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April has come ladies and gentlemen! The time is upon us to pull our two wheeled machines out from under their covers, check the battery, check the tire pressure, crank them over and stretch out their legs. Nothing better than the sun on your face and the wind in your hair… until you get cut off by the guy texting and lay the bike down. Then, instead of kissing the air of freedom, you’ll be kissing the asphalt.
Helmets
In the spirit of transparency, I disagree with helmet laws. Should we all be wearing helmets when we throw a leg over our machines? Of course. But, this is the United States, and people should have the freedom to make their own mistakes. Then again, not wearing a helmet could be your LAST mistake, but that isn’t the government’s business.
According to the CDC, wearing a helmet while riding reduces the risk of death by 37% and reduces the risk of serious head injuries by 69%. “But helmets don’t look cool…” We’re bikers, since when do we care about other people’s opinions? “Helmets are uncomfortable…” So are neck ties, but I still wear one when I have to. Plus, anyone who rides a lot knows the feeling of a bug hitting them in the forehead at 70 mph, it’s not fun.
Jacket/ Pants
When the sun is high in the sky in early August, a leather jacket is the last thing I want to put on, but I’d rather be a little hot at stop lights rather than tear the skin from my arms because I didn’t want to be uncomfortable. A sturdy jacket, meant for riding is also a shield against the elements. More often than not, you’re going to get chilly riding in the wind, a jacket will prevent this. When March rolled around and I got my new Triumph Street Twin, I wore my leather, over a fleece, over a hoodie, over a sweatshirt, over my long sleeve T-shirt. 40 degrees sounds nice mid March, but when you’re cruising on two wheels, it gets cold! Pebbles flying up, bugs, there’s a lot that can come your way on the road, look at the front of your car to understand what I’m talking about. Riding jackets protect you even without having a…
