IS ANY “ONE” PIECE OF GEAR MORE IMPORTANT?

Stated differently, if you were going to ride a motorcycle naked, except for one selection of motorcycle protective gear, which would it be?

Well, if we presume it’s warm and dry enough to ride a motorcycle naked in the first place, we really can isolate which is the most vital piece of gear:

Motorcycle Boots. Surprised?

ALTHOUGH “ALL” PROTECTIVE GEAR IS IMPORTANT…

Certainly motorcycle jackets offer the broadest area of protection.  Helmets are broadly known for their ability to save lives, as well as the controversy about whether one should be forced to wear one or not.  Good biker gloves are immensely practical in their immediate connection to controlling the motorbike.  Adequate leg protection, in the form of motorcycle pants and/or chaps, are certainly on this short list of most-needed items for biker protection.  And for many motorcyclists, who are more adventurous than the “Sunny Weekend Rider,” good rain gear is almost as important as one’s motorcycle choice.

All the aforementioned selections of riders’ protective gear have an important role in keeping us safer and enjoying the unique and incomparable experience that motorcycle riding has to offer (on and off the road) for years to come.

THE “ONE” ITEM THAT WOULD HELP YOU THE MOST IF YOU WERE A NAKED RIDER

But when you isolate just ONE piece of gear, particularly if you were riding with nothing else, good boots are the most elemental.  Presuming you didn’t crash while reflecting the pleasant day ambiance against all your natural and personal glory while riding sans any apparel, you will need to put at least one foot down whenever you stop, particularly if you get pulled over by a peace officer who may question your choice of protective gear.

In other words, hypothetically, you could get on a bike, go for a ride, and without any untoward mishaps, have no contact with anything potentially discomforting – other than the ground.  Although this naked riding example is a bit extreme, consider that your feet and ankles are the most exposed parts of your body when it comes to routine and potential risks, such as rocks, branches, curbs that are too close, or even the necessity to re-assert your footing very quickly when you are stopped and inadvertently slip on some loose sand or road oil.  And if you are an aggressive rider you may occasionally experience your boots brushing the pavement in a high-lean-angle turn.  (That would be unfriendly with a naked foot).

SHOES ARE “NOT” BOOTS

And speaking of ankles, it’s worth emphasizing that good shoes are NOT a substitute for good motorcycle boots.  If your ankles are not protected, those critical little junctures of your body are liable to getting twisted, mangled or otherwise broken, even in a minor motorcycle mishap, where you might have otherwise only suffered very minor or no injuries, had you been wearing boots.  (NOTE: “minor” or “no” injuries would be an unlikely end result of a naked-riding motorcycle mishap).

GOOD MOTORCYCLE BOOTS ARE A VITAL PART OF MOTORBIKE SAFETY

There’s certainly more to know about good riding boots, but the point of this naked riding analogy is to highlight the importance that good motorcycle boots provide as part of your safe riding experience.  (By the way, riding a motorcycle naked, even with good boots, is probably not the most sensible thing you could be accused of doing as a biker).

Safe riding!

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SEEMS HARLEY DAVIDSON LETS ANYONE MAKE THEIR BOOTS

Bikers needs boots. Harley Davidson sells motorcycle boots. Lot’s of ‘em.

To fully capitalize on the big Motor Company’s name, they license the use of their logo to all kinds of manufacturers to make all kinds of Harley merchandise. And it’s obvious that some of them are soley for gifts, ’cause they sure ain’t for riding.

Click the links for men or women’s Harley Davidson boots and trod through a supply of footwear from the truly functional, to the thoroughly not practical.

You will find superb boots for motorcycle riding, as well as some ugly ones (you’ll see).

But if you know you are looking for Harley Davidson footwear that is GENUINELY “NOT” suitable for motorcycle riding, then click below on “GENUINELY BAD HARLEY DAVIDSON RIDING FOOTWEAR.”

HARLEY BOOTS FOR MEN AND WOMEN

♦ HARLEY DAVIDSON BOOTS FOR MEN

♦ WOMENS HARLEY BOOTS

♦ ♦ GENUINELY BAD HARLEY DAVIDSON RIDING FOOTWEAR

If you can’t figure out why the last items are NOT a good idea for riding a Harley, you shouldn’t be riding one….

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RAIN BOOT COVERS ARE A GREAT GIFT FOR ANYONE WHO RIDES IN THE RAIN!

I’m guessing there are few motorcycle riders who would put MOTORCYCLE RAIN BOOTS on their gift wish list. However, I happen to be one of them!

And yet, I can sure understand how they could be conceived as a pretty unappealing gift notion. Particularly, since there are lot of motorbike riders who avoid rain like the plague.

Riding in the rain does require some heightened safety precautions, but as long as the rider has the right gear to keep him or herself warm and dry, riding in the rain “can” be enjoyable. I emphasize “can” since there are variables that will move the enjoyment up or down: such as how long a rider will be in the rain, how hard the rain is coming down, the temperature, and how windy it might be. (I have ridden cross-country tours through multi-days of rain and that tends to lose its appeal).

RAIN RIDING WITH DRY FEET

Regardless of all those factors, the underlying foundation for making the best out of rain riding still boils down to keeping the rider (and any passenger) warm and dry.

Motorcycle boots are an important part of a biker’s road gear. And although I have owned various forms of “waterproof” boots over the years, none have done the job of keeping my feet as dry as over-boots, or MOTORCYCLE RAIN BOOT COVERS. They can roll up to be stowed away until needed and as long as you get them on before the deluge hits, your feet stay dry for real, even in extended wet-weather riding.

However, as an actual gift idea for a motorcycle rider? Motorcycle rain boots would best be suited to a pretty hardy rider.

The good news is that on the occasion that rider actually uses those boots, he/she will be very glad to have them – and the person who provided those rain boots will be warmly considered….

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HOW COME MOST MOTORCYCLE BOOTS DO NOT HAVE LACES?

Leather and lace can be a very stylish combo for your MOTORCYCLE BOOTS. Boot laces can give you a snug, and more secure feel than more traditional pull-over motorbike boots. Just yank those laces tighter and you KNOW your ankles are protected!

However, there is an important caution attendant with such a preference. Any kind of footwear that includes laces, when worn on a motorbike, represents a higher risk than non-laced boots or shoes. Should those laces ever come loose and get snagged on a footpeg, frame bolt, gear shifter, brake pedal or drive chain, you’ve got problems that can range from a mere inconvenience to a tragedy.

Imagine having a boot lace inadvertently snagging your foot on your frame as you come up to a stop and attempt to put your foot down.  Or what if you’re riding along a little above the speed limit and your foot gets ripped backwards when a lace gets entangled in your chain?

Leather and lace with motorcycle boots is a choice that a biker needs to make with a full awareness of the potential consequences of that ONE time, when they just weren’t tied correctly….

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NO MORE WET MOTORCYCLE FEET

What’s worse on a  motorcycle?  Being wet all over; or just having wet feet?

I don’t know. They’re both uncomfortable.

Rain gear has gotten better over the years, but I still find it hard to stay perfectly dry from head to toe when riding for a long time in the rain.

However, I seem to have mastered the art of keeping my feet dry in the rain.   And what’s the solution?

Waterproof boots?

Well, I do enjoy the benefits of “waterproof” boots, as well as “waterproof” gloves, “waterproof” jackets and a “waterproof” riding suit.  But what manufacturers consider “waterproof” and what seems to actually keep me dry in extended wet weather are different matters.

Overboots are what have resolved my wet motorcycle feet problems – when I bother to put them on. I keep them rolled up and stashed in my luggage until needed.  But the thick, rubbery material does not stretch on and off very quickly, over my regular boots: regardless, they do a good job when I wear them. (Note: larger-sized overboots would simplify the process of pulling them on and off my regular boots, however, a larger size is clunkier when walking around.)

Like any rain gear, it’s a bit of a hassle to pull over on the road and put the gear on, and it’s not unusual for me to wait until the last minute if I’m doing some long-distance riding.  And even so, I may still evaluate whether I think I’m going to be going through a lot of heavy rain, or if it might be a brief drenching, which can be common in Florida and the West in the afternoon.  The temperature will play a role, as well.  If I’m riding through some hot weather in the South, I may just bear the rain with my “waterproof” boots (without the overboots), which can do a fairly reasonable job – as long as I don’t demand that they endure toooooo much rain beyond their saturation point.  Motorcycle wetness dries quickly during the summer, after the rain passes, and I may even find myself refreshed by the rain.  This past summer I was doing some very hot desert riding and welcomed the scattered thunderstorm that came to the rescue, however briefly.

If you are a rain rider, you too may have to try a few options before you find a solution you are happy with, as you balance convenience against practicality.

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