Saturday, January 21, 2012

Advice For Buying Motorcycle Jackets

By Karen Levin


While image is a factor for many people who buy motorcycle jackets, it is not even close to being an important reason for a biker to buy one. Many practical reasons make such a jacket a worthwhile purchase. Some of these reasons are as follows.

For starters, it is important to ensure that your jacket fits you. This seems a straightforward point but it bears stating for the following reason. When selecting a jacket, you would normally try it on when standing up. You will be sitting down a lot when riding a bike, and will want to be wearing a jacket that fits comfortably when you are in that position.

Next, make sure that the jacket comes with plenty of padding, particularly around the shoulders, elbows and back. Accidents can happen on the road and you can be seriously hurt if you are not protected. If you are wearing something that has padding, you are wearing something that is protecting you. And the padding must be firmly stitched to ensure that those areas will always be protected no matter what happens.

The type of jacket to avoid is the bulkier one, though. The reason for this is that it is too easy for wind to get caught in these and "inflate" them while you are traveling, having a negative impact on your balance. They will also make you warmer than the average jacket, which will result in a less comfortable journey. Striking the right balance is of vital importance here.

Do not balk at how expensive a jacket actually is. A good quality leather jacket is not something that can be bought cheaply. But it is something that you will use at all times of the year, and a good one is a good investment. Full grain leather is the most expensive, but also the best quality material.

The more pockets that a jacket has, the better it is. Better still is if these pockets are water resistant. You will need to have zips on all the outer pockets as anything in them could fall out while you are on the road. And you will need an inner pocket for your wallet as well.

You are wise to get your gear from a retailer that specializes in biker gear. They will stock the best quality goods, and their selection will be better varied than a generic clothes shop. Their staff will also be more knowledgeable about the quality of certain brands, so you will be working with better information in making your selection.

In summary, buying motorcycle jackets lead you to rely on two primary criteria: how safe they can make you and how long they will last. If a jacket can offer you protection and is durable, it is a good jacket. If it does not fulfill these two requirements, it is not worth bothering with. You would be well advised to speak with an experienced biker as they have likely gone through a few jackets in their time. They would be best placed to point you in the right direction.




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