Best Beginner Motorcycle Gear: A Comprehensive Review
As a new motorcyclist, choosing the right gear is crucial not only for your safety but also for enhancing your riding experience. With this year bringing in new and improved gear options, it’s important to know which pieces are worth your investment. This review highlights the best beginner motorcycle gear of the year, focusing on protection, comfort, and value.
1. Icon Domain Helmet: The Best Mid-Range Helmet
The Icon Domain helmet is making waves in 2024 as the best mid-range helmet for beginners. After a decade, Icon has reintroduced the Domain, a helmet that bridges the gap between its budget and premium offerings. Weighing just 1510 grams, it’s Icon’s lightest and most advanced helmet, surpassing even their more expensive models in weight and safety.
Why It Stands Out:
- Material & Safety: Made from fiberglass-reinforced plastic, the Domain helmet offers superior protection while maintaining a lightweight profile. It meets the ECE 22.06 certification, the latest and safest standard, which tests for rotational impacts—a critical factor for reducing neck injuries.
- Design: The helmet’s design is understated yet effective, with a focus on aerodynamic roundness to minimize rotational forces during an impact. The helmet also comes with a stick-on spoiler, but using it might affect the helmet’s safety certification.
- Comfort: Ventilation is another strong point, with an exhaust system that prevents fogging and keeps the rider cool. The helmet includes earplug pockets, a subtle reminder that even the quietest helmets can be loud enough to damage hearing over time.
Drawbacks:
- Proprietary Communication System: The helmet is designed to fit Icon’s proprietary Helm Link, which is a modified Sena 50S. Unfortunately, this adds unnecessary bulk and discomfort, especially if you prefer other communication systems like Cardo.
Starting at $400, the Icon Domain is a solid investment for beginner riders, offering a blend of safety, comfort, and style.
2. Helite H-Moov Airbag Vest: A New Standard in Protection
When it comes to safety, the Helite H-Moov airbag vest is a game-changer for 2024. Though it comes with a hefty price tag starting at $800, the protection it offers is unparalleled, making it a worthwhile investment for those serious about safety.
Why It Stands Out:
- Protection: The airbag vest provides 50 times better protection for your chest, back, and neck compared to traditional padding in motorcycle jackets. This level of impact absorption can be life-saving in a crash.
- Design & Functionality: The vest is designed to be subtle and easy to wear, resembling a functional backpack. It triggers with a 50-pound breakaway noose, offering a reliable deployment mechanism without the need for electronic sensors.
For beginners, the Helite H-Moov vest represents a new level of safety that’s hard to ignore. It’s an investment in your well-being that could pay off in ways traditional gear simply can’t match.
3. Gaerne Balance Pro-Tech Boots: Best Beginner Boots
Finding the right boots is essential for both safety and comfort, and the Gaerne Balance Pro-Tech boots are the top choice for beginners in 2024. These boots strike a perfect balance between protection and ease of use, making them ideal for new riders.
Why It Stands Out:
- Construction: The Balance Pro-Tech boots are made with high-quality materials, offering a solid toe, heel protection, and a hard shin plate. The tree gum sole provides excellent grip, helping to prevent the bike from toppling over, a common issue for beginners.
- Comfort: Despite the protective features, these boots are surprisingly comfortable, allowing for a good feel of the brake and shift levers. This makes them perfect for new riders still getting used to controlling their bike.
- Value: Compared to more expensive models, the Balance Pro-Tech boots offer the same quality construction without the high price tag, making them a value-oriented choice.
While they lack the waterproof membrane found in more expensive models, this can be easily remedied with a bit of oil, allowing the boots to remain breathable and dry in most conditions.
4. Five Spark Gloves: Essential Hand Protection
Hand injuries are common in motorcycle accidents, and the Five Spark gloves are designed to provide robust protection while maintaining comfort and dexterity.
Why It Stands Out:
- Safety Features: The gloves are CE1 KP certified, ensuring they meet high safety standards, including a metacarpal shield and a palm that can slide for three seconds, reducing the risk of injury in a fall.
- Design: The pre-curved design of the gloves minimizes hand fatigue, a common issue for new riders. The gloves also feature a hard palm slider, which helps prevent wrist injuries by allowing the hand to slide rather than catch on the pavement.
- Additional Features: The gloves come with a slip liner for easy on and off, even when wet, and the touch-capable fingers allow for easy use of your devices without removing the gloves.
At $80, the Five Spark gloves offer excellent protection and comfort, making them a must-have for any beginner rider.
Conclusion
As you start your motorcycling journey, investing in the right gear is crucial for your safety and confidence on the road. The Icon Domain helmet, Helite H-Moov airbag vest, Gaerne Balance Pro-Tech boots, and Five Spark gloves represent the best beginner gear of 2024, offering a perfect blend of protection, comfort, and value.
While the upfront costs may seem high, the investment in quality gear can make all the difference in ensuring your safety and enjoyment as you learn to ride. Remember, it’s not just about looking cool—it’s about staying safe so you can enjoy the thrill of motorcycling for years to come.
FURTHER READING
