A Beginners Guide To Motorcycle Gear

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Just getting started riding motorcycles? Here’s everything you need to know about riding gear — helmets, jackets, gloves, boots and such — in one digestible package.

One of the most frequent enquiries we get here at RideApart isn’t about which motorcycle to buy or how to learn to ride, but what gear to buy and wear once you’ve accomplished all that. Here’s the info you need to make smart decisions, to be more comfortable, safer and, hopefully, save some money in the process.

Why You Need Good Gear

The fastest human in the world is Ussain Bolt. During the 100 meter sprint, he peaks at 27.78mph. If he falls going that speed, he’ll likely sustain serious injury. The human body simply didn’t evolve to go any faster, which is why even falling off a horse (Guinness World Record top speed: 43.97mph) can lead to death.

On a motorcycle, you’re going to be travelling much faster. Even around town you’ll be hitting 50mph or more and, on the highway, you may find yourself exceeding 85mph. Your skin, bones and organs were not designed to withstand impacts at those speeds.

Then there’s the question of abrasion. As a general rule of thumb, figuring the average road surface, you can expect to lose one millimeter of flesh for every mile-an-hour you’re going over 30 when you crash. No, we don’t know why the thumb mixed empirical and metric units. So, at the top speed of that horse, you’ll have lost 1.4cm (or over half an inch) of skin and muscle. Where on your body can you afford to lose that much? And that’s at only 44mph. What if you crash at 70 and lose an inch and a half? We’re talking serious, life threatening injuries from abrasion alone.

Then there’s the weather. What if it’s kinda cold out? Even at, say, a 50 degree (F) ambient temperature, windchill at 55mph is going to make it feel like it’s 25 degrees out. So from the kind of temperature in which you need a light sweater, to the kind of cold where you want long undies and a down jacket. Getting wet would compound that much further.

Gear can even help when it’s hot by better allowing your body’s natural evaporative cooling effect to take place. Under constant wind blast, the sweat is blown off your skin too quickly for it to have a cooling effect. Put on a jacket, helmet, boots, gloves and pants, however, and your body is free to cool itself as designed.

Luckily, mankind has achieved through science what evolution has failed to provide — clothing that protects you from accidents, the elements and makes riding an easier, more comfortable experience.

Helmets

According to a study published by Dietmar Otte, 45% of all impacts to motorcycle helmets occur around the face, in an area not covered by open-face or ¾-type helmets. You really, really, really want to be wearing a full-face helmet. As an added bonus, they’ll keep the wind out of your eyes and bugs out of your teeth too.

Helmets typicaly have a five year life. After that, the glue and whatnot used to bond layers of the EPS impact absorption material (precisely tailored densities of Styrofoam) begin to degrade, impacting safety.

Like the crumple zone in a car, helmets are also designed to destroy themselves in a crash, thereby dissipating the energy that would otherwise be transferred to your head. Sometimes, a helmet can experience a crash without external signs of damage, but still sustain unseen effects. To ensure that your helmet is fully capable of protecting you, always buy a new helmet from a reputable retailer and then treat it like a baby, never allowing it to fall to the ground or otherwise be damaged.

Street helmets look like this.

Dirt helmets look like this. You wear them with goggles. Yes, they do protect your face, but that pronounced chin may exaggerate torsional forces in a crash. They’ll also be noisy and unstable at highway speeds. Choose the right helmet for the kind of riding you plan to do.

To be legally worn on the road in America, any motorcycle helmet must be marked with a DOT-approved sticker. You’ll see those affixed prominently on the back.

That’s just a minimal legal standard though. Two other certifications compete for your dollar by promising greater safety, both legally voluntary in the United States. “ECE 22.05” is the European Union’s legal standard, while there’s also something called “Snell” which is popular with a couple large helmet manufacturers here in the States. Avoid Snell-rated helmets if you have an abnormally small (as in a child or smaller woman) or large head; until recently, Snell didn’t acknowledge that different size heads have different weights, so the impact absorption material may not be properly spec’d to reduce impact forces.

If you want the best possible safety, simply opt for an ECE 22.05-rated helmet. Every single racer in MotoGP (the top level of motorcycle sport) chooses to wear an ECE-rated helmet and they tend to be lighter and more able to prevent concussions than their Snell equivalent.

And you don’t need to spend a ton of cash to get the safest possible helmet. We love the Icon Airmada, which has some of the best ventilation you can find in any helmet, is built to the ECE 22.05 standard and starts at just $180 for plain colors.

Like other affordable helmets, the Airmada uses a plastic shell. More expensive ones use more expensive materials for shell construction like a fiberglass/Kevlar/carbon fiber weave. This can make them lighter, but does not make them any safer. Spending up to a very expensive helmet nets you things like paint quality, fancy graphics and fancier ventilation, not added safety. Most of what you’re paying for is brand.

The shape and size of every person’s head is unique. You need to find a helmet that fits you perfectly, sizes and shapes vary heavily between manufacturers and models. To determine your shape and size, visit a large brick-and-mortar retailer and try on every helmet you can. You’ll know one fits when it evenly holds your head all the way around, with no pressure points. Put it on, grasp the chin and try to rotate the helmet while resisting the movement with your head. The helmet shouldn’t be able to rotate independently of your scalp. It should fit snugly, but not be too tight.

RevZilla has a no-hassle return policy. Allowing you to try different items of gear on and, if they don’t fit, exchange them for stuff that does.

Other considerations to bear in mind are weight, noise and aerodynamics. You’ll find those addressed in motorcycle helmet reviews.

Jackets

A jacket covers the other stuff on your body that’s fragile and important. Arms, back, ribs, organs, all that fun stuff. You absolutely must choose a motorcycle-specific jacket for purposes of both safety and comfort. “Fashion” leather jackets and similar are not made to withstand either the windblast or crashes that real motorcycle jackets are built to deal with.

Motorcycle jackets fall into two categories: leather and textile. High quality textile materials like 1000 denier Cordura are able to resist abrasion as strongly as leather, while typically coming equipped with Gore-Tex or other water-resistant membranes capable of keeping you dry in bad weather. Leather looks the way you’d expect a classic “biker” to look though and jackets made from it typically last longer and fit more closely to the body. Textile jackets are often more affordable.

Both motorcycle-specific leather and textile jackets come with all sorts of features you won’t find elsewhere. Seams are doubled up multiple times to protect the stitching from abrasion and increase strength against bursting. They’re designed to fit snugly in high-speed wind blast. They can seal out cold air or let in cooling air via vents.

They also have body armor — impact absorbing material that cushions your most vulnerable parts in a crash. In order to be effective, that armor should come with a “CE” safety rating. You want it in the elbows, shoulders and back. Some jackets also fit chest protectors to protect your ribs, heart and lungs. Again, look for that “CE” rating, many jackets cut costs by simply including a piece of foam in place of a real back protector. Often, there’s a pocket shaped to fit a real back protector sold by the same company.

You want that jacket to fit snugly, but leave your arms free to articulate fully. Consider the style of bike you ride and choose a jacket cut to work in its riding position. Sport Bikes require you to hunch over, requiring some extra articulation for a jacket to be comfortable on them.

Then, think about what kind of weather you’ll most frequently be riding in. Jackets made from mesh, perforated leather or with lots of zip-open vents are good for warm weather, but not the cold or wet and vice versa.

Some jackets feature zippers around the bottom enabling them to connect to a pair of riding pants, forming a suit. Doing so better seals out the elements and helps the whole thing stay on in a crash, but those zippers often require matching tops and bottoms from the same company, sized correctly, to work.

Pants

Denim jeans will not protect you in a motorcycle accident. No ifs, ands or butts.

Jeans that are either made from or include Kevlar panels offer slightly more abrasion resistance, but are still a compromise, offering nothing like the protection of a true pair of riding pants.

Like jackets, pants are available in leather or textile materials and should be equipped with CE-rated armor in the hips, shins and knees. They should fit snugly, but comfortable and allow full leg articulation. Try them on a bike, in a riding position close to that of your own to determine if they’ll work.

If you want to zip pants to your jacket, make sure the manufacturer advertises the compatibility of the pair. Identical names are a good hint here, but look a the circumference of the zipper (does it wrap fully around your waist or only partially) for a good idea of whether or not it will work. Again, you’ll typically need pants and jacket from the same manufacturer for this to work.

Boots

Most street bikes weigh more than 350lbs. Frequently, they’re much heavier. You’ll need to support that weight and your own through your legs, ankles and feet on slippery, uneven, unpredictable surfaces. For that reason alone, a sturdy pair of boots with oil-resistant, non-slip soles and good ankle support should be considered a minimum.

Your feet and ankles are also very vulnerable in a crash, so you’ll want to protect them. To see what will happen to your feet in a crash in a given pair of footwear, grasp them by the toe and heal and twist. If the result doesn’t look like your foot would survive intact, then it probably won’t.

In a riding boot, you want soles that prevent that twisting. Frequently, that’s accomplished with a metal plate running through the sole. Strong heal and toe boxes also help lock your feet in and reduce the force of impacts to those areas. Armor over the ankle and shin protects those areas.

Any boot considered for riding a motorcycle should lace tightly to a point above the ankle. Anything less and it will likely fly off in an accident, offering zero protection.

Gloves

Your hands are an awesome combination of extreme fragility combined with utter necessity. You need them to do stuff and they’re also the first thing to touch down in any crash. So you need to protect them. Motorcycle gloves should fully cover your fingers, palm, the back of your hands and your wrists. There should be significant overlap between glove and jacket so that you never see any skin exposed between the two.

In order for a glove to remain on your hand in a crash, it needs a retention strap around the wrist. Consider this feature a minimum entry point for any riding glove. After that, you want to look for strong, abrasion-resistant materials and strong, protected stitching. Materials like Kevlar are often spec’d for the stitching for their ability to resist abrasion and bursting.

Last, but not least is armor. While most motorcycle gloves spec armor for the knuckles, it’s actually the base of your palm that will impact in nearly any crash and which needs protection the most. Look for materials here that will slide rather than catch on the pavement and which can provide some impact protection. Armor anywhere else is welcome, but can cause the glove to bind or pinch your hand as you grip the controls. Make sure any glove you chose allows you to operate the controls on your bike unimpeded.

Suits

There’s nothing like a full, head-to-toe motorcycle suit for comfort and protection from both crashes and the elements. But, they also tend to be very expensive.

A good way to get started on a budget, is with a jacket and pants that zip together. This will allow you greater flexibility in the way you wear it, for instance allowing you to wear the jacket alone for a short trip, or zip into the full suit when it’s more appropriate.

One-piece suits typically allow more flexibility and movement than two-pieces, but at the expense of that versatility.

Same advice on armor and materials as the above items.

The most versatile, highest quality suit on the market is the Aerostich Roadcrafter, which, aided by a head-to-toe zipper, allows you to zip into and out of full protection in under 15 seconds, all while wearing your regular streetwear underneath. It’s appropriate for commuters, tourers, adventure riding and pretty much everything else, but isn’t as appropriate as a one-piece leather suit for sport riding. Starting at just $727, it may even be more affordable than some jacket/pants combinations. Aerostich uses proprietary armor which isn’t CE-rated, but is an exception to the rule in that it’s still as safe as can be.

Armor

As mentioned above, motorcycle body armor protects you from impacts by absorbing energy that would otherwise be transferred to your joints, limbs and body.

Whether purchase separately or included in an item of riding gear, you want it to fit snugly in a manner which won’t see it shift or move around in a crash. It should be comfortable and not restrict movement in any way. Also think about its area of coverage, you want it to cover as much of you as possible. Some cheaper elbow protectors, for instance, don’t extend very far down your forearm while the real quality stuff does. Back protectors should cover everything from your coccyx to the base of your neck.

Those back protectors are available in two levels of safety: CE1 and CE2. CE1 is the less safe of the two, but protectors made to that lower standard are often lighter, more flexible, cheaper and breathe better. Protection you wear more often is better protection.

You can often upgrade the armor in an item of riding gear by ordering superior, but more expensive items and retrofitting them. To do this, check to see if the item of clothing features removable armor in Velcro pockets or similar. Because not all armor is of the same shape and size, ordering it from the same manufacturer as the item of clothing is typically necessary.

The most frequent upgrade you’ll perform is to the back protector. If you feel that your jacket or suit’s is sub-par, you can fit a better one in the pocket or simply opt for a strap-on item which you wear separately, under the jacket or suit. Strap-on protectors typically cover a greater portion of your body.

Etc

Other things to consider when thinking about riding gear are long underwear, earplugs and eye protection.

Long underwear is available in both summer and winter versions, the former working with your natural cooling process to better facilitate moisture wicking, keeping you cool and sweat-free. If you’re trying to stay warm, look for long undwear made with a wind-resistant membrane such as Gore Wind Stopper. You’ll be surprised at how many drafts get inside your gear in cold weather. Extend this protection to your feet, hands and head and neck to reap its full benefits.

The inside of a motorcycle helmet is as loud as a jet engine at highway speeds, so you’ll want to wear earplugs to maximize comfort and preserve your hearing over time. The RideApart staff swears by Howard Leight Max Lite earplugs, which are both comfortable and affordable.

You’ll likely also want to protect your eyes from glare and the sun. Wearing sunglasses inside a helmet can be tricky, so a tinted visor is the best option. You’ll need one specifically designed to fit your helmet. Always carry a clear visor with you if there’s even a slight chance you’ll be out after dark. Wearing a tinted visor at night is extremely dangerous, reducing your vision to an extreme degree.

Conclusion

Riding a motorcycle exposes you to extreme risk, variations in weather and requires your full concentration and physical ability. Luckily, motorcycle gear is available that can keep you safe in a crash, comfortable in any weather condition and it even reduces fatigue. As such, it should be considered a vital necessity when riding a motorcycle. Factor its cost into the overall price of purchasing a bike. There’s no such thing as not being able to afford good gear, reduce the price of the bike you’re buying until you can afford to buy the helmet, jacket, gloves, pants and boots necessary to ride it.

One of the things you’re buying into is also the motorcycle family. We’re here to help. Consider the comments section below an open invitation to ask us anything related to motorcycle gear. No question is stupid, no question is unwelcome, just ask it and we’ll help. Have we forgotten anything? Let us know about that too please, we really want this to be a one-stop resource for new riders.

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Motorcycles As Mancation

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Wilderness Collective, a new company in California, promises “epic adventures for men.” We tagged along on their very first trip, riding dual-sports through the Sierra Nevada Mountains, from Sequioa to Yosemite National Parks.

The vault was located 50 feet below ground, in a building that used to store the government’s gold. A bartender stood in a nook at one end, pouring whiskey cocktails while 14 men gathered around a long table for a brisket dinner.

Four had come from Florida, three brothers in their 20s and their father. Two friends in their 50s from Utah, fresh off the plane in khakis and collared shirts. Two from Texas, a 40-year old ad exec and his father. The rest were Wildnerness Collective guides.

All had gathered here, in this secret meeting place, for one purpose — two-wheeled adventure.

An air of secrecy pervaded matters. We knew we were riding dirt bikes and we knew roughly where, but after finishing dinner, surrendering any and all digital devices, then climbing into a van for a trip of indeterminate length through the night, the rest was left for us to discover it as it happened.

After hours on the highway, then an awful long ways up a twisty road into the dark mountains, we arrived at a campsite. The last people along the way were a pair of trucks full of coon hounds, braying as we passed. Well after midnight, each guest was issued a tent, then left to put it up on their own.

Awaiting us when the sun rose was a roaring campfire surrounded by matching camp chairs, resting on each a large gear bag printed with our names. Matching helmets, jackets, boots and gloves were found in each. Personal effects had to fit into the small, supplied backpacks. There was room for a couple pairs of underwear, socks, a t-shirt or two and some water. This was very much an exercise in letting material things go.

Behind the fire was a row of matching red Hondas. Mostly XR650Ls, but a few CRF250Ls were interspersed as well. A chef got pheasant sausages on the go while craft coffee was handed around. We packed up, suited up, then followed the WC guide out of camp, still not knowing what to expect.

Through the giant redwoods and northwards out of the park, Wilderness Collective had spent weeks charting a course that was pretty much all of road, winding its way up the forested slopes of the Western Sierras.

A motorcycle license was a prerequisite for the trip. The least experienced rider, the middle of the wild pack of miscreants that quickly became known as The Florida Boys, had gotten his license just three weeks before, specifically to come along. The most experienced was probably Hal, who commutes through Houston on a Triumph Scrambler. Riding dirt bikes up and down mountain passes, through glades of Giant Sequoias, was a new experience for everyone.

And that did mean some crashes. Ruts caught front tires and the steep descents got the better of steeper learning curves. But because this was off-road and because the technical nature of the trails kept speeds down, injuries were limited to bruises.

Probably the biggest scare of the first day came when a blind corner revealed an extremely large, one-horned bull who just didn’t seem too scared of a pack of identically-dressed dirt bikers. “Has anyone noticed all the bikes we’re riding are bright red?” pointed out a Florida Boy that works as a master dive instructor back home.

The bull eventually took a side trail and we eventually found ourselves at a swimming hole in one of the rivers that snake their way down out of the high peaks to the east out to the sea, far to the west. It was even colder than you’re picturing.

Camp that night was tucked away by a little stream in the middle of nowhere. WC’s chef whipped up the kind of meal that you’d more commonly see served on a white linen table cloth while the rest of us reclined around the fire, drinking pre-mixed Negronis. Someone who hadn’t seen it before asked if that was the Milky Way. Indeed it was, this far out there, you could really see the stars.

But there were no stars in the next night’s campsite, located in a grove of Sequoias; the massive trees completely obscured the sky. As we drew nearer to Yosemite, the terrain had gotten more mountaineous and rugged. “Stay a far to the right as possible, hug the cliff face” we were warned at one point. Good advice, because it was at least a thousand feet straight down on the left.

We’d encountered two other vehicles that day, both minivans. One was a long ways up rutted, potholed ascent. Further up than you’d have given it credit for, it was nonetheless permanently stuck and had, subsequently, been shot up and partially disassembled. A mule car for the illegal marijuana grows that exist in the most remote parts of these mountains, the thinking went.

The second minivan was in motion, driven by a surly local who, judging by his weaving, was either off-his-face wasted or actively trying to prevent us passing as we rode up “his” fire road. A quick pass through the bushes and he was blocked as everyone else roared pass. He just stewed angrily at the prospect of 14 angry bikers.

Lunch that day was served on the shore of a wide river. An old railroad bridge ran across it, making a perfect diving board for (off)road weary travelers.

The biggest incident of the trip came when of the guys sent his 250 flying down a steep embankment. The bike was barely scratched and he was fine, so out came some tow rope and four men managed to haul the bike back up the slope.

After a “shortcut” through an OHV park and its challenging trails, the last day’s riding ended mid-morning. There’s no off-road riding in Yosemite National park, so the 35-ish miles from entrance to the epic overlook up top had to be accomplished on tarmac. The views along the way were so nice that no one seemed to mind. No one dared speak it, but the sense of relief that the challenge had finally been met was palpable. The Tunnel View Overlook, with its panoramic views of Yosemite Valley beyond, provided a suitably epic backdrop for the trip’s conclusion.

A long van ride back to Los Angeles and we reconvened for late night sausage and beer at Wurstkuche. The topic around the table was wasn’t so much stories from the trip, but plans for the next and how the experience would alter everyone’s day-to-day life from that point on. Emerging from the wilderness sometimes provides the best perspective on civilization.

Should you go on a Wilderness Collective trip? Well, they are expensive. But in the same way going deep sea fishing or flying somewhere warm to play golf is expensive. And you’re going to have a much bigger adventure with WC, out in the middle of nowhere, than you’re every going to get on the back nine.

The trip had much more to offer over my standard weekend of dirt biking than just fancy cocktails and good food. The company and the camaraderie certainly add to the experience and WC does a great job of really getting you off the beaten path and in making the real outdoors accessible, without removing any of the danger or experience that makes it worth seeking out in the first place.

Having said that, Wilderness Collective isn’t catering to experts seeking to get the most out of their expertise. Its about making an epic experience like this accessible to people who wouldn’t normally find themselves riding dirt bikes in the shadow of a giant sequoia. Or sailing tiny trimarans through the Channel Islands. That’s where they are as I write this. As someone who hasn’t sailed in years, I’ve felt a palpable sense of envy all weekend. If you want an outdoor experience way, way outside your norm, Wilderness Collective is where you’ll find it.

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Reinventing The Montgomery Motorcycle

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A famous British motorcycle name from the past could be on its way back thanks to a southern California company, which has ambitious plans to begin making and selling Montgomery motorcycles again.

Photos: Anne Watson

Mark Williams and Blake Washington co-founded their business, the Montgomery Motorcycle Company, two years ago. They own the name, trademark and the rights to what was once considered a very exclusive British bike company. The pair hope that within the next 12 months to have a motorcycle on sale again bearing the Montgomery name after an absence of more than 60 years.

Montgomery Motorcycle Company opened its doors last November in San Clemente, in a former transmission shop. That shop was set up by former construction company owner Williams and Washington, who is a friend of Williams’ son, after they started building motorcycles together.

“I worked in the construction industry for many years for most of the well known studios up in Hollywood, building studios and film sets including the Baja California lot for the 1997 film ‘Titanic,’” explains Williams. “But I have always had a passion for motorcycles, particularly the old British bikes.”

“Blake and I decided about three years ago to build a bobber together and things just grew from there. We bought an old BSA 650, oil-in-frame, and started working on it and fabricating parts and were really pleased with the way it started to turn out. We thought, ‘hang on a minute we could start building and selling our own bikes’ so we began looking for premises.”

At the same time they looked to see what they could call their motorcycle and discovered that the Montgomery name was available and they bought the trademark and rights to this once famous British company.

Originally Montgomery was a manufacturing and engineering firm that was created in Hertfordshire, England, in 1913. It became known for being innovative and producing interesting, high quality motorcycles. Company founder William Montgomery is credited with creating the first motorcycle sidecar and also raced his own Montgomery sidecar combination in the 1923 Isle of Man TT.

A 1934 Montgomery De Luxe.

The company’s first bike in 1913 was a flat twin using a Morton & Weaver engine, but all other parts with a few exceptions were designed and made in-house. Montgomery specialized in developing its own frames and forks and earned an enviable reputation for the quality of its work even leading to Brough Motorcycles – makers of the iconic Brough Superior – using Montgomery frames on its bikes.

During the 1930s, Montgomery continued to make quality two-stroke and four-stroke motorcycles, culminating in the Montgomery Greyhound – a 680cc V-Twin. But, the outbreak of the Second World War brought production to a halt and the company ceased trading.

“When we were looking for the right name we specifically wanted something that reflected the nostalgia element. Something that was from the classic era of British motorcycles and Montgomery seemed to be the perfect fit. Like us, it was a company that used other people’s engines but developed its own frames and forks,” says Williams.

The first Montgomery motorcycle is still in prototype form and sits in the Montgomery Motorcycle Co. showroom, but Williams hope that this year they will start to build the first Montgomery production bike.

“We have used a 1970s BSA oil-in-frame as it’s easy to work with, readily available and we can alter it to suit our needs,” says Williams. “We have fabricated the tank and got a look we really like and created the bars similar to those you would expect on a vintage motorcycle and used a leaf spring front suspension with a hard tail rear end. The next stage is to get the bike up and running, but we have been somewhat distracted with getting Montgomery Motorcycle Company underway.”

Aside from wanting to build and sell their own motorcycles, Williams and Washington have opened a shop that specializes in buying, selling and servicing classic British and American bikes. They opened the doors to the Montgomery Motorcycle Co. store last year and it’s a place that has a really cool vintage environment selling retro gear and with a wide range of classic bikes for sale, from a 1924 Indian Scout, a 1950 Triumph 500 Trophy, to a1971 BSA Lightning.

“We kept a lot of features from the old transmission shop such as the old lifts that are now coffee tables in the customer area of the showroom, but basically it’s a new building with a classic feel. We specialize in selling older British and American motorcycles, but will consider any motorcycle if it’s interesting.”

“We got so busy selling and sourcing vintage bikes and inundated in the service department, where we’ll work on any bike up to 2013, that our plans to build a Montgomery motorcycle took a bit of a back seat,” explains Williams.

With the store now up and running Williams and Washington feel they are back on track and plan to start sorting and developing the rolling prototype of their first Montgomery motorcycle. They hope by the end of this year to have a production Montgomery model up and running.

“If someone came in today and wanted us to build them a Montgomery,” says Williams “We think we could do it within three to six months. Our aim is to make only a limited run of around 10 in total. All will use the BSA oil-in-frame set up, which we will develop, and there will be certain things on the bike that will be distinctly Montgomery like the front end leaf suspension and forks, bars and risers and the tank design.”

“Customers will get to choose either a BSA or Triumph 650cc engine but they are ostensibly the same motor. Thereafter we will fabricate anything the customer wants to make the Montgomery their bike.”

Montgomery Motorcycle Co has the capability and skills to fabricate everything in-house and will build all the Montgomery bikes at its San Clemente store.

Aside from the Montgomery, Williams and Washington also have plans to build a road legal ‘board racer’ style motorized bicycle similar to a 1910-1915 Indian. The engine would be a 2hp v-twin and could cost around $4,500.

“We’re serious about this project too,” added Williams. “We think there would be a lot of interest in having a road legal motorized bicycle that looks like something from the early 20th century. It could be a lot of fun.”

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Watch MotoCzysz And Mugen Race TT Zero

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This week, MotoCzysz captured its 4th consecutive victory at the Isle of Man’s TT Zero, narrowly beating the $4.5 million Mugen Shinden Ni. Here, go on board with John McGuinness on the Mugen and Michael Rutter as he wins aboard the E1pc.

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Jamie Robinson Does Baja…On A Bicycle

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Needed any more evidence that Jamie has a screw loose? His latest adventure see’s bolt a bicycle to the back of a KLR and embark for Baja, Mexico.

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Crash Tested: Stylish Safety Gear

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Our friend Scott is what most people would consider a stylish young man. The other day, he had a 70mph get off in the kind of gear that works almost as well on a bike as it does in a bar. Did the skinny jeans and the armor he stitched into a jacket himself actually hold up? — Ed.

So What Happened?

Well, I’ll start this off by saying I’ve been riding for a good number of years now. Anytime I’ve gone down I can’t say I wasn’t asking for it in some regard, whether that’s on a track, in a canyon, or hitting jumps in the dirt. I’d have to say this is one that could happen to anyone and it’s not one you can plan for. That being said, this is the exact kind of situation in which you need to rely on quality safety gear.

I was riding down Los Angeles’ 110 freeway on a Saturday. Very little traffic, beautiful weather, everything flowing nicely. One of those days that’s great on two wheels. My exit is coming up, so I make my way over to the slow lane with about a mile to go. Next vehicle in front of me is quite a ways ahead. As I check my rear view mirror there is a sudden pile up in front of me. The moment I look back up, all I see is the back of an SUV. I don’t know if I even had time to use my brakes before the impact. It was simply that fast.

When I hit the back of the SUV, I was traveling approximately 70mph. After the first impact, I flew over the top and to the side, doing a big front flip. I landed square on my back slid to a stop, traffic screeching to a halt and swerving in every direction. As I lay in the road, I couldn’t breath, I couldn’t move. Within a few moments shallow breaths come back and I’m able to pick myself up off the road. To my complete surprise (and that of the responding firefighters) I am relatively unharmed. Now lets talk about the gear and how that might have happened.

Helmet: AFX-39

This thing lists for $129.95 MSRP. I picked this up recently for dual sporting trips, but it’s a surprisingly nice helmet and fun to wear, especially in pleasant weather. It carries a DOT safety rating and more importantly ECE 22.05, which is good enough for MotoGP. It most certainly did its job, taking a good amount of abrasion on the and sides. A long portion in the rear of the helmet also kept my head up as I slid on my back. In the end, no headache or concussions in a 70mph impact.

Will I buy again? Definitely.

Jacket: All Saints Leather Jacket

This is what I would refer to as “fashion leather”, not the thickest or tuffest stuff you’ll find. The strength of the stitching, while high quality is questionable when considering the kind of forces you’ll experience in a motorcycle crash. Hell For Leather did a great piece on adding proper armor to jackets. I took that idea added D3O armor which is light and flexible but stiffens on impact. Not the armor you’ll find in a race suit, but a nice compromise. The D3O was stitched into the shoulders and elbows. Two points that are almost guaranteed to take some heavy hits when you go down. I kept meaning to put a back protector in but never got around to it. Take it from me, do it. My back is what I landed on after hitting the car and let me tell you, I hit it hard and fast. I really wish I had some protection there. I had some bruising that was about as deep as you can go before it becomes a hematoma (large pocket of blood under the skin). While the leather saved me terrible and certain road rash from the rough asphalt, I still sustained some rash which wasn’t pleasant as it healed. If the leather was thicker or there was a back protector there I doubt I would have any at all. As the photo shows, the leather actually tore on the right side. I’m assuming the stress of sliding so hard on the left slide was too much, causing it to tear on the right. If this were a proper motorcycle jacket that wouldn’t have happened. Luckily no injuries were sustained from this, but luck is a big theme in this story.

Will I buy again? No. It did it’s job for the most part and I am thankful for that, but it also failed in some big ways. I’m opting for something with proper, thick motorcycle leather. You can get this in a classic look from brands like Schott, Vanson, and Lewis to name a few. Having good armor in the right spots made a big difference but that’s only half of it.

Pants: Deth Killers Asphalt Resistant Jeans

These jeans are a great fit, thick denim with kevlar woven in. I’ve really loved these jeans and run through just about everything you could imagine in the past year, now including a crash. I’ve waxed them for added weather protection. As you can see they did a really phenomenal job. Zero rash. That’s the exact effect we’re looking for. I had some seam splitting on the opposite leg same as the leather in the jacket. No injuries were suffered from this so while it’s not the best thing, they still did their job and I plan on repairing and continuing to wear these.

Will I buy again? Yes, love these jeans. Worked great.

Boots: All Saints Leather Boots

These aren’t quite a motorcycle boot per say, but a compromise. They’re 1) sturdy, 2) made of quality thick leather, and 3) cover the ankle. But that’s about where the protection ends. While they offer resistance from abrasion they don’t offer anything for impact or keeping your foot from twisting in a tumble. A very common injury that can cause quite a bit of damage, fast. In the photos you can see that the left boot has some heavy scratches. I did hit my ankle coming down and that caused a good amount of bruising and left me with a slight limp that’s still with me a week later. If I were wearing proper motorcycle boots that would have not be the case.

Will I buy again: While there was definitely some luck involved here, they still did a good job of keeping my feet pretty protected. A proper motorcycle boot would have prevent any injury whatsoever.

Summary

There’s certainly a lot to consider when choosing what to wear before you throw a leg over a bike. Whether that’s at a race track, a fast canyon, daily commute to work, or a run to the grocery store. Each rider must educate themselves across the spectrum of safety gear and understand what’s best for them, weighing the pros and cons of each choice. That being said, I feel incredibly lucky to have sustained the minimal amount of injury that I did in what’s considered a potentially deadly accident. I’m lucky, but also grateful for the protection I had. No two crashes are ever the same, but hopefully this gave some perspective on the different kinds of protection available and how they perform in a real world accident.

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