Today I would like you all to consider your Personal Safety Equipment. This can be broken down into two main groups. Personal Protective Gear and Personal Preventive Equipment. Personal protective gear are those items which protect you in case of a mishap, while Preventive Equipment helps to avoid a mishap in the first place.
Working from head to toe so to speak, you know that helmets come in a variety of shapes sizes and protective ability. So called "novelty helmets" are pretty much in the same category as a "do rag". DOT approval is a very basic rating and certifies a very basic level of protection. The Snell Foundation also rates helmets to a much higher standard. For instance all Harley helmets are DOT approved, however only a few of their helmets meet the Snell standard. (Anniversary FF, HD-10, Overdrive, and Ricochet). A good riding jacket is probably our most important and expensive piece of equipment. While any jacket will provide some protection, the two main types which are truly useful are those made of ballistic nylon and those made of leather. There is a reason most motorcycle racers choose leather. Ballistic nylon is ounce or ounce tougher, but most leather comes in considerably thicker gauges and thus provides better protection. The same is true for leather pants. We usually ride in jeans, but the addition of chaps or full leather pants provide considerably more protection to vital areas. Boots and Gloves protect the parts that often go missing in a bad crash. Both should really cover in order to protect. I always ride with gloves since scrapping all the skin off my palms 30 years ago. A real bitch for a dentist! My boots have steel toes and cover my chins. About 5 years ago I stepped off a curb in Daytona and got clipped by the extended footpeg of a passing bike. Had it not been for my boots, I am convinced that my Daytona trip would have ended in the hospital. All of these items can be ordered with Kevlar inserts or panels which give even greater protection.In addition give careful thought to Preventive Gear. This comes in various forms, but for the most part consists of things that allow you to see and be seen, to hear and be heard. Eyewear should always be made of shatter resistant material. Regular eyeglasses do not usually meet this standard. Sunglasses are vital, but not much good after dark, so alternatives should be available. Windscreens and shields offer additional protection. Bright clothing, reflective tape and upgraded light systems can make a real difference in your visibility to motorists. I have installed LED lights on my bike and they make a great difference in visibility. The object is to be seen by a blind man in the dark, because that’s the way many motorists drive. Ear Plugs will reduce the wind noise and let you continue to hear when you reach my age. Loud pipes have always been a point of controversy. Friends point out that motorists driving with the radio on, windows up and air conditioning fans blowing are not going to hear anything. Still, when driving in someone’s blind spot or approaching an intersection, I feel they have some advantages. Of course we can also upgrade our horns if we really want to get attention. I hope I’ve gotten you to think about the equipment you have and consider the trade off between safety, comfort and convenience. Just remember that no matter how experienced we are, the only question is when and how we are going to go down. The decisions and choices you make will affect your comfort and convenience afterward. Bill Burston