Your Complete Guide to Motorcycle Safety Gear

Did you know that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recorded 5,286 motorcycle deaths last year?

If you ride a motorcycle, you must have all the right gear. That’s why you need to understand how to find the best motorcycle safety gear. It will keep you safe while you’re out on the open road.

Interested in learning how to buy the best motorcycle safety gear? We’ve created a complete guide to help you better understand. Keep reading to learn more!

Choosing the Best Motorcycle Safety Gear

When you’re shopping around for motorcycle gear, there are several factors that you need to take into account. The value of what you’re purchasing is one factor.

But you also need to know about the quality of production. The product’s functionality and style also should be considered. Keep in mind that you probably won’t find a piece of motorcycle gear that’s perfect in every regard.

The category you should always value most is the level of protection the gear provides. The highest priority should always be your safety.

Motorcycle gear that offers a high level of protection may be expensive. Keep in mind that the price you are paying for gear may one day save your life.

It’s always better to invest in high-quality motorcycle safety gear that will keep you safe. Consider a potential accident in the future. It won’t matter much how much money you saved or how cool you looked.

Purchase Gear That’s Appropriate for Your Riding Style

Understanding the riding you do will help you narrow down the motorcycle safety gear you need to purchase. Are you looking for equipment that you need to wear both on and off of your bike?

Consider the weather you’ll be riding in. Think about how far you’re traveling. How frequently will you travel on your motorcycle? For example, if you plan on touring around on your bike, purchasing safety gear that has a membrane for water resistance will help you keep from getting wet and preventing airflow.

Remember, You Get What You Pay For

As you’re shopping around, always keep in mind what you’re buying will help keep your life safe while riding. We all want to save money. But the gear you’re buying should come from a reputable brand. They specialize in designing protective gear. Don’t skimp when your life is on the line.

High-quality motorcycle gear will come with reinforced stitching, stretch panels, ventilation, and armor. This gear will also be properly fitted to ensure that no materials catch on your bike.

It will be more expensive to buy gear specifically for motorcyclists. You could get something more generic at a department store or discount retailer. But when you buy the right gear, you keep yourself safer while riding.

Must-Have Motorcycle Safety Gear

High-quality motorcycle gear will keep your body protected. Motorcycle gear is designed to be resistant to abrasions and has armoring that protects your joints from impact.

And it’s not just potential impacts with the pavement. Good gear also limits effects from noise, sun, rain, and wind. This means less windburn and sunburn while riding.

You’ll also be protected from all of the debris flying in the air from cars in front of you. Motorcycle gear isn’t just designed to protect your body from a crash.

Here’s a closer look at team safety gear that you should have on before hopping on your motorcycle:

Helmets

45% of impacts to motorcycle helmets happen around the chin and face. Unfortunately, the chin and face aren’t protected by three-quarter open-face helmets. That is bad news if your face smacks the street. And it’s especially true if you’re traveling at higher speeds.

Not only will a full-face helmet keep your head protected in the instance of an accident. It also helps to keep your eyes safe from bugs and wind. Plus, they make great protection against sunburn.

Many riders don’t know this, but helmets also have a lifespan. After about five years, your helmet will expire. This is because the materials that provide the impact absorption will degrade after roughly five years. The same is true for the adhesives used to keep the helmet together.

Every five years, purchase a new motorcycle helmet to ensure that performs optimally if your helmet is ever hit. 

Don’t Buy Used Helmets

You should never buy a used helmet. Even if the helmet doesn’t show any physical signs of external damage. There can still be unseen effects that can affect how well a helmet takes an impact.

For example, helmets have foam on the inside. When an impact occurs, the foam crushes to help protect you and doesn’t recover. Later on down the road, if you get in another accident, your helmet won’t be able to protect your head fully.

Choose the Right Type of Helmet

Be sure to choose the best type of helmet for your riding plan. There’s a difference between dirt and street helmets. Both offer protection designed for different riding situations.

Don’t let price be your only factor either. There are plenty of high-quality helmets sold at affordable prices. Fancy paint jobs, graphics, comfortable liners, and better ventilation will increase the price. But the helmet won’t be any safer.

Try on different helmets as you shop. Each person’s head is unique. This means you have a specific size and shape to your head. Take the time to find a helmet that fits your head perfectly.

Jackets

Jackets for motorcycle riding are often made from leather. This is because leather is one of the best materials that can resist abrasion. It also keeps your body safe from bad weather. While jackets made from other materials are more affordable, leather provides an increased level of durability.

Jackets for motorcycles come with unique features that you won’t find in most other jackets. One of these features includes extra strong and double seams that increase the strength of the jacket.

They are also designed to snuggly fit your body. When you’re traveling at high speeds, the jacket won’t flap in the wind.

Another unique feature that you can find on motorcycle-specific jackets is that they come with a CE safety rating. This measures the absorbing material that cushions your vital areas during a potential impact.

Find a jacket that fits your body snuggly. It should also be comfortable to move your arms around. Think about the weather that you’ll be riding in. If you’re riding around in warm weather, search for a motorcycle jacket that has more vents.

Some motorcycle jackets have features, like zippers, that allow you to connect the jacket to riding pants. This can help keep the jacket from rolling up your body when you’re in an accident, keeping your skin protected.

Boots

Motorcycle boots need to support your ankles, legs, and feet on uneven and unpredictable surfaces. Find a pair of boots that have non-slip soles. Ensure they are oil resistant and provide high-quality ankle support.

To keep your feet protected in case of an accident, find a pair of motorcycle boots that don’t twist. Test the pair of motorcycle boots by grabbing them by the toe and heel area and twisting. Does it look like they protect your feet if they get twisted during an accident? If not, the boot isn’t a good fit for you.

Buy boots that have armor over your shin and ankle areas. Look for boots with a strong heel to provide extra support to those areas of your feet as well. You should also find a boot that covers over at least your ankle to ensure that it won’t fly off during an accident.

Pants

Stay away from cotton jeans. Look for riding pants made from denim, leather, or other durable textiles. You want resistance to abrasion to keep your legs safe during an accident.

Some jeans even include Kevlar panels. This offers an increased level of protection over a pair of regular denim jeans.

Basically, you need to keep the same mindset as when you were shopping around for a jacket.

Finding the Best Motorcycle Safety Gear

Riding a motorcycle exposes you to a lot of unexpected situations. Weather conditions can vary. Divers don’t always pay attention to other vehicles, especially motorcycles.

This can sadly lead to an increased chance of injury for motorcyclists. Safely driving a motorcycle requires your full physical ability and concentration.

By investing in high-quality motorcycle safety gear, you’ll be able to increase your chances of staying safe in the event of a crash. Plus, you increase how comfortable you are while riding in bad weather and reduce your levels of fatigue.

Think we missed an important safety tip? Let us know in the comments.

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