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Dress for the ride. Have you ever thought about why you dress the way you do when you ride? Have you ever thought about what could happen if the unexpected reared its ugly head on your way home from work? Just because the accident wasn't your fault doesn't make the injuries heal any faster. Why shouldn't you walk away from an accident? Shouldn't you at least give yourself a chance? Don't you deserve a chance?
As an MSF Instructor, I get to see a variety of gear
that students bring to the range. Some of it is of good quality, and some of it I wouldn't
use in the tub! What I will show you here is what I wear when I ride on the street. All of
my gear is motorcycle specific, and most of it wasn't cheap. However, by taking these
precautions, I know that my chances of walking away from a fall are much greater than the
rider who decided that beach wear is proper riding attire. It may not be very fashion
conscious, and on some days it is hot and bulky. But, gear is cheaper than skin grafts and
hospital stays.
Do you think Chili is
overdressed? I doubt that he thinks so. Full face helmet, leathers, boots and gloves. Is
the track more dangerous than the street? Not likely. Your Head! Let's start from the top. Nothing gives you more protection than a full face helmet. Nothing. I ride with a helmet. It makes sense and makes the ride much more comfortable. If you wish to doubt the helmet as effective, that is your right. However, there are plenty of people to prove you wrong. Dead and alive. First, make sure that the helmet fits you. It should fit snug, not tight. It should press into your cheeks, but not apply any uncomfortable pressure anywhere on your head. Just like shoes, helmets do break in, so that lid that's a little bit tight, will get looser as time goes on. The flip side of that is helmets do wear out. The liner and padding breaks down from sweat, heat, etc. Its not a bad idea to replace your helmet every few years. I use two helmets for the street. Each has its own
characteristics which I appreciate.
The first one I use is the Shoei
Duotech. This is a DOT approved helmet in which the front half / chin bar flips up. This
is convenient for drinking, eating, talking etc. and when you sit in traffic. I find it
very versatile, though I do wish that its peripheral vision was better. This is the second helmet I wear on
the street.
This is an Arai Quantum-E . The
paint scheme is the Aaron Slight. This helmet is Snell 95 approved. This is my third Arai
and I will buy another. They are, IMO, the best helmets in the world. They are very
comfortable, have great ventilation and do not restrict my visibility. They are also very
quiet. You can't go wrong with Arai. When you buy a helmet, make sure that it is at least DOT approved. The US Department of Transportation has set forth certain guidelines as to what a helmet should do, and manufacturers are required to meet them. If you want a helmet that has met tougher standards, you can buy one with a Snell rating. The Snell Memorial Foundation has a tougher set of guidelines for helmets. All racing organizations require Snell approved helmets. The next thing about your head is ear plugs. Wear them. You can actually hear MORE with ear plugs, as they help block out wind / white noise. You will hear the difference. Lastly, eye protection. I carry
motorcycle specific riding eyewear. The plastic was designed to help deflect an impact,
unlike your $5.00 sunglasses. I have lens for night, day and rain riding. Also, I carry a
spare shield for each helmet. That way, if it get s dark, I can out on the clear shield,
and on a sunny day, I can switch to the smoked shield. I carry all of this in my tank bag.
The glasses on the left are from Smith. Each lens just slides out, ready to accept the new one. Yellow is for rain / overcast, clear is for night and smoked is for sun. I carry my spare face shields in an
old sock. It keeps them clean and scratch free! All of this fits in my RKA
tankbag. Upper body! Common summer motorcycle wear is the t-shirt. We all see it every day. If its too hot out, its easy to just think treat you're not going to fall off today. I bet the EMT who was treating you thought the same thing. Leather is great. Leather is the best. Nothing beats the cow for maximum protection when you fall. If you choose to wear leather, buy it from a shop that deals in motorcycle specific leather wear. The jacket at that store in the mall might look good, but its hide might be too thin to adequately protect you. Motorcycle specific gear is designed to look good AND take an impact. However, some people don't like leather, or think its restrictive and doesn't breathe well. This is where Cordura comes in. Cordura is a woven poly fibre which is like a cloth. But much more durable. It also comes in several different weights. I wear the heaviest weight there is - 1000. This makes for a heavy jacket, but also very durable. I like my Cordura jacket. It is fully armored, with back, chest, shoulders and arm padding. It also has vents for breathing and is water resistant. This is the next best thing to leather, but a little more flexible. And although my 1000 weight Cordura jacket is heavy, it's still lighter than a similar size leather jacket. Here's what the inside of my jacket
looks like.....
This is my Motoport Here's what the outside of my jacket
looks like...
Notice the silver stripe? That's a
retroreflective strip. It lights up when light hits it. So, even though its a black
jacket, you can still be seen at night. The bottom line is that a t-shirt won't
protect you, but quality gear will at least give you a chance. Why should a low speed tip
over result in a trip to the hospital? Gloves! What's the first thing that hits the
ground when you fall off? Nine times out of ten its your hands. The rider leaves the
machine and becomes Superman, hands straight out hoping to brace the fall. However, most
of these riders are not wearing gloves. By far, this is the most common lack of equipment
I see on the street and I have never recognized why. Gloves not only protect your hands
from a fall, they also insulate your hands from the elements and help absorb vibration. It
seems to me like there's no reason NOT to wear them!
These are
Olympia Gel Palm gloves. They are full fingered, with padding in the palm
and knuckles. The stitching is external, making the glove more comfortable,
and the glove has a long gauntlet, which goes over my jacket. This prevents
wind from going up my sleeves. In the end, any gloves will do.
Anything is better than bare skin on asphalt. But, be aware that the good gloves can save
the day, while no gloves can ruin one. Lower body! Just like my upper body, I wear Codura
riding pants, too. These are the matching pants for my Motoport Ultra-2 jacket. They are
also fully armored and will go over a pair of jeans. However, I just wear a pair of summer
shorts underneath them. They are very comfortable and allow me plenty of movement without
bunching up. They are easy to get on and off and are water resistant. These Motoport Ultra-2 pants are
also stitched with a retroreflective stripe. You can adjust the waist and ankles to fit
several different shapes. They also breathe very well. I never find myself overheating in them. You can't go wrong with motorcycle
specific pants. Jeans will give you about five feet of protection against asphalt. These
pants will last MUCH longer in that big slide. Boots! Basically, boots for riding motorcycles
should cover the ankle. They should have a rubber, non-slip sole and hopefully will be
water resistant. I've seen riders wear construction boots for years with no problems. The
higher over the ankle, the greater protection to your lower leg. This will also help the
lower leg stay straight, and help resist a sprain or possible breakage. I wear Dainese
racing boots. I wanted a boot that was armored and afforded me great protection. The have
a heavy rubber sole, and extra padding in the shin and ankle area. They are also water
resistant. Though they took forever to break in, they are now very comfortable.
These Dainese KC-2's
are heavily padded and also have a reflective stripe. Notice the pads on top of the toe
area? These help protect the boot from shifter wear. Pretty clever! You have just been introduced to what I wear when I ride on the street. Hot or cold, this is the gear that I'm usually in. Riding gear should not be looked at as a pain, or a way to make the sport less enjoyable. The idea is to maximize your enjoyment of street riding. The road is a very dangerous place, so dress for that situation. I hope that you enjoyed this and if you have any questions, please feel free to mail me. Related Links - 03/11/00
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