Motorcycle Safety Gear

Anyone getting into motorcycling for the first time always ask. What gear should I get?
Okay so before I get into what gear to get let me just bring this to your attention.
When you're driving in your car you don't need to wear safety gear because your car's body is built to protect you in a crash.
On the other hand. When you're riding a motorcycle there's nothing around you that is there to protect you. You have to rely on your alertness, safe riding, and the gear you wear.
So now with that in mind here's what I recommend you should get for gear even if you are an experienced rider.

Helmet: Yeah, you saw that one coming didn't you? That's good, but don't take it lightly. ALWAYS wear a helmet. You don't want to end up in a hospital bed for the rest of your life because you blew off from wearing a helmet even just one time!
Make sure you buy a helmet that is DOT approved. The more ratings it has on it along with DOT the better. Protecting your head is the most important, so don't go cheap when buying a helmet.

Boots: Buy some motorcycle riding boots. Don't just wear runners or skate shoes. They will not protect your feet in an accident. I've seen many motorcycle accident videos where the riders shoes flew off before they even hit the ground. A lot of good they did them right?
So get yourself a good comfortable pair of motorcycle boots. After all you only have one pair of feet.

Jacket: You should always wear a jacket. Here's why. A jacket will protect your arms and upper body if you are sliding on pavement or other kinds of ground. Wouldn't you rather have your jacket torn to pieces rather then your arms or body? I thought so.
A jacket not only protects you from a fall, but also protects you against sunburns, skin cancer, wrinkles, you get the picture.
So buy yourself a motorcycle jacket, and wear it! Even on hot days. Some motorcycle jackets are designed with lots of air vents to keep you cool on hot days. So, there's no excuse not to wear one.

Gloves: Yes, even gloves are important. If you were walking along and you tripped and fell, where do your hands go? Exactly. They reach out to try and stop or slow your fall.
So what would happen if you fell off a motorcycle? The same thing. Only I hope you're wearing gloves so your hands don't get torn up. So get a pair of gloves!

Pants: Okay so here's where it gets easier on your bank account. You can buy chaps, or motorcycle riding pants. They definitely protect your legs way more then just wearing a pair of jeans, although you can get away with just them. I say it's easier on your bank account, because who doesn't already own a pair of jeans?
The only thing I will recommend is, please don't wear shorts, period. When you wear shorts there is lots of skin exposed and what happens to that skin when you're sliding along pavement at 80km's/h? Yeah, not pretty.
So wear jeans as your minimum option for riding pants.

Glasses: If you chose to wear a half helmet, or non full face, then I recommend you definitely wear some sort of eye protection. Wearing your prescription glasses are not going to cut it either. A stone or anything can easily damage your eye still. Get some motorcycle riding glasses, or sunglasses, and protect those eyes!

Okay so that's it! Please don't take any of these safety gear tips lightly. We only live once, and we have to protect our body as much as we can.

You might be saying. This is so lame. Gear looks so uncool, or gear is for wussies. Well I'm sorry to say, but you're wrong. If you're out riding with a friend. They're wearing full gear and you're not. You both get into an accident. Your buddy comes to see you at the hospital when they're trying to put all your skin back together again. Who's uncool now? How hot are you going to look in the summer at the beach with skin grafts taken from all over your body? Yeah, I thought you might say that.
Think ahead, and what it could cost you for later.

On another note. Gear nowadays looks awesome! So don't let style or pride get in the way from buying some gear.

Go out riding without the worries!