| There is some great looking motorcycle | | | | sure they are hardwearing, if they are |
| clothing on the market these days, but | | | | leather make sure it is thick leather |
| believe me not all of the motorcycle | | | | not fashion leather like some jackets. |
| clothing offers as much protection as | | | | Stitching should be uniform with no |
| you think. In Europe, for motorcycle | | | | dropped stitches, and all your "sharp |
| clothing to be lawfully sold as "safety" | | | | bits", your elbows and shoulders should |
| clothing, it has to pass a series of | | | | be reinforced, ideally with some impact |
| European standards, which are pretty | | | | protection included. |
| lengthy but are available on my website. | | | | A decent pair of gloves is a must; your |
| The standards cover the clothing's | | | | palms will be at risk in an accident; |
| performance in abrasion, tearing and | | | | you instinctively put out your hands |
| impact tests, and when they have passed; | | | | palm side down to stop yourself in a |
| they are sold with the CE mark. However, | | | | slide, so the palms of your gloves |
| no such regulation is available in the | | | | should be reinforced with patches. |
| USA, so what should you look for? | | | | Knitted Kevlar is especially good for |
| Protection in the right places... | | | | this kind of abrasion resistance, but |
| Not many people realise that most | | | | reinforced leather works well too. |
| motorcycle injuries occur below the | | | | Impact protection can be bought |
| belt. Your legs and feet are extremely | | | | separately like back protectors and so |
| vulnerable, so make sure that you wear a | | | | on, but remember where your most |
| decent pair of high boots and some | | | | vulnerable areas are. And make sure if |
| protective pants. The pants should be | | | | you buy impact protection you actually |
| reinforced at the knees and hips; | | | | wear it! If you have any doubts it may |
| ideally they should attach to your | | | | be better to go for motorcycle clothing |
| jacket by a zipper. Boots should be | | | | with a degree of impact protection |
| thick leather, with a sole that can flex | | | | included so that you know when you put |
| with the foot but has a resistance to | | | | on your jacket and pants, the protection |
| crushing across the foot. | | | | is always going to be there. |
| Traditional material for motorcycle | | | | Last but not least, pick out a helmet |
| clothing is leather, but thick nylon and | | | | you can wear and wear it always. You may |
| other synthetic materials work well too. | | | | have a greater chance of getting injured |
| Kevlar reinforced jeans are better than | | | | below the waist in a motorcycle |
| normal jeans .Normal jeans last 0.6 | | | | accident, but the consequences of being |
| seconds in the European standard | | | | involved in an accident without a helmet |
| abrasion test, while protective | | | | just don't bear thinking about.... |
| motorcycle pants will last 5 seconds or | | | | So, next time you are shopping for |
| more. You don't really want to be | | | | motorcycle clothing, give a bit of |
| ripping your skin open within less than | | | | thought to the level of protection it |
| half a second of falling of your bike do | | | | offers before you buy it. You never know |
| you? Thought not. | | | | it could save you a lot of unnecessary |
| Same principles apply to jackets. Make | | | | pain! |