The Essential Motorcycle Gear Guide: Head to Toe

There is an old saying among riders: dress for the slide, not the ride. On a motorcycle you have none of the crumple zones, airbags or steel cage that protect a car driver, so the gear on your body is quite literally your bodywork. The encouraging truth is that modern protective kit is lighter, cooler and more comfortable than ever, and a full outfit costs a small fraction of the bike it protects you on.

The philosophy worth adopting is ATGATT — All The Gear, All The Time. Crashes rarely announce themselves, and the short trip to the shops is exactly when people get caught out in a t-shirt. Let us work from head to toe, explaining what each item does, how it should fit and which certification marks actually mean something.

The Helmet Comes First

Nothing you own matters more. A helmet should sit snugly with no pressure points, grip your cheeks firmly and not budge when you shake your head with the strap done up. Look for a current safety standard — ECE 22.06 across Europe and much of the world, DOT in the United States, or the tougher voluntary Snell rating. Full-face designs offer the most protection because they guard the chin and jaw, the most commonly struck area in a crash. Replace any helmet after a significant impact, even if it looks fine.

Fit is everything with a helmet, and it should be neither loose nor painful. A new lid feels firm and loosens slightly as the cheek padding beds in, so choose the snuggest size you can comfortably wear for an hour. Try several brands and shapes, because heads differ and a helmet that suits a friend may not suit you at all. And never buy a used helmet, because you cannot see the internal damage a previous impact may have quietly caused.

Jackets and the Armour Inside

A good jacket does two jobs: it resists abrasion so the road does not reach your skin, and it holds impact armour over your shoulders, elbows and spine. Leather offers superb abrasion resistance; modern textiles add weatherproofing and ventilation. In Europe garments are rated to EN 17092, from AAA for the most protective down to A for lighter urban wear. Whatever the shell, make sure the armour is CE-marked and, ideally, upgraded to Level 2 at the shoulders and elbows, with a proper back protector fitted rather than a token foam pad.

Fit matters here too, because armour that slides out of place in a crash protects nothing. The jacket should be snug enough to hold its protectors over the joints even as you tuck into your riding position, so try it on leaning forward rather than standing straight. Look for adjusters at the waist, arms and cuffs, and consider a jacket with both a thermal liner and vents so a single garment covers more of the year. A connecting zip to your trousers seals out draughts and keeps everything aligned.