The Gear We Ride With
This is the gear we actually use to film our adventures and stay connected on the road. From action cameras and microphones to helmets and intercoms, here’s what works for us and what we’ve learned along the way.
Pictures coming soon!
Our Cameras
DJI Osmo Action 4
This is one of our main cameras for recording motorcycle rides. We use it to capture the road ahead, scenery, and everything that happens along the way. It’s compact, rugged, and easy to mount on the bikes and helmets. This camera lives mostly on Chris’s helmet.
Where we bought it: Amazon
DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro
The Action 5 Pro usually rides on Kennie’s helmet, giving us another perspective of the road. It’s also our go-to camera when we stop to talk about the ride, share our thoughts, and recap the day’s adventures.
Where we bought it: Amazon
DJI Osmo 360
Our DJI Osmo 360 captures everything around us while we’re riding. The 360-degree footage lets us choose camera angles afterward, so we can show the road, scenery, and moments that a traditional action camera might miss. This camera was first utilized during the Arkansas trip.
Where we bought it: Amazon
Insta360 x3
The Insta360 X3 has spent most of its time mounted on Chris’s handlebars, capturing 360-degree views of our rides. We’ve used it less lately because the footage doesn’t look nearly as sharp or detailed as what we’re getting from our newer DJI cameras. We still love the flexibility of choosing camera angles afterward, but the difference in image quality is hard to ignore.
Where we bought it: Amazon
Our Microphones
DJI Mic Mini
When they work, these little microphones sound great. Unfortunately, getting them to work reliably has been frustrating. We frequently have trouble with the transmitters reconnecting automatically when we start our cameras, which is especially aggravating when we’re already riding and can’t stop to mess with settings. We’re not sure whether the cameras or microphones are responsible. We’d probably switch to wired lavalier microphones if it weren’t for the adapters, waterproofing concerns, and extra hassle. Excellent audio when everything connects, but reliability has been our biggest complaint.
Where we bought it: Amazon
Our Helmets
HJC i90
We both wear HJC i90 modular helmets, and they’re noticeably quieter than our previous helmets, making it much easier to hear each other through our intercoms. Kennie really likes his, while Chris would prefer something lighter than a modular helmet. However, the flip-up chin bar makes putting the helmet on and taking it off much easier without removing glasses. We especially love the built-in drop-down sun visor, which lets us switch between tinted and clear vision without changing face shields throughout the day.
Where we bought them: Amazon
Our Intercoms
XGP Bluetooth Helmet Intercoms
For riding together, these intercoms have worked really well for us. They’re incredibly easy to connect, music sharing is simple, and the noise cancellation does a decent job. At highway speeds above 60 mph, wind noise can occasionally make conversation difficult, but most of the time we hear each other just fine.
Battery life is excellent. Even after eight or more hours of riding, we usually haven’t heard the low-battery warning. That’s a good thing, because once it starts, it repeats every few minutes!
The biggest drawbacks are the two-rider limit and lack of compatibility with other intercom brands. The microphone and speakers also use proprietary connectors, so replacing or upgrading them isn’t straightforward, although the included speakers are plenty loud. Our biggest frustration is that GPS directions don’t come through while we’re talking. We’ve missed more than a few turns because of it!
For just the two of us, though, they’ve been a great setup. We’ve used these for about 3 years.
Where we bought them: Amazon
Our Motorcycle Storage
EGO BIKE Motorcycle Touring Trunk
Kennie has this trunk mounted on his Yamaha V-Star 1300, and it’s been a fantastic addition. It looks great on the bike, and we’ve had lots of compliments and people asking where he got it.
The extra storage space is incredibly useful, especially on longer trips. Both of our modular helmets fit inside, which is a huge convenience when we’re off the bikes exploring.
Another great feature is the built-in passenger backrest. It’s comfortably padded and curves around the passenger’s back, providing a supportive, secure-feeling place to lean against while riding.
It’s one of those additions that’s both practical and looks like it belongs on the bike.
Where we bought it: Amazon
Waterproof Motorcycle Tail Bag
Chris has used one of these tail bags on the MT-03 for a long time, and it’s been a great little addition to the bike. It’s waterproof, holds a surprising amount of stuff, and comes in handy when we need somewhere to stash extra gear or a few things we pick up along the way.
It’s also the perfect place to throw a couple of burgers when we stop for food!
Kennie recently bought one for his V-Star 1300 to use when he doesn’t have the big touring trunk mounted. It’s a convenient way to add storage without needing a large luggage setup.
Simple, practical, and something we’ve gotten plenty of use out of.
Where we bought it: Temu
15.32 Gallon Motorcycle Saddlebags
Chris uses these saddlebags on the MT-03, and they’ve been a fantastic addition. They’re sturdy, look great on the bike, and hold a surprising amount of luggage. They’re expandable, and when fully opened up, there’s even enough room to fit a helmet inside!
Most of the time, Chris rides with them in their smaller, unexpanded size because there’s already plenty of storage space. So far, there’s never been a need to expand them for a trip.
For the price, they’ve been an excellent purchase, adding a ton of practical storage without sacrificing the look of the bike.
Where we bought them: Temu
Removable Motorcycle Saddlebag Support Bars
Chris uses these removable saddlebag support bars on the Yamaha MT-03, and they fit the bike really well. One of their biggest advantages is how easily they can be removed compared to traditional saddlebag mounts.
Initially, they seemed like the perfect solution. Unfortunately, on our very first trip, one of the bars came loose and disappeared somewhere along the road. We couldn’t buy a single replacement, so Kennie ended up fabricating a new bar himself.
We still like the design and convenience, but we’d strongly recommend using a suitable threadlocker, such as Loctite, on the appropriate mounting hardware and checking that everything is secure before riding.
Where we bought them: eBay
Our Motorcycle Modifications
Batwing Fairing Windshield For V Star
Kennie really likes this fairing on the V-Star. The gel coat polished up beautifully, it looks great with our trunk, and it installs or removes in just minutes using the windshield mounts. We did need an adapter for the radio.
Cons: Slightly rubs the headlight (no damage so far), interferes with helmet-camera recording, and adds noticeable front-end weight that changes the steering.
Where we bought it: eBay
Windshield For MT-03
We have this little windscreen on Myrtle, and it actually deflects more air than you’d expect from something so small! It makes a noticeable difference, although taller riders may not get the same benefit. It doesn’t block enough wind for truly comfortable high-speed riding or send bugs flying over your helmet, but it definitely helps. Overall, it does about as much as you could reasonably expect from a windscreen this size.
Where we bought it: Amazon