Best adventure bike gear | MCN's picks for riding your dual sport or ADV on dirt or asphalt

Adventure bikes are fun for the same reason that choosing the right gear is hard — there’s two distinct types of riding involved. But the right answers depend on the right questions. How much dirt will you be riding? How many different climates are part of your adventure? A couple simple questions are enough to get started.

No matter what you choose, adventure gear should allow you to move around, stand up, sit down and have decent ventilation or breathability, since off-road riding is hard work. More than likely, it needs to be waterproof and windproof – the same as every other kind of clothing. And to state the obvious, it should feature all the CE ratings you can afford.

MCN has extensively tested countless types of adventure gear over thousands of miles. We’ve carefully evaluated it all and come up with a short list of favorite gear, from jackets to helmets and even tire repair kits. Check it out.  

Related: Best adventure motorbike jackets

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Other options to consider

What to look for in adventure motorcycle gear

Adventure gear needs to be safe, comfortable, functional, durable, multi-purpose, and lightweight too. Rider opinions vary on what’s priority number one, but all these qualities are important. Here’s a simple run-down.

Always look for a high CE ratings. Adventure riding can be physically taxing, stressful and/or involve bad weather. All these factors add risk. Plus, any off-road riding involves the possibility of you or the bike going sideways.

Comfort is crucial. Adventure gear needs to be ergonomic. Depending on the adventure, you might be living in it full time. Even small annoyances can turn into real discomfort over time.

With adventure gear, fashion is functional. And practical above all else. Look for features like pockets, waterproofing, vents, and how the bike feels while wearing it. Minor annoyances become major ones when you’re tired. Consider multi-purpose gear, like all-season textiles. If each item does two things, it’s one less thing to take up luggage space. Durability is what separates the great from merely good. Look for quality materials and pay attention to zips and straps, which need to reliably work thousands of times. Adventure gear gets punished on adventure rides compared to daily commuting, so look for quality materials.

How MCN tests adventure motorcycle gear

The MCN team of expert journalists have decades of experience over hundreds of thousands of miles. We don’t torture test anything. We use it just like you do in the real world and in all conditions to deliver impartial adventure motorcycle gear buying advice.

MCN covers countless miles each week and tries lots of options in a short space of time. We quickly discover which adventure motorcycle gear works great, which doesn’t and why.

We only feature adventure motorcycle gear we’ve extensively tested. Comparison adventure motorcycle gear will be included if deemed important and relevant. Testing is ongoing and we will continually add gear and products to our site.

To find out more, head to our dedicated page explaining how we test motorcycle products.

Scoring explained

Products are given a score from 1 to 5 stars. Beyond the ratings tab, you’ll find in-depth info on product and gear performance and attributes.

• 1 Star – Avoid at all costs.
• 2 Stars – Barely acceptable.
• 3 Stars – Average or adequate.
• 4 Stars – Above average.
• 5 Stars – Excellent performance.

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