Tracker at £109-£149

A waterproof motorcycle backpack is usually fine for most commuting, but if you’re carrying work clothes, lunch, a laptop, waterproofs, locks and other random bits and bobs, proper waterproof luggage can be a game changer if you need the extra space.

One bit of kit I’d personally recommend from experience is the Lomo Dry Bag Motorcycle Panniers, which cost £59.95. I’ve bought and owned them myself, and for the money they’re a really handy option if you want simple, genuinely waterproof soft luggage without spending premium hard-luggage money.

I’d say the same for the Lomo 30L Drybag Daysack at £39. Again, I’ve owned one myself, and for commuting it’s exactly the sort of practical waterproof bag that makes sense if you need to carry kit every day. I know this as I used it commuting for many years in all weathers and even used it for touring too!

Kriega luggage is also rated very highly by plenty of riders, particularly if you want a more premium setup, although I’ve not personally owned any of their products. Still, they’re definitely a name worth looking at if you want to compare options before buying.

Whether you go for panniers, a tail bag, a backpack or a top box, just make sure anything you carry is secure, balanced and not flapping around. A badly packed rucksack or loose bungee cord is exactly the sort of tiny annoyance that becomes a proper problem once you’re in traffic or on faster roads.

Heated grips are one of those things you might think are a luxury until you’ve used them in January. Heated gloves, thermal base layers, neck tubes and decent socks can also make a huge difference if you ride through winter.

I’ve always used Oxford Heated Grips, and if you commute into late autumn or winter, the Oxford HotGrips Essential are a sensible commuter-focused option.

If you’re on a scooter, a leg cover or apron can be genuinely brilliant for wet and cold commuting. They might not be the coolest-looking accessory in the world, but neither is sitting at your desk with freezing knees.

If you use your motorcycle, scooter or moped to ride to and from one place of work, you’ll usually need cover that includes commuting. Social-only cover normally is not enough.

If you use the bike for paid delivery work, courier work, food delivery or parcel drops, that’s different again. You’ll need the right delivery rider insurance for the work you’re doing. Don’t assume a normal motorcycle insurance policy automatically covers it, because in many cases it won’t.

Security can matter too. If your policy includes a security condition, or you’ve declared a particular lock, chain, tracker or storage setup, stick to it. In the event of a theft claim, insurers may look at where the bike was parked, what security was used and whether the details match the policy.

So, that just about wraps up our updated guide to must-have motorcycle gear for commuting.

The main thing is to build a setup that works for how you ride. A short summer scooter commute will not need the same kit as a year‑round motorway ride, but the basics remain the same: an approved helmet, protective gear, decent gloves, proper footwear, waterproofing, visibility and security.

And finally, if you’re commuting on two wheels, you can get your Commuter Motorcycle Insurance quote with Lexham today!

Thanks for reading, ride safe, and I’ll catch you on the next one!