Riding gear is something many of us usually avoid, knowing we are ignoring our safety. Previously, we discussed why riding gear is so important that it may save you from the most brutal accident; if you missed that post, you may read it here.

Today, in this motorcycle riding jacket buying guide, we will discuss how to choose a good riding jacket, considering the most important factors like types, safety, features, comfort, price, brand, etc.

Note: This guide is not biased to any brand; all the inputs are as per my knowledge.

Types of Riding Jackets

Mostly, we have either the street-focused riding jacket or the touring riding jacket; by the name, you may have already understood their purpose. Basically, a street-focused jacket has a maximum mesh panel for better ventilation, comparatively more tighter fit, and another hand touring riding jacket, also known as an all-season riding jacket, comes with better safety protectors, coverable mesh panels & little bit comfortable fit.

Also, there is another category, a race suit, which fits very snug and protects you best.

Safety

Safety is the biggest factor while choosing a functional Riding Jacket; otherwise, there is no point in wasting money, correct? Let’s first discuss what parts are prone to impact in a crash or accident: the Elbow, the Shoulder, the Spinal Cord, and lastly the Chest. While getting chest protection may require you to shell out a few bucks more but you must not compromise.

You may have heard a lot of certification standards like SAS-TEC, CE, etc. Generally, in budget Riding Gears, especially jacket & pants companies provide CE Level 1/2 protectors, which cost less but provide basic safety. The more you spend, the more safety you usually get.

Features

For a good Riding jacket, below are the must-have points.

Material

The riding Jacket should be made of a minimum of 600D Polyester (heavy-duty fabric) material to protect you from abrasion in case of a crash. Some mid-range even provides Cordura reinforcement at abrasive zones. There are many brands that mix leather or denim for better styling.

Ventilation

In India, we mostly face scorching heat throughout the year; hence, ventilation plays an important role. Generally, you should choose mesh jackets that provide excellent airflow to keep you comfortable. We will discuss a little more in the Types of Riding Jacket Section.

Rain Liner

Most of the budget jacket includes an inner/outer rain liner, which may save you from light to moderate showers. Nowadays, even budget rain liners tend to get breathable material, but only a few feel as comfortable as Gore-Tex. If possible, choose a Riding Jacket with an outer Inner Liner so that you can wear or remove it quickly.

Thermal (Winter) Liner

Similar to a rain liner, this inner shell (mostly) provides a comfortable & cozy feeling in colder weather. In the case of sub-zero temperatures, you can additionally wear a rain liner too.

Removable Protectors for easy wash & Upgrade

Over time, Riding Jackets will get dirty, smell bad, and provide less airflow, so you need to wash them. And frankly, I feel you should have removable protectors for ease of washing. Also, if you wish to upgrade armor, you should have an option.

Waterproof Pocket/Compartment

You may use a rain liner or an external raincoat, but what about your essentials, like a mobile? For that, most of the Riding Jackets come with minimum one waterproof pocket.

Visibility

Lastly, it is very important to stay visible in the dark. Here, reflecting panels work great, although most of the riding jacket has them, so still look for it before you decide.

Comfort

One of the most driving factors to decide not to buy a riding jacket is comfort. It is true that it adds heft and sometimes may create irritation or feel quite uncomfortable because of comparatively thick, highly abrasive material and protectors, but trust me, things have changed a lot.

Today, most jackets come with lighter fabric and protectors. With continuous usage, you will get accustomed, and do not forget to check for cushioned trims on the cuff and collar area.

Also, keep in mind similar to the snug helmet fit mentioned in our helmet buying guide, the Riding Jacket must also fit well to protect you. Protectors should be in place (use the buckle to adjust). Initially, you may feel odd, but in a week, it will be comfortable.

Brand & Price

There are many brands in the Riding Jacket category, like Alpinestars, Rynox, Furygan, Aspida, Biking Brotherhood, Zeus, Solace, Royal Enfield, and many more. I feel in the 10K (INR 10000) range, Rynox can be your best pick. I have it, and I do not doubt that they are advancing their technology to provide better safety and quality at a very competitive price.

Recommendations

1. Always try to get light-colored Riding Gear for additional visibility at night, along with a reflective panel.
2. I prefer to shop Riding Jacket or any other Riding Gear offline because the correct size & fit is very important and you can even observe the product better. In case buying online, try to test it in an offline shop and then order the size you felt perfect.
3. Protectors are there to save you, so buy the best protection possible in your budget.
4. In a week or so, the Riding jacket will get comfortable, hence wear regularly (break-in).

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Don’t forget to check out our complete Ladakh Ride Blog series and Riding Gear related posts.

Certainly, if you loved this riding jacket buying guide, share this with your buddies. Additionally, if I’ve missed anything, please let me know in the comments section. I will include it in the post.

Thanks! Have a great day ahead.

The post Motorcycle Riding Jacket Buying Guide appeared first on Rider Escaped

A rider is not only someone who loves long rides or has a very expensive motorcycle either but also everyone who rides a motorcycle for any reason. As a rider, we often underestimate the value of our or our pillion’s life, whether we don’t wear a helmet or any other safety gear. 

Today we will discuss why you should invest in Riding Gears now; otherwise, things might go really bad.

Riding is a passion, a brotherhood, or an integral part of a rider’s life. Admit it or not, it gives us a thrill, a sense of freedom, community, happiness completely different perspective on life, and the list goes on.

In motorcycling, as a rider, we probably look after almost everything like bike specifications, servicing, ergonomics, places we can visit, insurance, modifications, etc, but still, most of us hardly concern ourselves with our own safety. 

Many of us are actually aware of how these riding gears might save our lives in case of any unfortunate event. Still, they don’t opt for it.

What are Riding Gears?

Riding Gears are nothing but the best possible protection for our body, but are made in such a way that it doesn’t feel uncomfortable. A helmet is a well-known riding gear; similarly, purpose-built gloves, jackets, trousers, boots, etc, also exist.

Is it true that Riding Gears are mostly uncomfortable?

Yes, almost every budget riding gear won’t feel comfortable for most of you. But trust me, within a week or two of continuous usage, this will change dramatically. It will not only become a style statement for you, but you will also start feeling uncomfortable without those; it is a fact.

In my case, I always used a helmet only, no riding jackets, trousers, boots, or gloves, not even for 4000+ km rides. Although I had gloves, I never used them as they hurt.

During the Leh Ladakh ride, I had no choice but to wear gloves because of the cold, and surprisingly, after a few hundred kilometers, it became a habit, and now I feel uncomfortable without gloves.

Riding Gears is not expensive than your life!

True, Riding Gears are in general expensive, if not super expensive. Tell me, how much does your life cost? I might sound very funny to you, right, because life is precious, so why are you leaving your life unsafe, exposing it to unfortunate events?

You can purchase a complete standard riding gear set, including a Helmet, jacket, trousers, gloves, and boots, for about 13k to 20k INR. For better or best options, you may need to shell out more than 50k, also.

You may check out our comprehensive guide on How to buy a good Helmet. Also, I will share similar guides for each riding gear category soon, outlining different aspects you must check before purchase.

My sole motive is to help you buy the best possible product at every price point.

Why are Riding Gears super Important?

An accident can happen anytime; no one can predict it, correct? Suppose you are riding on an open highway at a constant speed of 80 kmph or riding to the office through the busiest traffic of your city. Now, what if someone hit you, maybe due to rash driving, electrical failure, unconsciousness, or at the worst, you lose control and fall?

You were maintaining traffic rules, still, shit happens in life. Frankly speaking, this happens frequently.

I too had faced a similar, but the scariest accident in my life, just because of someone else.

Now, wearing riding gear does not guarantee that you will return home without a scratch, but it can absorb maximum impact in case of an accident, and mostly you will be safe & alive.

Let me tell you, when someone meets with an accident, his/her head, palm, elbow, shoulder, spinal cord, hips, knees, ankles, and toes are the most prone to take almost 100% of the impact. That is why most of the riding gears provide protection at these critical points. Additionally, good riding gear is always made of highly durable & abrasion-resistant material like Cordura.

We will discuss riding gear material and other important aspects more comprehensively in How to choose and buying guide article.

Conclusion

Finally, I would say, it is your life and you can obviously do whatever you want, even risking it to death also. 

But still, I would request you to thoroughly read How a Helmet saved my life from the scariest accident I can possibly ever meet and then decide.

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Don’t forget to check out our Riding Gear information section.

Certainly, if you loved the content, share this with your buddies. Also, if I missed out on anything, do let me know in the comments section. I will include it in the post.

Thanks! Have a great day ahead.

The post Why Riding Gear can be a lifesaver for you appeared first on Rider Escaped

We all know Helmet is the most important riding gear in motorcycling, sometimes more precious than your motorcycle. Often riders misjudge the significance of a good helmet, which may or may not cost a bomb. Today, I will be sharing the most horrible and brutal accident of my life.

Note: Upcoming parts are the direct narration of the incident that actually happened with us, no edits. So, it might get boring, but if you value your life, you must read it.

If you are reading this, it means you value your life most. I appreciate your time. Let’s start…

It was 10th September 2016, and we started on the Kanyakumari ride from Kolkata. Our plan was to ride continuously till Chennai (1700+Km), which includes a continuous ride at night also. As planned, we completed our dinner near Khurda Road, Orissa. While discussing road conditions, locals seemed a little concerned. They advised us not to ride at night, but rather to stay at the nearest lodge or hotel. But we took this thing very lightly, as people are not that accustomed to motorcycle riding in India. So, we thanked their concern but decided to continue the ride. Just for context, we had earlier experience in riding at night during the Nainital trip. That time we rode straight to Agra from Kolkata, crossing Bihar at night.

Let’s come to that horrible day. I was riding at a constant speed of 80-90 KmPH with my pillion (wife). Suddenly, after overtaking a truck, the road became completely empty, pitch dark, not a single car, truck, or even person. I turned on the hazard light, high beam, and auxiliary lamps for better visibility. Approximately at 09:30 PM, we heard a very loud blasting sound, and within a second, something hit my head near Haripur Sasan. I was so concentrated on riding that thing that I wouldn’t grab my immediate attention. But seconds later, I started to think about what could hit my head, maybe a section of busted truck tires or some birds. But…

As soon as I stopped (within a minute), something dropped from my head to my lap, then to the ground. It was a brick-shaped stone, more than half a foot long and heavy. Then only I noticed my helmet visor was missing and couldn’t find it anywhere near. The place we stopped all of a sudden was very spooky, pitch dark. Few people came to us, I doubted them, and was trying to leave the place as soon as possible.

But my wife insisted on opening my helmet so that she could check my head for any injury. After a lot of ifs & buts, finally, I removed my helmet and she discovered it was bleeding on my forehead. Now she can’t tolerate blood, and that too mine in the middle of nowhere, literally nowhere.

One of them told us that the blast was to extract stones, and one of those bullet-like stones hit me. That time I felt helpless, but with my wife, motorcycle, and everything, I couldn’t get nervous. So, I decided to reach the nearest toll booth and seek help. But one of them offered us a medical checkup in the nearest clinic (4-5 Km away). After lots of arguments with my wife and that guy, I finally rode my motorcycle to the clinic (Deepak Drug House) at Nachuni.

We reached approximately 10 PM at night, and the medicine shop was about to close. Somehow, that guy convinced the store guy and called a doctor or maybe a compounder. My main motive was to stop the blood somehow and head towards the next toll booth or Berhampur town. After 15 long minutes, the doctor/compounder came and advised stitching the injury. He gave me a medicine for controlling the blood, but it was non-reactive. Trust me, I used to fear stitches so much. But at that time, my wife was becoming senseless, which left me no choice but to tolerate whatever they were doing until I started riding to leave the place.

They did local anesthesia, injected me with another medicine to control the blood. Maybe anesthesia or the last injection started a dizzy feeling, and all I was thinking was, what if they rob us or misbehave with my wife, or they may inject something to make me senseless. Somehow, we were lucky they were good people. Finally, after 45 minutes and multiple stitching attempts, I got a Harry Potter-like Scar. That doctor injected an antibiotic in my bum so that it would not be painful later, gave me 4 days of medicine, and all these for free. I insisted on paying the expenses, but he said the guy who took us here paid the bill of approximately INR 1000. I’m surprised how someone could be so kind.

4 Stitches no forehead

Me resting after stitch

While sightseeing in Vizag

After more questioning, I came to know that those people at that spooky place were watching guard in case any mishap happened due to the blast. Literally, I was shocked, as per that doctor/compounder, this type of incident takes place almost every night. Generally, they blast at midnight, but that unfortunate day, they blasted earlier. That cost me 4 stitches, 1.5 hours of the insecure feeling, the senseless condition of my wife, and most importantly, it was a life-threatening event. I decided to complain at the nearest police station (a Km away), but later thought they must have this information, otherwise, they would have come on the spot as soon as the blast happened.

Somehow, we found a lodge approximately 25 km away at Balugaon, and we rode there and halted for the night. The next day, I felt better and requested my family and wife to allow me to complete the trip. After a long argument, they agreed, but on two conditions.

1. Do not speed over 80 KmPH
2. If I feel unhealthy, I have to inform them and stop riding immediately

By god’s grace or my willpower, we completed the Kolkata – Kanyakumari – Rameswaram – Kolkata trip in 16 days, including this mishap. Frankly, I am neither exaggerating nor advising someone to do this. Rather, I will always suggest knowing your limits, strengths, and weaknesses before such a long ride. You should have the utmost responsibility.

Now, let’s discuss what riding gear we had that day and the mindset behind that. I learned to ride more than 10 years ago in a town where no one wears a helmet. So was I, until one day I was saved from an accident miraculously. Since then, I wear a helmet, but local ones like Aaron, Studds, Steelbird, etc. Luckily, during this scariest accident, I had an LS2 helmet, because of that, I am alive today. But my wife was wearing a Steelbird helmet, and I could not forgive myself for my entire life if that stone hit her. I wore that broken helmet till Visakhapatnam the next day. I purchased a Steelbird helmet as nothing better was available in the whole city. Seriously, I hopped more than 10 shops but bad luck. After returning from the trip, I purchased a pair of a good helmet for us.

Guess what, we carried that broken helmet to our home and kept it. So that it can remind us how important our life is, then spending on riding gear.

Oh! I forgot to mention, we were not wearing any other riding gear that day. I always get goosebumps remembering that horrible day. Soon after we purchased riding jackets, gloves.

The most fascinating part that I can say, my forehead get stitched at Orisssa, checked-up at Andhra Pradesh and finally cut the stitch at Tamilnadu that to in Kanyakumari, southern end of India.

Generally, we think we are probably the best riders or have enough riding experience & skills. Sometimes, we consider that riding gear does not matter than the cosmetics of the motorcycle. But trust me, there could be two scenarios: either you hit or you get hit. It does not matter whose fault it was. But you have to pay the bill as I did. It was not our fault that day; there was neither any road blockage nor even warning about this before. But somehow the LS2 helmet saved me. Trust me, protective gear like riding gear always feels costly until it saves you from any mishap. Although riding gear does not guarantee your complete safety or change your fate, it is a protective layer for you. In case of any mishap, it will take the first impact before you, which will significantly reduce the after-effects.

Now, let’s discuss my understanding of a good helmet. A good helmet could not be costlier than your head. It has to have a reputable certification like DOT & Shark (American Certificate), ECE (European Certificate), or SNELL, etc. Sadly, in India, a helmet worth INR 400 or less also has ISI certification (Indian Certificate). Don’t misjudge me, they really don’t provide any protection. Those companies could fake the certification, but seriously, I always wanted a trusted and safe manufacturer. Like me, you should decide the highest budget for your helmet, then look for certification. Followed by the field of view through the visor, cushioning/padding, locking mechanism, and lastly, the reputation of the manufacturing brand. You can also check out our detailed guide on “How to Choose a Good Motorcycle Helmet for you“.

Lastly, we got one life, don’t risk it unnecessarily. Be safe, Be responsible on road, don’t rash drive, keep in mind our family waits for us at home.

You can know more about the Rynox Urban Riding Jacket here.

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Although we are in the process of queueing up the next post shortly. Till then, subscribe to the Rider Escaped Newsletter and connect with us on Social platforms to get future updates quicker.

Don’t forget to check out our riding gear review here.

Certainly, if you loved this post, share this with your buddies. Also, if I missed out on anything, do let me know in the comments section. I will include it in the post.

Thanks! Have a great day ahead.

The post The helmet saved my life in K2K Ride appeared first on Rider Escaped