A Beginner’s Guide to Motorcycle Gear

Safety has to be the top priority in everything but with bikes, it becomes more important. It just does not matter if you are starting to learn to ride a bike or you are an experienced bike rider and either in town or on a long trip you have to have safety gear. Gears should not be seen as wearing armors but as in investment for self-safety and this investment will surely serve you for long. Motorcycle gears should be counted as mandatory as there is extreme risk involved while riding the bike. United state department of transportation declares motorcycle 33 times more insecure than other vehicles. They further added that more than 4000 motorcyclists killed in 2018 alone. In their research, they said that about 28 times motorcyclist loses life in crash with a vehicle. A bike ride is fun as you feel the open roads, wind, speed, and freedom but it can be deadly too. Skill is important to have for riding a motorcycle but you also need to have proper gears on. Why expose yourself to risks by not having the gears, so ride and have fun with gears.

When it comes to buying gears for your bike, what exactly you should look, great style or quality materials?? In this article we will be covering different gears for motorcycle and what should you look for when buying them. Let’s start:

HELMET

It’s without a doubt the most important gear for a motorcycle rider, as the head is the most vulnerable and sensitive part when you are riding. Hitting your head with pavements or concrete can kill you. A helmet is specifically designed to damage itself while taking all the damaging force in a collision that could transfer to your face and skull. You have to buy a helmet and always wear it. Below is the guide for buying a helmet:

• The first important thing to look for when buying a helmet is to check it’s fitting. A perfect helmet for you should not rotate when you move your head. Make sure it fits well and see if the helmet is perfectly placed after you have fastened the strap.
• Do not think about the price of the helmet as it thoroughly depends on the used materials, technology and brand. Although it is up to individuals however the logic must be to spend enough to safeguard your head.
• Buy the helmet that will cover the whole head and sides to give your head and face maximum coverage and protection. Make sure these full helmets are breathable and you can hear the traffic. Other than full helmets some helmets won’t cover face they will only protect the top, side, and back of your head, known as ¾ helmet. ½ helmets only cover the top of the head with slight protection for the back of the head and sides. A full covering helmet is strongly recommended to get maximum protection.
• The materials of the helmet matter a lot. Quality and expensive helmet will use polycarbonate, Styrofoam and koroyd, foam and nylon or polypropylene. Do ask about the materials or read in the given book while buying.
• On average a good helmet should weigh around 3-1/4 to 3-1/2 lbs. it can be less or more than that but that depends on sizing, design and applied customization. Ideally, the weight of the helmet should be equally distributed to not feel it heavy on a specific area of the head.

JACKET

A motorcycle jacket is the most desired gear by the bikers. Not only, the jacket keeps you warm but it also adds value to your cool looks. Ideally for fashionistas jackets are a must product as they love to be safe and styled. Many different varieties of materials are used to produce motorcycle jacket but leather made jackets are on top of the list. Things to look for when buying a jacket:

• The jacket has to be made of quality leather or other quality textiles that offer abrasion-resistance, water-resistance, and greater protection. For leather see if it is made of cowhide, lambskin or goatskin.
• The topstitched jacket has to be stitched with heavy-duty threads with precise details and no loose ends. 
• See if the jacket has few but not many beautification elements on it that enhance the visuals.
• The jacket’s cuts and size have to be spot on and it should be a slim-fit. It should flatter and give a full complement to the rider. 
• Do not go for the jackets having generic cuts and sizes as they will be uncomfortable and will not stick to its place while moving.
• The ideal jackets have a lining of quality fabric such as silk or cotton.
• For length, it should cover the waist or hide the belt.
• Keep the weather in mind while buying as you will be needing perforated jacket for summers and springs and a full leather made for winters. Anyways whatever the season is you have to wear a jacket as in summer it’s good to sweat rather bleed.
• See if the jacket has CE approved armors for elbows and shoulders, it will be a bonus. 

GLOVES

The first thing that touches the ground in a collision is hands and the person may loose skin or fingers. So it is vital to cover the hands with quality gloves. Gloves are also important for protecting hands in extreme conditions as well. Beyond providing you with safety, gloves can enhance your look too. Carbon knuckles, accordion stretch, and safety padding add charm to the look of the gloves. Few important things you need to look for when you buy gloves are:

• Buy the gloves that offer abrasion-resistance to ensure resistance in case of any fall.
• Buy the gloves that offer water-resistance.
• Buy the gloves which are made of goatskin and other quality leathers.
• Buy the perforated gloves which are breathable and comfortable.
• Buy the gloves that have accordion stretch for the protection of the back of the hands and rubbers and foam for the safety of fingers.
• Make sure the gloves have palm protection and carbon protection for knuckles.
• Buy the gloves that fit well and offer a good grip and have a button fastener or Velcro fastener at the top of the glove to adjust the gloves as per your wrist size.

JEANS & TROUSERS

You definitely will want to save your knees and thighs in a crash while riding. These are important gears for every rider but mostly it is seen that riders avoid buying jeans and trousers that are specifically designed for riders. It’s maybe because the helmet and jacket are more in trend and the jeans and trousers designed for riding were a little odd. Most people will buy simple jeans and trousers for riding as they think that it will help but, in reality, this is not true. This cotton made stuff won’t sustain a fall. So the things you need to look for while buying jeans are:

• Jeans and trousers have to be specifically designed for riding. Simple jeans’ and trousers’ fabric is not meant to protect your knees and thighs from losing skin or breaking knees in a crash.
• Buy the jeans or trousers made of quality denim and cotton but reinforced with premium quality Kevlar fabric which offers abrasion- resistance.
• Make sure the jeans or trousers are slim-fit or regular-fit and straight leg. Because you also need to look awesome on and off the ride.
• Buy the gears that are flexible, breathable, comfortable and lightweight.
• Some of the denim jeans and trousers are now certified from the “United Accreditation service” where they went through abrasion tests and burst tests. Those certified jeans and trousers are highly recommended.
• Buy the jeans or trousers which have CE approved armors for knees and hips.
• Good quality biker jeans or trousers must have side and rear pockets. 
• Hidden structure stitched jeans are preferred as they look smooth and flawless.

BOOTS

Bikers usually trap their foot under the motorcycle which results in a severe injury as all the effect goes on ankle and leg. Boots may be not famous for protection among bikers but they are crucial for leg protection. Before getting a pair try to look for a few important factors:

• Buy the boots that are specifically manufactured for bike riding.
• Buy the boots that are sturdy and built from high-quality thick leather.
• Buy the boots that offer good abrasion-resistance.
• Buy the boots that cover the ankles well and have ankle protection within
• Buy the boots that have laces inside of the boot as it avoids them to tangle. Also, exterior laces are risky as they can stick in the bike which can cause injury.
• Buy the boots that provide a firm grip on the ground and are not prone to slipping and twisting.
• Buy the boots that all safety measures should also look classy as you will not always be on the bike.
• Last but not least check if the boots are breathable and comfortable and not much heavy.

CONCLUSION

Riding with safety gear should be considered a necessity, as bike riding makes you more vulnerable to high risks. Although it is fun to ride with a bike however you also got to be ready for a sudden crash and extreme variation in weather. These gears are life savior, invest in your safety and buy the best possible gears.