Riding Gear

The equipment that you will be wearing on your body will be the most important gear you bring, as it will not only be protecting you but you'll also be wearing most of it every day. The amount of protection you wear versus the risks you're willing to take is a personal decision, but it's important to know the risks that are being taken, and how, with the right equipment, motorcyclists can come away from 160+ mph crashes on tracks with minimal injuries because of the right equipment, while a crash on the highway at 60 mph can be fatal because the rider wasn't wearing a helmet or any kind of body armor.

A helmet is the most important piece of gear you'll bring. It can also be one of the more expensive and confusing. You can choose between full-face, modular, three-quarter, and half helmets. Many choose to ride without a helmet at all. While this is legal in some states, it's taking a serious risk. The majority of head injuries in motorcycle crashes actually occur in the jaw area, which makes half and three-quarter helmets significantly less effective. A DOT rating is essential and should be required on any helmet sold in the United States. Snell is a different set of tests, and while having a Snell certification doesn't necessarily guarantee that a helmet is safer, it seems to me that the more tests it had to go through, the better.

Gloves are probably the next most essential piece of equipment - in any crash, if nothing else, your hands are going to take a beating as they will instinctively try to protect you from hitting the ground. Most decent motorcycle gloves will have extra padding in the palm and knuckle areas, and even one layer of material can save several layers of skin, turning what could be a minor crash into an emergency room visit.

Jackets are available that will be comfortable in a wide range of climates, and are most effective if they include armor in the shoulders and elbows, as well as some kind of back protection. Even a simple cloth jacket can save a few layers of skin if you fall.

Riding pants are probably the most neglected equipment by most riders, and with good reason. They tend to look the least "normal" compared to other gear, and aren't always as comfortable as a pair of jeans. Regardless, they can provide a huge amount of protection, as riders' legs often make extensive contact with the ground in the event of a crash.