A wise, old biker once said, “Don’t dress for the ride, dress for the crash.”

If you are a new rider that wants to survive to the ripe, old age of this wise man, then you’d be smart to follow his advice. All motorcycle training programs stress the ATGATT acronym (All The Gear All The Time), and for good reason. You will be travelling at highway speeds with no seatbelts or airbags, much less doors, floors or roof. There will be nothing between you and the asphalt besides the clothes on your back, so to speak. Good gear is the only chance a biker has at surviving a crash. So, now is the time to start hunting down all the essentials of a motorcycle wardrobe.

Boots

Let’s start with the feet and make our way up. Motorcycle boots come in a variety of prices and styles – from the cheapest and least conspicuous of everyday-looking boots to the priciest of racer-worthy designs. While you pay for quality, even the cheapest motorcycle boots are better than everyday shoes. This is because they have been specially engineered to survive a crash, and will hold together when they are ground into the road at highway speeds. So, be sure to look for real motorcycle boots to prevent serious damage to your feet and legs in the event of a crash.

Pants

The day that inevitable crash happens, what kind of pants (or God forbid, shorts) will you be wearing? If you think you’re safe with normal jeans or leather pants, then think again. Most modern pants are made with thin, weak materials and bad stitching.These will shred instantly when slid across the road. Look for tough leather and jeans made with strong materials such as military grade Kevlar and Dyneema. Motorcycle pants come in all kinds of styles these days, from low rider jeans to old school leather to sport racer textiles, and they include features such as water resistant design, venting, and reflective piping for visibility. Buying the right pants will save your butt, and let you recover from a crash far more quickly than the road-rash rider that ends up stuck on the couch for weeks.

Jacket

Much like pants, motorcycle jackets are specially designed to bear the brute force of a crash and protect you from road rash. They are constructed with better materials and better stitching, and often include extra padding, armor and even built-in airbags. However, there are also features for added comfort. Motorcycle jackets are made to protect you from the weather. In the spring and fall, a heavier jacket with water-resistant design will keep you dry, warm, and protected from cold air as you travel at highway speeds. In the summer, there are bike jackets made with great ventilation that lets the heat out, the cool in, and still provides great protection.

Gloves

Never take your hands for granted. You need them for everything, and it’s easy to forget that until you break a finger and realize the world is suddenly a much more difficult place – go ahead and try to cut your steak with one hand. In the event of a crash, it’s likely that both hands will be used to break your fall. That means that both hands will suffer the debilitating effects of road rash, broken fingers, and/or broken wrists. This is why quality motorcycle gloves are a must.

Head Gear

Everyone knows that a helmet is the most important piece of gear any biker can buy. All legal helmets are DOT-approved, meaning they have passed a series of tests and trials to achieve the safety standards set by the Department of Transportation. Whether you are purchasing a full-face helmet, open-face helmet, modular helmet, or half helmet, make sure that the DOT-approved sticker is on the back. And, unless you’re purchasing a full-face helmet, be sure to stock up on sunglasses and/or goggles to keep your eyes protected.

These are just the essentials, and motorcycle gear is always improving with better materials and advanced safety technology. So, stay tuned for the latest and greatest biker goods, and the latest innovations in motorcycle safety.