Are Motorcycle Gloves Necessary to Avoid Personal Injury?
Posted on October 6, 2021 at 11:48 AM by The Biker Lawyers
The Biker’s Glove Guide (Avoiding Personal Injury)
First of all, we know what you’re thinking. “Why do I need motorcycle gloves?”
In a nutshell; crash protection.
Every rider faces the reality that some of us will crash. Each ride is a roll of the dice and wearing protective gear is the best way to prevent snake eyes. So what does it look like when you don’t wear protective gloves and your motorcycle goes down?
When bare skin meets the road, you can usually expect that torn flesh, scraped knuckles on pavement, broken joints, potential bone fractures, or even a totally crushed hand beneath the weight of your motorcycle are all possibilities.
Injuries from motorcycle crashes tend to be harsh…
…which is part of why wearing a pair of protective gloves (along with other protective gear) can make all the difference in the world.
If that doesn’t persuade you to wear some basic protective gear on your mitts, we can give you a few other reasons:
🏍️ Modern-day motorcycle gloves typically include rubberized additions on the palm side to increase traction and ensure your grip stays steady.
🏍️ Wearing gloves reduces vibrations coming through the handlebars.
🏍️ Carbon fiber and titanium knuckle reinforcements add security and style.
🏍️ Resilience to weather is always welcome. Sometimes it’s preventing sunburn on a beautiful day, sometimes it’s keeping your digits from freezing on a chillier morning.
To summarize; protection, traction, style, and overall compatibility are all reasons to go pick up some protective gloves.
Should motorcyclists wear full-finger gloves?
Yes.
It’s ideal to maximize the coverage your hand gets, so obviously full finger gloves are stronger than their smaller counterparts.
It’s worth noting there are several different styles of full-finger gloves these days. There are the thicker and bulkier styles for late fall/early winter riding, as well as the lighter and sleeker versions for late spring/summer riding.
Is it dangerous to ride a motorcycle without gloves?
Yes.
Although to be fair, if you’re riding a motorcycle, you’ve already chosen the path of danger (which is part of the thrill). That said, just because you enjoy taking the road less traveled, doesn’t mean you should do so without any precautions.
For instance, if it’s raining outside and you’re intent on riding through it, gloves provide a great deal more than just basic protection, they prevent critical grip issues from occurring with your handlebars.
What are the best motorcycle gloves to buy?
One size doesn’t fit all, quite literally in this instance.
You’ll notice we won’t be including cost in our list of factors. That’s because budget is personal. What is expensive to one person may be cheap to another. The “cost” of motorcycle gloves tends to go beyond a price point.
Ask yourself, “is saving $20 really worth ending up with broken fingers if I get into a wreck?”
What you really want to know, is “What do I need to think about when buying motorcycle gloves?”
There are a few specific things to remember to aim for:
1. Quality.
Make sure your gloves are sold by a quality retailer who is trusted. We live in the modern era, so if you’re purchasing online, check the reviews by others who have purchased the product. If you’re buying in person, just ask anyone at the dealership to give you their hot take on the best gloves in the store. For anything else, ask around to your friends who ride, or toss it up as a question to the community online. It shouldn’t take too long to sort out who you can trust.
2. Comfort is king.
While you may not ride every day, you want to enjoy every ride. Make sure that what you’re getting fits your hand like a…ahem…glove. They should fit snugly, but not feel tight or loose on your hands.
3. Style is worthwhile.
You want to have gloves that you’re happy to wear, and part of that is picking the pair that works with what you need. You may just want something innocuous, in a basic black leather arrangement. You may want something in rainbow colors with extra words woven in for good measure. There isn’t a wrong way to go here objectively, just figure out what you like and go from there.
4. Protection.
The only question here is how far you want to take it. Some people prefer more padding, others, less. Either way, wearing even the thinnest of protective gloves is a massive upgrade for your hands.
What are motorcycle gloves made of?
Leather tends to be the main ingredient here. Usually, you’re buying leather gloves with an assortment of additions and modifications to maximize their protective value. The reason that leather is typical is that it offers great protection overall. It’s tough, yet comfortable.
The bottom line:
Motorcycle gloves do not cost much and they save you money in the long run if they end up saving your hands during an accident. They absorb most of the shock and help riders get back on their feet quickly.
Should you wear them? Like any protective gear, the choice is yours, but if you happen to need them, you’ll be glad you had them. In the end, if you decide to ride with motorcycle gloves, there is a perfect pair out there waiting for you. You just need to decide how much protection you want and what style best suits you!
Do you ride with gloves? If so, tell us about it in the comments
Need a Riding Partner for a Personal Injury Claim?
If you do get into an accident and need a partner riding the road to recovery look no further than the best personal injury lawyers in the Midwest, your Biker Lawyers.
Special thanks to today’s guest poster, William Suliman from bikersaddicts.com for this blog.
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