Bought a new bike? Tips on choosing the right riding gear for your trip

Make sure that the gear you choose not only suits the kind of biking you're into, but also protects you while you experience the thrill of riding

Whether it's dirt biking, casual riding, or a cross-country trip, you can now pick up something from a wide range of riding gear to suit your style. While some are adventurous, choosing to explore the rough, off the beaten track, others may want to cruise steadily on the highway or simply commute within the city. 

That said, just remember that safety is paramount and gear that protects most of your body parts from injury during an accident is top priority -- a helmet for your head, skull and jaw; rider gloves for the wrists, biker boots for the ankle, a jacket for the shoulder, back and chest and rider pants for knee protection. 

Boots and gloves

What are the most underrated yet significant parts of riding gear? Bikers often tend to ignore the boots and gloves, says Arbaaz Sha Muzawer, Co-founder and CEO, Custom Elements Pvt Ltd. “The first thing that touches the road when a bike collapses is your feet. If you don't have good riding boots, your ankle could suffer injury that can last for months. Similarly people go for good-looking cheap gloves rather the ones that offer good protection to your wrists.” In an accident, riding gloves provide a cushion at impact points such as the knuckles. Ideally no part of the skin should be exposed and the gloves must cover the fingers and wrist end to end.

Available for Rs 4,800, Royal Enfield's Huntsman Leather Boots are typically designed for rough wear and would suit those with an affinity for adventure

Choosing a helmet

A helmet, of course, is must-have even from the standpoint of traffic rules. There are three main variants - full-face, half-face and modular helmets. One must look for the certification - ISI is the minimum standard certification bikers should go for. For those wanting rip the highway at breakneck speed, an ECE- or DOT- or SNELL-certified helmet is much better as the quality and safety surpass the Indian ISI standards. "The safest and the best helmet is the full-face, as it offers protection to the skull and jaw, but the worst ones are Cap helmets which offer zero protection," says Sha Muzawer. “Make sure you have a D-ring strap helmet, as it is much safer than a buckle-up one.”

The risk profile and vulnerability of the pillion rider is exactly the same as the guy in front, says Puneet Sood, Head, Royal Enfield Apparel & Accessories. When choosing a bike helmet, a good fit is vital. To find your size, wrap a flexible tape measure around the largest portion of your head—about an inch above your eyebrows. There are size guidelines you can follow. Most helmets come in small, medium, large or extended sizes, but some even start at Xs, and go till 2Xl. The sizing chart varies from brand to brand. Sood recommends a “nice snugly fitted helmet” as against something that is too loose or too tight. Royal Enfield recently launched a make-your-own-helmet option in November 2018 and people wanted their names and some their mobile numbers on the helmet. Weight is an issue of current research. A typical helmet weighs between 1.2 kg and 1.6 kg and there is plenty of R&D going on to make it lighter, especially for women riders.

Storm Evo jacket by Rynox, priced at Rs 9,450, protects the shoulder and elbow, and comes with a rain liner and a winter liner

Jackets 

They come next in order of priority. Choose your riding jacket based on your need. You can get one for a particular season or another that you can use throughout the year. Jackets are important as they have crash protectors for the back, shoulder and elbow. Some also shield the chest, says Piyush Wadhwa, Managing director Pathpavers. “Also, all good riding jackets will come with abrasion resistance so they don’t tear on impact,” he adds.

The choice of riding gear is a function of your biking style. “Touring” riding gear (for those doing long distances on their motorcycles in India) will be different from a “daily commuting” one. While styling tends to be technical and follows function in the former, the latter is more urbane and city-friendly. According to Aditya Phadke, Head–Marketing, Rynox Gears, “In the touring style, you have full textile with modular vents or mesh with static vents. The impact protectors are optimised for comfort and protection whereas city-ride gear is sleek and lightweight.”

Do women remain a minority in a typically male-dominated arena? Sood shares vignettes of Himalayan Odyssey, featuring women riders, that Royal enfield organises every year saying that there is a significant rise in their number now and this has been growing every year. “Beyond a way of commute, it is more a form of expression for women,” says Sood. 

Finally, high-quality riding gear isn't mandatory but is definitely recommended for a great and safe riding experience, if you're a keen rider. Considering a 200 cc motorcycle costs about Rs one lakh, approximately 25 per cent of this would constitute riding gear cost. For higher cc bikes, riding gear with level-two armours is recommended. 

What riding gear would typically cost you
Article	Cost in rupees	Article	Cost in rupees
Helmet

3,000-6,000 Jacket 4,500-9,000

Gloves 

1,200-3,000 Boots 3,200-10,000

Pants 

3,000-8,000 Bag  2,500-6,000