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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THE UNIQUE REQUIREMENTS OF A BIKER WALLETS

Like anyone else, bikers need to keep their money and credit cards somewhere. But in the event that biker’s wallet were to fall out of his/her pocket while riding, it’s long gone if it wasn’t felt that it slipped away.

Hence, that whole chain wallet concept is derived from a simple concept: Secure that thing to rider’s pants, so that it doesn’t go very far even if it does slip out of a pocket!

As with most things in the gift world, “practical” is only a starting point. (Actually, what am I saying. There are plenty of gifts that have not “practical” benefit – how about a stuffed teddy bear positioned on the back of a bike?)

Anyway, the good news is that leather designs for biker wallets have continued to expand over the years. Basic black wallets with the “Harley Davidson” logo are still a popular choice.

But you can get wallets with crosses, women, motorcycles, cross bones, skulls, and, well, you get the picture.

And, women’s biker wallets have opened up whole new ways to express an aesthetic on leather, such as leopard prints, zebra stripes, checkers and good old pink.

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FOUR (4) DIFFERENCES OF LEATHER MOTORCYCLE JACKETS

What the heck is so special about a “motorcycle” jacket? Wouldn’t any leather jacket (or other sturdy material) be just as useful?

There are a few unique features that differentiate a “true” motorcycle jacket from a motorcycle “fashion” jacket that would be sold in a leather goods store or discount store.

For the purposes of this article, I will focus on leather jackets and not textile jackets, although several of the differences will be just as applicable to textile motorcycle jackets.

1. A good leather “motorcycle” jacket is made of thicker leather to offer more protection for the rider in the event of a fall from a motorbike.
2. Motorcycle jackets have longer sleeves than similar non-motorcycle jackets. The longer sleeves are because bikers have their arms extended while riding, so a longer sleeve offers better protection extended over a rider’s wrists.
3. A motorcycle jacket typically has a short collar (or no collar) and the abbreviated collar may even have a snap to secure it. The reason for this is to keep the collar from flapping around in the wind while riding a motorcycle.
4. Many modern motorcycle jackets (leather or otherwise), feature protective pads (or “armor”) positioned at the elbows, along the spine, and on the shoulders, under the surface of the jacket. In most jackets, the pads are removable for cleaning or replacement. Good motorcycle jackets are built to protect a rider from “abrasion” injuries that can be sustained while sliding along the ground after a fall. However, the addition of protective armor offers some “impact” protection as well.

In simple terms, if you are motorcycle rider, you should be wearing a purpose-built, motorcycle jacket, with armor, which offers more protection than a non-motorcycle jacket, leather or not.

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LEATHER BIKER CHAPS FOR MEN AND WOMEN

Leather motorcycle chaps are leg coverings with a belt. Think of leather pants without the sections covering the butt or crotch. Chaps are buckled over the top of one’s pants with the chaps’ integrated belt.

They are designed to provide protection for the legs and are usually made of leather (or a leather-like material).

BIKER CHAPS ORIGINS

Chaps derive from the American cowboy culture and were used as leg protection when riding a horse through brushy terrain.

LEATHER MOTORCYCLE CHAPS, adapted from cowboy gear, started to find their way into the American biker culture in the early 1960s.

Leather motorcycle chaps are usually made with the smooth side out, and have side zippers to allow them to be put on easily.

They provide bikers protection from the wind and cold as well as partial abrasion protection in the event of a fall to the roadway.

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YEARNING FOR THAT CLASSIC BIKER JACKET STYLE?

A style that harkens back to days when motorcycling was simpler?

When the majority of motorcycle jackets were made of leather?

And when you had two general styles of motorcycle leather jackets?

Vintage motorcycle jackets tended toward a greater simplicity: You either wore a black leather jacket, or one that had colored racing stripes or some variation, which represented a more sporting look.

To top things off, or in this case, to bottom things off, you might also want to consider some VINTAGE MOTORCYCLE BOOTS. These black, leather, traditional motorcycle boots, are still popular to this day, and are the boot of choice among the cruiser crowd, although not exclusively limited to any motorcycle category.

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