If you’re just a neophyte motorcycle fanatic, finding the right gears to fit with your bike is essential. While anyone can always look cool on a Harley Davidson with some worn-out jeans and a slick jacket, wearing the appropriate gear is essential for your safety and comfort.
Choosing Your Protective Gear
When you’re traveling using a motorcycle, expect the speed to be faster. Even when you’re just taking a trip around town, you will be hitting around 50 mph and up. On the highway, you’ll be moving at around 85 kph or more. At this speed, you needed additional covers to prevent injuries to the main organs from accidents.
About 45 percent of the impacts coming from accidents usually occur on the face. If this is the case, wearing a full-face helmet should make sense. Furthermore, bugs and wind may distract you from driving causing those accidents. A helmet is weather-proof and keeps these speckles out of your eyes and mouth as you zoom in on the highway. Keep in mind that helmets are designed to last for a maximum of five years.
There are various jackets suited for various purposes. Fashion jackets won’t do much to protect the main organs in your body hence making these flimsy gears for top speeds. A motorcycle jacket can withstand windblasts and accidents that come with bike riding. Textile types are highly resistant to abrasions and water-resistant to keep you dry when it rains. Leather jackets give you the classic biker ‘look’ that typically lasts longer and fits closely to your body. Of the two types, leather jackets are more affordable.
Invest in quality motorcycle gloves that cover your hands from your fingers to your wrists. When you’re trying out your jacket, you should also try it out with your gloves. There should never be a significant lapse between the two covers so as to protect your skin from abrasions. Check on the retention strap to make sure it securely holds around your wrists. Other factors such as abrasion-resistant features and quality stitching are an added plus.
High-quality gloves for motorcycles usually have armor on them. These armors are often found on the knuckles and base of the palms. Look for those that will just slide along the pavement instead of gripping the ground. This feature helps reduce the impact during accidental falls. Although armor placed elsewhere are welcomed addition, it shouldn’t hinder you from gripping the controls on your bike.
A full-head motorcycle suit may or may not be your ‘thing’. This suit covers your head to toe and offers more protection against crashes and other elements. And these items usually come at a higher cost. If you’re keen on purchasing this product, you can start with an item that has a jacket and pants pieced together and easily zips when you wear it. However, two-piece suits make it more flexible and move.
You can also check other items such as earplugs and underwear. Earplugs are essential when you’re traveling for a long haul. Since helmets may heighten the whirring sounds of the engine, a good pair of earplugs keep you from distraction. Long underwear is necessary to keep sweat off your lower body part and regulate your temperature at the same time during hot summer days.