By Michael GougisI
'd managed to ride on the street
for about 35 years before it
happened. A driver in a hurry
to get to a liquor store turned left
in front of me while I was travel-
ing at about 40 mph. I locked the
front brake, turned and thankful-
ly hit the mini pickup truck at an
angle that launched me through
the air rather than slamming me
into the side of the vehicle.
I don't remember if it was
while I was in mid-air or if it was
just after I came to a halt, but I
remember very clearly thinking:
“Thank God I'm wearing an Arai!”
When it's you versus the
pavement or something else hard,
you want quality protective gear
between you and the thing that
can cause you harm. And it's not
just protection. Good, well-de-
signed gear that fi ts properly
makes the ride more serene, more
comfortable and allows you to
spend more of your time and at-
tention on riding. Get into a boot
that doesn't fi t you correctly, or
a suit that is too short in the in-
seam, and you'll be paying atten-
tion to things that you should not
be paying attention to while trying
to ride a motorcycle at any speed.
Some suggestions for getting
gear that works:`Helmet: The new, contro-
versial FIM helmet homologation
notwithstanding, it's still a good
idea to look for a helmet that
carries Snell Memorial Founda-
tion certifi cation. Snell not only
creates its own standards, but
tests helmets selected at random
from showroom and warehouse
shelves, so a manufacturer has to
make sure that every helmet that
carries a Snell sticker actually
meets Snell standards.
Other things to look for in-
clude fi t (snug but not crushing
on the cheeks) along with wind
noise and buffeting. Some helmets
designed to work at street speeds
can create lift at very high speeds
—say, the sort of speeds gener-
ated by a literbike tapped out in
sixth gear on a racetrack. Talk to
racers, read up on the manufac-
turer's literature, and watch what
helmets pro and even club racers
are using. Don't just look at the
graphics, look at the shape of the
helmet and features like venting
and windshield latches.
A quieter helmet makes it
easier to concentrate and think,
while well-designed, effective ven-
tilation can keep the rider cooler
without the sort of violent drafts
behind the screen that can rip
contact lenses off eyeballs. I’ve
seen it happen, and have had ithappen to me—no fun either way.
Obviously, you want a full-
face helmet, and not a helmet with
a fl ip-up chin bar. It's the track
—you want good stuff on your
skull if your head hits something
hard at speed. And make sure the
strap is in good shape, the visor is
scratch-free and the visor locking
mechanism is functional.Head
To
Toe
RIDING GEAR:
(Above) MotoAmerica Superbike racer Kyle Wyman (33) won the 2019 Daytona
200 wearing a 6D helmet and Alpinestars Tech-Air leathers, boots, and gloves.
He rode a Yamaha YZF-R6 sponsored by N2 Track Days. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.Clockwise from above, Mithos,
AGV Sport, and Heroic leathers.AGV`
_HEROIC
MITHOS`
42—Roadracing World, Trackday Directory 2019