Re: Order of purchasing riding gear

Query Approved

If i was on a tight budget and had to buy one article every month, then this is what i would get - Helmet, Boots (Army Combat within 1k), Gloves (good quality riding around 2.5), Jacket (5-6k) and finally pants (or quality knee guards with jeans). After that a secondary helmet, one helmet for city rides and another helmet for touring.

Once you have got these essentials you can go ahead and keep adding to the collection

Re: Order of purchasing riding gear

My order was helmet- gloves- jacket- good helmet- bike sold- gloves again- pants and boots after i get new bike.

Re: Order of purchasing riding gear

OR you can also purchase in this order ->

1) Helmet (Must)
2) Gloves (since you already must be having some shoes or sports shoes etc, but hands remain unprotected, so gloves before shoes, also shield against cold weather)
3) Knee Guards ( Knee and palms are the first to contact ground in case of an accident, so it has precedence over jacket.)
4) Shoes - Army combat or even Industrial safety shoes will do initially, comes within 1000 rupees.
5) Jacket.


start with this and later upgrade to riding pants.

Re: Order of purchasing riding gear

Here is my suggestion

Very Good helmet: 3-5k ...
Something that conforms to industry standards and certifications. Avoid cheap helmets that just look fancy. Absolute must. Remember, the CPU (brain) is the most important part of your body that should have the best protection in case of any mishap.

Balaclava 150-2000/-
Good to keep your face protected from fatigue, hot and cold winds. Will also help keep your helmet clean of dandruff and sweat by avoiding direct contact with your hair and face.

Decent gloves 600-2k
Keeps your fingers and palms warm and helps avoid cramping. Saves your knuckles, fingers and nails in case of a crash.
Unfortunately I had a crash thanks to an idiot who braked suddenly in front of me on a very slippery surface...Wasn't wearing gloves at that time...lost 2 nails and some blood...9 years later, finally have my nails back

Biking jacket with protective padding 5-8k
Keeps fatigue away and your torso safe in case of a crash. Also very helpful in keeping you warm and avoids dehydration.

Knee pads 500-2k
To keep your knees and shin safe from a hit. Crashed into a stupid taxi a few years ago...again he braked suddenly to avoid hitting a pedestrian running across the road. Knee hurts till date

Good shoes 1k-3k
To keep your ankles, toes and feet safe from scrapes, bruises and fractures. I use my Woodland shoes occasionally for rides. They are a little heavy but should take the brunt in case of a fall.

Night / anti-glare riding glasses 2-3k
Got my pair as a gift. They do wonders to keep away the glare of oncoming lights during night rides.

Riding pants / Jeans 2-4k
Not very practical for daily use but useful for long rides. I wear good quality and tough jeans to avoid scrapes in case I hit the turf.

Second helmet 1k-3k
For city / daily use. Again, don't compromise on safety aspects. A decent one should come for about 1-3k. If you can keep it locked on your bike at all times, you will have a helmet available when riding with a pillion.

Pity we don't focus too much on safety gear for pillion riders in India.

Keep a first aid kid handy in your bike at all times. Just a very basic one. You never know when it will come useful...If not for you, maybe to help someone else if they need emergency treatment.

Will post some more if I think / remember of any

Ride safe... God Speed

Re: Order of purchasing riding gear

Quick update to my last post! My biking friend just reminded me that if one is wearing a riding pant with protective pads at the knees, you can skip the knee pads..

Re: Order of purchasing riding gear

holysh*t :what:
it took 9 years to grow those nails back?


Sent from my Nexus 5 using xBhp Connect mobile app

Re: Order of purchasing riding gear

I can't believe a well armoured jacket is so much down you guys' lists.

Anyways, my list would be:

1. Helmet,
2. Jacket (armoured at elbow and shoulder),
3. Gloves,
4. Proper riding pants,
5. Proper shoes,

See, we anyways wear some or the other sports or formal shoes which do protect from damage, plus legs are closest to the ground, so dedicated riding shoes are not always No.1 or 2 priority, although pretty important in my humble viewpoint. Helmet and jackets save lives more than anything else.

I've recovered from an arm fracture in the past, and I can tell you:- Injuries better be as far from your chest/ abdomen/ main body, as reasonably possible.


Anyways, wearing gloves before a good jacket will look funny anyways.

Re: Order of purchasing riding gear

Just my two cent:
I started with purchasing jacket first with reason because it covers our maximum body part and then go on with riding pants, riding boots, gloves, knee protectors if you are going to buy riding pants.

PS: I already had helmet and gloves when I purchased my jacket.

Re: Order of purchasing riding gear

Yeah...Was a real nasty fall. My two nails got ripped out from the side where the nail begins. Thank God my fingers got saved!

Was very lucky that the doctor I went to immediately after the fall pulled out one of the damaged nails completely. Went to a few docs in these last few years and got different medication from different docs...Finally got a good doc here in Malad who put me on a 21 day course of antibiotics and stuff...now my nails are as good as new

It's better to be safe than sorry. Please ride with your gear on...and ride sensibly... For your safety and that of others

Re: Order of purchasing riding gear

Agree that a good jacket should be a priority but decent armoured riding jackets are comparatively expensive for the average Joe like me ...decent ones cost 5k and above..So not everyone can purchase it right away..

A good helmet is an absolute must...and the first thing anyone should invest in...
Gloves and balaclavas don't cost much.

Don't agree about your views that wearing gloves without a jacket look funny.. As long as you wearing protection that you can afford when riding, I feel it should suffice. When I started wearing my riding jacket initially my non-biking friends would tease me about it as I would occasionally even wear it to work...but I couldn't care less about their opinions...It's my safety that matters.

Riding shoes may not be convenient and affordable but still a good strong pair of shoes would be of great help, specially to keep your ankles safe.

Sorry to hear about your accident. Hope you are well now and back on your bike.

Ride safe

Re: Order of purchasing riding gear

I have recemtly started building my riding gear. I own cramster gloves and was thinking of buying decent Helmet. However, I came across Ozaro riding boots (5.2k) and bought them first because it is difficult to find my shoe size.

Next aim would be helmet and riding jacket at one go.

Re: Order of purchasing riding gear

Actually, helmet should have been your top priority. Get a decent one as soon as possible.

Re: Order of purchasing riding gear

I already own a helmet which can suffice my needs. I ride on weekends only and that too are limited as of now. My helmet and jacket purchase is due for coming weekend.

Re: Order of purchasing riding gear

It it possible to get an army combat boot under 1000 , can you suggest me any