There’s nothing like feeling the wind blow through your hair while you’re riding down the road on a motorcycle. That doesn’t mean you should skip out on wearing a helmet for this extra adrenaline rush.
You need the right sportbike riding gear before you hit the road, or your afternoon drive could end in a disaster. Considering you’re about 35 percent more likely to experience a fatal crash when on a motorcycle than when you’re in a car, you can’t afford to skip out on a helmet. It may save your life if you’re thrown off your bike.
It’s not the only piece of gear that you need, though. Keep reading this sportbike riding gear checklist to learn what you’ll have to have before hitting the road.
Helmet
The first thing on the list is, of course, a helmet. Even if your state doesn’t have any specific helmet laws, you still need to have one on. It will keep you safe in the event that you get into an accident, and it will stop bugs from flying into your face.
It Protects Your Skin
If you get flung over the top of your bike, your face will skid down the road as you come to a stop. We don’t have to tell you what that will do to your skin when you’ve been going 65 miles an hour. It’s not pretty.
Having a helmet that covers your head and face won’t only stop your brain from rattling around. It can also keep your skin on your body.
It Keeps Bugs Out of Your Face
Have you ever gotten hit in the face with a bug while going 70 miles an hour? It doesn’t hurt (unless you get hit in the eye) but is gross to have an insect splatter against your mouth.
The helmet can keep those nasty insects far away from you. If your mask doesn’t cover your face, you can go to this website and buy a mask to handle it.
Your Head Will Stay Protected
When you get into an accident, your brain will do summersaults in your head. This will end in a concussion or serious brain damage.
You Don’t Want to Break the Law
Not every state requires people to wear protective sports bike gear, but many of them do. It’s better to wear a helmet and not take that kind of a gamble every time you go out.
Choosing a Helmet
Of course, your helmet won’t have any of these benefits if you don’t choose the right one. First of all, you need to decide on what style you want. You can go with an open face, full face, modular helmets, and an ADV helmet.
Once you’ve decided which type you like, you’ll have to figure out your head shape and measure it. Your helmet needs to be designed with your head in mind, or it won’t help you.
To this end, try on the helmet before you step out of the store. Make sure that it doesn’t cause you any discomfort before you hop on your bike and go for a ride.
Gloves
After you’ve found a helmet, it’s time to find a good pair of gloves. When you’re thrown off a bike, your instincts are going to scream at you to brace yourself for impact using your hands. If you’re not wearing gloves, your injuries aren’t going to be pretty.
While the gloves might not be able to save you from breaking a bone or two, getting a pair with knuckle protectors and other features can help prevent a serious trip to the hospital.
Jacket
In the summer, it’s tempting to ditch the jacket because it will make you hot. We’re here to tell you that you’ll need to resist this temptation if you want to stay safe.
When choosing a jacket, you should first look at weight and durability. Lightweight jackets will protect you as long as you weren’t going too fast before you fell off your bike. Heavyweight jackets are a little bit sturdier.
As far as weather goes, leather isn’t the best when it comes to rain. It’s water-resistant but not water-proof. It will still let some liquid through.
It will keep the wind from beating at you as you drive. Always try on the jacket before you buy it. If it’s too loose or rides up on you, don’t get it because it won’t be able to protect you.
Boots
You can’t wear whatever shoes you would like while riding a sportbike. Tennis shoes will fly off your feet when you get into a crash. They won’t protect your ankles either.
This being said, it’s boots or nothing. Not only will a great pair of boots complete your aesthetic, but they also provide plenty of traction and won’t fall off and expose your toes to the asphalt.
Pants
The last item on our agenda is pants. Wearing shorts might keep you cool in the summer, but they don’t protect you whatsoever. Jeans are a no-go as well.
Denim doesn’t exactly stand up well to asphalt. You can buy jeans that have kevlar protection, but they’re still not as good as leather pants.
Stay Protected With the Right Sportbike Riding Gear
Before you hop on the open road, you need to buy some of the best sportbike riding gear from this list. Doing so will keep you from getting hurt if you get into an accident, and it looks cool.
That’s a win-win in our book. Pick up your set today!
If you’re looking for more ways to keep yourself safe while riding a sportbike, we’ve got you covered. Check out our blog today for all the latest tips and tricks.