Safety Equipment

The Safest Thing Is...

Your state of mind! Treat every journey with an element of caution, thinking positively about your actions. Maintain full observations and see the other vehicle before they see you. We don`t want to dwell on the downsides of motorcycling but you must be properly clothed before setting off.

Safety Helmet

By Law you are required to wear a helmet of the required standard whenever you ride a motorcycle in Guernsey. Available in various types and colours many people ask me what are the important details to look out for? All helmets sold by dealers here will meet current standards so nothing to think about there. The single most important factor in choosing a helmet should be that it is a close fit to as much of your head as possible. With regard to colour the Highway code advises us to consider a white or light-coloured helmet : I can confirm that this certainly gets me noticed!

Gloves

No legal obligation here, but doesn`t it make sense? It is a natural human reflex to reach out if we fall over, and so our first point of contact will almost always be our hands. Imagine if you will, what would it be like to just push our hand against a powered sanding disc for just two seconds? And then think about the road surface, far rougher than any sandpaper. Your gloves need to give you some protection against this possibility and still remain comfortable and smart. They should be large enough that you can actually close your hand almost to a fist - if you cannot close your hand then the gloves are likely to be too small. I always buy gloves which are a size larger than usual.

Jacket

As you will have guessed I have a whole wardrobe of motorcycle clothes, regularly updated. One of the important features about a jacket is the protection that it provides from the elements. My regular jacket is a textile with armour which I will wear for nine months of the year when it offers wind, water and impact protection. During the hottest months I will wear either an amoured leather jacket or a ventilated armoured top.

Trousers

I wear textile trousers from October to May. And when it rains.

Boots

Footware is as important as handware. You always hope its never put to the test, but when you need it it must be there, you cannot put time on hold and just nip back home! I generally wear Sidi Extreme which have leather outers and a waterproof inner membrane, and sometimes my Sidi Black Rain which are a lighter weight. I also wear workboots on occasions. Full protection for the foot and ankle is key here, along with comfort.