RETURNING RIDER KIT TED OUT
Tibia, Fibula, Femur, Scapula, Radius, Ulna… sticks and stones will break your bones, and there’s nothing Humerus about that, especially if you happen to come a cropper on a motorbike. And as for serious brain trauma… don’t let’s even go there. Michael Cowton is the Returning Rider and he had to choose the right kit for him.
When I first straddled a bike, reducing the risk of severe injury was a long way down the pecking order of priorities. The focus was more on looking cool. Not any more. I recall that my first spill was on ice. My second was riding pillion, when we suffered a head-on collision, at night, in the rain, the oncoming vehicle driving without lights. Both accidents were in 30mph zones. Both shook me to the core. Both trashed my everyday clothing. In both cases, my only sensible gear, a helmet, saved me from sustaining major trauma. Whilst my maths is pretty rubbish, I prefer the statistics and the law and the strict safety regulations when it comes to protecting the head any day over not wearing protection. As for the rest of the body, making smart gear choices is paramount.
Of course, it comes down to personal choice how much or little we wear in terms of protection. We are all capable of making informed decisions. If that was not the case, we shouldn’t be riding a bike. Personally, I would rather put the money into good gear as opposed to private medical bills.
But where to start? There was no way on earth the guys here were going to allow me near a bike without my being appropriately attired. Our gear guru Ross drew up a list of brands for me to check out, and despatched me to the Sportsbike shop in Kirton, outside Boston.
It’s one of the premier stores and online retailers in the country, and one where the staff are both helpful and knowledgeable. It seemed the perfect place to begin. What I hadn’t anticipated was the sheer volume of product that the store carries. Such is the size of the warehouse, I imagine it would not be difficult to pick out the building from the viewing window of the International Space Station as it passes in low earth orbit over Lincolnshire’s flatlands.
Swerving racks of tempting leather apparel and an eclectic mix of goodies, I made it to the counter to discuss my requirements. I was then pointed in the direction of one of the keyboard terminals, where one is able to scroll through and call up countless products to try on for fit. If I had not gone pre-prepared, it would all have proved a tad overwhelming.
As I huffed and puffed my way through the clothing pile in one of the changing closets, time was ticking down, and I made it out of the store just before closure, armed with a whittled down list of what I thought would be suitable attire. Having been blind-sided by leather, I wasn’t thinking about the seasonality of gear. We were into the back end of winter, so once at the office, my initial list was quashed in favour of textiles. Having taken such sage advice, I realised that it’s all about common sense and compromise, not about the aesthetics. I appreciate even more now that wearing good gear promotes better comfort. That translates to better safety, more focused riding and less fatigue on the road. Balance the cost of appropriate gear with risk, and it nicely squares the circle.