On a motorcycle, your gear is your only protection in a fall. Riders often talk about “ATGATT”: all the gear, all the time. It does not have to be expensive, but each item should be designed for riding.
Helmet: the non-negotiable
A helmet is the single most important item. NHTSA estimates that helmets reduce the risk of death in a crash by about 37 percent for riders and the risk of head injury by around 69 percent. Choose a helmet certified for your country (DOT in the US, ECE 22.06 in Europe) that fits snugly. A full-face helmet protects the chin and face, which are often hit in crashes. Details are in our guide to types of motorbike helmets.
Jacket and trousers
Abrasion and impacts are the main risks to the body. Motorcycle jackets and trousers are made of leather or tough textiles, with armor at the shoulders, elbows, hips and knees, and ideally a back protector. In Europe, the EN 17092 standard rates garments from A to AAA; certified CE armor is labeled level 1 or 2. Ordinary jeans offer very little protection; riding jeans with abrasion-resistant linings and armor are a good compromise for city use.
Gloves
When people fall, they instinctively put their hands out. Riding gloves with reinforced palms and knuckle protection prevent painful injuries to hands, which are hard to repair. More in the best motorbike gloves.
Boots
Proper riding boots protect ankles from twisting and crushing and cover the ankle bone. Sneakers and fashion boots come off easily in a crash. See how to choose motorbike boots.
Being seen
Bright colors, reflective panels and a light-colored helmet make you more visible to other road users, especially at dusk. A high-visibility vest is cheap and works over any jacket.
Buying on a budget
If you cannot buy everything at once, prioritize: a good helmet first, then gloves, jacket and boots, then trousers. Avoid second-hand helmets of unknown history. Replace any helmet after a significant impact, and armor and textiles after a crash with abrasion.
Protective gear works best with skills. The NHTSA motorcycle safety pages and our guide to riding safely and responsibly complete the picture, and a good motorbike jacket is worth reading about before you buy.
