The motorcycle is one of the most popular vehicles. Worldwide, probably around 200 million people own a motorbike, moped or scooter. They are a fast means of transport that can easily and deftly weave through traffic. What’s more, riding a motorcycle is huge fun. The wind in your hair, the sun on your face and the powerful machine between your legs is a combination that very few people can resist.
Unfortunately, riding a two-wheeler also involves great dangers. A fall from a motorbike can have serious consequences, especially if you do not protect yourself adequately. In addition to the helmet, which is compulsory in most countries, wearing motorbike clothing is a good idea. But what makes good motorcycle clothing? We’ll tell you!
The material
Motorcycle clothing is available in leather or textile fabric. Thanks to its exceptional properties, leather is an excellent material for protecting your body when riding a motorcycle. If the clothing fits close to the body, the abrasion resistance and robustness of the fabric ensures that no damage is done to the skin. However, it is important that the base of the clothing fits. It has to be elastic so that when you hit the road, the load is distributed over a large area.
Leather is very waterproof, but has only limited insulating capabilities. Without perforated holes in the underarm area and special treatment of the material, heat can easily build up. Furthermore, leather is not easy to clean and requires a lot of care.
Textile fabric, on the other hand, has insulating properties, protects against wind and weather and is easy to care for. The wearing comfort is also generally higher than with clothes made of leather. However, textile fabrics cannot match the robustness and abrasion resistance of leather. The safety factor is therefore lower.
Protective pads and protectors
There is motorcycle clothing that do not has integrated protectors. The protectors have to be bought separately and can then be attached to the clothing by hand. Unfortunately, it happens time and again that the clothing and the protectors do not fit well together and the hold is therefore not guaranteed.
Protectors are responsible for distributing the impact energy on sensitive parts of the body over a larger area. They are essential for the safety of the motorcyclist, which is why it is recommended to purchase motorbike clothing with integrated protectors and protective pads.
Zips and seams
Low-quality products often skimp on materials and workmanship. It is important that the fabrics are properly sewn together and do not tear in an emergency. In the event of an accident, high tensile forces can occur that put the seams to a hard test. If the seams are not safety seams that have been reinforced and properly attached, tears and holes can occur. Loose threads can be an indication of poor workmanship. Furthermore, zips should be of high quality. If the zip jams, opens while driving or gets stuck, this can be very dangerous for the driver.
General advice
When buying motorbike clothing, it is important to pay attention to the following points:
- The material should be weatherproof and ideally have heat and water protection.
- Protectors, reflectors and protective padding increase safety in the event of a fall.
- A close fit is strongly recommended.
- Motorcycle clothing should be adapted to the intended use. Casual riders do not need competition clothing.
- A high level of workmanship prevents tears and increases the protection factor
- One-piece suits are less likely to slip and thus offer greater protection
- Clothes from well-known brands are more likely to be of better quality than no-name brands.
- Ratings and reviews from the internet provide information about the workmanship and quality.