Top 3 Must-Haves For Motorcycle Protection Gear For Sport-Touring

Sport-touring motorcycles offer the best of both worlds-great handling on twisty roads and long distance comfort. There are a ton of options when choosing motorcycle riding gear, but when it comes to the must haves we feel that a full face helmet, jacket, and motorcycle boots are the key pieces of protective gear every sport touring rider should have.

Helmet:

[caption id="attachment_67571" align="alignright" width="300"] Arai Quantum-X Full Face Helmet in Black Frost[/caption]

Besides crafting excellent motorcycle helmets that often exceed safety standards, Arai has put a lot of focus into making sure their helmets deliver exceptional comfort. Knowing that not all heads are shaped the same, Arai has created its [mageProductLink sku="381-806471"]Quantum-X[/mageProductLink] and Signet-X helmets. The Quantum-X offers a round oval shape while the Signet-X is a long oval design. Once you determine which shape fits you best you can micro tune the helmet by swapping out the cheek pads and temple pads for thicker or thinner pieces. Both helmets offer superior build quality, multiple adjustable vents, and both come with the Variable Axis System shield that makes it easy to change or replace the face shield. The other great thing about Arai's Quantum-X and Signet-X helmets is that they come with an anti-fog pinlock 120 lens- typically an extra cost with most other helmets.

Jacket:

[caption id="attachment_67572" align="alignright" width="300"] Joe Rocket Atomic 5.0 Textile Jacket[/caption]

A good sport-touring jacket should be able to handle changing temperatures, have built-in armor and fit comfortably without extra material flapping in the wind. One of our favorite jackets is [mageProductLink sku="225-1651-5002"]Joe Rocket's Atomic 5.0 Textile Jacket[/mageProductLink]. The exterior is made from heavy-duty waterproof materials that are extremely durable and abrasion resistant. The elbows and shoulders are outfitted with removable CE approved armor and the back comes with spine armor that can be upgraded to the back protector armor of your choosing. Changing temperatures can be easily addressed by the large zippered chest and upper arm vents which when combined with the rear venting allows for extreme airflow. In chilly temperatures you can zip in the included full sleeve liner. For overall comfort and ease of movement the jacket can be tailored to fit via six adjustment points.

Boots:

[caption id="attachment_67573" align="alignright" width="300"] Sidi Armada Gore-Tex Boots[/caption]

[mageProductLink sku="043-2127-x-41"]Sidi's Armada Gore-Tex[/mageProductLink] boots deliver in spades in all categories of protection and comfort. With Gore-Tex incorporated into the outer shell your feet will stay dry in wet conditions but still be able to breathe. There's internal toe protection, padded shin plates, and exterior high strength heels guards for impact resistance. The ankle support beams can be removed to suit your riding/comfort needs while dual position zipper closure points can adapt to any calf size. The Armada boots have nylon inner soles and removable arch support pads for off the bike comfort. Aside from guarding your feet from weather and accidents the Armada boots are extremely easy to slip on and off with their full length zippered entry system.