SAFETY GEAR FOR BIKE RIDING IN INDIA

The booking of my RE was done a month back. As the anticipation built-up, the call finally came. My Royal Enfield Classic 500 Desert Storm was ready for delivery.

Paper work complete, I took delivery of the bike and rode-out with butterflies in my stomach. My previous experience of riding this beast was for a short test-ride and my emotions during the first ride were anxiety about my decision to buy the RE and elation of owning my most powerful bike.

The sand colour Desert Storm was newly launched and turned quite a few heads on my way back from the dealership.

RE Desert Storm 500 in it's natural avatar

Since I was already in-touch with the local Royal Enfield riders group, I was quick to join in and started learning a lot about the bike and about riding. Never having ridden long distance before, I started with short rides within 20-50 kms range.

One of the first things I learnt by associating with experienced riders is to ride in full safety gear. My safety gear included helmet, safety jacket, riding gloves, kneepads and riding boots. The safety gear really inspires confidence while riding, as well as make the ride more involving and enjoyable.

Top Tip: There is a range of safety gears available in India. I recommend the following:

• Helmets – Choose ISI certified helmets only. Full-face helmets are always better than Open-Face or Hybrid helmets as they have more rigidity and strength. I personally use HJC for long rides (It is quality certified as per US and Europe norms) and Aaron for my local use. Other high-end helmets available in India are Airoh and LS2 (Medium price range). Many local brands including Vega, Studds, Steelbird etc. are also good.
• Safety Jackets – Always try safety jackets and choose the most comfortable. Good brands for these include DSG, Rynox or Cramster. You can get cloth, leather or mix material jackets. Choose depending on your price range and riding condition. Leather can get very warm in Indian conditions.
• Kneepads – Choose kneepads or riding pants, which have the kneepads in-built. I personally prefer riding pants from DSG or Royal Enfield itself as they are simpler and less troublesome to use.
• Gloves – You will need a couple of pairs of gloves, although there is no need to buy them all together. Safety gloves from Cramster or DSG are very good. You can choose from various models, as per your personal preference. You may also need a pair of water-proof gloves for rain / foggy weather riding.
• Riding boots – There are plenty of boots available from Rs. 500 upwards. However, I recommend getting boots with a steel tip as these can protect feet better during an unfortunate incident. The riding boots from Royal Enfield are also of very good quality.
• Camel Bag – I always use a camel bag i.e. a water bag, which can be worn like a backpack, and has a tube through which you can drink easily, even with the helmet on. There are plenty of options from 1L onwards. Remember that the larger water bags are much heavier.

Note of Caution: I recently purchased a set of water-proof riding gloves. But they didn't really perform well as water easily entered the gloves. When I went back to the dealership, I was told that they carry only 1 month warranty. So be sure to check the warranty before purchasing any product.

I now feel amazed when I see people riding two-wheelers on the Indian highways without any safety gear. The joy of riding with the proper gear can only be known after trying it. Personally, I never hit the highways without full safety gear.

Keep reading my next post, which gives details of the customization of my Royal Enfield.