Dress to stay alive

Spending money on safety gear may seem painful. But it’s nothing like the lengthy pain you’ll have to put up with if you crash without the right protection. If you wouldn’t jump off your scooter at 50km/h wearing jandals and a T-shirt, don’t ride in those clothes unless you’ve always wanted a skin-graft.

Chris Hyland from Auckland motorcycle accessory store Motomail says that sales staff in any motorcycle and scooter store should be able to work out what you need: “A very important part of getting the right scooter gear is selecting a helmet, gloves, a jacket, and pants that fit properly.”

• Helmet: Open-face helmets look more stylish but full-face models are much safer. They’ll guard your chin and nose against scraping the ground in an accident – as well as protect you from bees, bugs and freezing winds hitting your face. A helmet needs to be firm around the head and cheeks. If you’re unsure of the correct fit, get the helmet salesperson to check for you. 
  
  Never buy a second-hand helmet. One drop on to a hard surface can weaken a helmet and this damage is often invisible on the inside of the helmet.
• Gloves: Most people put their hands out when they’re about to hit the road. Skiing and cycling gloves are likely to shred instantly; make sure you get proper riding gloves.
• Boots: Waterproof riding boots keep your feet dry and protected – and they won’t come off in a crash as shoes can. Plus, you won’t have shoe laces getting tangled up on the scooter which could make you fall.
• Jacket and pants: A proper riding jacket and protective leggings can be lightweight, waterproof, cool in summer, warm in winter, eminently stylish, and are often easily stored under the scooter’s seat.
  
  Good jackets have armour (to approved EU safety standards) in the shoulders, elbows and back. Good pants have armour in the knees and hips. A snug fit is essential for the armour to be in the right position.