Allroad Motorcycle Riding Gear & Touring Apparel

Enjoyable allroad motorcycle touring requires good quality and functional riding gear preferably with offroad features. This applies to every single piece of clothing starting from the base layer. Long days on the saddle day after day will point out each and every single short coming. The requirements can be rather demanding due to changing weather conditions and the nature of the route. Allroad touring in versatile conditions puts a lot pressure on quality, details and the ability to adapt. Even small inconveniences with the gear can in time become real problems that change the focus from enjoyment and safe riding to disturbing details here and there. Quality MC gear and apparel simply sets the mind free and the rider does not even think about how comfortable and functional they in fact are. In addition high quality and versatile motorcycle riding gear saves luggage space and therefore also weight. Today the dual sport category crows fast and there are a lot of alternatives designed especially for the DS and adventure touring. Interesting alternatives can be some times found from the general outdoor, offroad motocross and snowmobiling world.

Technical BASE & MID Layers

Technical base and mid layers complete the shell jacket and the pants by extending the features beyond the baseline. Even when the shell suit comes out the comfort zone, the technical layers regulate the body temperature more further and protect the skin. The cut, details and the fit adapts ideally to motorcycling and other riding gear. The technical layers keep the rider simply more comfortable by regulating the heat and moisture inside the garment. The riding gear feels better, the skin remains cooler and nothing starts to rub. Proper TECH layers have thinner seams that are placed ideally and do not create pressure points for example against the saddle or the boots. The shape of the clothing remains in place even when the fabric is moist and there are no wrinkles working against the rider. Technical base layers are useful also in hot conditions by protecting the skin against the suit interior and the armor.

Allroad Motorcycling Apparel Crash Protection

Allroad riders are more likely to face at least small crashes due to the basic nature of allroad touring in versatile conditions and surroundings. The more challenges, the more likely the allroader will crash and the only thing one can do is to expect that and wear enough protection. Even a small crash can lead to disability to ride any further by turning the adventure to pain and desperation in the outback. Therefore at least good basic rider protectors are important features in the riders suit, but that is not all. The more risks are taken, the better protectors are needed and the motocross world provides a lot of those options such as neck braces, knee braces, chest, back, shoulder, elbow and forearm protectors, guards and harnesses. In addition protective allroad riding boots and gloves are essential part of the whole in order to keep the rider adventuring.

Allroad Motorcycling Apparel Generally

Allroad touring apparel requires more functionality than urban riding wear in terms of wider spectrum of road and weather conditions. Riding in extreme heat, rain or cold set challenging requirements for riding comfort and also safety. The suit ventilation and extra space for warm base and mid layers become interesting and important. Out of the ordinary, the standing riding position in an active form needs more freedom of movement and cover in the waist area. On a long tour riders also tend to carry more stuff in the pockets. Few tools for travelling & bike, flashlight, first-aid kit, an extra set of gloves, fresh hood, goggle cleaning cloth due to dirt and so on.

Allroad Motorcycling Suit Ventilation

The ventilation of every riding suit is essential. There more you are using energy and riding actively, the more you need to ventilate. It applies everything, the suit, gloves, helmet and the boots. Ventilation gradually helps you to tune the efficiency and direct the ventilations to areas that are producing the most of the heat. Ventilation zippers below your armpits, in the arms, upper chest, back and thighs are very useful. If you can also operate the most of those zippers and flaps easily with a single hand while riding, the functionality would be the best, although no one would recommend to concentrate on those things while riding.

Allroad Motorcycling Apparel Wind Protection

The opposite of ventilation is wind- and riding draught protection. If the riding suit has no GoreTex, WindStopper or similar membrane behind the surface fabric, the air flow will pass through the suit more or less lightly. Depending on day time temperatures in question, this may be an advantage or not, but it can be also controlled with appropriate basic and mid layers easily. When riding in extremely changing conditions from early morning frost, noon heat to evening chilliness, the best way to handle all those conditions, is to wear enough removable layers.

Allroad Motorcycling Apparel Durability

Allroad touring requires much more from the apparel durability compared to street touring. There is more dirt, sand, gravel, rocks, branches, mosquitos and insects involved which leads to higher degree of mechanical wearing and more frequent washing. Allroaders camp and take brakes also in natural outdoor environment outside the urban facilities and conveniences. Depending on how challenging routing you prefer, the harder or lighter the wearing in question. Anyhow if you ride more than seldom, the good quality apparel is important also from the durability point of view.

Allroad Motorcycling Apparel and Rain

There are not many places where the allroader needs not to pay attention to rain basically at all and even there the temperature may drop in the evening so much, that wind protection becomes an issue. Never the less, rain protection is a basic allroad touring apparel requirement facing the riding suit, gloves, boots, balaclava or at least the riding suit collar. Not only protecting and keeping comfortable the rider, but also keeping items dry in the pockets such as mobile phone, passport, wallet etc. Riding short term in a light rain is not a problem, but touring long hours in the rain challenges the riding gear seriously, but also regulates the level of enjoyment.

An effective rain and wind protection can be accomplished with waterproofed membranes such as Gore-Tex® and WindStopper® which can used also in the MID layers when appropriate. The Gore-Tex® membrane can be laminated behind the surface fabric or leather. Wearing Gore-Tex® all the way and all the time is simply not ideal and having additional rain gear is much more functional and versatile allowing adaptation to changing riding conditions. Additional rain gloves, -balaclava or riding suit storm collar and perhaps even socks such as KLIM Covert GTX Liner, would complete the riding gear when the rain hits.

Allroad Touring Boots

Depending on the level of challenge and nature of preferred routing, proper allroad touring boots can be determined. There are many alternatives between the urban allroad touring boots and the hard core motocross boots, but the safety should come first since the legs are easily damaged and retained mobility has enormous effect on everyday life. Allroad touring boots are also available with GoreTex membrane, such as Alpinestars TOUCAN Gore-Tex® riding boots and there is a variety of boots with different type and amount of crash protectors too.

Allroad Touring & Motorcycle Gloves

Motorcycle gloves have significant impact on riding comfort, contact to the handlebar and handling the instrumentation while riding. Good allroad motorcycling gloves adapt to a wide variety of conditions while maintaining an exact feel to the bike`s behavior and few pairs of different kind of gloves keep the hands comfortably operational in every condition. Through wet and gloves with uneven handlebar feel damages the palms very quickly, making the ride quite unpleasant. Grip warmers and hand guards assist and complete the set of proper allroad touring gloves. Choose the motorcycle gloves always carefully and rely on quality brands such as alpinestars, RUKKA, Klim etc.

Allroad Motorcycle Touring Helmets

The most important feature of a good allroad motorcycle touring helmet is the level of protection and therefore I would always recommend to choose a full face helmet which can be found in 3 basic types. The most common onroad helmet type is the fixed full face which is at it`s best in more urban touring. The second helmet type would be the flip up which is the most versatile and functional type, especially for riders with eyewear, but perhaps less ventilated and typically the heaviest helmet type. The third allroad helmet type would be the dual purpose on & offroad motorcycle helmet which is good for active allroad touring in the outback, but perhaps slightly less comfortable from the aerodynamic and noise protection point of view. Traditionally the forehead visor tends to catch the wind and turbulence, creating noise and pressure against the helmet. Read more about motorcycle riding helmets here.