7 things to buy before venturing out on a Motorcycle Adventure

Motorcycles are a big part of our country. We Indians learn to ride from a very young age and crunching kilometers on the saddle comes quite naturally to us. If one is up for an adventure then Motorcycles provide complete freedom to explore new places and soak in loads of experiences.

Even though 2 wheels are closely associated with our life, sadly the concept of Motorcycle safety gears is somewhat alien to many. In this blog I will be sharing all the riding gears that I use during my time on the road to keep me safe and comfortable.

1. Helmets - 3000-5000 INR

This is a no brainer, a good tight fitting full face helmet should be your first purchase. You don't need to shell out huge bucks for a good quality one. Any helmet which is DOT, ECE, ISI (from studds or Vega) should be totally fine which are in the range of 3000-5000 INR. Do buy a helmet with clear visor and check the visor for any fluttering, as this might lead to vibrations at highway speeds. Also buy a helmet with removal inner linings. On a personal note, instead of going for the one with attractive graphics, a plain white helmet will keep your head cooler by about 3-5 degrees.

2. Riding Jackets - 5000-7500 INR

No, any jacket which provides light rain and wind proofing will not do the job. A dedicated Riding jacket with armor padding on your shoulders, elbows and back are a must. Apart from the armor which cushions the blows during a fall the fabric is made up of cordura which is highly abrasion resistant. Here are the links from where you can buy affordable riding jackets:

https://www.rynoxgears.com/collections/apparel

http://www.cramster.in/Jackets-catid-1071959-page-1.html

http://bikingbrotherhood.com/product-category/black-jacket/

All the companies mentioned above are Indian and make good quality affordable jackets.

3. Gloves - 1500-2800 INR

Whenever we fall, by instinct, the first mode of defense is to use our hands. This holds true when we fall off the bike too. A good quality riding gloves with protection for the knuckles, fingers and palms is absolutely essential. You dont need the ones used in MotoGP to stay safe, just a good quality mesh+textile for summer and a weather proof one is more than sufficient. In addition to provide protection gloves do absorb some vibrations from the handle bars.

Waterproof - http://bikingbrotherhood.com/product/bb-waterproof-winter-touring-gloves/

Hot weather - http://bikingbrotherhood.com/product/rider-glove-blue/

4. Knee guards - 2000 INR

Remember your school days and those skinned knees? During a fall having something between your knees and the tarmac saves a lot of trouble. A basic set of knee guards does not cost much and buying one is a must.

https://www.amazon.in/Scoyco-Motorcycle-Racing-Riding-Elbow/dp/B00QFM530Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1536658582&sr=8-1&keywords=scoyco+knee+guard

5. Rain gears - 1300 INR

There is nothing worse than riding all day with wet feet. And before you think about the waterproof decathlon shoes, let me tell you that these shoes will not hold up against a heavy downpour. And once you step in that deep puddle and water enters through the top, its game over. Thankfully Royal enfield makes shoecovers which are 100% water proof. This is the only option for shoe covers, and no, wrapping plastic bags around your feet is not a good option.

https://store.royalenfield.com/products/boot-cover-v2-black

For rain pants and outer jacket, I suggest to buy from Decathlon. Tried and tested. Works amazing.

Note: I do not suggest using the rain liner of the riding jacket, because once the jacket gets wet it becomes heavy. And also drying the riding jacket is not easy.

6. Shoes

A dedicated riding boots is a good investment. But if you dont have the money to go by, those decathlon angle rise boots are very good.

7.Storage. - 3000-5000 INR

In this department there are a few options. There are saddle bags, tank bags and tail bags.

Tank bags: As the name suggests they mount over the tank. Their typical capacity is 20 liters. I do not use tank bags, so I will not make any suggestions.

Saddle bags: If you have a pillion accompanying you then saddle bags are a good option. However do check if the bags touch the silencers or comes in contact with the rear wheel. If so you need to mount a saddle stay to your bike.

https://www.rynoxgears.com/collections/saddlebags/products/drystack-saddlebag

Tail bag: If you prefer riding single then tail bags can be a good bet. They do not have the huge capacity as the saddle bags but offer hassle free mounting and saddle stays are not needed. One downside is if you are not a tall guy, then swinging your leg over the tail bag while getting on the bike might get a bit tricky.

https://viaterragear.com/shop/luggage/viaterra-claw-mini-2017-motorcycle-tail-bag/

A pro tip: While packing your luggage always store in ziplock bags for better organisation and waterproofing.

As a general rule of thumb, for a week's trip, the viaterra claw mini linked above which is of 35 liters capacity is sufficient.

While purchasing the above stuff its always a good idea to head to a nearby store and try the gear. Check for fitting, comfort and so on. That is all the gear you need to go on long motorcycle trips. Hope this helps. If you have any questions feel free to contact me. Ride safe.

All images are sourced from respective websites