For a long time, motorcycle riding was seen as a men’s activity. Men competed in motorcycle sports or took road trips with their male motorcycle buddies. For a while, this meant that most clothes on the market were shaped for men’s bodies. There were motorcycle jeans in men’s sizes, motorcycle helmets that were too big for women, and motorcycle jackets that were too loose to be comfortable for women who liked to drive motorcycles as well.
Luckily, the view on motorcyclists has changed and producers of motorcycle gear realized that there are also a lot of women who like to take their motorcycle out on a long drive or participate in dirt biking. The market started to develop and is now full of cool and functional women’s motorcycle gear.
This article describes the best protective motorcycle gear for women and what to look out for when buying it.
Motorcycle Helmets for Women
Helmets are one of the most important pieces of a motorcycle get-up and should never be taken for granted. Motorcycle helmets protect the wearers from debris on the road, such as chipping stones, and from insects flying in your face. But perhaps the most important goal of a motorcycle helmet is to keep you safe when you fall. A full-face flip-up helmet protects your face and your neck during an impact and is often a lifesaver during accidents.
For men, there are many large-size helmets available. Women usually need to keep a good eye out for the right size. A helmet should fit snugly and never wobble around on the head. If a helmet doesn’t meet these criteria, it cannot offer proper protection. To find the right size motorcycle helmet, wrap a measuring tape around your head and find the closest fit to that size.
It is also important to check if the helmet has a safety certificate. There are three certifications a helmet can have: DOT, SNELL, and ECE. There are helmets that are just DOT, DOT and SNELL, or DOT, and ECE approved.
A Motorcycle Jacket for Women
A motorcycle jacket might not seem so important, since many motorcyclists wear their regular summer or winter jacket while they ride. A jacket can, however, offer protection against the weather and impact. Many women might choose a jacket that is just stylish, but it is important to check the fabric of the jacket and the level of protection they offer.
Leather jackets offer the best protection. When leather hits the pavement, it doesn’t burn like a textile. Textile gets easily burnt away when sliding on the road and should, therefore, always be enforced with protective patches on the elbows, and other vulnerable parts of the body. Leather gives good protection, but is not suitable for wearing in the winter, since it’s not waterproof and doesn’t keep you too warm.
Therefore, never choose the most stylish jacket but always check if they’ll protect you enough from the weather conditions and during an accident.
Motorcycle Shoes in Women’s Sizes
Motorcycle shoes for men are often too large, and because of their different anatomy, they don’t fit very well. It is important to buy special motorcycle shoes or boots because they offer better protection than normal shoes. Some motorcycle shoes look exactly like a pair of shoes from the regular shoe store but are enforced with extra protective patches or material. This enforcement protects your feet and ankles, should you fall on them, or should your motorcycle land on your ankle during an accident. Buy well-fitting shoes and avoid injuries on the feet or ankles.