It’s every rider’s nightmare – how do you dress for a ride without giving anything up? Comfort and protection don’t need to be mutually exclusive on your daily commute to and from work. For years the most efficient, advanced protection has been reserved for serious riders, professionals and hardened travelers. What we’ve always taken away from that, crazy as it is, is that everyone else had to give up safety in exchange for practicality and lightness. Well, that couldn’t be more wrong!
It is true that practicality is the first thing we look for on our daily commute, and wearing a professional leather suit between home and work is not exactly the definition of practical. But who says wearing a MotoGP™ suit is the only way to keep safe?
The latest developments in technology and materials have given rise to ever lighter, more comfortable and less bulky protection, in some cases, even invisible protection.
There's no argument about helmets. Even the law says so. But we shouldn’t just wear a helmet because it’s the law. A helmet, just like a back protector or a pair of certified shoes, is an indispensable item of personal protective equipment in our beloved hobby of motorcycling, whether it’s for sport or just getting around the city. Besides, what looks better than your helmet? Twinned with your motorcycle, it’s the first thing that makes you stand out from the crowd. It’s enough by itself to define your style.
Whatever your style, the technologies and materials will always be of the highest level, as they’re the result of the most advanced studies in the most extreme environment: MotoGP™ races. But you don’t need a racing helmet to have an excellent protector. A helmet like the AGV X3000, inspired the legends of the past, marries a timeless design with modern standards of comfort and protection. It’s perfect for facing the day’s traffic in an unmistakable style.
Besides a helmet, a distinctive feature of every rider is a jacket. Every rider has one and would wear it all over the world. Leather has always been the material of choice for those who want both protection and design. Due to the techniques developed over 50 years of experience producing jackets and suits, leather can be extremely soft and comfortable, suited to all everyday activities, and always provides excellent protection. Unsurpassed in style, the leather jacket really is for everyone. You can wear it any time without a second thought. It brings high standards of safety without being uncomfortable, due to soft, ventilated, unnoticeable protection.
And if your daily route is longer than the average commuter’s, and perhaps takes in a quick stretch on the highway, the range of protective clothing available to you is even wider. It’s not unusual to see someone turn up at the office on a maxi enduro bike with a super-classy touring jacket on their back. Fashion? Maybe, but it’s not just that. Now, even the most structured touring suits can offer the kind of comfort and lightness you’d get in casual clothing. Above all in the winter period, this choice can also be an advantage, because it’s these products that use the most advanced technology to protect you from the cold and the rain, like laminated, waterproof membranes and thermal inner jackets.
We were talking about lightweight and even invisible protectors. They really exist. The Dainese Smart Jacket is the perfect example of invisible protective clothing. It’s a lightweight, versatile vest with an electronic airbag, created using the same technology adopted in professional MotoGP™ riders’ suits. The Smart Jacket is a certified protector that guarantees air protection on both chest and back. As the name suggests, it’s intelligent clothing, capable of identifying danger and activating air protection in time on its own.
Its versatility lies in the fact that it can be worn with any outfit. It can go over or under all kinds of jacket, whether they’re motorcycle jackets or not. At the end of use, due to the absence of rigid protectors inside, it can be folded up and stored inside a bag, backpack or motorcycle top box.
To be truly free, you need to be protected. Without the right equipment, it’s hard to feel fully at ease on a motorcycle. And that’s why Dainese has always worked to make its protective equipment comfortable and ergonomic. Its modern back protectors are a shining example of this design philosophy. Inspired by natural shapes, they’re light and flexible and follow all your body’s movements. They remain perfectly in position, to ensure the best protection at all times. Back protectors are included in a pocket version to get the utmost practicality in everyday use. They have the same characteristics as their equivalent standard versions with straps, but are designed to slot into the pocket on the back of your jacket. It’s the perfect solution if you want to wear a jacket and a back protector in one, and give yourself one less thing to worry about.
Just as your upper body needs protecting with a jacket, your legs need a technical garment. And a pair of motorcycle jeans will do nicely to keep you safe from nasty surprises. Even an ordinary slide, maybe on some slippery asphalt or after careless braking, can do real damage to parts of the body that aren’t properly covered. Motorcycle jeans are made from a special yarn with aramid fiber woven into it. The material has excellent abrasion resistance.
Protectors are also essential, rigid or soft. They are positioned on the hips and the knees and may be removed if you want perfect comfort all day long even when you’re off your motorcycle.
In case of even a slight fall, you will always want to be wearing a pair of gloves. Everyone knows that our hands often and willingly act as a shield for our body, so it’s only right that we protect them in return. A pair of light gloves is all you need to save yourself from unpleasant accidents, whether it’s from slipping or any kind of impact. Palms made of abrasion-resistant material like leather and composite protectors, with metal or even carbon on the knuckles, are all you need to get about on a motorcycle without a care in the world.
Although often overlooked on shorter journeys, our feet and ankles are actually subject to a lot of stress when getting about in a city. Think of your commute between home and work. How many traffic lights, stop signs and roundabouts do you find yourself at? In all likelihood, you’ll put one or two feet on the ground at each of these, and not always with the greatest of care.
So it’s easy to see why we should never underestimate foot and ankle protection, ever. And there are solutions for those who want to get around a city on two wheels. There are many certified, practical, comfortable models of footwear, perfect for walking and wearing throughout the day, waterproof or perforated, depending on the season. The main features that separate them from ordinary shoes are the various reinforcements on the toe, heel and the point of contact with the gear shift. There’s also rigid protection for the malleolus and the sole is designed to grip the footpegs as much as possible.
Helmets, jackets, airbags, back protectors and so much more. When you get on a motorbike, for leisure or necessity, things get serious, even when it’s your passion. You can’t afford to just sit back, even on the shortest journeys. You have to remind yourself that, on the road, anything can happen. Happily, you don’t need to surrender safety in the name of comfort, style or practicality. You can be comfortable and have everything in order in every situation, with maximum safety.
