Introduction: We are @cyanate81 (Edwin) and @motographicdesigns (Myrte) both riders and we are from Netherlands. Both of us ride bikes and we are called as, proud biker couple. Our maximum interest is in sportsbikes (at the moment) and we go on track every once in a while and also love to go on couple rides. Myrte works at motorcycle clothing store here in the Netherlands and knows about motorcycle gear.
Edwin knows his share in different types of bikes. Edwin rides a Suzuki GSX-R 600 2005 at the moment and Myrte rides a Honda CBR250R from 2011. Both are looking to upgrade – Myrte to a 600 CBR or a 675 Daytona and Edwin has a literbike wishlist: Fireblade, RSV4 and R1’s are on it.
Akash : Can you give us example of motorcycle riding gear?
Edwin and Myrte : Motorcycle riding gear is very important in our opinion. IT CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE. We never ride without our gear on. Doesn’t matter what temperature it is. Examples of the gear we use are a leather one piece suit, gloves, boots and helmet. This is the go-to clothing for someone who rides a lot on track or is simply very interested in race type of clothing. A good quality leather suit (with or without compatible airbag) is the safest gear, this will save you if you might go down. We both have a one piece, from Alpinestars and Dainese.
Also a good example is the touring gear, for guys and girls who ride all year, no matter what the weather is.Gear like this is usually waterproof and has different layers which you can zip out with the different seasons. It is build up out of strong textile that isn’t easy to get through, and also has protection in the knees, shoulders and elbows. Additional is a back protector and kidney-belt.
Related Topic: Why is motorcycle gear important?
For the lads and women under us who don’t interest themselves in racing, and also don’t ride all year long, there is the third variant of motorcycle clothing. The Urban clothing line. It’s kind of upcoming and new, but the urban line is for the people who like to ride in the city and want to hop off the bike and walk into a mall. It is safe due to the jeans with “kevlar” (this high-strength material was first commercially used in the early 1970s as a replacement for steel in racing tires) or “cordura” (fabric known for their durability and resistance to abrasions, tears and scuffs.) jackets. Jackets are textile and got more of that all-day look.
The urban line has also the safety you would expect with motorcycle gear. It’s just a bit more hidden. Still, there is a lot of other clothing for different activities, such as motocross or clothes for really warm days. The last one is interesting because it contains a lot of airflow panels which will give you a cool feeling on days above 30 degrees celsius.
Akash : What kind of safety gear you must wear while riding a motorcycle?
Edwin and Myrte : The only gear that you HAVE to wear by law is a helmet. And in some countries/states it’s even legal to ride without. Absolutely nuts in our opinion. You’re riding a machine on 2 wheels with a tank of flammable liquid between your legs. If you crash going 50 km/h or 30 mph without any gear, damage will already be immense. Go figure what it will do to your body if you crash with a 100 km/h / 60 mph or even more
Also Read: Top 10 Head Gears
Akash : How can you measure for motorcycle track pants, suits and jackets?
Edwin and Myrte : The best way to do this is to go to a nearby store and just try it on. Different brands have different measure sizes so if you have a size Large with one brand it’s not certain that it will be the same with another brand.
You also have some sizing tables scattered around the internet for different brands. You can easily measure yourself using a measuring tape. But this sometimes still isn’t accurate, so the easiest way is just visiting a store nearby.
Akash : What is the difference between body armor and gear?
Edwin and Myrte : Body armor is to be worn underneath your own clothes. You have a body protector, which will protect your upper body. And you also have knee protectors or elbow protectors. The difference between this kind of protection and generic motorcycle gear is the full body safety. Generic motorcycle clothes have a fabric that protects all of the skin it is covering. Body armor only protects the crucial parts. It’s very popular among cross riders who spend a lot of time in the dirt and have to wash their clothes regularly.
Akash : What will you suggest Leather or Textile gear?
Edwin and Myrte : In our opinion, leather is more safe. There’s a reason MotoGP riders always wear leather, next to the fact that it is streamlined to make you go faster and is like a second skin for the rider, it is also as safe as it can be when you crash with around 200 km/h (120mph).
Akash : Please let us know good brand of motorcycle gears which could be trusted?
Edwin and Myrte : There are a couple of big brands that are on top of safety and making the best clothing for you. A couple of these brands are Alpinestars, Dainese, Rev’It!, Held, Richa and Macna. But really there are a lot of other brands. There is much to be found about them. Before buying check if the brand has been verified and has quality marks. Really check if it isn’t faulty and counterfeit reproduction. If the price of let’s say an Alpinestars jacket on a website seems to be to good to be true, it usually is.
Akash : What will you suggest full face helmet or half face helmet?
Edwin and Myrte : This also depends on your riding style. If you like to tour a lot and don’t speed a lot a half face helmet can be just right for you. You also have modular helmets, these helmets can be changed from a closed full face helmet to a open face helmet just by bringing the chin backwards. These helmets aren’t as save as full face helmets though! This is because the crack between the chin and the helmet allows for a bigger impact spot in the event of an crash.
The overall safest helmet is the full face helmet. These come in all different quality types. When buying a helmet make sure it has a ECE 22.05 quality mark. This is the quality mark a helmet has to have when you buy it in Europe.
Akash : Is good motor cycle gear really expensive?
Edwin and Mryte : If you want top of the line motorcycle gear from the most famous brands and with the biggest following, then yes, it can be quite expensive. But there also are smaller brands with all the quality marks and with protection that is just as good. It might not be as fashionable as the gear from Alpinestars or Dainese, but it will be just as safe.
Akash : What will you suggest in body armor while driving motorcycle?
Edwin and Myrte : We suggest to wear at least a helmet and gloves all of the time while riding. But you never know when a crash occurs, so better be safe then sorry and wear all the gear all the time. “ATGATT”. It might save you in the future!
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Pic Courtesy – Edwin and Myrte
