Reading to London: MOTOPASS saves me 30 minutes daily

My name is James, I’m 34, and I’ve been commuting by motorcycle from Reading to London for the past three years. Every morning, same routine: M4 motorway, congestion charge zone, office car park barrier. Every evening, same thing in reverse. Until I discovered MOTOPASS six months ago.

Before that? Pure hassle. Stop at the car park barrier, engine idling, fumble for my access card buried in my jacket pocket. Rain? Even worse. Gloves off, card out, gloves back on. In winter, with thick gloves, it was a nightmare. I timed it once: between slowing down, stopping, finding the card, and getting going again, I was losing 2 to 3 minutes at each barrier or payment point.

The daily grind of a London commuter

Anyone who rides into London knows the drill. You’re not just dealing with one barrier. There’s the office car park in the morning. The contactless payment at the petrol station. The car park barrier again in the evening. Sometimes a quick stop at Tesco on the way back. Each time, same circus: slow down, stop, gloves off, card out, pay, card away, gloves on, go.

I calculated it one week. Between all these stops, I was wasting nearly 30 minutes daily. Not riding time. Dead time. Standing still, wrestling with my gear, while cars behind me waited. Embarrassing and exhausting.

My colleague Tom, another biker, told me about MOTOPASS one morning. French invention, he said. You fix it on your left glove, slip your contactless card or toll badge inside, and you’re done. No more stopping, no more gloves off. I was sceptical. Another gadget that promises the moon and delivers nothing? I’d seen plenty.

MOTOPASS: the left glove solution

I ordered it anyway. £19.90 for the standard model. Arrived in 24 hours from France. The package contained the badge holder, clear instructions, and the mounting system for the glove. No tools needed. I installed it on my winter glove in less than 2 minutes. Dead simple.

The clever bit? MOTOPASS fixes on the back of your left glove. The dorsal side. Exactly where your hand naturally positions itself when you approach a barrier or payment terminal. The French designer clearly rides a motorcycle. The angle is perfect. The badge sits at the ideal inclination for readers to detect it instantly.

I slipped my office access card into the waterproof pouch. First test the next morning at the car park barrier. I approached, left hand out, still rolling slowly. Beep. Barrier up. I didn’t stop. I didn’t even slow down much. I just kept going. Bloody brilliant.

30 minutes saved, every single day

That was six months ago. Since then, I’ve used MOTOPASS every working day. Office barrier: left hand out, beep, through. Petrol station: left hand on the contactless reader, beep, paid. Tesco car park: same thing. I never stop anymore. I barely slow down.

I timed my commute again last week. Door to door, Reading to London: I’m now 30 minutes faster than before. Not because I ride faster. Because I don’t waste time at barriers anymore. 30 minutes daily. That’s 5 hours per week. 20 hours per month. Over a year, I’m saving more than 10 full days of my life.

The waterproof pouch is genuinely waterproof. I’ve ridden through biblical downpours. The card stays dry. The system stays functional. In winter, I use thick heated gloves. MOTOPASS fits perfectly. In summer, with thin leather gloves, same thing. It adapts to everything.

The 3-in-1 solution I didn’t expect

Here’s what I didn’t realise when I bought it: MOTOPASS isn’t just for one card. It’s a 3-in-1 system. You can use it for toll badges, contactless payment cards, and even remote controls for garage doors or gates. I now have my contactless bank card in mine. One device, multiple uses.

My mate Sarah, who rides a Triumph Street Triple, uses hers for her gym access card and contactless payments. Another colleague uses his for his building’s remote control. The system works with any card or badge that uses RFID or NFC technology. As long as it fits in the pouch, it works.

The badge holder is made in France. French and European patent. You can tell it’s been designed by someone who actually rides. The mounting system doesn’t damage the glove. The pouch doesn’t flap about in the wind. The angle is spot-on for readers. It’s not some cheap Chinese knock-off. It’s proper kit.

More than 10,000 motorcyclists equipped since 2013

I’m not the only one who’s figured this out. More than 10,000 motorcyclists have been using MOTOPASS since 2013. That’s over a decade of proven reliability. The company offers a 2-year warranty. They’re confident in their product, and rightly so.

I’ve recommended it to at least five other riders at work. All of them bought one. All of them thank me every time they see me. One of them, Mike, does the M25 loop daily. He reckons he saves even more time than I do because he goes through more toll points and barriers.

The price? £19.90 for the standard model, up to £27.90 depending on the variant you choose. For something I use twice a day, five days a week, that’s paid for itself in saved time and aggravation within the first month. Best £20 I’ve spent on motorcycle gear in years.

Installation and daily use: zero hassle

Installing MOTOPASS takes 2 minutes. No tools. No complicated instructions. You fix it on the back of your left glove, adjust the position, done. It stays put. I’ve never had it come loose, even after six months of daily use and multiple glove changes between seasons.

Daily use is even simpler. Approach a barrier or payment terminal. Extend your left hand. The reader detects the badge instantly thanks to the patented angle. Beep. You’re through. You don’t stop. You don’t remove your gloves. You don’t fumble in your pockets. You just ride.

One detail I appreciate: you can display your blood type on the badge holder. It’s a small safety feature, but in case of an accident, it could make a difference. I’ve put mine on. Takes 30 seconds, could save my life.

Why every London commuter needs this

If you commute by motorcycle in or around London, you know the pain. Traffic is bad enough. Adding constant stops for barriers, payments, and access cards makes it worse. MOTOPASS eliminates that pain. Completely.

You save time. You save aggravation. You stay safer because you’re not distracted fumbling for cards. You keep your gloves on in the rain and cold. You look like you know what you’re doing instead of like a tourist struggling with your gear.

I ride a BMW F 900 R. MOTOPASS works perfectly. My colleague on a Honda CB500X? Same thing. Sarah on her Triumph? Same thing. It doesn’t matter what you ride. It works with all gloves: summer, winter, leather, textile. The system is universal.

The company delivers in 24 hours. I ordered on a Tuesday evening, received it Thursday morning. French efficiency. If you order today, you’ll have it tomorrow. Install it in 2 minutes. Use it the next morning. Start saving time immediately.

Six months later: still impressed

I’ve been using MOTOPASS for six months now. It’s become so natural that I forget it’s there. Until I see another rider stopped at a barrier, gloves off, fumbling for their card. Then I remember how much hassle this little device has eliminated from my life.

30 minutes saved daily. 150 minutes per week. 10 hours per month. That’s time I now spend riding, not standing still. Time I spend at home with my family, not stuck at barriers. Time that’s actually mine again.

Would I recommend MOTOPASS? Already have, to everyone who rides. Would I buy it again? Without hesitation. Would I pay more for it? Probably, but at £19.90, it’s already a bargain for what it does.

If you commute by motorcycle, if you go through barriers, if you pay contactless, if you’re tired of removing your gloves ten times a day, get MOTOPASS. It’s not revolutionary. It’s just brilliantly simple. And it works.

Discover MOTOPASS and transform your daily commute like I did. French patent, 2-year warranty, delivery in 24 hours. Stop wasting time at barriers. Start riding.