A Motorcycle Jacket
Style VS Protective Function
Let's face it, your Motorcycle Jacket says a lot about who's in it, so choosing what you wear is a pretty personal thing.
Some fella climbing up on his soap box, and spouting all sorts of gas about which is the best Motorcycle Touring Jacket is either a fool, or dancing on the edge of getting his butt driven into the ground like a fence post... or both!
So I aint' gonna do any such a thing here... I'm just gonna try and put out some ideas to get you thinking about Motorcycle protective gear... and maybe... even help you to get more comfortable with the choice you make, when you go out and lay your hard earned cash on the counter, for your Motorcycle Jacket.
I suppose, the first thing to do is narrow things down a mite... and decide just what 'Your' Motorcycle Style is!
Making that choice surely culls out a lot of things you just ain't gonna be interested in... The motorcycle apparel manufacturers out there are producing no shortage of motorcycle gear to choose from... and when you think of all the types of bikes... their gear takes up a whole lot of country.
So just what do you ride? Sport Bike? Dual Sport? Cruiser Motorcycle? Rat Bike? Performance Cruiser?... are you part of Mainstream America riding in your 'spare' time?
Or, are you a genuine, unadulterated Outlaw? :-) ... do you ride as an avocation? ... or are you one of those who hold with the Motto; "It's not a lifestyle... It's a way of life!"?
Do you prefer simple, plain, unadorned, clean lines? or... do the motorcycle jackets festooned with zippers and snaps... or that glow in the dark with colors that hurt your eyes, 'shake it up' and make a big noise capture your imagination?
Sorting out just what your style is, up front should go a long way toward helping you narrow down the choices...
The next thing to choose, I'd guess, is what sort of material you want your Motorcycle Jacket built of... and there's just two to choose from... though they do mix 'em together on a couple jackets I've seen. Those two choices are a Leather Motorcycle Jacket or one that's synthetic/textile.
Now... many people are gonna argue, and truthfully, I hold with them... that Leather Motorcycle Clothing offers the best protection... It's also pretty hard to beat when it comes to style and durability... but... the fact is... even if we believe it's better... the textile motorcycle gear is so close, that which is best is arguable... and gets argued about all the time! :)
Now... some would say, though cotton ain't synthetic, it falls into that category... and MANY prefer to ride in a denim motorcycle jacket... and I like that myself... but... let's put it right up front here... a cotton, denim, jacket gives you abrasion protection... for maybe 6" of the trip... when you lowside and go sanding your hide off on the asphalt... the rest of that slide is skin to pavement... and you ain't nearly so pretty when you quit sliding!
... so if you choose that route... KNOW UP FRONT... you're getting ZERO protection...
So what is it? Leather... or ... Synthetic?
There are some outfits that are building gear... armored Motorcycle Underwear if you will... that offer the protection you need... from abrasion and impact, while allowing you to Ride Your Own Style... Draggin' Jeans (yeah, not exactly underwear) and Bohn Armor are manufacturers of Quality goods that jump to mind...
With their motorcycle safety gear... you CAN ride in denim... and have pretty full protection... while lookin' Good! ... so... another option for you. Check 'em out!
Which particular style of Motorcycle Jacket, and what its made of, is now decided... right? ... so what next?
Yup! There's still more choices you gotta make! :)
Do you want your Jacket to have built in armor; or are you going to use one of the products from those motorcycle underwear builders?
... You don't "Need no stinkin' armor!" you claim? ... well... OK... but have you really thought that through?... I already promised, I'm not going to tell you you're wrong... but ... make damn sure that 'Looking Good'... is worth the possible consequences to you.
... if you lay it down and make your carcass compete with the asphalt to see which is toughest... wanna guess who's gonna win that argument?
I wear a little of it all... depends on the day and my mood... some days, even when it's shovin' 90... I gear up; leather gloves, leather jacket, chaps, helmet... and go down the road feeling great... other times... shhh!... don't tell no one; No Motorcycle Jacket... no armor... Not even a helmet... so I understand how it's all a matter of choices...
Just make sure that when you're makin' those choices... you understand just what the risks and consequences of your choice are!
The last thing I'm gonna say here is... STYLE... some might argue that its all about ego... and a bad thing... Ego? You Bet!
How-some-ever! The only time your Ego is a bad thing is when you let that sucker run wild... out of control...
The thing here is this... Picking a Motorcycle Jacket... and motorcycle riding gear in general... that makes you Look Good does two things... First, it pretties up a world that can sure use it! :) ... and second... it puts a smile on your face.
So what? well... If you like the way you look... and it puts a smile on your face... and you're goin' down the road... grinnin' and lookin' good... ain't that a better thing for ever'body you come across? I mean... it carries over into your whole dang life...
... and aren't a few more smiles and good feelings in your life... worth the price of a good Motorcycle Jacket?
So... Stroke your ego once in a while... and pick out the Best Motorcycle Riding Gear you can afford!
Make yourself look good... make yourself feel good... wear motorcycle protective gear to keep yourself looking and feeling good...
... and when those 'downers' try to tell you "Your just showing off you egotistical bastard!"... Grin at 'em... say "Yup!"... then... Roll on the Power and RIDE!
Return from Motorcycle Jacket to Motorcycle Touring on Freedom Road
