The Gear is the Biking Thing
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by: David Saltonstall
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Word Count: 455
When it comes to motorcycle safety, next to the skill of the driver, the gear is the thing. Good clothing, good equipment and motorbike insurance are three categories of things that can make your ride a safer one. Primarily, the idea is to always think "what can I do to avoid an accident?" This is the primary safety concern of all bikers. Sometimes accidents are going to happen, no matter how careful you are, so it is best to be prepared. How best to protect yourself from injury? Secondary concerns come into play when you think about the fact that sometimes accidents are unavoidable, so how can injury be minimized? Here clothing and gear come into their own. With respect to your clothing you will want clothes that have some resistance to impact, and also resistance to abrasion (in the event you are dragged on rough surface). Your gear (helmet and gloves etc.) you'll want to be top of the line rated.
What is impact resistance? If you fall, you will hit the road. That is impact. For impact resistance, you will need padding in your clothing, which can absorb the force of the impact and spread out the load, minimizing injury to your body. Any point liable to contact the road may be a good place for a pad: shoulders, elbows, back, hips, knees etc. Buy your clothing with an eye to both hard and soft protection. A combination of the two is best, for example, Knox Armour runs about £20 - £50 depending on what you buy. If you cannot afford this, get high-density foam.
What is abrasion resistance? After you've impacted the road, you will probably skid or slide on it. Abrasion resistance is how long a fabric will last before it falls apart. For example, jeans have more abrasion resistance than light-weight polyester slacks. Leather, without a doubt, is the best abrasion resistant material you could buy for your motoring outfit. Motorbike leathers are thicker than fashion leather, which is a good thing. It will give you about ten times more protection than denim. Abrasion can do serious damage to skin and abrasions take a long time to heal properly, often producing scarring. So it's best not to skimp on your outfit, it is all that protects your skin from the asphalt.
On your gear, like your helmet, always check the ratings on the article before you buy. Helmets are mandatory in many countries, and a good helmet can protect against head injury like no other thing you'll ever own. Take a clue from the knights of old, don't scrimp on the headgear. A battleaxe clunking into your noggin is nothing compared to a bad cycling accident.
About the Author
The majority of bikers are road safe and extremely sensible on their bikes, very aware of the surroundings and the incompetence of other road users, for this reason Carole Nash offers the best bike insurance on the market.
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