Bike in safety
Tuesday 4 October 2005
If you’re thinking of learning to ride a motorbike, you’ll need to make sure you’re wearing the proper kit; it’s not just about wearing a helmet.
Let’s take a look at what you need to get out on the road.
Your provisional licence
Before buying your safety gear make sure you’ve got a provisional licence as it’s required by law that all first time bike learners have one.
You can apply for a provisional licence online at Directgov or visit your local post office to obtain the D1 form.
Hard hat
You need to start with your helmet. By law, all motorcyclists must wear an approved safety helmet. As well as protecting your head, helmets also help to cut down wind noise, and protect your face and eyes from flying debris and the cold.
There are two types: open-face and full-face. Full-face helmets have a chin protector and a hinged visor, and are a better choice because they offer your face more protection if you’re involved in a crash. If you choose a half-face helmet, you’ll need to wear goggles to protect your eyes.
You should choose a helmet that fits firmly, but comfortably. You should take good care of your helmet, and don’t let it become damaged. If it does, you need to get rid of it and get a new one.
Eye eye
You should always wear a visor or goggles to protect you from insects and the wind and rain. It’s essential that you keep them clean at all times. Use warm, soapy water to wash off smudges or dirt. If your visor or goggles mists up on the inside when you’re riding, find somewhere safe to pull over and clear it with a clean, moist cloth.
You shouldn’t use a visor or goggles that has scratch marks or other damage, because this might prevent you from having full visibility when riding. If your vision’s affected by your goggles, ditch them for a new pair.
Ear ear
Because you’re at the mercy of the elements when you’re on your bike, you run the risk of damaging your hearing due to over exposure to wind noise. Using ear plugs might help you reduce the risk of hearing damage.
Protection
It’s important to wear the right clothing when riding; it keeps you warm and dry and can also protect you if you come off of your bike. Leather is a popular choice because it is windproof and offer good protection in a crash, but there are many man-made fabrics around that are fully waterproof.
When choosing your riding gear, make sure it’s a good fit, and don’t forget to buy body armour to protect you at vulnerable part of the body, like shoulders, elbows, knees and hips.
Be visible
You should also make sure that the clothing you choose is highly visible so that you can be seen by other road users. If you can, buy clothing that is fluorescent and has reflective strips that will make you easier to see at night.
Gotta hand it to you
You’ll also need to make sure your hands are protected by gloves. You should look for extra protection over the knuckles, a long wrist to keep out the cold and rain, and a strap to make sure that the gloves keep firmly in place when you’re wearing them. Try out the gloves at the controls of your bike before you buy them; if it’s not easy to operate the bike when you’ve got the gloves on, choose another pair.
These boots are made for biking
To complete your top-to-toe image change, you’ll need some quality boots. They should go over the ankle and offer lots of protection at the toes, ankle and shin. It’s important that they’re comfortable, but like the gloves you should make sure that you bike’s controls are easy to operate when you’re wearing them.
