The right apparel can make a world of difference in your comfort, style and even safety when riding a motorcycle. Whether it’s a street bike, “chopper,” or anything in between, you should carefully choose an outfit that’s best suited for your riding needs. While motorcycle apparel is available in a wide variety of different materials, nothing beats good old fashioned leather. To learn more about leather apparel and why it’s the perfect choice for motorcycle riders, keep reading.
Comfort
Let’s go ahead and discuss the most obvious benefit of riding a motorcycle with leather apparel: comfort. Genuine — not fake or faux — leather is soft, supple and easy on the skin. It offers a naturally soft texture that doesn’t rub or chafe, which is particularly important when you’re riding a motorcycle for hours on end. Regardless of how far you intend to ride, you can rest assured knowing that leather apparel will offer you the highest level of comfort possible.
Protection
A lesser-known benefit of wearing leather motorcycle apparel is the added protection it offers. It’s not something most people want to think about, but accidents do occur, and more frequently than you may realize. According to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2006, 13.10 cars out of 100,000 ended up in fatal crashes. The rate for motorcycles is 72.34 per 100,000 registered motorcycles.
Wearing a leather riding suit isn’t going to prevent you from getting into an accident, but it may reduce your chance of sustaining a “serious” injury. Leather acts as a protective layer between your skin and the road, absorbing the blow of impact. While cotton and similar materials will shred to pieces upon contact with the road, leather tends to hold up well thanks to its thick, durable properties.
Style
Let’s face it, leather motorcycle apparel is undeniably stylish with a long, rich history. Ever since Harley Davidson bikes began popping up on U.S. roads, riders have chosen leather as their “go to” choice for motorcycle apparel, and for good reason: it’s unique, stylish, comfortable, and offers a higher level of protection when compared to other materials.
Going back to the reason why so many bikers choose to wear leather apparel over other materials, leather can be modified according to the rider’s liking. If you’re a in motorcycle club or organization, for instance, you can have a leather jacket embroidered with your club’s patch on it.