(^32) July/August 2019 _ PopularMechanics.com
▼ JACKET
EDITOR’S PICK: Aether Draft ($550)Leather is tough—there’s a reason
MotoGP racers wear it—and looks cool.
But textile sheds rain and breathes in hot
weather. Buy one that can accommodate
armor, extra padding for your back, elbows,
and shoulders, parts of your body likely to
hit the ground if you go down.▲ BOOTS
EDITOR’S PICK: TCX Drifter WP ($300);
Rev’It! Mohawk 2 ($280)Combat boots are better than flip-flops, but
motorcycle-specific boots are more comfort-
able and better at protecting all the tiny bones
in your feet and supporting your ankles at
stop lights. Your style choices generally break
down into either Power Ranger/Road Warrior
or gold-prospector work boots. The former
is ergonomic and light, ideal for long rides
and usually more protective. The latter will be
more comfortable to walk around in.specific gloves have reinforced palms and
knuckles to help your hands survive. You
can go cheap, but spending above $100
generally means you’ll get something with
hard palms that slide on asphalt, and ergo-
nomic stitching to preserve your dexterity.▲ PANTS
EDITOR’S PICK: Rev’It! Alpha RF ($200)The options here are similar to the jacket:
leather or textile, armor or no armor. Yes,
pants get hot in the summer. But unless you’re
in traffic, the wind will keep you comfortable.For anyone learning
to ride for the first
time, we recommend
taking a RiderCourse
with the Motorcycle
Safety Foundation
(MSF). It’s well worth
the $150 or so that the
organization charges.
Depending on where
you take it, the course
will likely involve one
night in a classroom—
hand signals, typical
causes of collisions,
stuff you’ll need to pass
the DMV’s written
test. The following
weekend, you’ll show
up at a parking lot, and
get on motorcycles.
You’ll open the throttle
while releasing the
clutch. You’ll turn
and shift gears. Using
a motorcycle that’s
not yours is reason
enough to pay for the
class. Because you
will probably drop
the bike. At the end
of the second day of
riding, instructors will
watch you go through
maneuvers, like riding
over a fallen 2x4 and
slaloming between
cones. The test that
kept the most people in
my class from passing:
turning the bike
around within a space
the width of a parking
spot, without touching
your feet to the ground.
(Hint: Point your head
and look where you want
to go, not down at the
front wheel). If you pass,
you don’t have to take a
riding test at the DMV,
just the written test.
Study practice questions
online. Pass, and you’ll
get that glorious M 1
stamp on your license.Getting
the License
↓GETTING STARTED IN MOTORCYCLES