When it comes to protecting yourself and your motorcycle, safety is always paramount. Motorcycles differ greatly from cars, even beyond not being wrapped in a steel cage. Environmental hazards can be just as dangerous to a motorcycle rider as the other drivers on the road. Thus a rider must take all the factors into account before starting up and riding out. What you wear, how you wear it and the maintenance of the bike, all count towards being safe while riding. Regardless of the style of bike, there are ways to save you and your motorcycle.

Safety Check First

Before going into the motorcycle gear that can save your life, the very first thing to protect yourself and your bike is to always do a basic safety check before riding. Start with checking your tires, make sure they have the correct amount of pressure. Low tire pressure can be dangerous for any bike. Make sure all flashers and the head light is working properly. Make sure the chain or belt is at the correct tension and make sure all mirrors are correct before riding out. Taking an extra few minutes before riding can save yourself a lot of trouble and at the very least might prevent a ticket for a non functioning light. 

Wear A Helmet

By far one of the most important pieces of gear is a helmet. According to the National Transportation and Safety Board, most fatal bike accidents occur over 37 miles per hour. At all speeds a helmet is designed to reduce the force of an impact on your head. Even a half helmet is better than no helmet but each helmet should be DOT certified. Some claim that a helmet detracts from the experience of riding. If that is true, it is still better to be safe than sorry.

Wear Gloves

Behind the helmet, gloves are vitally important to the rider\’s safety. Using the right gloves for the season can make the difference between a serious injury and one that you can walk away from. In fact, using the wrong gloves could potentially cause an accident by not allowing you to grip the throttle or brake when you really need to. The natural instinct is to brace with your hands. Gloves help protect your hands during an impact. 

Chest Protection

Be it a vest or jacket, wearing chest protection can save your life. Not only does chest protection help in case of an accident, it also helps protect from flying objects that are flung from other cars. It also helps reduce the road impact versus skin itself. 

Rain Slick

This is something you should always have on your bike for when the weather changes. Protecting yourself from moisture is more than just being wet. An uncomfortable rider is one whose focus is taken away from the situation and when that happens mistakes happen and then accidents happen. A rain slick designed for riders can make all the difference in being able to properly ride in the rain and become inundated by it and thus potentially in a hazardous situation. 

Goggles 

For those that refuse to wear a helmet or wear only a half helmet, goggles are a life saver. Road dust and other debris and particulates are common place and it isn\’t unusual to get one in the eye. Even a bug traveling at 20 mph can damage an eye. Goggles protect the eyes of the rider, it is just that simple. 

No matter, what motorcycle you ride, do not compromise on your or your bike\’s safety.