Helmet

A motorcycle helmet is the single most crucial piece of safety equipment a rider may wear. In the case of an accident, most impacts to motorcyclists’ helmets hit the front side of the helmet, it’s not worth considering hitting your head on the tarmac without a helmet.

Helmets are made to absorb impacts and disperse them evenly over the head, lessening the force felt in any one particular region. Additionally, they’ll aid in lowering wind noise, saving your hearing over time, and preventing insects from landing in your eyes and face.

When buying a helmet, make sure it has the appropriate safety ratings for the UK. Helmets sold in the United Kingdom must comply with either British Standard BS 6658:1985, have the BSI Kitemark, or UNECE Regulation 22.05, as indicated by a sticker on the helmet.

When purchasing a helmet, make sure it has the appropriate safety ratings. A helmet that fits properly and snugly to your head is essential; an ill-fitting helmet can shift around and not protect the rider’s head in an accident.

The easiest way to guarantee a helmet fits properly is to try it on and observe if the inside lining fits snugly around your head, the top pad fits securely around your skull, and the cheek pads press on your cheeks.

Gloves

Riding a motorcycle without gloves is essentially saying you don’t enjoy having fingers. Consider every time you’ve fallen over; what is your natural instinct? Of course, it’s to extend your hands in front of you.

Therefore, a good pair of gloves is vital for you to protect your hands and fingers in the event of an accident. Gloves should be well-fitting with armour on the palms of the hands and fingers, be made of abrasion-resistant materials such as leather, and have strong stitching.

It’s also important to take into consideration the type of riding you will be doing and if you require your gloves to be waterproof.

Jacket

Jackets are incredibly diverse and can be made of a variety of materials, such as textile and leather, and with multiple styling types, such as racing, adventure, and commuting, it can be difficult to decide which jacket you’d prefer.

It’s a good idea to inspect the armour within a jacket, from the shoulder, hip, and elbow protectors to the back protector, and see if it can be removed or replaced with a more robust choice if you believe it won’t be enough.

If you plan to ride all year, it may be a good idea to invest in a jacket with a removable inner layer for the hot summer months that can be easily removed once the weather cools down.

Waterproofing is also important if you may find yourself stuck in the rain, alternatively, if you only want to ride on warm summer days, then be on the lookout for a jacket with perforations to let air in.

Boots

Motorcycle boots are more crucial than many people realise because they are the primary point of contact between a rider and the ground, and the weight of the motorcycle will pass through the rider’s feet when supporting it at traffic signals and petrol stations. Boots with grippy bottoms will allow them to hold the floor, protecting your motorcycle and your ego if you flip and fall over.

Because they are close to the ground, feet and ankles are more likely to get hurt in an accident. It is important to have ankle protection that makes it less likely that the ankle will twist and cause serious damage.

When shopping for boots, consider how waterproof they are, as well as the height of the boots.

There are numerous styles available, ranging from sports shoes to boots that seem more like conventional shoes to bulkier, bigger boots.

Pants

Motorcycle trousers are a piece of equipment that is often overlooked, especially in the heat of summer when people believe that because it’s hot, wearing shorts will still protect their knees and legs in an accident. A word of advice, they won’t.

Did you know that it takes just 0.5 seconds for denim to wear through to your bare skin when sliding down the street? Wearing proper equipment can save you a world of pain in the event of an accident.

Many companies have developed Kevlar jeans over the past few years, which are armoured jeans designed to be used on motorcycles. These jeans can withstand a whopping 11 seconds of sliding on the tarmac but still look like normal jeans.

If riding jeans aren’t your style, there are numerous options out there for riders, from leather to textile pants, waterproof to perforated. There is something for everyone.

What is legally required?

Legally, the only item required for use on a motorcycle in the United Kingdom is the helmet, which means you could wear a helmet and your underwear and be allowed to ride at 70 mph on the motorway, which we strongly advise against unless you’re okay with being peeled off the tarmac in the event of an accident.

We use the saying “dress for the slide, not the ride” quite a lot. It doesn’t matter how warm it is or if it’s raining or not; dress for the slide you may have when riding and not the ride you are about to go on.

Prices

Motorcycle gear can vary in price as you go through the brands, with the top gear costing thousands of pounds if you are looking at full, one-piece suits with airbags.

Although it doesn’t have to be this expensive, we recommend looking into second-hand gear if possible, making sure it hasn’t been damaged in a crash beforehand. A second-hand pair of gloves won’t save you much money if some of the fingers have been torn open, or a pair of boots have the soles worn through.

It’s important to note that you should never buy a used helmet; while it may appear fine on the surface, you never know what happened to it; it could’ve been dropped or banged around, posing a safety risk to yourself.

Generally, the price of gear will set you back £1000, excluding a helmet, if you want to go for top-of-the-range gear. However, if you are on a budget, £200 will still afford you some great equipment.

In regards to a helmet, the prices vary from £30 to £1500+ and depend on your budget and needs. If you’re just commuting to and from work, a £1000 AGV Pista GP RR may be overkill.

It’s generally good advice to invest as much as you feel comfortable investing in a helmet. Many may say that a £600 Arai is the only option to go for, while others are happy using a £100 entry-level helmet.

You can use the SHARP website here to check out the safety ratings of a prospective helmet.