Motorcycle Safety Gear
Motorcycle safety starts with your body. There are no situations where you should ride without the right safety gear. Your health and safety come first and that means getting the right gear before you take your first ride.
What to Wear When Riding a Motorcycle
Motorcycle safety starts with what you wear. While many ignore the necessities of riding, such as helmets, it is important that you do not.
Helmet
A full helmet is a key aspect of motorcycle safety gear. Covering your full face doesn’t just protect your aesthetics, it protects your skull. Part of choosing the best helmet is not about style, it’s about the fit.
Comfort isn’t the most important part of a motorcycle helmet. With a full helmet, the chin strap tightness is the most important aspect. If you’re wearing a comfy helmet, but you can slip your thumb under the chin strap, pick a different helmet.
When the chin strap is at its tightest, you shouldn’t be able to get your thumb under it. You definitely shouldn’t be able to slip it off. If you can slip off the chin strap, that means your helmet could easily come off if you crash.
While most websites will suggest a 3/4 or 1/2 helmet, where your head isn’t fully covered, these aren’t as safe as a full helmet. You’d be amazed how many bugs you’re going to eat if your mouth is open to the elements while you ride.
The last thing you want is to be driving down a country road, inhaling a bug, and choking yourself off your bike. Get a full helmet. You won’t regret it!
Jacket
Even if it’s over a hundred degrees outside, you should always wear a jacket and full jeans or pants when you go out on your bike. When you buy your jacket and pants, you should anticipate wearing the same jacket for the rest of your riding days.
Again, this isn’t a style tip. Your jacket needs to be the most durable thing you own. Leather is a popular choice for a motorcycle jacket and pant material. There are also plenty of synthetic materials available.
Fitted Jeans/Pants
One motorcycle rider safety tip that most people forget is the physical fit of your jacket and pants. The last thing you want is your jacket and pants to billow while you cruise through America’s highways.
While a looser-fitting jacket might feel more comfortable, it’s going to make you very cold! Something tight-fitting, durable, with plenty of internal and external pockets, is exactly what you want.
Boots
No matter what fashion look you’re going for, you don’t want to wear any lace-up shoes on your motorcycle. Ever. Laces can come undone and get stuck in the moving parts of your bike.
You’ll risk damaging your bike and yourself with improper boots. We recommend getting boots that protect both your foot and your ankle.
Motorcycle-specific boots are the best on the market, so don’t cheap out when buying the best boots for you. Just be sure that whatever you choose is as comfortable as possible!
More Motorcycle Gear to Consider
In addition to the above, it is important to protect more than your head, skin, and feet. When riding, be sure to always wear:
- Eye protection
- Goggles or shatter-proof glasses
- Gloves
- Rain gear (if necessary)
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Try out Life360’s wide range of safety features when you are riding. Our Crash Detection, Emergency Dispatch and Roadside Assistance can help keep you safe and family members informed if you have a crash or other problem on the road. With Life360, you never ride alone.