Quality clothing is a vital factor in motorcycle safety Published Aug. 15, 2012 375th AMW Safety Office SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- We already know a DOT helmet absorbs impact and protects from abrasion. What about the rest of the body? The clothing we choose to wear while riding a motorcycle is the only thing between you and the road. Good gear can literally save your skin! Priorities of Purchase Will this save my skin? When you meet the pavement unexpectedly you want four things, impact protection, abrasion strength, tear strength and seam strength. Look for pliable dense foam padding inserts for impact protection. Don't be fooled by armor that is hard. Armor should absorb impact; the harder the armor is the less impact it will absorb. A simple fall at 30 mph can subject your clothing to more than 100 pounds of tearing force. Kevlar In order to give it the proper motorcycle abrasion strength Kevlar must be woven together with other threads, like Dynatec, Lycra or Keprotec. These are the only suits approved for road racing other than leather. Some gear manufacturers use small portions of pure Kevlar as a gimmick; even full suits of Kevlar can be found. This gear is lighter, offers greater protection and breathes. It slides on pavement the same way as leather and dissipates friction heat better than leather. Kevlar is not widely available. So you will have to research retail stores. Nylon Many names are given to types of polyester or nylon to make it sound impressive. Only Cordura is suitable for motorcycle gear. Be aware that due to cost, some makers coat their nylon with a layer of polyurethane that under heavy pavement friction can melt into your skin. Leather Leather has long been a good protective fabric, however, many variables can affect its quality including, the type, age and diet of the animal it came from. The best way to tell if the garment is made of good leather is to look at the price tag. Good leather costs more and the cost is passed on to the consumer. Leather should be worn snug because when leather folds its tear strength is reduced. As an organic material, leather will dry out and lose its flexibility over time. Protective footwear must be over the ankle to prevent it from coming off the foot in the event of an impact. It will not protect the foot and ankle if it comes off. Motorcycle gloves, jackets, pants and protective footwear should be made of materials which will withstand impact, abrasion and tearing forces. The cost of good gear is worth the price to save you from injury in the event of a mishap.