Motorcycle Riding Gear
Welcome to the wide world of motorcycling! If you’ve just bought a bike or you’re still narrowing down your choices before you come to our dealership, then it’s important to be aware of everything you need to have in order to start riding. The motorcycle is a good start, of course, but you have to wear some pieces of protective gear in order to keep yourself safe on the highways and byways.
Crystal Harley-Davidson in Homosassa Springs is your Florida motorcycle dealer. Here are the pieces of gear you need to obtain and wear in order to safely and legally ride your motorcycle.
1. A Well-Fitting Helmet
The most important piece of gear you wear is a well-fitting motorcycle helmet. Make sure that the helmet you choose fits snugly and doesn’t feel too tight. You can choose a helmet with a full face mask or a motocross style helmet with a pair of goggles. A face mask or goggles are necessary to protect your eyes from flying debris.
2. Some Form of Outerwear
You have several options when it comes to motorcycle outerwear. You can either invest in a pair of riding pants and a sturdy riding jacket as separate pieces, or you can invest in a one-piece riding suit that fits over your street clothes and keeps them from getting dirty. The choice is yours.
Many riders do simply purchase a riding jacket and wear standard jeans or other pants while riding, but a pair of riding pants will be sturdier and will help protect your skin better if you do happen to slide out. Plus, you won’t put wear and tear on your street clothes!
Just make sure that your skin is covered when riding your motorcycle. It may seem counterintuitive in the hot Florida weather, but light-colored and ventilated riding gear made in a breathable fabric can actually help you stay cooler while you ride than a tank top. Your skin won’t be heated up by the sun this way and you won’t have to lather on sunscreen. Plus, motorcycle riding is risky and it’s better to wear more protective gear.
3. Gloves
A pair of riding gloves will help to prevent your hands from getting too hot and sweaty or too cold and stiff, depending on what the weather is like. Motorcycle gloves are close-fitting and make it easy to manipulate the controls and keep your grip on the handlebars. If you ride in wet or cold conditions (for example, if you took a winter touring trip up north), then you may want to invest in a second pair of gloves with insulation to keep your hands warm.
4. A Pair of Riding Boots
Unfortunately, you can’t just wear any old boots or shoes when riding your motorcycle. Specially designed riding boots are manufactured to be durable, weather-resistant and capable of gaining purchase on most surfaces, even wet roads. Your boots should fit you well and come up to your ankles. Tuck in laces while riding to keep them from catching on your motorcycle’s parts.
When you first purchase a set of riding boots, they can seem very stiff and uncomfortable. Wear them around the house or yard or on an errand to help break them in before your first ride with them so that you don’t get distracted by discomfort on the road.
Looking for riding gear or a new bike? Stop by our dealership in Homosassa Springs, FL, today to check our our full stock of new and used motorcycles for sale, along with accessories and apparel for riding. We can even assist you with financing options. Crystal Harley-Davidson proudly serves all of our Citrus County, FL, customers.