Choosing a Motorcycle Jacket
By James Witherspoon
The leather jacket has been the quintessential mantle of motorcycle culture throughout the twentieth and not twenty-first century. Not only has the leather jacket encapsulated motorcycle style and aura, but it has also proven to be a crucial part of the safety gear of most riders. The leather motorcycle jacket is certainly still daily safety gear for many riders, but it is not the only option when choosing a motorcycle jacket. Jackets made of synthetic materials are becoming increasingly popular for their ease of use and resistance to the elements.
Though style is an important part of the motorcycle experience, safety is also a major factor in properly operating a motorcycle. A jacket is a necessary piece of safety equipment because of its ability to protect a rider against abrasion in the event of an accident. Solid, smooth asphalt can prove to be brutally abrasive when a rider is sliding across it at any speed. The need for a jacket that can protect a rider against abrasion is typically the first factor in choosing a jacket.
Most sources suggest that competition grade leather (.9 to 1.4 mm thick) is the best option for abrasion resistance. Not only will a leather jacket of this thickness protect your skin against injury in a slide, but it will be able to handle that type of abuse through multiple incidents. Synthetic jackets also provide a great amount of abrasion resistance, but because of the woven nature of these fabrics, they are more likely to wear down in an accident and do not provide as much protection as other options. A good leather jacket has been shown to provide about four times the resistance of synthetic materials and about 16 times the resistance of denim.
But abrasion resistance is not the only factor in choosing a motorcycle jacket to meet your needs. A motorcycle jacket should also fit in a way that does not hinder your ability to operate you vehicle. A new leather jacket can often be stiff and restrictive. Also leather jackets tend to be less adjustable to the unique shape of a rider. Synthetic jackets excel in their flexible protection of the rider and are also generally more adaptable to all different weather conditions. Synthetic materials are created to handle the elements, including rain, heat, or cold with relative ease and less care. A leather jacket is capable of keeping a rider both warm and dry, but it will necessitate additional care in order to maintain the life of your leather jacket.
As safety technology is improving, so are the designs of all types of motorcycle jackets. Many leather and synthetic jackets are incorporating permanent or removable body armor at crucial spots on the body to take your safety as a rider a step further.
For more information on motorcycle safety gear, and steps to take in the event of an accident, please visit the website of the Wisconsin motorcycle accident lawyers at Habush Habush & Rottier, S.C..
James Witherspoon
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