Due to the ever-rising increase in demand for delivery riders, nowadays there are thousands of delivery riders in each city dedicated to delivering a variety of cuisines right to our front doors from the comfort of their two-wheelers.

However, with more people on busy roads for an extended period of time, it means that staying safe and seen is more vital than ever. In this blog, we are going to be running down just 10 of the essential pieces of equipment that every delivery rider needs…

So without further ado - let’s get into it, shall we?

Kicking off the list today is probably one of the most essential pieces of gear on this list today, for both safety and legal requirement purposes - a motorcycle crash helmet.

As we have just mentioned above, by law wearing a motorcycle helmet is a legal requirement if you intend to ride or deliver on two wheels. It is advisable that you spend a little more when purchasing your helmet for delivery work as you will be spending the entirety of your working day on your bike and getting the safest helmet that complies with either the British Standard or the UNECE Regulation 22.06* - can end up saving your life in the event of an accident.

*For further advice on everything motorcycle helmet, please head over to our fully comprehensive guide!

Reflective and waterproof clothing is another piece of must-have safety equipment that could end up saving your life, especially when it comes to riding in the cold and wet winter months.

As standard, it is recommended you have at least a reflective jacket or vest as well as a suitable waterproof motorcycle jacket. However nowadays, decent motorcycle gear should typically come with fluorescent or reflective elements designed into it, but you will get varying levels of visibility. From small and subtle to clothing designed for full-on, sun-like reflectiveness, the choice is yours but every little helps, especially if you’re riding throughout the year in all conditions.

Companies such as Just Eat do have their own branded reflective and waterproof delivery jacket, although there are plenty of other non-branded alternatives out there - as we have mentioned previously wearing the branded clothing when delivering is not a requirement for many delivery companies (however it is worth checking in your contract terms and conditions just in case).

Food delivery companies such as Uber Eats, Just Eat and Deliveroo will require you to have an insulated delivery bag if you intend to become a delivery rider for them. These bags can be purchased via the Deliveroo, Uber Eats or Just Eat website!

As we mentioned above, it is worth noting again that some of these companies will not require you to have the brand-specific bag, so whichever one you can manage to get your hands on, or perhaps you worked for one of the companies and are making a switch - use that!

As with delivery drivers, riders might not know where to go so will need to follow some directions, and in the modern day, it will usually be through your phone. Therefore installing and using a phone mount is one of the safest ways to use your phone whilst riding as it allows you to keep both hands firmly on the handlebars.

But I can’t emphasise enough that you must do this safely and only if you feel comfortable and confident enough! And one last point to make here, always be security conscious to avoid your phone getting jacked!

If you are wondering which phone mount to get, we recommend you take a look at the QuadLock motorcycle or scooter kit, which comes packed with everything you need including a phone case, a mount, as well as a vibration dampener.

As a rule of thumb, you should never leave the house without your phone cable, you never know who may need to borrow one during your shift or why else you may need one.

Ideally, if your motorcycle or scooter has a USB port, it is advised that you purchase a USB charger in order to charge your phone on the go without ever having to worry about running out of charge. Alternatively, if you do not have a USB port on your bike, this is an instance where it would be a wise idea to invest in a power pack. 

Again, if you want any inspiration on which charger to get, then we’d recommend the Juice 3 Power Bank charger, which you can purchase on Amazon currently for £19.99. This power bank has been named the best compact charging pack for 2023 - making it perfect for delivery riders who have a limited amount of storage space!

Another essential that will prove extremely useful to every delivery rider has got to be a motorcycle Bluetooth headset.

As a delivery rider, you will be in constant communication with a handful of customers per day and whilst riding you will not be able to accept calls directly via your mobile (unless you want to get yourself in some serious trouble). Alternatively, a Bluetooth headset is a great (and legal) way of accepting calls whilst riding that can allow you to keep your customers in the loop regarding the whereabouts of their food, whilst allowing you to keep yourself safe and abide by the law.

If you’re looking for a great budget option, we’d recommend you take a look at the YYTFY Motorcycle Helmet Bluetooth Headset that currently sits at £26.99 on Amazon at the time of writing.

As a delivery rider, it won’t be too long until navigation apps become your best friend. For many deliveries, even if you know the area well, there will be a number of addresses you are not yet familiar with and you will be relying on apps such as Google Maps to lead the way. 

Other navigation apps we would recommend downloading free of charge include WAZE (available on both Apple and Android), Here WeGo (available on both Apple and Android), as well as TomTom GO Navigation (available on both Apple and Android), all of which can be downloaded directly to your phone to help you get to your destination in the most efficient time as possible!

Now admittedly this may sound silly in an ever-growing cashless society, however, you may be surprised that having a few spare pieces of change on you can actually come in handy.

At the time of writing, there are some delivery apps that do not have a ‘tipping’ option as of yet. If customers do wish to give you a tip in person and only have notes, this can be a great way of booth earning tips as well as going the extra mile for customers!

Even if you aren’t planning on letting your bike leave your sight, I’d suggest always carrying a bike lock, again, just in case. You don’t want to take a chance and end up with your ride nicked. 

But whether it be D-lock, or armored chain, always abide by the restrictions in your insurance policy (this will vary between insurers, so always make sure to check your documents for the correct guidance).

Security measures are arguably one of the most important pieces of equipment you need. If you want to know more about how to keep your bike safe and secure, check out our full motorcycle security guide!

Finishing off our list today and arguably one of the most important things you will need if you intend to become a delivery rider is in fact - specialist delivery rider insurance.

In the event that police do pull you over, failure to provide police with the correct delivery rider insurance documents can mean that you can be fined and in the event of an accident your policy may not be valid.

If you are in need of delivery rider insurance, you’re in luck! We here at Lexham have been specialists in motorcycle insurance for over 22 years and we can try and find you the appropriate cover for both you and your two-wheeler. You can either fill out a quotation form online or feel free to give us a call at 01379 646 529!

So there you have it, I hope you enjoyed my rundown on the top 10 essential equipment bits you will need as a delivery rider in the UK!

Last but not least, if you do have any questions check out our Delivery Riders FAQs, or drop us a message on social media.