Why You MUST Wear Motorcycle Gloves (7 Unbeatable Benefits)

Motorcycle gloves advantages - thumbnail

Wearing motorcycle gloves, while a routine for some riders, is an annoying task for others.

First and foremost, are motorcycle gloves necessary while riding?

If you are going for a long motorcycle ride, you must wear gloves.

For short rides and on less crowded roads, gloves are still important but they are not convenient. The rider can choose to skip wearing them.

Without a doubt, wearing motorcycle gloves while riding provides safety and other benefits.

So, here are the 7 reasons why wearing motorcycle gloves is advantageous for you.

#1. Gloves prevent hand calluses


I know, I know.

The number 1 reason for wearing gloves is safety.

But, as much as I want to mention it first, I use gloves primarily because it prevents callus formation.

Sure, gloves bring in the safety aspect.

But, for me personally, I wear gloves because they prevent the callus formation on my hands and fingers.

When you go for a long ride on your motorcycle, gripping the handlebar without gloves for a long time impacts your palms through callus formation.

Not every rider out there has it of course.

But, depending on the skin sensitivity, the degree of impact varies.

If you have callus problems like me, you would really appreciate using gloves while riding a motorcycle.

So, do not overthink.

Buy a pair of motorcycle gloves to wear for your next bike ride.

#2. Protection from sun, wind, cold, and rain


Harsh weather conditions have amplifying effects when you are riding your motorcycle at a high speed.

Take wind, for example.

If you are walking you might feel a pleasant wind.

But the same wind feels severe and piercing when you are driving the motorcycle.

The moving speed amplifies the effect of wind on the rider.

The same effect is applicable to other weather conditions like cold, rain, dust, debris, etc.

Helpful read: Riding tips for cold weather

In order to protect yourselves from these harsh weather conditions, you need to be suitably covered with various safety gear.

While most riders cover their bodies and wear helmets, it is usual for them to neglect any covering for their hands.

And that’s where gloves fit into the picture.

Motorcycle gloves cover your hands and protect you from these unpleasant weather conditions, be it the wind, sun, cold, or rain.

#3. Reduces fatigue and numbness during long rides


When going for long rides, the rider will be gripping the handlebar for an extended period of time.

As the time elapses, the hands will start feeling numb and fatigue creeps into your body.

The major reason for such fatigue and numbness is the vibrations coming from the motorcycle.

The source of these vibrations can be the engine, roads, wheels, and even loosened components in the bike.

For a short ride, you won’t feel the effects that much because the duration of riding is small.

However, when you are driving for a long time, the effect adds up resulting in hand numbness and fatigue.

To reduce the effect of the vibrations which is causing fatigue, the motorcycle rider should wear gloves. Especially those hard-knuckled ones.

The leather and fabric will decrease the impact of vibrations from reaching the hands.

So, to avoid numbness in your hands or from fatigue while going for a long ride, it is better for the rider to wear motorcycle gloves.

#4. If you fall, the gloves protect your hands


Motorcycle Accident

Okay, we are finally discussing the safety aspect of motorcycle gloves.

There are some back-and-forth arguments when it comes to the safety and protection advantages of motorcycle gloves.

The argument against the safety provided by gloves is that –

Gloves are ineffective.

If you fall from the motorcycle, it’s the helmet and other safety gear that come to your risqué and save you from danger.

Not the gloves though. Gloves just don’t do enough. Their maximum protection offering is preventing road rash on our hands.

While this argument has some merits, I disagree.

Gloves provide safety to your hands.

First, no safety protection is small enough.

As long as the safety instrument provides some form of protection for your body parts, it is an important instrument to have.

Wearing gloves will protect your hands. Doesn’t matter how small a portion of a body part it covers, it still protects that portion.

Look at it this way, are you better off with gloves or without gloves in a crash or a fall?

With gloves, right?

Then, how can we dismiss the importance of gloves arguing it just covers your hands?

Our hands are vital for too much day-to-day work. And gloves provide protection for our hands.

Second, road rash is not something to be dismissed.

A severe road rash can result in our skin peeling to the extent that bones are visible.

If the injury has taken off several layers of skin, one might require skin grafting surgery to heal correctly.

Even a mild road rash on hands can cause severe pain lasting for a week. And you could have avoided this irritation completely just by wearing a pair of gloves.

So, next time someone argues about the effectiveness of motorcycle gloves on their protection, ignore them and continue using your gloves for your bike rides everywhere.

#5. Provides a better grip on the handlebar


Motorcycle Acceleration

Another advantage of wearing gloves while riding a motorcycle is the better grip that gloves provide.

This is especially true for those riders who have sweaty palms.

While I am not too sweaty, many of my biker friends complain too much about this sweat issue.

And the solution to address this issue for them has always been – gloves, of course.

Now, if you sweat too much and get annoyed while riding due to your palms always getting muddy or the sweat dust accumulating, buy a good quality pair of gloves.

Don’t cheap out here.

A quality pair will go a long way in alleviating your irritation about sweat accumulation.

And, if you are not much of a sweaty person like me, you will still appreciate the grip that gloves provide to you.

Gripping the handlebar for a long period of time is a task.

You need to have a good grip for all the time you are reading. That’s where a good pair of gloves can improve your experience here.

Buy a good pair and you will easily notice the improvement in your grip while riding your motorcycle.

#6. Increases the comfort level


This is a culmination of all the above-mentioned points.

When you don’t have to worry about calluses on your hands, don’t have to look out for the weather conditions, not worry about the vibrations, hand numbing, or even the sweat – that’s when you start enjoying the joys of motorcycle riding more and more.

It’s always these small things that add up to make an experience more enjoyable.

And motorcycle gloves give you exactly that.

It provides the comfort that a rider going for a long ride deserves.

Needless to say, when the gloves add up to provide an increased comfort level to the rider, the money on the gloves is well spent.

Increasing comfort levels up a rider’s association with a motorcycle ride in a much more positive light.

#7. Lastly, admit it, gloves look cool


Motorcycle gloves are a style statement. Period.

The utilities of wearing motorcycle gloves have been discussed in the earlier points.

Now it’s time to discuss its charming aspects.

First, what do you imagine when someone says motorcycle rider?

Does he/she have a cool bike? Has a stunning helmet? Wears a rugged jacket and safety gear? And what about gloves?

Hope all the answers are yes to these questions.

The gloves add a fashion statement to a motorcycle rider.

If you are planning for a country ride, alone or with your buddies, have a stylish pair of gloves that complements your rider look.

Conclusion


Are motorcycle gloves necessary?

I would definitely say gloves are necessary for a motorcycle rider.

Gloves bring safety to your hands from harsh weather conditions, prevent calluses on palms, provide a better grip on the handlebar, increase comfort, and lastly, look cool on the rider’s hands.

And I see no reason why you shouldn’t wear gloves on your next motorcycle ride.

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