Choosing the Right Gear Part 4 of 5: Boots

[The Dude]

This is Part 4 of 5 of the series "Choosing the Right Gear"

The following is an excerpt from a book that I am currently working on entitled "Beginner's Motorcycle and Riding Theory". The book is designated for prospective riders that have no prior experience with motorcycles. It will take the rider through all of he ins and outs of owning a motorcycle and being a safe rider. The information from this book draws on lessons learned from my experiences throughout my first year of riding. Some lessons were learned the easy way, some the hard way, some passed on by more experienced riders and a lot from online research.


Good riding boots are often overlooked by many new riders that may believe ordinary shoes will provide the adequate protection to the feet. While sneakers or good shoes may be comfortable to ride in and offer decent protection from weather, a good pair of boots will protect feet, ankles and in some cases the lower shins of the rider from impact, abrasion and burns in the case of an accident.

During a low side accident, the bike can fall on the rider?s foot with a significant initial impact. If the rider?s foot becomes pinned under the bike while sliding, the boot will need to with stand the abrasion of the road while supporting some of the weight of the bike. If the foot becomes pinned close to the exhaust, the boot will need to be able to resist temperatures over 300[SUP]o[/SUP]C.

TYPES OF BOOTS

Racing/Sport

Sport and racing boots offer the most advanced protection to the rider?s feet and ankles and typically extend halfway up the calf to protect the lower shins. These boots are rigid and can also be used as an anchor point for knee braces as well. These boots also come with a multitude of available features such as air vents, toe sliders, shifter reinforcement, toe and heel cups, etc.
Pros

• Maximum protection.
• Many features available to perfectly fit any riding style.

Cons

• Expensive.
• Very restrictive and rigid
• Uncomfortable to walk in for extended periods of time
• Not fit for use off of the bike

Touring/Adventure

Touring boots offer a lot of the same protection of racing boots but are more comfortable and less visually eye-catching. These boots are typically more flexible and meant for riders that intend to ride several hours a day for many consecutive days. These boots are therefore designed like more versatile racing boots.
Pros

• Excellent protection from accidents
• Excellent protection from weather
• Comfortable

Cons

• May be expensive
• Can become very warm
• May still be too restrictive for some to use when not riding

Cruising

Cruising boots are the first preference of many casual riders and those that ride to and from work every day. Many riders use regular work boots as a substitute as they are very similar to most cruising boots. Some cruising also boots also offer heel and toe protection.
Pros

• Good protection from abrasion
• Good protection from weather
• Slightly cheaper than racing and touring boots on average
• Many are designed to be used as regular work boots as well

Cons

• Many don?t offer much ankle support
• May not protect from larger impact forces
• Most do not offer lower shin protection

Short Boots

Short boots are made to fit like ordinary sneakers while offering some added protection. Some manufacturers have short boot variants to racing boots and offer the same heel and toe protection along with similar toe sliders and air vents for comfort. Like other motorcycle boots, short boots are sometimes designed to offer some weather protection as well.
Pros

• Good protection of the feet from impact.
• Comfortable
• Easy to wear for extended periods of time off of the motorcycle and can be worn with ordinary clothes.

Cons

• Little to no protection from bending
• No protection of the shins
• Relatively cheaper than racing boots

Riding Shoes

Riding shoes are sneakers with extra reinforcement where the gear shift lever makes contact with the shoe. Riding shoes offer little to no additional protected when compared to regular sneakers and are therefore not considered as safety equipment.
Pros

• Comfortable.
• Easy to wear for extended periods of time off of the motorcycle and can be worn with ordinary clothes.
• Cheaper than riding boots.

Cons

• Offer very little to no protection for accidents.
• May not offer any protection from weather.

This article has been provided for illustration purposes only and the writer takes no liability for any damages or harm that may occur as a result of following the instructions in this article.This article may not be reproduced in any way or form without the expressed permission from the author in writing. For more information or permission to use/reproduce this article elsewhere please contact "The Dude" on RealTrini.com