Whether you’re a long-term, experienced motorcycle rider or a new biker ready to hit the road, choosing the right motorcycle gear is crucial to your safety. While there is a lot to learn about how to safely store, maintain, and ride your bike, ensuring that you own and/or purchase the right gear for you and for any passengers who may ride with you is an important first step.
Why Purchase Motorcycle Gear?
Riding a motorcycle is inherently dangerous. According to NHTSA data, motorcycling is 33 times more dangerous than driving a car. As you can imagine, purchasing all of the needed motorcycle safety items for the first time is an expensive and potentially confusing endeavor; however, good gear will keep you both comfortable and safe while riding. Some of the main reasons all riders should have and use the right motorcycle gear include protection from sun, rain, wind, debris, and other weather and road conditions, as well as overall crash protection.
Top Biker Safety Gear
As riders, we have more freedom, but we are also at a higher risk of potential injury than passenger car drivers. With the proper motorcycle gear, you can enjoy riding while keeping yourself safe. While there is an endless list of cool biker gear you can buy and use, there are five main components of gear all riders and passengers should employ:
- Helmet: Your head is one of the most important parts of your body so don’t try to go cheap on a motorcycle helmet. Open-face and modular helmets may be fine for city streets, but a full-face helmet is better for longer distances or off-road fun. If keeping your entire face protected in the event of a crash sounds like a good idea, you may want to consider a full-face helmet regardless of where you’re riding. The most important piece of gear you invest in will be a helmet, so focus on its safety features when purchasing.
- Gloves: Motorcycle gloves are often overlooked, but are essential for both beginners and experienced riders. In addition to comfort, these gloves are mandatory for safety, as a rider’s hands will usually come into contact with the ground in the event of a crash.
- Jacket: A motorcycle jacket serves primarily to protect you from impacts and abrasions. Jackets made explicitly for motorcycles have many features standard jackets lack. Certain abrasion-resistant materials are placed in strategic locations and jackets are made to fit well so they don’t flap in the wind.
- Boots: Every time you slow down, stop, change gears, or make other maneuvers, your motorcycle boots are involved. You should look for sturdy, oil-resistant boots with non-slip soles, proper ankle protection, and sturdy heel and toe boxes. At a minimum, make sure your boots cover your ankles.
- Pants: While jeans or regular leather pants may be comfortable and look cool, they will not offer sufficient protection in the event of a motorcycle crash. Seek out and acquire textile riding pants with abrasion-resistant fabric and armor in the hips, knees, and other areas in need of extra protection.
Other gear to consider can include full riding suits or body armor, elbow guards, shin guards, knee guards, eye protection like goggles, and hearing protection like earplugs. While eye protection is not required in Texas, it is still considered a riding best practice.
Texas Motorcycle Injury Lawyer
As more of us work from home and have time to ourselves over the holiday season, we have increased time to ride our motorcycles. If you find yourself involved in a motorcycle accident caused by a careless motorist, don’t hesitate to reach out to our experienced motorcycle accident attorney for assistance. We’ll do everything we can to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help.
