Like all adrenaline-fuelled activities, motocross riding is home to a lot of people who want to get the ecstatic rush of hormones through their bodies. But that isn’t the only benefit you get from motocross riding. The act of riding a dirt bike improves your cognitive functions as well as your balance since you’re using your legs for jumps and hills. Riding a dirt bike also helps you burn calories and it stimulates your brain too. Motocross riding helps you keep a good posture while it tests your endurance and increases your strength and heart rate. All this is good but you can’t take part in a motocross race without some dirt bike protection.
Types of Motocross Guards
Body Armour
What you ought to be wearing are known as guards. One of the most important if not the most important ones are chest guards. Also known as armour motocross guards, they are meant to provide protection for your upper body. All your vital organs are protected with body armour motocross guards including your spine. You just need to equip yourself with either a chest or a roost protector.
A roost protector may look like a chest protector but in fact, it’s not. The former is more commonly used by motocross riders since it sports a more lightweight design. Roost protectors are also not going to make you feel too hot but they are not as protective.
Chest protectors are made from sturdier materials which is why they are uncomfortable at first. But as a matter of fact, this type of motocross armour provides better levels of protection than a roost protector. High-quality chest protectors also come with ventilation and are more comfortable than some off-the-shelf chest protectors.
Gloves
To prevent your arms from bruises, burns, abrasions and cuts you need to wear proper dirt bike gloves. These gloves not only protect your hands from all of the above but also provide more grip. The padding inside them helps reduce vibrations coming through to your hands and thus helps increase both endurance and efficiency. While thicker gloves come with extra padding there are some that are made in conjunction with breathable and stretchable fabrics which make them thinner.
Knee Braces & Guards
Now, you might think that knee braces and guards are the same because they don’t look that much different but that’s not the case. Just like chest and roost protectors, knee braces and guards also have similarities and offer different levels of protection.
Knee guards provide impact protection and their main goal is to stay in place in the case of a crash. They often come with a TPU plate and straps that go around the back of your leg to secure the plate.
Knee braces, on the other hand, are a bit better in the fact that they offer more protection. They help prevent both lateral and torsional injuries of the knee as well as the leg. Knee braces can also prevent hyperextension since they have a pivoting point that is supported by a strong backbone placed along the side of the knee.
Elbow Guards
A pair of elbow guards with straps is also a great addition to your dirt bike protective gear. Elbow guards help protect not only your elbows but also your face from falls. As you fall you would most probably use your arms to protect your face and with elbow guards on you will reduce the chances of facial injuries.
Neck Brace
A neck brace may not have been as popular before, but nowadays it’s one of the most common pieces of dirt bike protection you’ll see around. As you’d expect neck braces prevent injuries to the spinal cord and many manufacturers have now started to make low-profile braces so they’re also comfortable and look nice on you.
Goggles
With all that dirt flying around you need goggles to protect your eyes and vision. Rainy days can also make it difficult to ride a dirt bike but not with goggles on. The most important part about choosing motocross goggles is their size. Make sure they fit you and that they don’t fog up. For this, you need goggles with good ventilation.
Pants
Not everyone thinks about them but motocross pants are as important as the rest of the gear. They are tough enough to prevent any tearing but also flexible enough to allow you to move freely. What’s important about dirt bike pants is the use of a leather coating around the knees. This coating is what protects your knee from the hot exhaust and it provides extra grip too.
Additional Safety Equipment
Impact Shorts
With impact shorts, your thighs, tailbone and hips are going to be protected in a fall. This is because they are well-padded but also surprisingly comfortable and breathable.
Palm Protectors
A pair of palm protectors will keep your palms safe from blisters and scratches. These can occur after a lot of hours spent on the track. But with palm protectors, you won’t have to worry about any of that.
Hand Guards
Hand guards go on the bike rather than on your body and they help shield your hands from injuries during a crash. Just so you know, off-road hand guards provide better protection than motocross hand guards.
The Australian Expert 