Best Motorcycle Action Cameras: Never Miss a Moment

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.

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.

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. 

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

You’ve got questions. The Drive has answers.