7 Motorcycle Accessories That Could Ruin Your Ride

Motorcycle riders worldwide spend billions annually on aftermarket parts, but tread carefully. Not all that glitters is gold, and some accessories can turn your dream machine into a rolling hazard. This isn’t about brand snobbery; it’s about smart choices that keep you safe and your bike running smoothly. Based on countless forums, reviews, and teardowns, here’s a list of accessories that often miss the mark. From dodgy deals on discount sites to tempting impulse buys that underdeliver, consider this your guide to dodging bullets and keeping your bike legit.

7. Stick-On Tank Grips with Fake Texture

These stick-on pads promise grip but deliver disappointment faster than a greased watermelon contest.

Ever prepped your bike for a track day, only to find your tank grips feel like a yoga mat glued to the tank? These stick-on pads aren’t exactly confidence-inspiring. With prices around $20, they promise grip, but the fake texture wears out in weeks, leaving you sliding around more than expected.

These cheap accessories rarely match the tank’s contours, creating unsightly gaps that collect grime. And when it’s time to remove them? You’ll be scraping adhesive for days. Maybe it’s time to rethink the wisdom of shortcuts.

6. Universal LED Light Strips

These strips are advertised as “universal,” yet their adhesives fail faster than your last dating app match.

Picture yourself in your garage, thinking, “I’ll bedazzle my ride,” only to create a spaghetti mess of wires that would make an electrician weep. The real problem? Those brittle connectors that snap faster than your patience.

When the temperature hits 80°, expect the double-sided tape to give up, leaving you with dangling lights. And don’t even think about riding in the rain unless you enjoy a light show of the strobing variety. If you want reliable accent lighting, invest in properly engineered solutions—at least they’re upfront about their performance.

5. Cheap Aluminum Bar-End Mirrors

Relying on $12 bar-end mirrors feels like navigating city traffic with kaleidoscope vision.

These mirrors vibrate worse than a paint mixer at Home Depot, blurring everything behind you into a useless haze. Most of the time, they reflect only a close-up of your jacket, leaving you guessing if that’s a Prius or a semi tailgating you.

Plus, the build quality is so suspect, they’re held together with wishes and tiny screws. They droop like sad flowers or spin out of alignment at the slightest bump. The expanding wedge that’s supposed to grip the handlebar? About as reliable as a chocolate teapot.

4. Throttle Lock Cruise Controls

These promise relief on long rides but sometimes slip under pressure like a politician’s campaign promises.

Picture a rider easing into a turn, only to find the throttle lock stuck tighter than a jar of pickles. A throttle lock reduces the feedback and fine control needed, making the throttle feel like a broken rubber band.

If it locks too tight, you’re basically playing chicken with oncoming traffic as you fumble to disengage it. So, you want cruise control? Spring for the real deal; a sketchy throttle lock is not a $20 shortcut you want to bet your life on.

3. Gel Seat Pads

User reports suggest these slide around like they’re auditioning for a slip-and-slide commercial.

Imagine commuting on a warm waterbed in July, only this waterbed is made of questionable chemicals. The gel inside these pads tends to break down into a lumpy mess faster than your resolve to stick to that New Year’s diet, and the straps securing them never quite strap down properly.

You might think a squishy gel pad would improve comfort, but sitting on a melting, shifting blob isn’t exactly the peak of ergonomic design. Some people think they’re getting an upgrade, but it’s just a recipe for a swampy commute. You get what you pay for with that low $20 investment—they’re made to fall apart faster than expected.

2. Phone Mounts Without Vibration Dampening

Apple and Samsung both warn that motorcycle vibration can damage camera systems—the tech that keeps your photos crisp.

Remember when shaky motorcycle videos were just part of the charm? Now, your contribution to the archives might be your phone’s slow death. These mounts damage optical image stabilization systems without proper vibration dampening.

Anyone who’s bought cheap sunglasses knows the drill: the clamps wear out fast, the plastic gets brittle in the sun, and next thing you know, your precious iPhone is doing an unscheduled high-speed launch. Plus, who wants to explain to Apple why your camera now thinks it’s directing a found-footage horror flick?

1. Clip-On Wind Deflectors That Don’t Match Your Windshield

These promise to tame turbulent air but often deliver a symphony of rattles and whistles instead.

Mounted with the grace of a toddler attaching fridge magnets, these deflectors clamp poorly to your windshield, obstructing your line of sight like that one cloud always blocking the sun. Instead of smoother airflow, you’re treated to increased turbulence, turning your helmet into a bobblehead at highway speeds.

You might as well duct-tape a kite to your helmet for the same effect. So, if you dream of riding serenely into the sunset, remember: sometimes, the best protection is just admitting defeat and embracing the wind.