Motorcycles for Sale

Now and again you hear someone talking about a great motorcycle jacket or a jacket with a certain logo or having a certain brand jacket and have to wonder if they really remember why you wear the jacket. You don’t wear the gear for the ride, you wear it for the crash. Asphalt doesn’t care how fashionable you are.

So with that in mind, lets look at some safe but still great motorcycle jackets. There are three major issues that to most seasoned riders take precedents over looking great; those are safety, visibility and comfort.

You buy a safe jacket to avoid leaving little bits and pieces of yourself all over the road should you be in an accident. For that you need a jacket with some sort of armor.

Armor in a motorcycle jacket is like your life-jacket on a boat; most of the time it's bulky and unnecessary, but if you're in an accident, it can save your life. Street jackets with armor usually have it in the elbows and shoulders, with more expensive jackets including spine protection.

There are two kinds of armor, flexible and rigid. The flexible type is more like padding, designed to cushion the impact. Flexible armor can feel more comfortable and less restrictive, but will be less protective than rigid armor. Rigid armor is a hard shell with padding between you and the armor. After a couple of rides you'll hardly notice the armor is there.

Visibility is the next major issue. And though a white, orange or neon jacket would take care of that issue, thankfully we don't have to go quite that far. Retro-reflective patches, piping and stitching can help to make a jacket “light up” when hit with headlights while still remaining subdued and without ruining the style of the jacket.

Comfort in a jacket has more to do with material color and flexibility and the fit of your jacket. You want a jacket that fits well, but isn't so snug you can't raise your arms to the handlebars. The sleeves and waist should be snug enough to keep from catching the wind. You want to be able to check out your blind spot, without your collar getting in the way. And you want the material at the neck and wrists to be soft enough not to chafe your skin.

Many people say a leather jack is cooler than textile in the summer. Vanson Air Cobra, Joe Rocket, Power Trip, and Sturgis SD all have great, safe jackets that can be worn on the hottest of days on the road.

City driving of course is a whole 'nuther ball of wax. When you're sitting at a stop light and the sun is beating down and there is not one bit of a breeze stirring, those dark color leather and nylon jackets - no matter how many holes they have in them - will be hot as a fire cracker.

If you'll be riding in the stop and go traffic, in the summer a light weight, light colored jacket would be best. The light color will reflect the sun and help you keep cooler. A nice light colored helmet would be great for those summer days in town as well.

Perforated leather would be your best bet in hot weather, but you may want to pack a rain suit or get a jacket with a removable waterproof liner in case the weather turns bad.