Preparing To Ride

Selecting Protective Gear and Clothing

Protective clothing and gear—including a DOT–approved crash helmet—can make a dramatic difference if an accident occurs. Review Safeguarding Yourself with Protective Gear and Clothing to make sure you're properly outfitted. Protective clothing and gear play an important role in preventing injury and death in motorcycle accidents and at other times.

• No access to safety equipment in an accident. In an accident, you will likely be separated from the motorcycle. In that case, safety gear on the bike can't protect you.
• Crash helmet. Riders wearing a DOT–approved crash helmet are likelier to survive a motorcycle crash.
  • Head injuries are a major cause of death in motorcycle accidents.
  • Studies overwhelmingly demonstrate reduced injury of all types for riders wearing helmets.
  • There are no compelling medical arguments against wearing a helmet.
  • Helmets do not reduce visibility or hearing.
  • Because a helmet's function is to absorb the impact of a crash, it destructs significantly during a crash. Always replace your helmet if you're in an accident.
• Eye protection. Wearing goggles or a full-face helmet safeguards you in two ways:
  • Keeps debris from your eyes, preventing vision difficulty while riding that could result in accidents
  • Protects your eyes from injury
• Brightly-colored, rugged protective clothing. The proper clothing provides additional protection.
  • A colorful riding suit makes you more visible to other riders and motorists, thus helping avoid accidents.
  • Rugged clothing helps protect you from environmental extremes.
  • In an accident, clothing made specifically for riding can help protect your skin from contact injuries.

Get Ready To Ride with START-GO

• Always perform a pre-ride inspection using START-GO, described in more detail in Chapter 2. Consult your owner's manual to determine how to conduct the inspection.