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Did you listen to Episode 10 and Episode 11 of this podcast? If you did, by now, you’re probably wearing a helmet and a good jacket, gloves, and some study armor.
Things are looking good.
But that’s still not enough – there are two more pieces to complete the proverbial ATGATT puzzle – trousers and footwear.
Tune in to learn:
- What every good pair of motorcycle trousers will have
- The best type of footwear
- Why it pays to get boots with shin protectors
Transcript
Hello, and welcome to 30 MInute motorcycling, a podcast for new, aspiring, and returning riders, where you’ll learn something about motorcycles, mopeds, scooters, and other two-wheelers in 30 minutes or less.
And today, we’re completing the ATGATT puzzle by talking about the final piece – motorcycle trousers and boots.
Regarding motorcycle trousers, there are two main important things to consider:
Trousers
The first, and arguably the most important one is that the trousers have to cover your legs completely.
Also, look for trousers that have slots for knee pads or knee protectors. Knee injuries are a nasty business, so the more you can do to protect yourself from having your knee dislocated, the better.
Avoid wearing flared trousers – not only can they be distracting, but they can also get caught in your chain or in some other moving part while you’re riding.
Aside from that, the same thing about jackets applies to trousers – make sure they fit you properly and that they’re designed for motorcycle use.
Finally, let’s talk about footwear.
Footwear
Even though there are shoes available for motorcycle riding, the best type of footwear is big boots.
Yes, they can be a bit bulky, but remember – they’re not a fashion statement, they’re a safety statement.
A good pair of motorcycle boots protect your feet from the cold and wet and your shins from knocks and bumps.
So what kind of boots should you get?
Like jackets, motorcycle boots are usually made from either leather or some kind of man-made material.
Leather is strong and weather-resistant. However, in wet weather, you might have to wear overboots to prevent the leather from water damage.
Boots made from man-made materials can offer better weather protection and can sometimes be more affordable than their leather counterparts.
Regardless of which type of boots you get, make sure that they’re
- Comfortable
- And that you can operate the gear shift and the rear brake easily.
It’s also a great idea to invest in a pair of boots with shin and ankle protectors. As the name might suggest, these protect you from shin injuries, which are more common than you might think.
You can sustain an injury to your ankle or shin by just dropping your bike on your leg.
That’s where shin and ankle protectors can be a real saver.
Not only that, but they’ll also protect your feet from getting burned by the exhaust or any hot metal parts while the engine’s running.
Finally, if your boots have laces on them, remember to fasten them to avoid the laces getting caught in the chain or any other moving parts.
That concludes not just this episode of the 30 Minute Motorcycling Podcast, but also this 3-part series into motorcycle protective gear – we can now confidently say that we’re ATGATT!
I hope you enjoyed listening, and above all, that you learned something new.
Until next time, keep your helmet on and your eyes on the road. Bye!
