Congratulations! You’ve purchased your first new bike, or maybe you’re getting back into riding after being without a motorcycle for an extended period, or maybe you’re taking the MSF class in preparation for the experience you’ve been anticipating. Whatever your situation may be, the variety of safe riding apparel available has grown exponentially in recent years. Even though it would be easy enough to go on line and order a helmet or jacket which looks appealing to you, I cannot stress enough how much it would be to your advantage to visit and patronize a dealership where you can not only see, but touch and, most important, TRY ON the gear you’re thinking about purchasing. The reason being that not all gear is created equal and no two styles of a given piece of gear fit exactly alike.

Helmets
Let’s start with your head since that’s the only part you’re required by law to protect (in most states, anyway). Helmets come in a variety of shapes and sizes, including both open-face and full-face varieties. Obviously a full-face helmet is going to protect much better in a crash situation than an open-face. You must make the decision of how much risk you’re willing to accept when deciding which one is right for you. I’ll save you the sermon, but the data clearly show that you run a much greater risk of injury resulting in expensive and painful reconstructive surgery should you choose to ride with your chin and face exposed.

Where a skilled motorcycle apparel outfitter can best help you make an informed selection of helmet is not only in determining your proper size, but in finding a helmet whose interior shape most agrees with the shape of your head. Some helmets are built to fit heads which are more round, while the fit others ranges from intermediate oval to round oval to even a sort-of “egg” shape. The fact that your head feels better in the latter in no way identifies you as an egghead since, in fact, the shape is extremely prominent on the North American continent. An experienced helmet fitter should be able to determine which fit would be best for you. Obviously bald people are easier to fit than people with long hair since all details concerning shape are immediately visible, so if you have a large quantity of hair, don’t feel alarmed should the person doing the fitting want to feel your head to get a better idea of what lies beneath.

In determining a fit, you want to pay careful attention to how the helmet feels around the crown of your head. If you’re unfamiliar with the sensation of wearing a motorcycle helmet, it’s easy to become distracted at this point by the “smooshed” sensation created by the cheek pads. The feeling is normal. The experts at Bob’s tell people they are fitting that, while you shouldn’t be biting your cheeks, you probably shouldn’t feel like you could chew gum, at least while the helmet is breaking in. With time, padding in the helmet loosens up about ten percent. Also, replacement cheek pads are available for many helmets should it be determined that you need a looser fit in that area, so don’t get hung up thinking that your face is going to be uncomfortable. The first thing you want to decide is whether or not the helmet is going to provide day-long comfort for the top part of your head. Then, once you’ve found a helmet that doesn’t cause obvious discomfort, wear it around the shop for at least ten or fifteen minutes to see if it is going to provide all-day comfort—something you can’t do via the internet!

When looking for a helmet you may hear a lot about SNELL certification. While definitely not a bad thing, seeking the approval of the SNELL foundation for a helmet is not mandatory and, in fact, SNELL does not offer evaluation for some styles, such as the immensely popular modular helmets, where the whole front of the helmet opens up to provide for better communication without removing the helmet when off the bike, and also makes the helmet much easier to put on and take off. At the same time, SNELL does offer certification for open-face helmets. Whether or not you desire a helmet with SNELL certification is for you to decide. However one other certification sticker for which you absolutely must look is DOT, which shows the helmet has been approved for motorcycle use by the United States Department of Transportation. Helmets without the DOT sticker, so-called “novelty” helmets should never be worn when operating a motorcycle.

Beyond that, helmet selection will depend largely upon features such as vents, sun visors and removable liners. More expensive helmets tend to provide better airflow both around and through the helmet. They also incorporate higher-grade materials like antibacterial fabric in the liner and cheek pads, and fiberglass and organic compounds in the helmet shell. Chances are strong that more expensive helmets have undergone more extensive testing and true-to-life crash scenarios during development.

Jacket & Pants
Either you’ve seen riders doing it or you used to do it yourself, but riding in jeans and a t-shirt simply is not the way to go. Obviously a t-shirt is going to offer no protection in a crash, but it’s a common misconception that denim jeans will. The fact is that denim shreds immediately upon impact, producing loose fibers that can enter a wound and create additional problems. “Road Rash” is not only painful, but creates an opportunity for the bacteria which, though harmless outside the skin, can cause serious infection once they are permitted past the outer layer of skin.

If you really like the look of denim, there are alternative “riding” jeans available, which have additional abrasion resistance from Kevlar or leather pads to assist in protecting the knees, hips and buttocks. Some even offer impact-reducing armor. If you’re worried that you will be too hot should you choose to wear protective clothing, the facts state otherwise. It’s easy to find protective heat-to-toe gear that provides copious quantities of cooling air. A well-equipped motorcycle shop should be able to show you everything from perforated leather to newer armored mesh jackets and pants that allow you to ride comfortably in hot weather. Boots and gloves are also available that have incorporated airflow mesh into their construction. Many of the same garments also include removable liners that provide added protection from rain, wind and cold, creating a true three-season garment, providing the best value for someone just getting started in motorcycling.

Once you’ve made the smart choice to ride with protective clothing, the next decision you have to make will be, “Leather or textile?” Many long-term, all-season riders opt for both, preferring one material for a particular type of riding and the other for times when weather or riding conditions are different. While advances are constantly being made in the area of protective textiles, none has yet been produced which beats quality competition-weight leather. This is due to the way leather slides across pavement smoothly and doesn’t catch, causing the body to tumble. On the other hand, leather simply cannot provide comfort to the same degree textiles are able to once the weather turns to the extreme. Textile garments are also more likely to have reflective qualities at night, and are available in brighter colors for daytime visibility.

Many high-end textile jackets and pants are now available which are said to slide nearly as good as leather in a crash situation and, what’s more, these same jackets include impact-reducing armor, which you normally have to buy separately for leather gear. The cost difference between the highest quality armored textiles and the highest quality leathers is usually negligible. If you are on a budget, like so many of us, and want to keep the cost of your new riding jacket as low as possible, chances are textile is going to provide the most protection for the dollar spent. The leather used in production gets thinner and of a lower quality as a garment’s price goes down.

As you are making your selections, pay careful attention to how each garment fits your body. Too tight is bad, but so is too loose. Each style of jacket or pant was made with a particular body type in mind. A knowledgeable motorcycle apparel specialist will be able to suggest appropriate items for you to try based on your particular frame and the conditions in which you expect to ride. He or she should also be able to point out the quality of the materials used in construction, as well as whether or not the armor complies with the more stringent European Community (CE) standards.

Boots
At the very minimum, you should wear boots which cover your ankle. Sneakers, street shoes and open sandals should never be worn. Serious foot, ankle, and leg injuries often result from motorcycle accidents where the rider or passenger has chosen improper footwear. Motorcycle boots provide armored protection for the ankle, as well as an oil-resistant sole. Taller motorcycle boots offer protection for the lower leg as well, and are usually constructed of thick leather to provide a high level of abrasion resistance. Boots intended for construction or industrial use do not offer the same agility or ankle and shin protection as motorcycle boots and often impede the use of the shifter and brake pedal.

When purchasing a motorcycle boot keep in mind that, like everything else, different styles fit different feet differently. Ask for advice on which boot will fit your foot the best and try on as many styles as necessary until you find one that is comfortable both when sitting and when walking. You never know when your motorcycle ride is going to turn into a walk for one reason or other—and hopefully not to get gas!

Gloves
For use on a motorcycle, a glove should have thick leather palms since, when falling, the natural tendency is to put out a hand to break one’s fall. More expensive gloves also include some sort of sliding surface at the heel of the hand to ensure that the leather does not wear through in a slide, which can be made of either traditional steel studs or space-age ceramics. Gloves for competition, sport or enduro riding will also include a hardened knuckle cover for added protection. Some sort of wrist strap to keep the glove from being ripped off in a slide is also a necessity. Many riders use competition-grade gloves on the street.

An apparel specialist at Bob’s will have a variety of glove styles on hand for different riding and weather conditions. For hot weather, a mesh or perforated leather backing material is often more comfortable, while in cold or wet weather, waterproof membranes, insulation and a finger wiper are all items to look for. There is no such thing as an “all-season” glove. Purchase a glove that meets your immediate and most common riding needs. Don’t think ahead to the next riding season. Very few motorcyclists own just one pair of gloves, and you will also find that you need to replace your gloves more often than any gear you own. Many riders never head out or the day, let alone a trip, with just one set in order to allow for proper comfort and protection in all weather conditions.

When it comes to proper fit, motorcycle gloves tend to have fingers that are longer than those on gloves made for work or street wear, since in gripping the handlebar you tighten the leather palm against your hand and effectively pull the fingertips back. Don’t decide a glove’s fingers are too long until you grab onto a set of handlebars. Keep in mind that a glove is going to become larger over time with wear around the palm of your hand, but it will never get longer. A pinch at the end when new means that the glove will fit properly after break-in.

Base Layers
Comfort is a key player in motorcycle safety. If your mind isn’t busy focusing on your discomfort, it is free to focus on the road and traffic. In addition to proper fit, proper materials also make a huge difference, and one often-overlooked category of apparel is your underwear and socks. Cotton makes a great bath towel, but it really has no place anywhere on a motorcycle if you’re going to be taking a ride of any distance. Cotton loves moisture and wants to hold onto every precious bit of it, whether from rain or perspiration. Exposure to such wetness cannot only make you uncomfortable but also, in extreme circumstances, can cause hypothermia should the sun disappear and the temperature drop.

Serious outdoor enthusiasts have a saying, “Cotton kills.” What they mean is that while clothing layers are meant to insulate the body from the environment, damp cotton does not. Body heat can quickly be pulled away into the frigid air through garments, which have been saturated with water, and wind augments the chilling process. Even if you are wearing rain gear, the cotton you wear will still become wet from perspiration and the effect can be nearly the same as if you were wearing no rain gear at all. Clothing layers made of wool, silk or synthetic material can help prevent this.

Staying dry is also key to warm weather comfort. A wicking base layer works like a squeegee on a tennis court, where a puddle of water is spread out over a large area of concrete and quickly evaporates due to increased surface exposure to air. Basically you’re pulling moisture from concentrated areas such as the one between you and the seat, and one between your lower back and the back pad of your jacket, and spreading that moisture out so that it may more easily evaporate. Keep in mind that feet sweat more than any other body part, so all that was just stated about the upper part of your body is equally true for your feet. Cotton really has no place inside a shoe ever—whether on or off the bike.

If you own wicking underlayers already, try wearing them whenever you ride. You should notice a great difference in comfort, especially at the all-important contact point where your seat meets up with the one on the bike. The tight-fitting variety of athletic apparel works better than the type that fits loose, though the look can be unflattering if you’re going to need to take off your jacket. However, since the fabric of undergarments made for high-endurance sports is made to wick moisture away quickly, it often tends to become somewhat itchy when it remains in contact with the skin for elongated periods of time. Wicking base layers made for motorcyclists wick more slowly and tend to be more comfortable when worn for long days in the saddle.

Heated Clothing
It’s easy to extend your riding season to enjoy the roads year round. Heated clothing is a smart addition to your riding gear. Though it varies for all of us, there is a certain temperature below which our bodies, though properly insulated, are unable to produce enough heat to remain comfortable. That’s when it’s really nice to be able to “turn up the heat.” It’s also much safer to ride warm, since being cold causes you to tense up due to discomfort and your reaction time slows dramatically. Never forget: If your mind is focused on your body, it can’t be focused on the road.

Quality heated apparel connects to your bike’s electrical system, so you don’t have to worry about batteries. While most are happy with a heated jacket liner and gloves, pant liners and socks are also available to meet your particular needs.

To Sum It All Up!
On the road, the only two things you have control over are yourself and your bike. So ride consciously and conspicuously (i.e. SEE & BE SEEN!), and be prepared for whatever weather conditions Mother Nature throws at you. There is no way to remove all risk from motorcycling and, if we could, chances are the sport wouldn’t be quite as much fun. However, by selecting proper fitting, comfortable, well made riding gear for protection against impact and road rash, as well as from the elements, you CAN control some of the variables.
We hope to see you out on the road soon, and sincerely hope that you will use this information to acquire riding gear that will help you enjoy motorcycling to its highest levels, regardless of your individual skills. And, speaking of skills, don’t forget to practice what you have learned in any riding class from basic through advanced on a regular basis—practice really does make you a better rider. Please come visit all of us here at Bob’s BMW, where you can find expert assistance in selecting your riding gear.

Enjoy the road you’re on!