If you’ve ever thought about recording your rides, you’ve probably already gone down the rabbit hole trying to figure out what you need to buy. I’ve been there. And every time someone new joins the Discord and asks about motovlog equipment, I realize there’s a lot of noise out there and not a lot of straight talk. So here’s my take, for whatever it’s worth.
Table of Contents
Buy Used. Seriously.
If I could give you one piece of advice before you spend a single dollar, it’s this: buy cheap. Go hit Facebook Marketplace. Look for camera gear that’s a generation or two old. You will save real money and you will not regret it.
Camera equipment adds up fast, and most viewers cannot tell the difference between footage shot on a brand new GoPro versus a Hero 8 or Hero 9. That gap just isn’t there the way people think it is.
And here’s the thing people don’t always tell you upfront: you can’t just buy the camera. There’s stuff that has to go along with it. If you go the GoPro route, you’re going to need a Media Mod
to wire in a microphone, and then you’re going to need the microphone itself. And once you start riding and recording, there’s a decent chance you’ll talk yourself into a second camera because you want a rear-facing angle too. It snowballs.
So yeah. Buy used. Keep your wallet in your pocket until you know what you actually need.
Temper Your Expectations on Monetization
I want to be real with you about this because I don’t think enough people say it plainly. You are not going to get rich motovlogging. Probably not even close.
Motovlogging had a big moment during COVID when people were stuck inside and desperate for content. Channels blew up. Things were booming. But that wave has settled down. Getting monetized on YouTube takes longer than most people expect, and even when it happens, the ad revenue from a motovlog channel is not going to replace your income. Go into this knowing that. Do it because you enjoy it, not because you’re counting on a payday.
The Three Camera Paths Worth Knowing About
Once you’ve decided to go for it, you’re basically looking at three directions you can go with your motovlog equipment setup.
The GoPro Path
This is the most common route and honestly it’s solid. I’m running an older GoPro with the Max Lens Mod, which gives me image stabilization and horizon leveling. I use a wired mic inside the helmet. It has some quirks but I’m happy with it. The newer GoPros work pretty much the same way.
The DJI Path
DJI makes action cameras that compete directly with GoPro, and a lot of people are moving that direction. The big draw is that DJI also makes wireless microphones, and their Osmo Action cameras have a built-in receiver. That means no wiring inside the helmet, which is a genuine quality of life improvement.
It also gives you on-bike and off-bike flexibility. You can pull over, pop the camera off your helmet, unclip the wireless mic, and walk away from the bike to shoot something. That’s a lot harder to do when you’re hardwired.
One thing to watch out for though: gain issues. I’ve seen channels where the audio is clipping constantly and it makes them really hard to follow. If you go wireless, pay attention to your gain settings and dial them in before you commit to a setup.
The 360 Camera Path
This one doesn’t get nearly enough attention. A buddy of mine, TrekkieMoto, runs an Insta360 mounted to his handlebars. No helmet cam at all. He goes into the app after a ride and points the camera whichever direction he needs, front-facing, rear-facing, custom angles, whatever. One camera doing the job of several.
The trade-off is the editing workflow gets a lot more involved. There are more steps and it takes more time to put together. He also records his audio on a separate dedicated audio recorder, which means cleaner sound. It’s not the easiest setup to run but the footage looks great when it’s done.
The Part Nobody Talks About Enough
Here’s something I’ll be honest about. My favorite part of motovlogging is turning the camera on and just talking. It feels like therapy. Whatever’s on my mind, I can just get into it.
The part I like the least is pulling the footage off the camera and editing it into something coherent. My conversations bounce around. Turning that into a watchable video takes real time and effort. If you’re thinking about starting a channel, just know what you’re signing up for. The riding and recording part is fun. The editing is work.
Know that going in and you’ll be fine.
Ride With Me
If you’re thinking about starting a motovlog and want to talk through the equipment side of things, come hang out. Here’s where to find me:
- Subscribe to the WaltInPA YouTube channel
so you don’t miss the next one. - Share this post with a riding buddy who’s been thinking about picking up a camera.
- Join the WaltInPA Discord where riders ask exactly these kinds of questions all the time.
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