The motorcycle industry has heard and answered the call for more appropriate women’s gear. You no longer have to suffer in ill-fitting menswear. But that doesn’t make your buying decisions any easier.

Are all abrasion-resistant pants created equally? Should you spring for a woman’s Schuberth helmet or will a Scorpion EXO-100 do? And why does leather matter?

San Francisco motorcycle maven Joanne Donn helps women navigate the protective gear world on her website Gear Chic. Donn says buying these items is a completely different experience from shopping for casual clothes.

To help, she has compiled five rules so you not only know exactly what to look but how to shop for gear. For more information, visit gearchic.com.

1. Always judge proper fit on a motorcycle (or in riding position). Fit differences vary greatly depending on what the jacket was made for (touring or commuting versus sport bike riding). You may findthat a jacket fits great on an upright, dual sport but fits horribly on a super sport.

2. If it’s too comfortable, it’s probably too big. You need a fitted torso so that you’re not cold when it starts getting windy and extra air isn’t blowing around there. You need a pant leg that isn’t so wide that your knee armor is swinging from side to side. You need gloves that aren’t too big at the palms because you might get blisters from them after a while.

3. Fit, then budget. Ignore price tags while you’re shoppin at first. You may miss out on something that fits you like a glove. Once you figure out what brands/styles/fits work best, it’s a much easier process the next time you go shopping and you’ll know exactly what to look for, or what brands to seek out.

4. Try on everything until you find the right fit or shape. Manufacturers vary. Some have European cuts (long, lean, narrow) while others have American cuts (generous, curvy, broad). Some are in between, for the average-shaped woman.

5. Leather should start out snug so it can stretch and break in. New leather boots, gloves, jackets or pants may stretch up to 1/8 inch. After you’ve ridden a few hundred miles, you’ll notice everything fits a little wider and looser. Plan for that.

Pictures courtesy of: r1liz

#Gear #Motorcycle #Accessories