If you are just getting into the thrilling world of motorcycle racing, you’re probably wondering which pieces of gear are essential for your first race. Thankfully, if you’re already quite safety conscious when on your motorcycle, you’ll probably have most of the safety gear that you’ll need for the race. However, racing can be more dangerous than riding on the roads as you’ll be going much faster, and taking corners a lot faster than you would on the roads. Because of this, you might need to buy some extra safety gear to make sure that you’re best protected in the event of an accident.
A Helmet
If you don’t already ride with a helmet, you should definitely get one. Although in certain areas and states it might not be illegal to ride a motorcycle without wearing a helmet, it certainly doesn’t mean that it’s not unsafe. If you fall off a motorcycle without a helmet at even a low speed you could be susceptible to head injuries that can cause serious health problems – so the need to wear one is even more crucial if you’re traveling at speed. Check with the race managers about any required standards that your helmet may need to meet. Since 45% of impacts to motorcycle helmets occur around the face, choose one that covers your entire head and face – not only do they offer more protection, it’ll also keep the wind out of your face as well.
Leather Gloves
You might be able to get away with riding on the roads without gloves, but imagine the damage that you could do to your hands if you’re riding at a high speed during a race and come off? In the event of a fall we instinctively put our hands out in front of us to help reduce the impact, however, in some situations, this can actually cause more harm than good. If you fall off, you’ll want to be wearing strong, reinforced leather motorcycle gloves to minimize injury to your hands.
Leathers
A leather jacket and pants are essential for a motorcycle race. Even though it’s not illegal to ride on the roads without them and many motorcyclists may wear jeans and a regular jacket, specially designed motorcycle jackets and pants will protect you better than any other items of clothing in the event of an accident. If you come off your motorcycle at high speed you are likely to slide or could even be dragged across a hard floor which could easily rip through denim and other materials. AlpineStars is a good brand to look out for.
Motorcycle Boots
Regular boots or sneakers are simply not enough when it comes to motorcycle safety. They don’t support your feet well enough, meaning that you could end up with nasty injuries and broken bones if you come off. Motorcycle boots are specially designed to protect your feet and legs properly and minimize any injury.
Ready for your first motorcycle race? With the right gear you will be.
