So you’ve taken your CBT, purchased your motorcycle and are now ready to hit the road but is your motorcycle clothing up to the job? It’s so important to have the right motorbike equipment; in the event of a serious crash, it could be a matter of life or death.
In our latest blog we look at the motorcycle gear you need to ensure maximum protection for all weathers. Irrespective of whether you’re out on a leisurely ride in the open countryside or on your daily commute in the busy city streets, you need to be fully protected, comfortable and stylish!
Motorbike Helmet
You must ride a motorcycle helmet when riding on the roads in the UK. When purchasing a safety helmet, it must comply with at least one of the following standards:
- British Standard BS 6658:1985 and carry the BSI (British Standards Institution) Kitemark
- UNECE Regulation 22.05
- any standard accepted by a member of the European Economic Area which offers a level of safety and protection equivalent to BS 6658:1985 and carries a mark equivalent to the BSI Kitemark.
You must wear glasses or contact lenses when riding if you need them to read a number plate at the correct prescribed distance.
When purchasing your safety helmet you must make sure it fits correctly and is comfortable. Try as many helmets as possible in your price range, make sure it fits and has a high SHARP safety rating.. SHARP (Safety Helmet Assessment and Rating Programme) is a government scheme that aims to help riders make an informed choice when purchasing a safety helmet. Before buying your safety helmet, check out the SHARP website to check that it is featured and has a high safety rating.
Visors
Reports have shown that motorcycle riders who wear full face visors suffered fewer facial injuries than those without. Visors also protect from troublesome insects or stone chips flying into the face. Visors must be able to transmit at least 50% light, dark screen visors are illegal in this country.
Visors (or goggles) sold must comply with UK or European equivalent standards which are BS4110 or ECE 22-05. The visor must have the standard etched upon it or on a sticker attached to the visor.
Keep your visor clean by washing regularly with warm, soapy water.
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Motorcycle Gloves
When purchasing your first pair of motorbike gloves, don’t go cheap – there’s nothing worse than riding your motorcycle in freezing rain where you can’t feel your fingers. What’s more, cold fingers will prevent you from operating the riding controls safely which could result in an accident. Leather is the best material because it’s tough, supple and water-resistant.
Motorcycle Boots
Riding a motorcycle wearing sandals or trainers is not an option! Wearing sturdy, robust motorbike boots is a must. Hunt around for a comfortable pair of boots but remember to buy the most expensive pair you can afford. Your feet and ankles are fragile, a lot of damage can be done quickly.
Motorbike boots are complex pieces of engineering designed to protect your feet. Essentially, the key elements are protection, comfort and choice.
Protection
Primary protection is the safety element that you can see, or feel, inside the boot. The elements are there to give adequate shin, ankle and sole protection, as well as heel and toe caps. Secondary protection is the stuff you can’t see, but is the clever piece of engineering that protects your lower legs and feet from serious injury.
Comfort
The difficulty here is that the optimum combination of comfort and protection inevitably means the use of more innovative materials resulting in higher prices. If you need to work at the lower end of the budget, the trade-off will be between comfort and protection.
When trying on motorcycle boots, look for the boot that provides the best weight, breathability, water resistance and shaft height/opening.
Choice
There’s an extensive range out there so try on as many boots as possible and keep in mind the key safety elements required when making a decision.
Motorbike Clothing Accessories
If you’re serious about your safety, a leather jacket and leather trousers should be a priority. The leather should be stitched with heavy duty thread, with double and internal stitching and with as few panels as possible. The seams are the weakest part so this is the reason why you should buy leathers with as few panels as possible.
Key elements to look out for include:
- Fitting. The jacket and trousers must fit you well. For the jacket make sure your arms and shoulders can move easily.
- Double or even triple stitching, as well as a plastic coating or leather overlap to keep moisture out.
- Body armour – at the elbows, shoulders, knees and hips.
- Covered zips – ;which don’t make contact with your skin.
- Thick, waterproof leather – with a thickness of 1.2mm.
Don’t forget your base layers and thermals. Whether you need to keep warm in winter or stay cool in the summer, gore tex base layers and thermals will do the trick. There’s a huge range available to suit all budgets.
Our showroom at Greater London Motorcycles offers a full range of motorcycle clothing and accessories. Visit the showroom at:
101e High Street
Edgware
Middlesex
HA8 7DB.