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Riding Gear

Over the last few years, many of you have asked us "what do you wear when riding" your Raider? Actually, it doesn't matter what you're riding; the proper gloves, goggles, boots, helmets and other protective attire not only keeps you safer on the road, but can make the ride more enjoyable and comfortable as well, and allow you to ride longer and farther.

Of course, the proper gear is a very personal thing, but in response to the question above, the products below are those that we have personally owned during years in the saddle, and have provided many, many miles of dependable and comfortable service.

Any of the gear below can be purchased at a discount by clicking the "Buy" button or other link shown with the review.

Ear Plugs Gloves Goggles Helmets

Ear Plugs - do not overlook your hearing! It's not your engine or custom exhaust that's the problem, it's the constant high frequency wind noise from mile upon mile of highway speeds that will cause irreversible hearing loss. Unlike other protective gear, which can be expensive, ear plugs are a downright cheap way to save your hearing.

Super Duty 2 Glove

Just the right cross between motocross glove technology and street riding materials. The Super Duty offers supreme comfort and as much protection as many other so called armored gloves, with the perfect combination of Battlehide goatskin and concealed padding. Available in several colors and all sizes.

The Icon Super Duty 2 Glove brings together quality materials and construction at a price that doesn't break the bank. They offer excellent protection in the crucial palm and knuckle areas, without sacrificing all-important dexterity. My pair has survived over 10 years of hard riding, including a nasty high-side spill that I took back in '05. Now in their second generation, I still wear my Original Super Duty's today.

Goggles - another no-brainer. Especially important if you wear a helmet without a face shield. Look for shatterproof lenses with a protective coating and a seal to keep out wind and dust. Regular sunglasses won't cut it.

Also available - The Wiley-X XL-1 Light Adjusting Lens System with the same style as the Original XL-1, but featuring light adjustable lenses.

Helmets - nobody would argue the importance of proper headgear. Any DOT helmet sold in the US today has to offer a certain level of protection by law. What it really comes down to is style and fit.

Scorpion EXO-200 3/4 Helmet - The EXO-200 serves up style while offering Full-face DOT and Snell certified protection in a 3/4 coverage helmet. The EXO-200 features a removable and washable lining and cheeks pads and front and rear vents for comfort. One really cool feature is that the helmet includes both an optically correct face-shield and an interchangeable sun-visor, both of which can be removed and switched without tools in less than 10 seconds. This is my long-distance and highway helmet. Available in six solid colors; ours is matte black.

Daytona DOT Carbon Fiber Half Helmet - For local riding and taking a spin down to local bike nights, I prefer to wear a half-helmet. Like many bikers out there, I enjoy the feeling of less coverage. What I'm not willing to do is compromise safety, so if I am going to wear a smaller helmet, it still has to offer real protection. The Daytona 1/2 is a DOT certified helmet, not a novelty item. From a purely stylistic point-of-view, I'm a sucker for Carbon Fiber, and this helmet is manufactured from real clear-coated CF, not a decal.