Choosing the Right Riding Gears – Indian Conditions
Some Important Guidelines to choose the Right Riding Gears!
Motorcycle riding gears are much a necessity and intrinsic part of motorcycling as are good riding skills and a well-maintained motorcycle. Riding on two-wheels while being exposed to weather and sans any protection from contact with either the road or other objects in case of a fall or an accident, his riding gears becomes the last line of defense for the rider.
Riding Gears: Helmet (Rs. 1500 to 10000 or more)
1. Look for either BIS (in case of Indian make helmets) or DOT approval (in case of imported ones)
2. Prefer a full face helmet to an open face
3. Look for as wide and eye-port as you can get, especially in the peripheral region
4. Prefer a clear visor and look for scratch-resistant hard plastic ones
5. A double-D ring fastener is far better than a ‘click’ type fastener for the chin strap
6. To check for fit, wear the helmet, hold it from outside and try to move your head inside side to side. A well-fitting helmet should allow very little head movement inside it. One that allows the head to move is loose and will not protect the skull well on impact.
Riding Gears: Balaclava (Rs. 50 to 3000)
1. Not a mandatory part of safety gear,
2. Benefit is Absorbs sweat
3. Helps keep the nose and ears warm during a cold weather ride
Riding Gears: Riding Jacket (Rs. 5000 to Rs. 20000)
1. No, the riding jacket will not be able to save a bone from breaking if the fall is that bad but the skin nevertheless gets protected very well
2. Jackets also protect the rider from the weather
3. Look for good ventilation in case most of your riding is in warm weather
4. Zippered fronts, all the better with a flap over the zipper, are far more effective wind protectors that buttoned ones
5. Good Fit jacket is the only saver not a loose or tight one
Riding Gears: Riding Pants (Rs. 5000 to Rs.15000) or Knee Guards (Rs. 1000 to 4000)
1. Buy them according to the temperatures and humidity you expect for most of your rides
2. Fitting is again important
3. A relatively cheaper alternate to full riding pants are knee-guards or knee protectors
4. knee-guards provide strategic protection to the vulnerable knee joint area
5. Made of hard polymers, either with a flexible hinge or pivoted to provide for knee rotation, these should be a tight fit around the leg to be useful
Riding Gears: Gloves (Rs. 500 to 2000)
1. Right fit for your fingers
2. Inner seams should also be well bound
3. Leather again is the best but good synthetics with re-enforcing inserts over knuckles and finger joints protect equally well
4. Double stitched seams provide for greater durability
5. Check for ventilation for warm weather rides
Riding Gears: Footwear (Rs. 2500 to 15000)
1. Thick padded materiel for the upper and a strong and thick sole are mandatory for a good riding shoe
2. The sole should also provide good grip over the footrests even when wet
3. The sole should also provide good grip over the footrests even when wet
4. The shoe should also provide some resistance to lateral rotation of the ankle joint
5. In fact, a good protective riding boot will not be all that comfortable for walking as it restricts flexion at the extreme angles to protect the foot from damage during a bad fall.
Riding Gears: Rain Suits (Rs. 500 to 2000)
1. Usually, good riding jackets and pants come with water-proofing
2. Buy ones that are bright in colour, preferable with a reflective coating for better visibility
3. Silicone rubber coated fabrics are cheap and good and last enough to provide one their money’s worth
4. The only downside of most rain-gear is that it doesn’t breathe and you get wet inside owing to sweat and condensation of trapped moisture
5. Breathable water-proof fabrics are expensive but a far more comfortable option though.
#ATGATT (All The Gear All The Time)
Compiled by Varun Singh Dewal, RT Admin, Hyderabad!
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