Best Motorcycle Action Cameras: Never Miss a Moment

Snap, share, and relive every ride with the click of a button.

byRobert Bacon|
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BYRobert Bacon/ LAST UPDATED ON June 29, 2022

As motorcyclists, we live for the moment. The first crackle as our engine fires into life, the half second before you wind open the throttle, the excitement that builds as we approach and ride around our favorite corner—these moments are fleeting and live in our memories, but they don’t have to. Mounting an action camera to your helmet or motorcycle gives your friends, family, followers, and you an opportunity to relive every ride. The technology has come so far that anyone with good editing skills and a passion for motorcycles has the chance to create riveting content and build a following. All you need to do is choose one or two.

Best Overall
Insta360 One RS Twin Edition

Insta360 One RS Twin Edition

Summary
The ultimate problem solver. A fantastic 4K camera and interchangeable 360-degree lens, allowing you to capture any angle you want.
Pros
  • 4K boost lens and 360-degree lenses
  • Invisible selfie stick
  • FlowState stabilization
  • 48-megapixel sensor
  • Improved processor resulting in better battery life
Cons
  • Pricey
Best Value

Akaso Brave 7 LE

Summary
A great way to dip your toe in the motorcycle vlogging watters. For others, it'll make a good and durable secondary camera.
Pros
  • 4K at 60 fps
  • 20-megapixel sensor
  • Tons of accessories 
  • IPX7 rated
  • Includes waterproof case
Cons
  • Dynamic range isn’t great
  • Electronic image stabilization could be better
Honorable Mention

GoPro Hero 10 Black Essential Kit

Summary
It produces the best image quality on this list and doesn’t cost as much as my top pick. The main issue is that it doesn't capture 360-degree footage.
Pros
  • Records in 5.3K at 60 fps
  • HyperSmooth 4.0 image stabilization is beautifully smooth
  • New GP2 processor
  • Great dynamic range
  • 23-megapixel sensor pulls clear stills from footage
Cons
  • No 360-degree option
  • Have been some issues with tap to start/stop feature

Summary List

Our Methodology

To choose the best motorcycle action cameras on the market, I employed The Drive’s comprehensive research methodology and evaluated dozens of action cameras before choosing the top contenders. Although I haven’t personally tested these products, my selection is informed by consumer testimonials, expert reviews, discussions on relevant online forums, and my institutional knowledge of the automotive industry. I visited the Motorcycles subreddit to get a more informed opinion of what motorcyclists felt about the products on the market and RevZilla to see what the experts had to say after their hands-on tests.

Best Motorcycle Action Cameras: Reviews & Recommendations

Specs

  • Make: Insta369
  • Model: One RS Twin Edition
  • Video Quality: 4 and 5.7K

Pros

  • 4 K boost lens and 360-degree lenses
  • Invisible selfie stick
  • FlowState stabilization
  • 48-megapixel sensor
  • Improved processor resulting in better battery life

Cons

  • Pricey

The Insts360 One RS Twin Edition shines above the competition because it covers all bases. This package includes a 4K Boost lens, which shoots at up to 60 fps, and 5.7K 360-degree lenses. Once you choose your point of view on the 360-degree lenses, you'll get footage that’s around 2.7K and looks amazing. This model’s modular design enables you to easily swap lenses, upgrade as needed, and replace broken lenses without buying a new camera. The included invisible selfie stick can give the impression that you’re being followed by a drone when you use the 360-degree lenses. The FlowState stabilization feature is good enough that you can upload footage to social media without the need to edit it. The Boost lens uses a 48-megapixel sensor, and has a 6K widescreen recording mode. If you want to edit your footage, you can use the Insta360 editing app on your phone or desktop. Insta360 has improved the battery and processor for this model, so you can squeeze out a few more minutes of footage on each ride. Although there’s only one touchscreen, which is a tad small, it’s incredibly responsive.

Specs

  • Make: Akaso
  • Model: Brave 7 LE
  • Video Quality: 4K

Pros

  • 4K at 60 fps
  • 20-megapixel sensor
  • Tons of accessories
  • IPX7 rated
  • Includes waterproof case

Cons

  • Dynamic range isn’t great
  • Electronic image stabilization could be better

If you want to test the waters of motorcycle vlogging, or you're on a tight budget, pick up the Akaso Brave 7 LE. This camera uses a 20-megapixel sensor, which can capture images and 4K footage at 30 fps. The dual-display model has two color screens, but only the rear is a touchscreen. The Brave 7 LE features six-axis electronic image stabilization (EIS), which makes a noticeable difference but can’t compete with the top models on this list. Part of what makes this such a great deal is all the extras included in the sale. You get a remote control, two batteries, a waterproof case, nine mounts, five tethers, and two strips of two-sided tape. It’s IPX7, so you shouldn’t worry too much if you get caught in the rain. If you equip this with the waterproof case, you can submerge this model up to 131 feet.

Specs

  • Make: GoPro
  • Model: Hero 10 Black
  • Video Quality: 5.3K

Pros

  • Records in 5.3K at 60 fps
  • HyperSmooth 4.0 image stabilization is beautifully smooth
  • New GP2 processor
  • Great dynamic range
  • 23-megapixel sensor pulls clear stills from footage

Cons

  • No 360-degree option
  • Have been some issues with tap to start/stop feature

In terms of high-resolution footage, it’s hard to beat the GoPro Hero 10 Black. This model uses a 23-megapixel sensor that can capture 5.3K footage at 60 fps or 4K footage at 120 fps. You can pull 19.6-megapixel still images from 5.3K footage in post-production. The new GP2 processor enables this model to use GoPro’s HyperSmooth 4.0 image stabilization feature, which is a notable improvement over the previous models, and arguably the best on the market. The rear touchscreen is relatively responsive, and the front screen is a nice addition for anyone who likes to vlog or take selfies while off their bike. The raw footage produces a good dynamic range, making the Hero 10 a great option for those to get more involved in editing. This is the first model to have a hydroponic lens, which makes water slide off and produces better footage in the rain. It’s waterproof to 33 feet, so if the heavens open up, you won’t need to worry about water damage. The one-click start/stop record feature is great for saving battery while on the move, and the speaker is loud enough to hear while wearing a helmet. But this feature was a bit buggy when the camera launched.

Best 360-Degree Camera

Insta360 One X2

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Specs

  • Make: Insta360
  • Model: One X2
  • Video Quality:5.7/2.7 K

Pros

  • 360-degree footage
  • IPX8 waterproof
  • 128 GB memory card included
  • Steady Cam mode

Cons

  • Not an ideal helmet-mounted camera

If you’re only interested in capturing 360-degree footage, the Insta360 One X2 is the camera for you. This model’s dual lenses capture 5.7K 360-degree footage or 2.7K footage when used as a steady cam. The FlowState stabilization feature does a good job of stitching the footage together where the two lenses overlap. This model automatically produces gimbal-like footage, but if you want to show your lean angle while riding, you can use the Steady Cam mode. You could fit the One X2 to your helmet like a conventional action camera, but it’s quite bulky and blocks your vision somewhat. Included in the sale is an invisible selfie stick, which you can mount to several parts of your bike. Although this model is big, it’s durable and IPX8 waterproof, so it can be submerged up to 16.4 feet. You will need to be careful that you don’t scratch the lenses, as they protrude from the body. The Insta360 One X2 app allows you to change the camera’s point of view, zoom, and edit footage from your smartphone. This model comes with a one-year warranty, protective pouch, 128-GB memory card, a battery, charging cable, and microfiber cleaning cloth.

Specs

  • Make: Sena
  • Model: 50C
  • Video Quality: 4K

Pros

  • Integrated speaker system
  • Adjustable lens angle
  • Dedicated smartphone app

Cons

  • No EIS when shooting 4K
  • Footage isn’t as good as dedicated action cameras

The Sena 50C is an all-in-one action camera and Bluetooth speaker system. It’s perfect for those who don’t want their helmet weighed down by too many devices. The communication system is one of the best on the market and hard to fault. Although the camera is good, it is somewhat compromised and won’t perform as well as an out-and-out action camera, but it’ll still produce good footage. Its 10-megapixel sensor captures 4K footage at 30 fps and 1,080p at 60 fps, so the quality isn’t far off the best models on this list. However, the problem is there’s no EIS when recording in 4K, but this feature is available when shooting in 1,080p. The mount on your helmet is fixed, but there’s a lens adjuster so you can find the right shooting angle after you’ve attached the camera. A dedicated smartphone app shows real-time footage, which helps when you need to adjust the camera angle. You can shoot pictures, burst photos, a time-lapse video, and regular videos. When shooting in 4K, you’ll have a maximum battery life of around one hour and 40 minutes.

Our Verdict on the Best Motorcycle Action Cameras

The Insta360 One RS Twin Edition covers all areas better than any other model on the market. You’ll get a fantastic 4K camera and even more impressive 5.7K 360-degree lenses. Riders on a tight budget will find a fantastic bang-for-buck option in my value pick, the Akaso Brave 7 LE.

Consider Secondhand

When we start shopping for tools and products, we never overlook the secondhand market. In fact, it’s usually the first place I look. Whether you’re scrolling through Amazon’s Renewed section, eBay for car parts or tools, or flipping through the pages of Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist, you have hundreds of thousands of used tools, parts, and gear ready to be shipped to your doorstep. Refurbished to like-new status, they’ll be willing to give you many more years of faithful service all while saving you money. 

Secondhand Tips

To make your secondhand search easier, here are two tips to finding the best deals and making sure your new-to-you stuff wasn’t destroyed by the previous owner. 

  • Record footage and view it on a desktop to ensure there’s no damage to the lens.
  • Put the SD card in and pop it out a few times to ensure there are no card-reading errors. Record footage using every feature and shooting mode to make sure you don’t get any errors.

Things to Consider Before Buying the Best Motorcycle Action Cameras

Image Quality

Video quality is normally the most important feature when choosing an action camera. A large image sensor isn’t the only thing that determines the quality of your videos, which is what most riders are interested in. Most riders will want a camera that records in at least 4K, and it’s even better if it can shoot in 4K at 60 fps. Although, many vloggers choose to record at 30 or 25 fps, as most people don’t notice the difference.

Field of View

Camera sensors have different fields of view, and you can change the aspect ratio of most action cameras. If you like to record landscapes, get a camera that has a wide angle option. The ultimate, in terms of field of view, is a 360-degree action camera. These cameras use two lenses that overlap their footage and stitch it together, then you choose the aspect ratio and where you want the focus to be.

Editing and Video Software

If you want to do a lot of editing after you shoot, you should get a camera that has good dedicated desktop and smartphone editing software. Many action cameras have built-in software and hardware to stabilize the footage. The most important thing to look out for is good electronic image stabilization software, like GoPro’s HyperSmooth 4.0. If you want your camera to have a gimbal-like effect, then it needs to have a horizon lock feature. On the other hand, if you buy a 360-degree camera and want to show how much you lean while riding, it’ll need a feature like Insta360’s Steady Cam mode.

Pricing 

If you spend around $140, you can pick up an action camera that shoots in 4K and is water resistant. But don’t expect cameras at this price to have great EIS software or a good dynamic range. For between $300 to $450, you’ll find great 4K and 5.3K cameras with good EIS and editing software. If you spend between $450 to $600, some cameras will come with both 4K and 360-degree lenses and have great EIS software.

FAQs 

You’ve got questions. The Drive has answers.

Q: Is it legal to mount an action camera on a motorcycle helmet?

A: Yes. In most states, you can mount an action camera to a motorcycle helmet, as long as it doesn’t corrupt the gear’s structural integrity. This means you can’t drill a mount for an action camera into your helmet, for example. Check with your local motor vehicles department.

Q: What’s the best place to mount an action camera on my helmet?

A: There are various places to mount a camera on a motorcycle helmet, including on the top and side. But most riders find they get the best footage when they mount an action camera in the middle of their helmet, directly below the visor.

Q: How long does a battery usually last on an action camera?

A: The answer depends on the camera, battery, and the quality of the footage you’re recording. For example, if you’re recording in 4K, your battery won’t last as long as if you were recording in 1,080p. On average, most batteries last between one hour and one hour and 40 minutes, depending on the setting you choose.

Why Trust Us

Our reviews are driven by a combination of hands-on testing, expert input, “wisdom of the crowd” assessments from actual buyers, and our own expertise. We always aim to offer genuine, accurate guides to help you find the best picks.

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