Should Full Bike Rider Protection Be Made Mandatory?
By Tom Jones
With summers expecting to become hotter and last longer the exhilaration of riding a motorbike will be given serious consideration for many people during the recession, as they are an extremely cost effective mode of transport.
The heat of the summer always raises the contentious issue of wearing appropriate riding attire. Serious bike riders will be kitted out with full leather protection, while the fool hardy young riders will be seen wearing little more than their mandatory crash helmet. The injuries suffered by anyone not riding with adequate protection are virtually indescribable as they are so horrific. Many people believe that full bike rider body protection should be made mandatory to reduce the number of serious injuries and fatalities on the UK’’s roads.
Bikers who are passionate about their machines and are not on a ”death wish” ride will be very aware of how hot and uncomfortable wearing full protection can be, however rather than increase the risk of injury and potential death they sweat it out and still relish every opportunity to ride their beloved machines.
BMW Motorrad have made life far more comfortable by updating their Airflow 4 suit. The BMW Airflow range includes suits, helmets, gloves and boots which have all been designed to incorporate the innovative AirTex fabric, with many also incorporating the latest NanpSpere and Coldblack technologies which help to keep riders fully protected and cool.
What are AirTex, NanoSphere and ColdBlack?
NanoSphere is a non-stick coating which has been applied to the latest grey Airflow 4 which stops particles of dirt from sticking to the suit, if large quantities of dirt and debris do come into contact with the material it can quite simply be rinsed off without leaving any residue.
ColdBlack is used as the outer layer of the black suit which reflects 80% of the sun’’s harmful Ultra-Violet rays which helps to keep the rider cooler for longer.
AirTex is made of a lightweight, net-like material which enables air to flow freely throughout it. Which helps to keep the rider cool. Importantly it maintains the strength to meet the high safety standards which are synonymous with the BMW Motorrad’’s motorbike clothing range. For added safety impact areas of the AirFlow 4 suit have been reinforced with the latest high-tech abrasion resistant Dynatec material which is also lightweight, robust and flexible which is the ideal solution for summer riding.
The suit also has extra protection in the form of an ”armour” which can be easily be adjusted to fit inside the suit and mould itself around the rider’’s body providing an extra layer of protection and comfort. Reflective strips have also be included to provide safer riding in the dark and giving other road users the ability to see riders to help reduce the number of accidents which occur on the UK’’s roads. Therefore there is no reason why motorbike riders cannot feel cool and be protected without having to ride in a flapping open shirt and flip flops.
The protection you choose to wear is purely a matter of personal preference at the moment and to some extent people’’s budgets, however those who are serious riders would never contemplate riding without full protection, a road worthy bike which is taxed and has appropriate BMW motorcycle insurance. It is typically the young and reckless who tempt fate by acting in such foolhardy ways and don”t seem to put safety and the law first.
About The Author
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