Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/840940
20 WheelsOfGrace.com Issue 36 out." "I didn't know where I'd le my gloves." "I didn't think I'd crash while just running around the corner." (Remember actor Gary Busey? He hit the corner.) "Who expected this?" Or, "The last thing he said was, 'I don't want to wear a helmet on such a nice day.'" The excuses sound even worse when you know how much good riding gear can do to make you comfortable. Sure, as soon as I have stopped I want out of my gear on a hot day, but the right stuff actually makes you more comfortable while moving. On hot days a jacket with ven ng that keeps a bit of perspira on near your skin where it can cool you, makes you cooler than riding in just a T-shirt or, worse, no shirt at all. Yeah, you'll smell worse at the end of the day, but you'll be cooler in the mean me if you wear long pants and a jacket. At a BMW R1200C introduc on in Tucson, temperatures exceeded 100 degrees almost the en re me we were riding. When I opened my faceshield, the direct blast of hot air made me feel even ho er because my face dried off, keeping me from being cooled by sweat. Taking my jacket off would have done the same thing on a larger scale. Riding without a layer to slow down the wind also dehydrates you faster. Sure, the humid weather of the midwest and east make your personal swamp cooler seem less effec ve, but you will s ll stay cooler with a jacket than without one while cruising down the highway. You may not no ce it when you run down to the corner store, but riding in a T-shirt and shorts actually fa gues you more than riding with the right gear, thanks to sunburn, wind burn and dehydra on. Part of the trick is owning the right apparel. The most important point here is to buy gear made for motorcycling. A neighbor recently showed me the "motorcycle" jacket he'd just bought. It was leather, but the leather was so light that it would be of li le use in a fall. The cuffs on the sleeves were a knit design that didn't fit snugly, so the sleeves could slide up, leaving his arms bare in a slide. The knit cuffs also blocked wind flow on warm days. The jacket wasn't cut for motorcycling, so when he reached for the handlebar, there were gaps at his wrist and the bo om of back. If the guy up ahead in the Buick wanders to his left suddenly, a helmet and leather jacket might suddenly seem pretty comfortable after all. Consider the protec ve quali es and the flexibility of a piece of motorcycling apparel when shopping. A motorcycling jacket should be constructed from thicker leather than fashion clothing. Or choose a material like the sturdy Cordura nylons used by firms like Aeros ch. It should be cut so that it's comfortable and covers well when you are si ng on your bike. The seams should be sewn ghtly with tough thread, and the zippers should be rugged enough to stay together if you crash. The cuffs should fit snugly, so the sleeves won't leave your arms uncovered. A fold-down collar should be secured against flapping. To make it usable in a wide variety of temperatures, the jacket should, at the minimum, have some method of le ng air pass through. A liner is also nice, but you can create your own with layers underneath the jacket—providing it isn't so snug that they won't fit. Useful features in a jacket are armor, adjustable cuffs, pockets that suit your habits, and collars that adjust or remove to alter wind flow and protec on. The vented Firstgear jacket I took to Tucson probably looked oppressive to the unini ated, but its vents (which include scoops on the sleeves to send air up there) not only admi ed enough air to keep me comfy at 110 degrees, a er closing the vents, it works down into the 40s. That flexibility means that its substan al leather will be available when I need it most. Probably the single most important aspect of selec ng riding gear is finding a comfortable helmet. A cheap helmet that fits poorly will