A Buyer’s Guide to Motorcycle Gloves
When you start riding a motorcycle, there are a few essential pieces of gear, like gloves, which you need to invest in prior to hitting the road. You’ll need them to ensure a comfortable and enjoyable riding experience, but more importantly, so you can know that you are protected and safe on your bike.
Take your time choosing your gloves because you want to make sure that they are of good quality and that they fit you right. At Doc's Harley-Davidson, we have got a wide selection of bike accessories and parts. Visit our dealership in Kirkwood, MO, to check out what we have got in stock right now!
Why You Need a Sturdy Pair of Gloves?
There’s always the potential for danger when you hit the road on your bike. You run the risk of battling the elements or worse, taking a spill. Your fingers also need protection. The right pair of gloves will prevent the roads from tearing up your hands, whether it be from an accident or simple road debris. If you are riding in cooler weather, gloves are also great for keeping your fingers warm while you ride.
While you can wear your regular gloves, they wouldn’t hold up so well when scraping against the pavement. On top of that, motorcycle gloves are much more flexible, making them comfortable to wear and easy to move around in. Those might seem like small differences, but when you look at the qualities that go into every motorcycle glove, you’ll understand why they’re so much better for riding.
The gloves protect against common motorcycle-related issues in the hands, like palm sliders and hardened knuckles. They also have a curved design so you can comfortably grip the handlebars. Last but not least, each glove has a careful closure system that ensures that they stay on in the case of an accident. The simple gloves you can buy at a hardware store would slip off with the slightest impact, but specialized motorcycle gloves hold up, so you have maximum protection that you can always rely on.
Features
To learn more about how a motorcycle glove offers good protection, you should know a little bit about the components it’s made up of. This useful piece of apparel is a bit more complex than you think. Depending on the model you buy, a durable glove consists of eight or nine different key features. The upper part and palm cover the top of your hand and palm, respectively, while the fourchettes connect these two parts between the fingers.
The lining varies based on style, but every model has plenty of layering for maximum protection. The cuff and closure, as mentioned, keep the glove on your hand, while the stitching holds the gloves together. Finally, the armor, made from carbon fiber, titanium, or steel, is built over the top of the glove to decrease the effects of impact and scraping on the pavement.
Buying Tips
Now that you know how a glove is constructed, it’s time to choose the perfect pair for your riding adventures. To figure this out, you’ll have to consider four main factors. Most importantly, the glove obviously needs to be of the right fit. It should be tight, but not so much that it restricts motion. Next, pay attention to how it feels on your fingers. There needs to be just enough inner liner for them to feel comfortable, but not so much that your fingers can’t move freely. The construction of the glove might be your personal choice, but think a little about the type of motorcycle glove you’d like to use. There are various types of materials, so try to find the one that’s best for you.
Another important factor to consider is the ventilation in each glove. There are some models that are designed for riding in extreme cold weather conditions and others that will keep your hands from sweating during the summer. Different types are made for various applications, and if you know these beforehand, you shouldn’t have any problem in selecting a good pair for your needs.
We hope that this guide has been helpful in determining which motorcycle gloves you’ll need for the road. If you have any questions or you want to check out some of our accessories, come by Doc's Harley-Davidson in Kirkwood, Missouri today! We welcome all those coming from St. Louis and St. Charles.