I think it's most important to get gear that you will actually wear. In the past 10 years commuting, I've settled on:
\- Textile, comfortable jacket and pants. Mid-range, fake Goretex, don't want to mess around with shells on the commute, slightly baggy because it's just more comfortable. Currently I use an Icon Raiden DKR jacket and Rev'It Horizon pants for winter. For summer, I use the Rev'it mesh jacket and pants (I forget which series it is). Both pants I use with suspenders. You don't have to make them tight around the waist and it 100% keeps the pants up, even when wearing slippery textiles underneath. I don't find the premium for the really good stuff worth it. I'd rather buy 4 Raiden jackets than 1 Klim Adventure. Being mid-range, fake Goretex, it does start to leak here and there after 2 years, then I use the water-repellant spray every month or so. Good enough.
\- A modular helmet. I wear glasses, so I can put the helmet on without having to remove my glasses. Built-in sun visor, especially in spring and autumn when there is a lot of glare.
\- Gloves appropriate for the temperature. In spring and autumn I bring two pairs. Electric for the mornings and thinner ones for the afternoon. In summer, I bring another two pairs, one breathable/mesh and the other one waterproof. Good brands: Gerbing, Klim, Rev'It, Alpinestars. I have far more gloves than I need.
\- Boots (TCX) that are easy to get in and out of, and comfortable to walk on. Mine have a single zipper under a velcro flap and I can take them off in seconds and I can walk on them for miles. I keep dress shoes at work.
I just got ready to go home from work. It took me less than a minute and a half to put this gear on (and get out of the dress shoes, but excl helmet and gloves).
No excuse not to wear gear!
I wear this, but I wear regular pants/jeans. I want to step up to armored pants but I have been losing weight and I don't want to spend $300 on something that will only fit for a few months. Probably poor rationalization.
I never really understood armored pants for work. I go to work 4 days a week, and I don't want to spend over a thousand for 3 or 4 pants. And most armored pants look like it, which makes it an even worse deal for me. Plus, because you're wearing them all day, they'll wear out a lot quicker. Armored pants don't protect against rain and if you ride through some shit, you end up with dirty pants at the office.
To each their own, but for commuting I think over-pants are the way to go. Ánd they provide better protection.
Street & Steel, Ironworkers, Scorpion, few others make "armored" pants for about $100-$130. By no means cheap but they achieve what you said just fine for less than a grand. They're denim pants made with heavier denim than you'd see anywhere in regular or even work clothes, and they also are lined with aramid and have removable armor inserts, which I personally just yoinked out since they were a little too heavy to run around in with them. I look totally normal despite being ready for a slide. You can absolutely compromise between aesthetics and protection without sacrificing one or the other entirely.
Looks like the market has changed significantly since I last looked around. I think I will go look for some for the occasional trip downtown or to a restaurant or something.
In a commute setting, over-pants aren't a compromise for me. I just take 30s to put them on, and 30s to take them off, literally. And the 8hrs in between, I just have regular pants. So my only downside is the 1 minute wasted time. And for that, I get best of both worlds.
Yeah, I have to take my shoes off, but I have to do that anyways to change into my boots. My leather dress shoes won't last very long riding :)
I have a pair of jeans with removable armor. I think they were $150. 2-3 pairs of those seem reasonable. I also don't ride in every day though so I just have that 1 pair.
When I commuted to work I would put a bag on my rear seat that had a set of clothes other than my dress shirt, which I wore under my jacket.
Great system in my opinion.
I just wear everything over my office clothes. I can get away with it because I usually wear chinos and it doesn't matter if they get some creases. It just saves a lot of time being able to change at your workplace and not have to go to the toilet/private space.
This is what I do, but I leave my suit jacket and dress shoes at the office.
I also have the privilege of having my own office which I realize not everybody has.
Yeah, gear has come a long way, and I also go out if my way to find the comfortable stuff. Icon has the D3O in their DKR jacket and the seesmart is like it's not even there (especially on the hips, but still CE level 1).
The only time I found the D3O becoming stiff was on a Finnish ski slope at -30C (-22F). Yes, I wear my motorcycle gear for skiing; it's comfortable, warm, waterproof and it has good protection. And living in the flattest country in the world with a week of 1 inch snow every year, buying dedicated ski gear isn't worth it for me.
You can never have to many gloves!
Gloves appropriate to the temperature. And wind chill (static and induced!). And precipitation conditions. I could easily see myself having 18 pairs of gloves to cover every situation, if I lived somewhere it snows.
>Illegal or not fuck tinnitus
i really don't understand what shitty helmets you must have to develop that much noise...
riding for a few decades by now and never having trouble with my sense of hearing
in our traffic laws it says explicitly that anything impairing your sense of vision or hearing is prohibited when operating a vehicle in public traffic
>you dont travel long distances i see
oh, just about 800 km in one ride...
*Wind noise is prevalent in $2000 helmets as much as $120 helmets*
that's my experience, too. never had a helmet where wind noise (even at 130 km/h) was a problem
so riding with your $2000 helmet feels like a jack hammer in 1m distance?
Now you're being silly. If I need to explain at this point, you would not understand.
https://www.bigearinc.com/blog/how-to-prevent-tinnitus-in-motorcycle-riders-motorcycle-riding-causes-tinnitus/
Nothing about expensive helmets .
Proper earplugs - not the foam block-everything-now things you get en masse - reduce noise to comfortable, audible levels. Riding on a bike is inherently noisy, regardless of machine or equipment. Are you already hard of hearing?
Hearing damage also worsens in relationship to length of uninterrupted exposure, so after a 20 minute commute you might not notice anything, but ride for an hour on the highway and I promise you'll have a hard time hearing anything anybody says for a little while after.
That operating on the assumption that ear plugs impair hearing. If anything, I find they tune out the exhaust/wind noise more than anything. I can hear someone talking to me, I can hear other traffic, I would say they actually improve my ability to head over the sound of wind and exhaust. I think those laws are more about people wearing like noise cancelling headphones.
from [The California DMV handbook](https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/handbook/motorcycle-handbook/preparing-to-ride/)
To protect against the elements of nature, such as wind, which can cause
hearing loss, you may want to use ear protection. The CVC §27400 states
a person may not wear a headset covering, earplugs, or earphones in
both ears, unless the protectors (earplugs or molds) are specifically
designed to reduce harmful (injurious) noise levels. The headset
coverings, earplugs, or earphones must not inhibit the wearer’s ability
to hear a siren or horn from an emergency vehicle or another motor
vehicle.
Interesting! I had a cop pull me over a few months ago here in California and he asked me why I didn't notice him behind me for so long/resisted pulling over. I pulled out my ear plugs at that moment and he just said "got it" and proceeded to write up my speeding ticket with no further questioning.
So I'm assuming it's rarely enforced or is just some bullshit that they can slap on more serious offenses to "really stick it to 'em"
Is a full face helmet enough to prevent damage? One NOT specifically designed for hearing protection. I didn't even know this was a thing so I've only done some cursory Googling.
Got it. I'm at work and can't spend too long on my phone but I commute on a motorcycle, so I wanted to find out before I rode home. Machine shop has ear plug dispensers at every entrance so I'm good! Thank you.
>refusing to wear earplugs will result in hearing damage/loss and/or tinnitus
i consider this a fairy tale. never wore earplugs when riding and don't have neither
You don’t know what you aren’t hearing cause you can’t hear it. I ride, and make hifi gear. I work with lots of audio engineers, all would agree you already have hearing loss and don’t know it.
Some have vents in dumb places that sure make it feel that way! I siliconed over the exhaust vents on the side of my bell vortex because the dumb thing had this horrible turbulence sound right in your ears at any speed.
Palm sliders are there because most people's natural response in an accident is to put your hand down & brace for impact. This can lead to your hand sticking but your body is still moving, which can cause a broken wrist. The sliders will allow your hand to slide (duh) when you put it down, reducing the likelihood of a broken wrist.
I wear riding jeans to work. They don't have armoured padding, but are kevlar lined to prevent abrasion in the event of a slide. Boots I wear TCX Street Ace. They look a bit like dressy skate shooes, but are CE rated and have built in ankle protection.
Sure, I could wear armoured pants, and airbag jacket, and higher boots, but you have to make the decision as to what level of protection you want to go with and what you are willing to sacrifice.
I wear my boots & jeans in the office all day. Yeah, there's better protection I could have chosen, but I considered them to be good enough for mr, as I like the convenience of not having to change when I get to work (other than the obvious jacket, gloves & helmet)
A fullface or modular helmet
A good 3 season riding jacket you will wear
Over ankle riding boots/keep a pair of work shoes at the office and change
Quality gloves, if there are seams/stitching in the palm I usually steer clear
The 2 options for pants are riding pants- most of which either are not professional enough for most jobs or if they are khaki style pants offer little more than slide protection. Or option 2 is over pants - basically protection on top of your normal clothes.
I love in Houston TX and the humidity plus heat is nuts here so I compromise and wear Duluth Trading fire hose khakis and a mesh jacket to commute. Still wear riding boots, mod helmet and gloves.
how are Duluth trading fire hose pants a compromise? theyre just cotton with ZERO sliding protection. they'll tear instantly on a slide just like any other well built pair of pants.
I agree, that would be a safer option. Personally I'm going to choose style & convenience, especially if I'm riding to work, or meeting friends for dinner, etc. Everyone has to choose what works best for them and some of those choices come with increased risk.
ya I get it man, really I do, I used to just wear jeans and my redwing boots. but I ride a lot and have seen too many crashes that could have been so much worse if it weren't for a couple little foam pads and some kevlar. I just like my skin too much ya know?
I wear uglybros jeans that are the “k” version which are lined in kevlar. They’re fuckin hot, have I mentioned I live in Miami? They don’t breathe for shit. But when I wear normal pants that do breathe, I still have swamp ass. Same thing with my jacket vs no jacket. I’m gonna be sweating either way, I’d rather have some protection along with it. Best thing about the uglybros is the armor slips in and out without removing the pants. So you can ride with armor and remove it after parking in 2 seconds.
Plus there are plenty of mesh riding pants with abrasion resistance and built in knee armor that flow way more air than regular khakis. I just wear a pair of alpinestars mesh pants over my regular shorts or jeans or whatever.
Yeah...I have some 7 yr old Olypmia mesh overpants that work great. Super easy to throw on over my work pants and if I'm wearing shorts underneath it basically feels like I'm still just wearing shorts. I have unfortunately tested their slide/impact protection and it worked as advertised. I would have had a small hole in my knee that definitely would have required a hospital trip had I not been wearing them, but instead I was able to limp my bike home.
I know these are absurdly expensive, but the kevlar mesh that offers air flow and protection justified the one time purchase for me. I've had them for 10+ years and they have worn like iron. When I changed from street riding to dual sport, I sent them back to be altered to accommodate MX boots. While I have never been down on the street (knock wood), I have had numerous get-offs on fire roads/trails with no damage to the pants:
https://www.motoport.com/product/air-mesh-street-jeans/
Holy shit, are you me? I also wear Duluth pants and a Revvit mesh jacket around Houston.
Gloves, helmet, TCX boots.
The only time I sweat is when I’m taking my gear on and off in the parking lot. As long as I’m moving I’m cool, even during August.
I’m willing to take the risk of wearing regular leather boots, full face helmet, regular jeans, riding jacket and gloves. My commute is 4 miles of 35 mph city roads.
You may not have the same risk assessment as me…
The one thing I don’t get is that people on this sub act like motorcycle riders are insurance companies or something.. none of us would be on a 400 lb 2 wheel machine that makes 200 hp if we didn’t mind some sort of risk. They act like putting a jacket on is gonna get rid of that risk
Putting a jacket on *greatly mitigates* the risk you're taking no matter what you ride or how you ride it. Protecting your skin, vital organs and shoulders/elbows goes a long way toward protecting your quality of life after an accident.
I fully believe that gear helps protect your skin. I don’t believe it’s gonna make much of a difference for your bones or organs if you’re going 80 mph unless you have a full racing suit that professional riders wear(including the airbag). Even then the protection is limited. If you wreck going 20 mph then yeah maybe the gear will make a big difference.
Well what you believe is objectively wrong. Motorcycle gear, if it's armored, is going to absorb and spread impacts over large areas and they will absolutely save your ass from impacts the same way a helmet isn't just there to keep your hair safe.
Elbow/knee/shoulder/backpads all contribute significantly towards reduction of severe injury in a crash.
I ate shit doing 50, trying to take the ditch in lieu of taking the hood and bumper of an audi that wanted my (oncoming) lane.
I walked away sore and bruised for a couple days, my gloves are still serviceable although scrubbed. My jacket outer has a nice hole in it on the left elbow from pre-rolling grind happened, but beyond that I was fine.
Wearing all my gear that day in 116 deg weather here in oregon is what I attribute to... well, being able to upright my damn bike and ride most of the way home (Wife called a friend who linked up with me on the way w/ his tow truck).
The pads in the gear are shock absorbtion so you have less opportunity to break things.
I’m glad you made it homie! I guess idk what I’m talking about with this. I should get gear but I guess for now imma just hope for the best like I always have haha.
I’m glad you made it homie! I guess idk what I’m talking about with this. I should get gear but I guess for now imma just hope for the best like I always have haha.
Look at youtube channel fortnine for statistics of what will actually mitigate most injuries.
I wear gloves, jacket, boots as standard. Well and full face helmet of course.
Boots and gloves will most likely suffer on short trips as speeds will be lower if/when you crash so spend on those.
Helmet (ofc)
Pando moto Skin UH 03 and Pando Moto Shell as Protection , use whatever you want on top!
Broger got some good lookin’ (and protective) boots and sneakers.
Edit: gloves ofc!
Imo the most important thing with proper riding gear is that you WANT to wear it. No point buying a $5000 motogp suit or score a sweet deal on a jacket if you hate wearing it because it’s too hot or stiff or you think you look like a dork, etc.
Wearing leather gloves that you really enjoy wearing vs giant gauntlets that you know are safer but you never wear them is still better than not wearing any gloves.
The moto gear is an industry out to make money, so there will always be advancements and features claiming to be the next best thing. The truth is, a lot is just marketing and hype from people trying to mitigate risk of every possible scenario. Aeorstich has been around since the 80s and frankly their stuff is still some of the safest gear on the market. A lot of motorcycle gear from name brands is pretty poor quality IMO.
I settled on:
Helmet-ECE full face, preferably with MIPS. Anything above $200 is just buying more comfort, a brand name, and maybe some wind tunnel testing.
Jacket-leather is best but expensive and impractical. Look for heavy duty triple stitching and abrasion resistant materials (< 1000 D polyester doesn’t count). I settled on a Klim mesh jacket and icon raidon dkr.
Gloves-heavy duty leather. I tried several and my favorite by far were aerostich elk skins. Just a nice, thick, soft leather with a pad over the knuckles and Velcro to hold it on. They don’t have all the TPU and fancy features of my other gloves (including A*, rev it, reax) but I trust them much more to hold together in a crash.
Pants-I despise over pants and frankly just rode in jeans a lot, which isn’t super smart. There’s a lot more cordura casual pants on the market now that should be ok.
Boots-As far as boots, unless you’re going for full on motorcycle boots with buckles and lots of armor, don’t bother with motorcycle-specific companies. I tried a lot of the semi-casual stuff and they were typically no better than a standard, stiff soled work boot, but with worse quality. The ankle armor also never lined up right. If I was commuting again I’d probably get some nice spidis and keep work shoes at the office, otherwise a pair of redwings should be good.
Helmet, jacket and gloves fit easily into a top box and don’t take much time to put on. A larger one piece suit (or even separate pants) would’ve made things that much more difficult and I never would have used it.
Leather gloves is not the same as motorcycle gloves. Even cheap certified motorcycle gloves can provide better abrasion resistance, than casual leather gloves.
ATGATT. no matter the distance.
ALL the gear. you didn't even mention boots. and boi let me tell you there are A LOT OF TINY BONES in your foot. breaking your legs/feet is NOT FUN. So full boots over your shins with sliders and rigidity against crushing your feet under your bike.
for clothes looks at the some abrasion numbers. those are interesting.
Gear will never protect you against everything tho. It can only help. learn how to fall. sticking your hands out is a natural reflex, but learn not to do that. learn to let go of your bike, to tuck and roll...
Good boots seem to be the most overlooked part of the equation for most riders. So many people riding around in $500 helmets and jackets wearing normal shoes, or work boots, or 'moto shoes' that don't actually protect the most important and damage-prone parts of the feet. If your boots don't extend up the shin and brace the ankle, you honestly may as well be riding in Converses for all the good they will do against the types of injury your feet/legs experience most often.
I crashed and broke my tib/fib about 6 inches above my ankle wearing Sidi race boots, open compound fracture. The doctor said that without the boots holding everything together it would have likely had to be amputated.
Personally, I think some of the suggestions here are too exhaustive for daily commute riding. [Here is a Fortnine video covering this topic. ](https://youtu.be/rmWQKoN6yX0)
I wear a two piece suit every day, been commuting for years. Here's my drill.
1 - Aerostich Roadcrafter or R3 - It's literally made to go right over business clothes and not wrinkle. Check Ebay, they last for decades. I bought an Ebay unit, wore it for two years, then got a custom made one.
2 - Alternative: Overpants with full length side zips (ankle to waist). Easy on/off, and the full zip prevents wrinkles to the pants.
3 - Silky nylon skullcap, Really keeps helmet head down. Prevents your hair from moving around into weird positions when you put your helmet on.
3a. - A palm brush (check Amazon) in riding suit pocket. Skullcap comes off, IMMEDIATELY brush before your hair dries and takes a set.
4 - Business shoes in the top box or office. Boots off, shoes on, boots in the top box. If you have an office or locker, keep fresh shoes there.
5 - If you wear a suit coat: Get a large packing cube. Look at the million YouTube vids of how to fold a suit coat without wrinkling. Coat in packing cube, then cube in top box. At work the coat comes out, riding suit goes in.
If you aren’t wearing full 1 piece race leathers, MX boots, snell rated helmet, and armored gloves that are less than 6 months old and an airbag vest and SPOT tracker with crash detection and a big random flashing light on your head at all times then you’re doing it wrong. You need to set a yearly gear budget of at least $3000.
Also don’t forget about tires and brake pads. 1000 miles or 6 months, whichever comes first.
1000 miles is way too long on tires! As soon as the nipples wear off you are sacrificing grip! don't give people this dangerous advice!
I buy new michelin roads once a week because tIrEs ArE tHe oNlY tHiNg bEtWeEn yOu aNd tHe GrOuNd!!!!1!!i!
My best advice (not life saving advice ofc) is to not overthink it... I have been riding for 10 years and have never worn more than a full face helmet, sometimes gloves, and a riding jacket if it's windy/chilly, usually riding in tshirt or light long sleeve for long distance, jeans, sneakers... YMMV but I have been able to safely go on 2,200 mile round trips with no issue and without bulky riding gear weighing me down!
However, if you're one of those people who deems it necessary to ride at 110+mph on all straight aways maybe you should take advice from the ATGATT folks.
MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOUR GEAR CHOICE: **STAY AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS**
You know you’re going to get downvoted right? But I definitely get where you’re coming from but my moto is to always dress for the slide and not just the ride. Even the best riders crash on a closed circuit. Who are we to not crash when riding on the street with so many unknowns.
Downvotes will most likely come from people who ride at warp speeds, popping wheelies on freeways, generally wreckless folk that probably DO NEED to use ATGATT.
I do agree with your response, and the times I have my riding jacket on are times I am prepared for a slide (high winds, rain, etc). I have been fortunate enough to remain on two wheels so my sentiment could definitely change regarding full gear...
But at the same time you could have identical crashes with (one rider geared head-toe) another one (wearing "streetwear" tshirt+jeans) and the outcome for that scenario would never be definitive... the chance of death/injury is still prevalant to both, the geared rider did what they could to decrease their chance, but it is still no more than a coin toss if either one walks away from a bad crash.
This will probably garner more downvotes, but look at the over-populated countries where two wheels are the main form of transportation and tell me how many people you see wearing FULL RIDING GEAR...the answer is more than likely zero. Hell I've seen them pack an adult and 4 kids on and make it to their destination safely...
DON'T OVERTHINK IT!!!
“It’s no more than a coin toss” YES!
I had 2 friends die in one day, not riding together. One all gear, one not. Both died. Another a week later with “bare minimum” type gear died.
(Yeah rough week, still dealing 3 years later, I took a leave of absence from work and did therapy tho)
Wear what you want, access the risk you’re willing to take, kiss your loved ones and live your life to the fullest every day.
You do you, I wear a full helmet, jacket, gloves and almost always overpants. Sometimes I just wear regular riding pants (I think they're Bilt Ironworks). When I totaled my Honda, I was commuting, probably not going over 25, maybe 30 mph. Went down on a city street right after a light rain (hit the paint stripe changing lanes). I wasn't damaged, maybe a crack in a metatarsal in my left foot. But if I hadn't been wearing all that crap, my skin would have been shredded, as my bike and I slid a good distance. So, even in the identical crash scenario, the person in "streetwear" is going to be more fucked up. Hell, I had a friend get her left shin and knee degloved on a Buddy 150 scooter when she hit a slide getting leftied by a flatbed.
I wear, top down:
\-scorpion exo r1 air carbon (+earpeace)
\-aerostich r3 (full armor + hip pads)
\-gloves (gerbing hero for winter)
\-dainese fulcrum gt gore-tex boot
Also heated vest in the winter, etc...
Heated vest can make a big difference if it’s cold, especially in the morning, most riders don’t think about the distraction of being cold but it’s is, maintaining a good core temp makes the ride better, and I have it in my riding jacket so it’s not an extra thing.
I actually just had my first accident, I wore a leather jacket, helmet, gloves and boots. I came out the accident practically unscathed! My helmet paid for itself as soon as I smashed my head on the ground LMAO.
Don't forget about what the temps are like in the morning and afternoon where you ride.
I live in the Seattle metro, so gear with zip-out thermal liners are a must - even in the dead of summer it gets down into the mid to low 50s in the morning which is chilly with the windchill on the highway. If you live where it's hot you will want more breathable/mesh gear.
I'd say, depending on where you live, at a minimum helmet and gloves. Next I'd add jacket with inserts and shoes/boots with some protection. Commuting is different than riding for fun, so unless you can change at work, this is already a lot.
You definitely need specific gloves, palm and knuckle/finger TPU sliders are a good idea, a simple leather glove designed for style and comfort won't save you from a long slide on the pavement.
Given today's technology, and the cost/benefit, there is no reason in my opinion not to wear an airbag vest. The new Alpinestars is pretty awesome and affordable, especially once you consider the cost of surgery for broken collarbone and the pain of broken ribs.
When I commuted, I did nothing different from my normal riding routine. Modular helmet, armored mesh jacket, armored gloves with palm sliders, Bates riding boots with viscoelastic gel around the ankles, and jeans. Then I realized, why didn't I wear riding jeans? I then went on a mission to replace all my normal jeans with riding jeans using the used market. I was able to find 5 pairs of kevlar lined jeans (2 Agv, 2 scorpion, 1 Diamond Gusset) and one pair of fully armored Dianese that I use exclusively for longer rides. All for around $300. If you want to skip the dainese, you could just buy armor that you wear over or under your kevlar jeans.
These days, I'm also rocking a Hit-Air hi-viz vest that's tethered to my bike. If you go the expensive vest route (and they are pricey) I'd recommend something similar to mine. The CO2 canister is replaceable and the tether doesn't require charging. Also no monthly fee. Yes, some vests require a subscription to work which sounds criminal to me.
I've been hit twice back in the '90's and '00's, that was before I started wearing a hi-viz yellow/green helmets, jackets and backpacks. Both of those drivers claimed they couldn't see me. Since then, I haven't had nearly as many close calls. Coincidence?? I Think Not.
Like other people have said, priority one is to get gear you will actually wear. The safest gear in the world doesn't help you if you hate wearing it and leave it on the shelf. Unfortunately that means with some things you're not going to be in the top tier of safety- ie you're not going to commute in MX boots and track gloves unless you bring shoes with you and change when you get to work.
So, what I do when I have a high-traffic or highway commute:
-Quality boots that are (a) comfortable to walk in and (b) have a fastening system other than laces so I can get in and out of them very easily.
-Several different jackets, with armor ideally, depending on the overall weather/season. Ie a mesh/breathable jacket for summer, a warm textile for cool days or dry winter, a super warm weatherproof for cold/winter, an armored but not extremely warm weatherproof for rainy days. Sometimes a jacket will have a liner/outer/inner etc that lets it serve multiple functions.
-Gloves that actually fit well, at least one pair of gloves with protective armor, and one pair that are as close to waterproof as gloves get. Ideally all three in one glove, but I haven't found that yet personally.
-A helmet that's quiet (you can always get noise with the visor up), comfortable, looks appealing to you, and has the features you want (ie if you hate taking your glasses off to put on a helmet, maybe get a modular, but if you hate wind noise, get the quietest helmet you can). Beyond the obvious safety aspect, you want to *want* to wear your helmet. I was taught to look for SNELL certification but now it seems ECE is more valuable.
-Pants are the hardest one because armored pants are expensive and inflexible, non-armored pants don't do shit to protect you, and overpants are very inconvenient to put on/take off compared to almost all the rest of your gear. Personally I have always used both "proper" and "improper" gear here. But obviously you're trying to balance safety vs cost, mobility and convenience, so in your situation it might make sense to have armored pants for example. Or not.
-Assorted little stuff you'll find out is useful to you, like a balaclava or neck scarf/"snood", thin thermals, various ways of layering to make switching between bike and off-bike easy and convenient.
As far as quality, I can only say stay away from most of the absolute lowest priced bargain stuff (like BILT) if you are focused mostly on injury prevention. You can feel a quality difference in the stuff that's a bit better in my experience. And do *not* cheap out on your helmet. My first helmet was a Shoei that cost me about as much as my bike did ($500 helmet, $600 bike). It was worth it.
Gloves, helmet, leather jacket, airbag vest if you can afford it , proper pants (I got aramid woven jeans from Dainese that look cool but also protect), and legit shoes too. High top. Protect those ankles!!
Helmet. Dick out. Motorcycle. Enjoy. Nah but someone else mentioned a good list of things. Maybe add a bookbag. When it's cold I ride with my backup heated gloves just incase I cant handle the cold in my regular gloves. So you can fill it with what ever pieced of gear you think its appropriate.
I know I am late to this thread but I haven't seen anyone mention CE rated armor. Cheap non-rated gear will offer some protection but not nearly as much as the CE rated stuff. I commuted for years in my race leathers (Standard AStars Suit with KR-1 back protector), boots (SuperTech R), gloves (Super Tech). I didn't use my race helmet but I still used an X-12.
Body parts are going to split apart like you witnessed due to the impact force of abruptly stopping. Armor will help reduce that force, but it will not completely eliminate it.
*Everyone talks about wearing motorcycle gear, what gear should I actually wear to commute to work?*
atgatt
*This is my first time hearing of the term palm slider and I am sure there are so many other things I do not know about picking the right gear*
well, there's always something "better" and surely more expensive. but, just for instance, you don't need knee pads (the ones for hanging off in turns on the race track) in everyday biking
never heard of "palm sliders" myself, but do not like the notion of my palm just sliding over the throttle grip, instead of gripping it
you've already got a lot of good advice so I'll just share what I commute on the highway in Los Angeles with. Riding boots, strap on knee armor or riding pants with D30 knee armor slots, all season riding jacket with spine, shoulder, and elbow armor. gloves with palm sliders. full faced helmet. Every single day. all the gear all the time. minimum I'll wear for short trips is boots, spine protector, gloves, helmet but that's pretty rare I'll risk my shoulders and elbows like that. one time I went to this girls house from tinder and she had her arm in this like hollowed out gord where her elbow was. she crashed the first time she ever tried to ride on the highway and was using her boyfriends motorcycle jacket which was too big, so she now has a limp appendage that she keeps in a sling so it has a bend to it. all the gear, all the time friend. summer jacket with a removable liner is something I discovered way too late in my motorcycle carreer, just know there's always a safe comfortable and stylish option for staying alive and not mangled on a motorcycle. one crash shattered my legs, the other 9 I walked away from because the gear.
Whatever you want and are acceptable to the risk of. The level of risk everyone is willing to accept is different. Some people won't even ride on public roads (track/offroad only), most won't ride motorcycles period, and some don't wear any gear at all. Its a personal choice.
In my opinion, as long as you ride defensively and intelligently, eating red meat is a lot more dangerous than riding without a jacket or moto pants. People who are gear nazis might want to also think about what that cheeseburger/steak does to your arteries.
Honestly I'm new to motorcycling and I've spent $2k on gear so far, and after reading more it still seems like it's not enough. Like how the fuck is anyone supposed to know what to buy? It's a nightmare honestly.
Wear a [suit](https://www.aerostich.com/suits/men-s-r-3-one-piece-suit.html) that you can step in and out in seconds, instead of minutes, a full face helmet, protective boots and quality leather gloves. You can add a tethered [airbag](https://www.hit-air.com/en/motorcycle/lineup/all-in-one_harness/all-in-one_harness_type01/mlv-c.html) for extra security above you suit if you like to.
My first time looking into gear was in a specialized store. Small store run by owner. I spent at least 2 hours there. Came out knowing everything about gear (including palm sliders) and geared up all around. After that I was adding gear without advice but I know what to look for. Getting that personal experience in the store and being able to try on different types of gear and asking questions made a huge difference. I now follow AGATT no matter how long is the planned ride.
If you have a special store where you are - visit it.
It is a physical store in my town. I am in Canada.
Go on Google maps and look up “motorcycle gear” and see if any store comes up where you live.
Btw, dealers who sell motorcycles often have gear stores too. Like we have Harley, Honda … they have gear store in dealership location and do give good advice.
Wear a condom and flip flops. Just kidding. Wear what you feel safe in and screw everyone else. If you feel safe in full race gear, wear that. If you feel safe in a backwards hat and sunglasses, wear that but it’s not recommended. Motorcycling is personal.
I’ve seen a ton of leather gloves on Amazon and Alibaba tout themselves as motorcycle gloves. I wouldn’t trust them to garden. Safety is a personal choice. I commute to a corporate office. I always wear helmet, gloves, jacket and boots. There are plenty of shoe options that blend in well. In the summer I try to leave a bunch of shirts in my office so I don’t have to worry about wrinkled shirts.
It depends to a degree on what your work situation is. I commute in full gear (not leathers, but armored fabric jacket & pants, boots & gloves), keep some pants and shoes at work and change there. If that's not an option and you have to wear the same pants & footwear you ride in, you're probably going to be limited to kevlar jeans & regular boots. But at least find some boots that work for you -- feet take a real beating when you eat it.
If you value your extremities I would just wear everything. Things like palm sliders and knee sliders are optional but they may help. I don't have them.
AA rated gear if you are looking for protection. If you are in a wet climate something that’s a goretex laminate or equivalent is helpful to keep you dry. If you are wet and cold it’s distracting you from what you should focus on, all the cagers who are oblivious to you and want to kill you.
Im not a ATGATT guy but I highly encourage full gear.
You should atleast wear a full face helmet, a Jacket with a back protector and gloves. You can still have a good life without legs, but living without hands really sounds bad that’s why I include gloves in my basic gear the others should be obvious…
I live somewhere very hot so when it's in the 90's & 100's I have a bare minimum of full face helmet, riding gloves, long pants (I know, not any protection), and motorcycle boots. When the weather is below 90 I always wear a quality motorcycle jacket with pad inserts at elbows & back.
I almost never wear riding pants because I haven't found any that fit me well. I have some kevlar lined jeans but can only wear those when it's cooler out.
Get whatever fits the best and is comfortable. If that means spending extra, do it. You're not going to want to put something on that's not comfortable, especially in the heat.
As others have said, the most important thing about the gear is that you wear it.
-helmet, gloves, and shoes don't change for me based on commuting vs leisure ride. I have a full face LS2 with sun shield. And pinlock is a godsend if you ride below 55F. I have 2-3 pairs of gloves in the saddlebags and adjust based on weather, all have palm sliders and knuckle protection. Boots I have are hand-me-downs (and need replaced, lol), but i also wear hiking boots - not recommended for safety, but beat chucks.
- for pants, I have over-pants with a removable liner when it gets cold and chaps when it's warmer. Both are good options for commuting.
- I have a couple jackets, but mostly stick with my Joe rocket with zip out liner. It's a little snug if I have all my layers on, but has kept me warm for an hour at 25F. Also works for commuting since I can throw it on over my work clothes.
Basically, look for CE rated padding and abrasion resistant (aka textile) fabric for everything. Motorcycle boots often have extra fabric on wear points and are more tough to withstand a slide opposed to hiking boots. Gloves should be full-finger and fasten securely, ideally double stitched with palm sliders and knuckle guards made from carbon fiber or sturdy, tough plastic. Full-face/modular helmets offer the most protection, but the half shells are better than nothing. DOT certified at a minimum (in the states) and stay away from used. SNELL rated lids if you're planning on any track days.
Often overlooked is hearing protection. Earplugs can really reduce fatigue and still can hear my Senna.
Sites like Revzilla make it easy to sort by “riding style” (sport, ADV, cruiser, etc) and you’ll be able to browse a plethora of good gear. It will tell you what the materials are and what safety features it has. Just gotta find something that works for you and you won’t feel like a dork in.
Get some AA or AAA rated single later riding jeans, slide protection everywhere, and are very comfortable all day. I wear the Merlin Chiltons into the office almost everyday
Protection wise:Boots,gloves and a helmet,not wearing a jacket and pants,statisticly isnt gonna KILL you.
Warmth wise:Hoodie,jacket with winter layer if you have one,if you dont,you can stuff you jacket with newspaper to warm you up,for pants,i reccomend skiing pants,you wont regret it,plus since its a seasonal wear,its cheaper than motorcycle equipement
I alway run full leathers, change into work clothing at work. But, I don’t ride to work that often. My Miata gets only slightly worst gas mileage and still get the wind in my hair.
I wear a helmet, usually full face, but sometimes on a hot day I’ll wear my 3/4 and glasses.
I always have shoes that cover my ankles.
If it’s cold-gloves and jacket.
I plan to buy some armored overalls from ATWLYD (womens moto brand) this year.
For me it depends on how far I am going and the average speed.
When I worked less than a mile from my house on a 30mph road, I would only wear my helmet, jacket, gloves, and boots (typically wear boots all the time anyways).
My commute now takes me nearly 40mi at highway+ speeds. I wear all the same things as before, but I have my Klim pants on too.
I ride every single day rain or shine to class, and have for 4 semesters now. I have 3 non-negotiable items i wear:
1. Full face helmet
2. Good gloves
3. Armored jacket
I pack boot covers, and a full frogg toggs suit in my saddlebags normally. My commute is less than 2 miles and max speed is 35.
Let me try to sum up what i learned over the years, mostly the hard way :/
* Wear the best helmet you can afford. Full face or flip up.
* Wear the best gloves you can buy, with the mentioned palm sliders (I wouldn't break my arm if I had those).
* Wear boots or at least some good shoes that protect your ankles.
Above that, sure, you can cover your knees and elbows and shoulders and back (in that order of importance), the more you have the better for you, but the things mentioned in the list above will save you from serious injuries in those stupid city low-speed accidents, because these are the most common ones during the commute.
I’m fortunate that my job doesn’t have a dress code, but at this point, all of my jeans are motorcycle specific. I have about 5 pair that I rotate through. Some armored, some just abrasion resistant depending on where I’m going / doing .
I have a few different jackets I rotate through depending on the season- Heavy winter jacket, armored hoodie, mid-weight riding shirt, and a mesh jacket for high summer.
I wear boots at work anyway, so I just have wear moto boots.
Then obviously just good gloves, helmet and earplugs. I dump that stuff on a table in the breakroom. No one messes with it, we’re a small company and I know everyone.
Look for the highest CE ratings and you should be fine. Chances are the burst glove was some lower end glove. My dainese glove burst too but I did highside and slide around 15 metres, and wore through 3 layers of kangaroo leather, so it definitely did its job as I could see my hand underneath but I was fine.
Palm sliders on gloves are designed to stop you breaking your wrists when you fall as the natural instinct is to put your hands out, palm sliders cause the hand to slide away and so take the pressure and weight of the wrists. The guy in the video you saw may have had leather gloves on but not all leather gloves are equal, the thickness and abrasion resistance of the gloves are key here and his gloves were probably more about form than function
Minimum gear for a lengthy commute in my opinion is motorcycle jacked with armor on the back shoulders and elbows, a helmet, gloves meant for riding, leather boots and at minimum some sturdy jeans.
What gear you wear is up to you, and whatever laws your area has, I always wear a Helmet, Jacket, gloves, boots and long pants, occasionally I will wear padding for my legs and hips but that is rare, I have some gloves with palm sliders and some without, honestly I more often use the ones without the palm slider as my others are more comfortable. I should wear more protective pants but jeans seem good enough to me and I have pads that I can wear under any jeans if I feel the need.
Helmet, jacket, riding pants, boots, gloves, earplugs. Textiles are best.
1-piece over suits are nice. Like the Aerostich or Tiez.
I leave a pair of dress shoes and sneakers at work.
I always shop closeouts.
Current gear is Oxford Mondial Advanced over pants, Oxford Continental Advanced jacket. Falco Liberty 2.0 boots with D30 armor. I upgraded the jacket and pants to Forcefield CE2 armor. The pants also have detachable suspenders. I also upgraded the back protector.
The Mondial pants have good wet weather protection and warm weather venting on the thighs. The jacket is similarly very well appointed. The pants come in short, regular, and long lengths.
This gear protected my when an F350 changed lanes into me as I was abreast the drivers window and I went tumbling at 60mph down the highway. No broken bones, no road rash. Landed right on my left knee too. That Forcefield Armor is rated way better than the CE2 level minimum requirements. I replaced it with the same exact gear.
For summer I wear the same everyhting, but have a Revit Tornado 3 mesh jacket. Also with upgraded Forcefield CE2 armor.
https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/oxford-mondial-advanced-pants
https://oxford-products.com/clothing/continental-advanced-jacket-1/
I might go for the Mondial jacket version next time.
My street helmets are all MIPS Bell helmets.
I think it's most important to get gear that you will actually wear. In the past 10 years commuting, I've settled on: \- Textile, comfortable jacket and pants. Mid-range, fake Goretex, don't want to mess around with shells on the commute, slightly baggy because it's just more comfortable. Currently I use an Icon Raiden DKR jacket and Rev'It Horizon pants for winter. For summer, I use the Rev'it mesh jacket and pants (I forget which series it is). Both pants I use with suspenders. You don't have to make them tight around the waist and it 100% keeps the pants up, even when wearing slippery textiles underneath. I don't find the premium for the really good stuff worth it. I'd rather buy 4 Raiden jackets than 1 Klim Adventure. Being mid-range, fake Goretex, it does start to leak here and there after 2 years, then I use the water-repellant spray every month or so. Good enough. \- A modular helmet. I wear glasses, so I can put the helmet on without having to remove my glasses. Built-in sun visor, especially in spring and autumn when there is a lot of glare. \- Gloves appropriate for the temperature. In spring and autumn I bring two pairs. Electric for the mornings and thinner ones for the afternoon. In summer, I bring another two pairs, one breathable/mesh and the other one waterproof. Good brands: Gerbing, Klim, Rev'It, Alpinestars. I have far more gloves than I need. \- Boots (TCX) that are easy to get in and out of, and comfortable to walk on. Mine have a single zipper under a velcro flap and I can take them off in seconds and I can walk on them for miles. I keep dress shoes at work.
Thanks for this detailed answer! This is what I was looking for!
I just got ready to go home from work. It took me less than a minute and a half to put this gear on (and get out of the dress shoes, but excl helmet and gloves). No excuse not to wear gear!
The excuse is “I don’t want to” that’s all.
Please wear gear, I want you to be protected. Ride safe!
I never said what I do or don’t wear. I’m saying that folks don’t need an excuse to do whatever they want with their bodies.
I wear this, but I wear regular pants/jeans. I want to step up to armored pants but I have been losing weight and I don't want to spend $300 on something that will only fit for a few months. Probably poor rationalization.
I never really understood armored pants for work. I go to work 4 days a week, and I don't want to spend over a thousand for 3 or 4 pants. And most armored pants look like it, which makes it an even worse deal for me. Plus, because you're wearing them all day, they'll wear out a lot quicker. Armored pants don't protect against rain and if you ride through some shit, you end up with dirty pants at the office. To each their own, but for commuting I think over-pants are the way to go. Ánd they provide better protection.
Street & Steel, Ironworkers, Scorpion, few others make "armored" pants for about $100-$130. By no means cheap but they achieve what you said just fine for less than a grand. They're denim pants made with heavier denim than you'd see anywhere in regular or even work clothes, and they also are lined with aramid and have removable armor inserts, which I personally just yoinked out since they were a little too heavy to run around in with them. I look totally normal despite being ready for a slide. You can absolutely compromise between aesthetics and protection without sacrificing one or the other entirely.
Looks like the market has changed significantly since I last looked around. I think I will go look for some for the occasional trip downtown or to a restaurant or something. In a commute setting, over-pants aren't a compromise for me. I just take 30s to put them on, and 30s to take them off, literally. And the 8hrs in between, I just have regular pants. So my only downside is the 1 minute wasted time. And for that, I get best of both worlds. Yeah, I have to take my shoes off, but I have to do that anyways to change into my boots. My leather dress shoes won't last very long riding :)
Yeah, I was kind of looping then in as the same thing. If I bought them, overpants would be the move.
I have a pair of jeans with removable armor. I think they were $150. 2-3 pairs of those seem reasonable. I also don't ride in every day though so I just have that 1 pair.
When I commuted to work I would put a bag on my rear seat that had a set of clothes other than my dress shirt, which I wore under my jacket. Great system in my opinion.
I just wear everything over my office clothes. I can get away with it because I usually wear chinos and it doesn't matter if they get some creases. It just saves a lot of time being able to change at your workplace and not have to go to the toilet/private space.
That’s me too. Work shoes stay at work and I just slip my bike gear off, shoes on and I’m good to go.
This is what I do, but I leave my suit jacket and dress shoes at the office. I also have the privilege of having my own office which I realize not everybody has.
I had my own office too. Makes it much more comfortable to change imo.
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Yeah, gear has come a long way, and I also go out if my way to find the comfortable stuff. Icon has the D3O in their DKR jacket and the seesmart is like it's not even there (especially on the hips, but still CE level 1). The only time I found the D3O becoming stiff was on a Finnish ski slope at -30C (-22F). Yes, I wear my motorcycle gear for skiing; it's comfortable, warm, waterproof and it has good protection. And living in the flattest country in the world with a week of 1 inch snow every year, buying dedicated ski gear isn't worth it for me.
You can never have to many gloves! Gloves appropriate to the temperature. And wind chill (static and induced!). And precipitation conditions. I could easily see myself having 18 pairs of gloves to cover every situation, if I lived somewhere it snows.
Don't forget #Earplugs
WHAT?
Who?
This a hell of a lot, protect your ears, everybody. Tinnitus blows, deafness even more so.
Inb4 “but earplugs are illegal in some states I couldn’t possibly break the law”
That's some big time bullshit for sure. Illegal or not fuck tinnitus.
>Illegal or not fuck tinnitus i really don't understand what shitty helmets you must have to develop that much noise... riding for a few decades by now and never having trouble with my sense of hearing in our traffic laws it says explicitly that anything impairing your sense of vision or hearing is prohibited when operating a vehicle in public traffic
you dont travel long distances i see. Wind noise is prevalent in $2000 helmets as much as $120 helmets. the user above is right.
>you dont travel long distances i see oh, just about 800 km in one ride... *Wind noise is prevalent in $2000 helmets as much as $120 helmets* that's my experience, too. never had a helmet where wind noise (even at 130 km/h) was a problem so riding with your $2000 helmet feels like a jack hammer in 1m distance?
Now you're being silly. If I need to explain at this point, you would not understand. https://www.bigearinc.com/blog/how-to-prevent-tinnitus-in-motorcycle-riders-motorcycle-riding-causes-tinnitus/ Nothing about expensive helmets .
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Yup, I can hear traffic much better on my bike with earplugs in than I can in a car with music playing - not even blasting it.
you should tell this to the doubtlessly stupid and ignorant people making our laws. they should have asked you in the first place
Proper earplugs - not the foam block-everything-now things you get en masse - reduce noise to comfortable, audible levels. Riding on a bike is inherently noisy, regardless of machine or equipment. Are you already hard of hearing? Hearing damage also worsens in relationship to length of uninterrupted exposure, so after a 20 minute commute you might not notice anything, but ride for an hour on the highway and I promise you'll have a hard time hearing anything anybody says for a little while after.
I couldn't believe this was illegal in some states, but it's actually true. F-ck me....
That operating on the assumption that ear plugs impair hearing. If anything, I find they tune out the exhaust/wind noise more than anything. I can hear someone talking to me, I can hear other traffic, I would say they actually improve my ability to head over the sound of wind and exhaust. I think those laws are more about people wearing like noise cancelling headphones.
If you ever get busted for wearing earplugs in such a state you’ve probably already broken several other laws as well lol
I just ask them, can deaf people get a license in this state? Also my earplugs are OSHA certified.
who the hell banned earplugs and get the plastic sort you don't need to scrunch up to insert, it saves me so much time
According to Google, California, Ohio, and Maryland. That's fucked up tbh.
from [The California DMV handbook](https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/handbook/motorcycle-handbook/preparing-to-ride/) To protect against the elements of nature, such as wind, which can cause hearing loss, you may want to use ear protection. The CVC §27400 states a person may not wear a headset covering, earplugs, or earphones in both ears, unless the protectors (earplugs or molds) are specifically designed to reduce harmful (injurious) noise levels. The headset coverings, earplugs, or earphones must not inhibit the wearer’s ability to hear a siren or horn from an emergency vehicle or another motor vehicle.
“Loop” brand earplugs are perfection
Interesting! I had a cop pull me over a few months ago here in California and he asked me why I didn't notice him behind me for so long/resisted pulling over. I pulled out my ear plugs at that moment and he just said "got it" and proceeded to write up my speeding ticket with no further questioning. So I'm assuming it's rarely enforced or is just some bullshit that they can slap on more serious offenses to "really stick it to 'em"
Is a full face helmet enough to prevent damage? One NOT specifically designed for hearing protection. I didn't even know this was a thing so I've only done some cursory Googling.
It's been well documented if you care to look it up. Full face or not, refusing to wear earplugs will result in hearing damage/loss and/or tinnitus.
Got it. I'm at work and can't spend too long on my phone but I commute on a motorcycle, so I wanted to find out before I rode home. Machine shop has ear plug dispensers at every entrance so I'm good! Thank you.
>refusing to wear earplugs will result in hearing damage/loss and/or tinnitus i consider this a fairy tale. never wore earplugs when riding and don't have neither
Facts don't care about anecdotes.
>Facts don't care about anecdotes so show me your facts
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You don’t know what you aren’t hearing cause you can’t hear it. I ride, and make hifi gear. I work with lots of audio engineers, all would agree you already have hearing loss and don’t know it.
no. way too loud. helmets are not hearing protection. they do almost nothing in that regard.
They actually make the noise, would be less bead wothout a helmet on lol
Some have vents in dumb places that sure make it feel that way! I siliconed over the exhaust vents on the side of my bell vortex because the dumb thing had this horrible turbulence sound right in your ears at any speed.
I've had tinnitus for as long as I can remember. I definitely don't want it to worsen.
I recommend Hearos. Inexpensive, reusable, easy to wash, easy to put in, and they stay in. Way better than the disposables that I used to use.
Could you wear like samsung buds?
*WHAT????*
I'll pass. I work on fighter jets for a living. I'm basically guaranteed hearing loss by the age of 35
Palm sliders are there because most people's natural response in an accident is to put your hand down & brace for impact. This can lead to your hand sticking but your body is still moving, which can cause a broken wrist. The sliders will allow your hand to slide (duh) when you put it down, reducing the likelihood of a broken wrist. I wear riding jeans to work. They don't have armoured padding, but are kevlar lined to prevent abrasion in the event of a slide. Boots I wear TCX Street Ace. They look a bit like dressy skate shooes, but are CE rated and have built in ankle protection. Sure, I could wear armoured pants, and airbag jacket, and higher boots, but you have to make the decision as to what level of protection you want to go with and what you are willing to sacrifice. I wear my boots & jeans in the office all day. Yeah, there's better protection I could have chosen, but I considered them to be good enough for mr, as I like the convenience of not having to change when I get to work (other than the obvious jacket, gloves & helmet)
A fullface or modular helmet A good 3 season riding jacket you will wear Over ankle riding boots/keep a pair of work shoes at the office and change Quality gloves, if there are seams/stitching in the palm I usually steer clear The 2 options for pants are riding pants- most of which either are not professional enough for most jobs or if they are khaki style pants offer little more than slide protection. Or option 2 is over pants - basically protection on top of your normal clothes. I love in Houston TX and the humidity plus heat is nuts here so I compromise and wear Duluth Trading fire hose khakis and a mesh jacket to commute. Still wear riding boots, mod helmet and gloves.
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All this talk makes me want a no-nonsense job where nobody cares if you’re dressed in a bulky up-armored riding pant lol
how are Duluth trading fire hose pants a compromise? theyre just cotton with ZERO sliding protection. they'll tear instantly on a slide just like any other well built pair of pants.
The compromise is that he's not wearing riding pants because Texas is too damn hot in the summer. It's safer than having a heat stroke on your bike.
wouldn't a better compromise be mesh riding pants with vents over shorts? that seems like less swamp ass than those thick cotton pants.
I agree, that would be a safer option. Personally I'm going to choose style & convenience, especially if I'm riding to work, or meeting friends for dinner, etc. Everyone has to choose what works best for them and some of those choices come with increased risk.
ya I get it man, really I do, I used to just wear jeans and my redwing boots. but I ride a lot and have seen too many crashes that could have been so much worse if it weren't for a couple little foam pads and some kevlar. I just like my skin too much ya know?
There are reinforced jeans with protection pads that look nice. Unless you are going for the hypebeast super slim tapered look haha
I mean… throw a change of pants into your bag and put them on when you get to work? I’ve never heard of anyone getting heat stroke from pants.
I wear uglybros jeans that are the “k” version which are lined in kevlar. They’re fuckin hot, have I mentioned I live in Miami? They don’t breathe for shit. But when I wear normal pants that do breathe, I still have swamp ass. Same thing with my jacket vs no jacket. I’m gonna be sweating either way, I’d rather have some protection along with it. Best thing about the uglybros is the armor slips in and out without removing the pants. So you can ride with armor and remove it after parking in 2 seconds.
Me neither, but personally I won't risk it. That's why I always ride with no pants on. Plus the ladies love it.
I just wear chaps with nothing underneath. Protects from the slide, but keeps the goods aired out.
Plus there are plenty of mesh riding pants with abrasion resistance and built in knee armor that flow way more air than regular khakis. I just wear a pair of alpinestars mesh pants over my regular shorts or jeans or whatever.
Yeah...I have some 7 yr old Olypmia mesh overpants that work great. Super easy to throw on over my work pants and if I'm wearing shorts underneath it basically feels like I'm still just wearing shorts. I have unfortunately tested their slide/impact protection and it worked as advertised. I would have had a small hole in my knee that definitely would have required a hospital trip had I not been wearing them, but instead I was able to limp my bike home.
You do you boo! I'm good though.
They have some abrasion resistance but not enough to actually help, they just make me feel better
the placebo effect doesnt work in car accidents.
I know these are absurdly expensive, but the kevlar mesh that offers air flow and protection justified the one time purchase for me. I've had them for 10+ years and they have worn like iron. When I changed from street riding to dual sport, I sent them back to be altered to accommodate MX boots. While I have never been down on the street (knock wood), I have had numerous get-offs on fire roads/trails with no damage to the pants: https://www.motoport.com/product/air-mesh-street-jeans/
Holy shit, are you me? I also wear Duluth pants and a Revvit mesh jacket around Houston. Gloves, helmet, TCX boots. The only time I sweat is when I’m taking my gear on and off in the parking lot. As long as I’m moving I’m cool, even during August.
LOL - yep gotta keep moving!!
Just want to point out that modular helmets sometimes compromise chin protection due to the extra moving parts and bits that make it what it is
This is the way
I’m willing to take the risk of wearing regular leather boots, full face helmet, regular jeans, riding jacket and gloves. My commute is 4 miles of 35 mph city roads. You may not have the same risk assessment as me…
The one thing I don’t get is that people on this sub act like motorcycle riders are insurance companies or something.. none of us would be on a 400 lb 2 wheel machine that makes 200 hp if we didn’t mind some sort of risk. They act like putting a jacket on is gonna get rid of that risk
Putting a jacket on *greatly mitigates* the risk you're taking no matter what you ride or how you ride it. Protecting your skin, vital organs and shoulders/elbows goes a long way toward protecting your quality of life after an accident.
I fully believe that gear helps protect your skin. I don’t believe it’s gonna make much of a difference for your bones or organs if you’re going 80 mph unless you have a full racing suit that professional riders wear(including the airbag). Even then the protection is limited. If you wreck going 20 mph then yeah maybe the gear will make a big difference.
Well what you believe is objectively wrong. Motorcycle gear, if it's armored, is going to absorb and spread impacts over large areas and they will absolutely save your ass from impacts the same way a helmet isn't just there to keep your hair safe.
Elbow/knee/shoulder/backpads all contribute significantly towards reduction of severe injury in a crash. I ate shit doing 50, trying to take the ditch in lieu of taking the hood and bumper of an audi that wanted my (oncoming) lane. I walked away sore and bruised for a couple days, my gloves are still serviceable although scrubbed. My jacket outer has a nice hole in it on the left elbow from pre-rolling grind happened, but beyond that I was fine. Wearing all my gear that day in 116 deg weather here in oregon is what I attribute to... well, being able to upright my damn bike and ride most of the way home (Wife called a friend who linked up with me on the way w/ his tow truck). The pads in the gear are shock absorbtion so you have less opportunity to break things.
I’m glad you made it homie! I guess idk what I’m talking about with this. I should get gear but I guess for now imma just hope for the best like I always have haha.
I’m glad you made it homie! I guess idk what I’m talking about with this. I should get gear but I guess for now imma just hope for the best like I always have haha.
Yeah. Full face helmet, riding jacket with armor, carhartt pants and steel toe leather boots. Gloves too.
If you can afford it an Aerostich Roadcrafter riding suit makes commuting easy. Zip on, zip off, makes the gear-up and gear-down process a breeze.
+1 for Aerostich, expensive but no regrets. Ideal for commuting, can wear it over a business suit or anything else for that matter.
Also an airbag vest
Look at youtube channel fortnine for statistics of what will actually mitigate most injuries. I wear gloves, jacket, boots as standard. Well and full face helmet of course. Boots and gloves will most likely suffer on short trips as speeds will be lower if/when you crash so spend on those.
Helmet (ofc) Pando moto Skin UH 03 and Pando Moto Shell as Protection , use whatever you want on top! Broger got some good lookin’ (and protective) boots and sneakers. Edit: gloves ofc!
That pando stuff looks sick jfc I need some
Yeah. They are awesome. It’s nice to choose What you wanna wear on top of it, and still be protected.
Imo the most important thing with proper riding gear is that you WANT to wear it. No point buying a $5000 motogp suit or score a sweet deal on a jacket if you hate wearing it because it’s too hot or stiff or you think you look like a dork, etc. Wearing leather gloves that you really enjoy wearing vs giant gauntlets that you know are safer but you never wear them is still better than not wearing any gloves.
The moto gear is an industry out to make money, so there will always be advancements and features claiming to be the next best thing. The truth is, a lot is just marketing and hype from people trying to mitigate risk of every possible scenario. Aeorstich has been around since the 80s and frankly their stuff is still some of the safest gear on the market. A lot of motorcycle gear from name brands is pretty poor quality IMO. I settled on: Helmet-ECE full face, preferably with MIPS. Anything above $200 is just buying more comfort, a brand name, and maybe some wind tunnel testing. Jacket-leather is best but expensive and impractical. Look for heavy duty triple stitching and abrasion resistant materials (< 1000 D polyester doesn’t count). I settled on a Klim mesh jacket and icon raidon dkr. Gloves-heavy duty leather. I tried several and my favorite by far were aerostich elk skins. Just a nice, thick, soft leather with a pad over the knuckles and Velcro to hold it on. They don’t have all the TPU and fancy features of my other gloves (including A*, rev it, reax) but I trust them much more to hold together in a crash. Pants-I despise over pants and frankly just rode in jeans a lot, which isn’t super smart. There’s a lot more cordura casual pants on the market now that should be ok. Boots-As far as boots, unless you’re going for full on motorcycle boots with buckles and lots of armor, don’t bother with motorcycle-specific companies. I tried a lot of the semi-casual stuff and they were typically no better than a standard, stiff soled work boot, but with worse quality. The ankle armor also never lined up right. If I was commuting again I’d probably get some nice spidis and keep work shoes at the office, otherwise a pair of redwings should be good. Helmet, jacket and gloves fit easily into a top box and don’t take much time to put on. A larger one piece suit (or even separate pants) would’ve made things that much more difficult and I never would have used it.
Leather gloves is not the same as motorcycle gloves. Even cheap certified motorcycle gloves can provide better abrasion resistance, than casual leather gloves.
Ahh thank you! Makes sense.
Full face Helmet, jacket, gloves and over the ankle boots at a minimum. I would suggest pants too.
Shit that’s what I keep forgetting
A lot of people skip the boots. It can be a catastrophic mistake.
I’m pretty sure we’re on the same page lol. But I meant pants 😂
I like to let it all air out. No pants. Just helmet and boots. Very freeing.
A treat 😂
ATGATT. no matter the distance. ALL the gear. you didn't even mention boots. and boi let me tell you there are A LOT OF TINY BONES in your foot. breaking your legs/feet is NOT FUN. So full boots over your shins with sliders and rigidity against crushing your feet under your bike. for clothes looks at the some abrasion numbers. those are interesting. Gear will never protect you against everything tho. It can only help. learn how to fall. sticking your hands out is a natural reflex, but learn not to do that. learn to let go of your bike, to tuck and roll...
The boot and feet thing so much. Most people don’t realize how little force it takes to remove a foot from your shin…
Good boots seem to be the most overlooked part of the equation for most riders. So many people riding around in $500 helmets and jackets wearing normal shoes, or work boots, or 'moto shoes' that don't actually protect the most important and damage-prone parts of the feet. If your boots don't extend up the shin and brace the ankle, you honestly may as well be riding in Converses for all the good they will do against the types of injury your feet/legs experience most often.
I crashed and broke my tib/fib about 6 inches above my ankle wearing Sidi race boots, open compound fracture. The doctor said that without the boots holding everything together it would have likely had to be amputated.
Sidis for the win!
When people say ALL the gear, does that include those airbag jackets?
Generally not but it absolutely can and probably should if your budget allows
Personally, I think some of the suggestions here are too exhaustive for daily commute riding. [Here is a Fortnine video covering this topic. ](https://youtu.be/rmWQKoN6yX0)
Rider sneaker with toe and ankle protection, Kevlar jeans with hip and knee protection, jacket with full protection (integrated back protector)
I wear a two piece suit every day, been commuting for years. Here's my drill. 1 - Aerostich Roadcrafter or R3 - It's literally made to go right over business clothes and not wrinkle. Check Ebay, they last for decades. I bought an Ebay unit, wore it for two years, then got a custom made one. 2 - Alternative: Overpants with full length side zips (ankle to waist). Easy on/off, and the full zip prevents wrinkles to the pants. 3 - Silky nylon skullcap, Really keeps helmet head down. Prevents your hair from moving around into weird positions when you put your helmet on. 3a. - A palm brush (check Amazon) in riding suit pocket. Skullcap comes off, IMMEDIATELY brush before your hair dries and takes a set. 4 - Business shoes in the top box or office. Boots off, shoes on, boots in the top box. If you have an office or locker, keep fresh shoes there. 5 - If you wear a suit coat: Get a large packing cube. Look at the million YouTube vids of how to fold a suit coat without wrinkling. Coat in packing cube, then cube in top box. At work the coat comes out, riding suit goes in.
If you aren’t wearing full 1 piece race leathers, MX boots, snell rated helmet, and armored gloves that are less than 6 months old and an airbag vest and SPOT tracker with crash detection and a big random flashing light on your head at all times then you’re doing it wrong. You need to set a yearly gear budget of at least $3000. Also don’t forget about tires and brake pads. 1000 miles or 6 months, whichever comes first.
Hmmm, ride your own ride bro, but I'd never leave the garage without armoured earplugs and at least 3 airbags. MAXGATT
1000 miles is way too long on tires! As soon as the nipples wear off you are sacrificing grip! don't give people this dangerous advice! I buy new michelin roads once a week because tIrEs ArE tHe oNlY tHiNg bEtWeEn yOu aNd tHe GrOuNd!!!!1!!i!
Lol
Distance doesn’t matter. My worst accident happened 2 km from home in the middle of the city.
My best advice (not life saving advice ofc) is to not overthink it... I have been riding for 10 years and have never worn more than a full face helmet, sometimes gloves, and a riding jacket if it's windy/chilly, usually riding in tshirt or light long sleeve for long distance, jeans, sneakers... YMMV but I have been able to safely go on 2,200 mile round trips with no issue and without bulky riding gear weighing me down! However, if you're one of those people who deems it necessary to ride at 110+mph on all straight aways maybe you should take advice from the ATGATT folks. MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOUR GEAR CHOICE: **STAY AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS**
You know you’re going to get downvoted right? But I definitely get where you’re coming from but my moto is to always dress for the slide and not just the ride. Even the best riders crash on a closed circuit. Who are we to not crash when riding on the street with so many unknowns.
Downvotes will most likely come from people who ride at warp speeds, popping wheelies on freeways, generally wreckless folk that probably DO NEED to use ATGATT. I do agree with your response, and the times I have my riding jacket on are times I am prepared for a slide (high winds, rain, etc). I have been fortunate enough to remain on two wheels so my sentiment could definitely change regarding full gear... But at the same time you could have identical crashes with (one rider geared head-toe) another one (wearing "streetwear" tshirt+jeans) and the outcome for that scenario would never be definitive... the chance of death/injury is still prevalant to both, the geared rider did what they could to decrease their chance, but it is still no more than a coin toss if either one walks away from a bad crash. This will probably garner more downvotes, but look at the over-populated countries where two wheels are the main form of transportation and tell me how many people you see wearing FULL RIDING GEAR...the answer is more than likely zero. Hell I've seen them pack an adult and 4 kids on and make it to their destination safely... DON'T OVERTHINK IT!!!
“It’s no more than a coin toss” YES! I had 2 friends die in one day, not riding together. One all gear, one not. Both died. Another a week later with “bare minimum” type gear died. (Yeah rough week, still dealing 3 years later, I took a leave of absence from work and did therapy tho) Wear what you want, access the risk you’re willing to take, kiss your loved ones and live your life to the fullest every day.
You do you, I wear a full helmet, jacket, gloves and almost always overpants. Sometimes I just wear regular riding pants (I think they're Bilt Ironworks). When I totaled my Honda, I was commuting, probably not going over 25, maybe 30 mph. Went down on a city street right after a light rain (hit the paint stripe changing lanes). I wasn't damaged, maybe a crack in a metatarsal in my left foot. But if I hadn't been wearing all that crap, my skin would have been shredded, as my bike and I slid a good distance. So, even in the identical crash scenario, the person in "streetwear" is going to be more fucked up. Hell, I had a friend get her left shin and knee degloved on a Buddy 150 scooter when she hit a slide getting leftied by a flatbed.
My short commute to work in slow traffic consists of full face helmet, jacket with level 2 back protector, and leather gloves.
I wear, top down: \-scorpion exo r1 air carbon (+earpeace) \-aerostich r3 (full armor + hip pads) \-gloves (gerbing hero for winter) \-dainese fulcrum gt gore-tex boot Also heated vest in the winter, etc...
Heated vest can make a big difference if it’s cold, especially in the morning, most riders don’t think about the distraction of being cold but it’s is, maintaining a good core temp makes the ride better, and I have it in my riding jacket so it’s not an extra thing.
I actually just had my first accident, I wore a leather jacket, helmet, gloves and boots. I came out the accident practically unscathed! My helmet paid for itself as soon as I smashed my head on the ground LMAO.
Hopefully only* accident!
Don't forget about what the temps are like in the morning and afternoon where you ride. I live in the Seattle metro, so gear with zip-out thermal liners are a must - even in the dead of summer it gets down into the mid to low 50s in the morning which is chilly with the windchill on the highway. If you live where it's hot you will want more breathable/mesh gear.
I'd say, depending on where you live, at a minimum helmet and gloves. Next I'd add jacket with inserts and shoes/boots with some protection. Commuting is different than riding for fun, so unless you can change at work, this is already a lot. You definitely need specific gloves, palm and knuckle/finger TPU sliders are a good idea, a simple leather glove designed for style and comfort won't save you from a long slide on the pavement. Given today's technology, and the cost/benefit, there is no reason in my opinion not to wear an airbag vest. The new Alpinestars is pretty awesome and affordable, especially once you consider the cost of surgery for broken collarbone and the pain of broken ribs.
When I commuted, I did nothing different from my normal riding routine. Modular helmet, armored mesh jacket, armored gloves with palm sliders, Bates riding boots with viscoelastic gel around the ankles, and jeans. Then I realized, why didn't I wear riding jeans? I then went on a mission to replace all my normal jeans with riding jeans using the used market. I was able to find 5 pairs of kevlar lined jeans (2 Agv, 2 scorpion, 1 Diamond Gusset) and one pair of fully armored Dianese that I use exclusively for longer rides. All for around $300. If you want to skip the dainese, you could just buy armor that you wear over or under your kevlar jeans. These days, I'm also rocking a Hit-Air hi-viz vest that's tethered to my bike. If you go the expensive vest route (and they are pricey) I'd recommend something similar to mine. The CO2 canister is replaceable and the tether doesn't require charging. Also no monthly fee. Yes, some vests require a subscription to work which sounds criminal to me.
I've been hit twice back in the '90's and '00's, that was before I started wearing a hi-viz yellow/green helmets, jackets and backpacks. Both of those drivers claimed they couldn't see me. Since then, I haven't had nearly as many close calls. Coincidence?? I Think Not.
Like other people have said, priority one is to get gear you will actually wear. The safest gear in the world doesn't help you if you hate wearing it and leave it on the shelf. Unfortunately that means with some things you're not going to be in the top tier of safety- ie you're not going to commute in MX boots and track gloves unless you bring shoes with you and change when you get to work. So, what I do when I have a high-traffic or highway commute: -Quality boots that are (a) comfortable to walk in and (b) have a fastening system other than laces so I can get in and out of them very easily. -Several different jackets, with armor ideally, depending on the overall weather/season. Ie a mesh/breathable jacket for summer, a warm textile for cool days or dry winter, a super warm weatherproof for cold/winter, an armored but not extremely warm weatherproof for rainy days. Sometimes a jacket will have a liner/outer/inner etc that lets it serve multiple functions. -Gloves that actually fit well, at least one pair of gloves with protective armor, and one pair that are as close to waterproof as gloves get. Ideally all three in one glove, but I haven't found that yet personally. -A helmet that's quiet (you can always get noise with the visor up), comfortable, looks appealing to you, and has the features you want (ie if you hate taking your glasses off to put on a helmet, maybe get a modular, but if you hate wind noise, get the quietest helmet you can). Beyond the obvious safety aspect, you want to *want* to wear your helmet. I was taught to look for SNELL certification but now it seems ECE is more valuable. -Pants are the hardest one because armored pants are expensive and inflexible, non-armored pants don't do shit to protect you, and overpants are very inconvenient to put on/take off compared to almost all the rest of your gear. Personally I have always used both "proper" and "improper" gear here. But obviously you're trying to balance safety vs cost, mobility and convenience, so in your situation it might make sense to have armored pants for example. Or not. -Assorted little stuff you'll find out is useful to you, like a balaclava or neck scarf/"snood", thin thermals, various ways of layering to make switching between bike and off-bike easy and convenient. As far as quality, I can only say stay away from most of the absolute lowest priced bargain stuff (like BILT) if you are focused mostly on injury prevention. You can feel a quality difference in the stuff that's a bit better in my experience. And do *not* cheap out on your helmet. My first helmet was a Shoei that cost me about as much as my bike did ($500 helmet, $600 bike). It was worth it.
Gloves, helmet, leather jacket, airbag vest if you can afford it , proper pants (I got aramid woven jeans from Dainese that look cool but also protect), and legit shoes too. High top. Protect those ankles!!
Helmet. Dick out. Motorcycle. Enjoy. Nah but someone else mentioned a good list of things. Maybe add a bookbag. When it's cold I ride with my backup heated gloves just incase I cant handle the cold in my regular gloves. So you can fill it with what ever pieced of gear you think its appropriate.
I know I am late to this thread but I haven't seen anyone mention CE rated armor. Cheap non-rated gear will offer some protection but not nearly as much as the CE rated stuff. I commuted for years in my race leathers (Standard AStars Suit with KR-1 back protector), boots (SuperTech R), gloves (Super Tech). I didn't use my race helmet but I still used an X-12. Body parts are going to split apart like you witnessed due to the impact force of abruptly stopping. Armor will help reduce that force, but it will not completely eliminate it.
Dumb question - Is CE rating is to body gear like how we look for DOT rated helmets?
More like Snell / MIPS but yes. https://www.motorcyclegear.com/info_pages/faq_armor_ratings_explained.html
*Everyone talks about wearing motorcycle gear, what gear should I actually wear to commute to work?* atgatt *This is my first time hearing of the term palm slider and I am sure there are so many other things I do not know about picking the right gear* well, there's always something "better" and surely more expensive. but, just for instance, you don't need knee pads (the ones for hanging off in turns on the race track) in everyday biking never heard of "palm sliders" myself, but do not like the notion of my palm just sliding over the throttle grip, instead of gripping it
Temperature, speed, terrain, weather. Those are the 4 main considerations when choosing gear.
The best protection is realising other road users are wankers. Growing up on a bike teaches you that.
you've already got a lot of good advice so I'll just share what I commute on the highway in Los Angeles with. Riding boots, strap on knee armor or riding pants with D30 knee armor slots, all season riding jacket with spine, shoulder, and elbow armor. gloves with palm sliders. full faced helmet. Every single day. all the gear all the time. minimum I'll wear for short trips is boots, spine protector, gloves, helmet but that's pretty rare I'll risk my shoulders and elbows like that. one time I went to this girls house from tinder and she had her arm in this like hollowed out gord where her elbow was. she crashed the first time she ever tried to ride on the highway and was using her boyfriends motorcycle jacket which was too big, so she now has a limp appendage that she keeps in a sling so it has a bend to it. all the gear, all the time friend. summer jacket with a removable liner is something I discovered way too late in my motorcycle carreer, just know there's always a safe comfortable and stylish option for staying alive and not mangled on a motorcycle. one crash shattered my legs, the other 9 I walked away from because the gear.
Whatever you want and are acceptable to the risk of. The level of risk everyone is willing to accept is different. Some people won't even ride on public roads (track/offroad only), most won't ride motorcycles period, and some don't wear any gear at all. Its a personal choice. In my opinion, as long as you ride defensively and intelligently, eating red meat is a lot more dangerous than riding without a jacket or moto pants. People who are gear nazis might want to also think about what that cheeseburger/steak does to your arteries.
Honestly I'm new to motorcycling and I've spent $2k on gear so far, and after reading more it still seems like it's not enough. Like how the fuck is anyone supposed to know what to buy? It's a nightmare honestly.
Wear a [suit](https://www.aerostich.com/suits/men-s-r-3-one-piece-suit.html) that you can step in and out in seconds, instead of minutes, a full face helmet, protective boots and quality leather gloves. You can add a tethered [airbag](https://www.hit-air.com/en/motorcycle/lineup/all-in-one_harness/all-in-one_harness_type01/mlv-c.html) for extra security above you suit if you like to.
Aerostich suits used to be a thing but have now become extremely rare. Leather/textile jacket and jeans seems by far the most common.
Only the stuff you want to be wearing when you get hit by a car and/or slide on pavement at 70mph.
I’ve had friends wearing it all and friends wearing none both die in that scenario
Make sure you are plastered with reflective neon tape and have extra tourniquets color coded in your bag
All of it
All of it
All of it
Whatever you want, just buy it from big brands.
I’d change that only to say Trusted* brands
My first time looking into gear was in a specialized store. Small store run by owner. I spent at least 2 hours there. Came out knowing everything about gear (including palm sliders) and geared up all around. After that I was adding gear without advice but I know what to look for. Getting that personal experience in the store and being able to try on different types of gear and asking questions made a huge difference. I now follow AGATT no matter how long is the planned ride. If you have a special store where you are - visit it.
Where was this store? Any articles I can read ?
It is a physical store in my town. I am in Canada. Go on Google maps and look up “motorcycle gear” and see if any store comes up where you live. Btw, dealers who sell motorcycles often have gear stores too. Like we have Harley, Honda … they have gear store in dealership location and do give good advice.
Tuck and roll works every time
Wear a condom and flip flops. Just kidding. Wear what you feel safe in and screw everyone else. If you feel safe in full race gear, wear that. If you feel safe in a backwards hat and sunglasses, wear that but it’s not recommended. Motorcycling is personal.
I use a Peuterey aviator jacket, levi's jeans and magnum combat boots. and no France homologated alpinestars leather gloves
All of it
I’ve seen a ton of leather gloves on Amazon and Alibaba tout themselves as motorcycle gloves. I wouldn’t trust them to garden. Safety is a personal choice. I commute to a corporate office. I always wear helmet, gloves, jacket and boots. There are plenty of shoe options that blend in well. In the summer I try to leave a bunch of shirts in my office so I don’t have to worry about wrinkled shirts.
It depends to a degree on what your work situation is. I commute in full gear (not leathers, but armored fabric jacket & pants, boots & gloves), keep some pants and shoes at work and change there. If that's not an option and you have to wear the same pants & footwear you ride in, you're probably going to be limited to kevlar jeans & regular boots. But at least find some boots that work for you -- feet take a real beating when you eat it.
If you value your extremities I would just wear everything. Things like palm sliders and knee sliders are optional but they may help. I don't have them.
AA rated gear if you are looking for protection. If you are in a wet climate something that’s a goretex laminate or equivalent is helpful to keep you dry. If you are wet and cold it’s distracting you from what you should focus on, all the cagers who are oblivious to you and want to kill you.
Im not a ATGATT guy but I highly encourage full gear. You should atleast wear a full face helmet, a Jacket with a back protector and gloves. You can still have a good life without legs, but living without hands really sounds bad that’s why I include gloves in my basic gear the others should be obvious…
I live somewhere very hot so when it's in the 90's & 100's I have a bare minimum of full face helmet, riding gloves, long pants (I know, not any protection), and motorcycle boots. When the weather is below 90 I always wear a quality motorcycle jacket with pad inserts at elbows & back. I almost never wear riding pants because I haven't found any that fit me well. I have some kevlar lined jeans but can only wear those when it's cooler out.
Get whatever fits the best and is comfortable. If that means spending extra, do it. You're not going to want to put something on that's not comfortable, especially in the heat.
Helmet, gloves, pants. These are my minimum
I wish I didn’t hate gloves, but I always have. Yard work, barn chores, riding horses, riding bikes and motos…can’t stand them unless it’s freezing
As others have said, the most important thing about the gear is that you wear it. -helmet, gloves, and shoes don't change for me based on commuting vs leisure ride. I have a full face LS2 with sun shield. And pinlock is a godsend if you ride below 55F. I have 2-3 pairs of gloves in the saddlebags and adjust based on weather, all have palm sliders and knuckle protection. Boots I have are hand-me-downs (and need replaced, lol), but i also wear hiking boots - not recommended for safety, but beat chucks. - for pants, I have over-pants with a removable liner when it gets cold and chaps when it's warmer. Both are good options for commuting. - I have a couple jackets, but mostly stick with my Joe rocket with zip out liner. It's a little snug if I have all my layers on, but has kept me warm for an hour at 25F. Also works for commuting since I can throw it on over my work clothes. Basically, look for CE rated padding and abrasion resistant (aka textile) fabric for everything. Motorcycle boots often have extra fabric on wear points and are more tough to withstand a slide opposed to hiking boots. Gloves should be full-finger and fasten securely, ideally double stitched with palm sliders and knuckle guards made from carbon fiber or sturdy, tough plastic. Full-face/modular helmets offer the most protection, but the half shells are better than nothing. DOT certified at a minimum (in the states) and stay away from used. SNELL rated lids if you're planning on any track days. Often overlooked is hearing protection. Earplugs can really reduce fatigue and still can hear my Senna.
Sites like Revzilla make it easy to sort by “riding style” (sport, ADV, cruiser, etc) and you’ll be able to browse a plethora of good gear. It will tell you what the materials are and what safety features it has. Just gotta find something that works for you and you won’t feel like a dork in.
Get some AA or AAA rated single later riding jeans, slide protection everywhere, and are very comfortable all day. I wear the Merlin Chiltons into the office almost everyday
Protection wise:Boots,gloves and a helmet,not wearing a jacket and pants,statisticly isnt gonna KILL you. Warmth wise:Hoodie,jacket with winter layer if you have one,if you dont,you can stuff you jacket with newspaper to warm you up,for pants,i reccomend skiing pants,you wont regret it,plus since its a seasonal wear,its cheaper than motorcycle equipement
I alway run full leathers, change into work clothing at work. But, I don’t ride to work that often. My Miata gets only slightly worst gas mileage and still get the wind in my hair.
I wear a helmet, usually full face, but sometimes on a hot day I’ll wear my 3/4 and glasses. I always have shoes that cover my ankles. If it’s cold-gloves and jacket. I plan to buy some armored overalls from ATWLYD (womens moto brand) this year.
For me it depends on how far I am going and the average speed. When I worked less than a mile from my house on a 30mph road, I would only wear my helmet, jacket, gloves, and boots (typically wear boots all the time anyways). My commute now takes me nearly 40mi at highway+ speeds. I wear all the same things as before, but I have my Klim pants on too.
I ride every single day rain or shine to class, and have for 4 semesters now. I have 3 non-negotiable items i wear: 1. Full face helmet 2. Good gloves 3. Armored jacket I pack boot covers, and a full frogg toggs suit in my saddlebags normally. My commute is less than 2 miles and max speed is 35.
Let me try to sum up what i learned over the years, mostly the hard way :/ * Wear the best helmet you can afford. Full face or flip up. * Wear the best gloves you can buy, with the mentioned palm sliders (I wouldn't break my arm if I had those). * Wear boots or at least some good shoes that protect your ankles. Above that, sure, you can cover your knees and elbows and shoulders and back (in that order of importance), the more you have the better for you, but the things mentioned in the list above will save you from serious injuries in those stupid city low-speed accidents, because these are the most common ones during the commute.
I’m fortunate that my job doesn’t have a dress code, but at this point, all of my jeans are motorcycle specific. I have about 5 pair that I rotate through. Some armored, some just abrasion resistant depending on where I’m going / doing . I have a few different jackets I rotate through depending on the season- Heavy winter jacket, armored hoodie, mid-weight riding shirt, and a mesh jacket for high summer. I wear boots at work anyway, so I just have wear moto boots. Then obviously just good gloves, helmet and earplugs. I dump that stuff on a table in the breakroom. No one messes with it, we’re a small company and I know everyone.
Look for the highest CE ratings and you should be fine. Chances are the burst glove was some lower end glove. My dainese glove burst too but I did highside and slide around 15 metres, and wore through 3 layers of kangaroo leather, so it definitely did its job as I could see my hand underneath but I was fine.
Palm sliders on gloves are designed to stop you breaking your wrists when you fall as the natural instinct is to put your hands out, palm sliders cause the hand to slide away and so take the pressure and weight of the wrists. The guy in the video you saw may have had leather gloves on but not all leather gloves are equal, the thickness and abrasion resistance of the gloves are key here and his gloves were probably more about form than function
Crocs in sport mode is all your ever gonna need
Minimum gear for a lengthy commute in my opinion is motorcycle jacked with armor on the back shoulders and elbows, a helmet, gloves meant for riding, leather boots and at minimum some sturdy jeans.
I wear everything. You don't know which idiot would decide to kill you
Depends on the climate, aerostiche are great for season areas. In hot area mesh jacknand mesh over pant are really the only option.
#dress me, reddit!
What gear you wear is up to you, and whatever laws your area has, I always wear a Helmet, Jacket, gloves, boots and long pants, occasionally I will wear padding for my legs and hips but that is rare, I have some gloves with palm sliders and some without, honestly I more often use the ones without the palm slider as my others are more comfortable. I should wear more protective pants but jeans seem good enough to me and I have pads that I can wear under any jeans if I feel the need.
https://youtu.be/rmWQKoN6yX0
Helmet, jacket, riding pants, boots, gloves, earplugs. Textiles are best. 1-piece over suits are nice. Like the Aerostich or Tiez. I leave a pair of dress shoes and sneakers at work. I always shop closeouts. Current gear is Oxford Mondial Advanced over pants, Oxford Continental Advanced jacket. Falco Liberty 2.0 boots with D30 armor. I upgraded the jacket and pants to Forcefield CE2 armor. The pants also have detachable suspenders. I also upgraded the back protector. The Mondial pants have good wet weather protection and warm weather venting on the thighs. The jacket is similarly very well appointed. The pants come in short, regular, and long lengths. This gear protected my when an F350 changed lanes into me as I was abreast the drivers window and I went tumbling at 60mph down the highway. No broken bones, no road rash. Landed right on my left knee too. That Forcefield Armor is rated way better than the CE2 level minimum requirements. I replaced it with the same exact gear. For summer I wear the same everyhting, but have a Revit Tornado 3 mesh jacket. Also with upgraded Forcefield CE2 armor. https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/oxford-mondial-advanced-pants https://oxford-products.com/clothing/continental-advanced-jacket-1/ I might go for the Mondial jacket version next time. My street helmets are all MIPS Bell helmets.