Choosing your first motorcycle is only half the decision.
The riding equipment you wear matters just as much as the bike underneath you and in some situations, it matters more. A well-fitted helmet and proper protective clothing can be the difference between walking away from a low-speed slide and spending weeks recovering from injuries that were entirely preventable.
This guide breaks down every piece of equipment a new rider needs, explains what to look for when buying, and covers the one item UK law requires you to wear before you turn a wheel. If you’re still deciding which type of motorcycle suits you, that’s a good place to start, but don’t leave the gear as an afterthought.
What the law says
UK law is straightforward on this: you must wear a safety helmet when riding a motorcycle or moped on a public road.
The requirement sits under Section 16 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, and the penalty for riding without one is a fine of up to £500. Your helmet must meet one of the approved UK safety standards; GOV.UK lists four, including the British Standard BS 6658:1985 and the European UNECE regulations. For anyone buying new, ECE 22.06 is the current standard to look for. Older helmets carrying the ECE 22.05 mark remain legal to wear provided they’re undamaged and correctly fastened. The only exemption is for Sikh riders wearing a turban.
Beyond the helmet, there is no legal requirement to wear any other protective clothing. The Highway Code recommends strong boots, gloves, and suitable clothing, but these are advisory. That said, treating them as optional would be a mistake. Every item in this guide earns its place on practical grounds, not just legal ones.
Helmets
Your helmet is the single most important piece of riding equipment you’ll buy. Head injuries account for a significant proportion of serious motorcycling casualties, and a properly fitted, approved helmet reduces that risk considerably.
For a deeper look at why helmets matter and what the research says, our guide to why you should always wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle covers the topic in detail.
Types of helmet
Full-face helmets offer the most protection. They cover the entire head including the chin – an area that takes a disproportionate share of impacts in real-world crashes. For new riders, a full-face helmet is the recommendation that most safety organisations and experienced riders agree on.
Modular (flip-up) helmets let you lift the chin bar when stationary, which is convenient for fuel stops and quick conversations. Look for one that’s approved for road use in both the open and closed positions if this matters to you.
Open-face helmets leave the chin exposed. They’re popular with scooter and cruiser riders for their field of vision and ventilation, but they offer less protection in a frontal impact.
Adventure helmets combine a full-face shell with a peak visor and are designed to work both on and off road. They tend to suit riders on dual-purpose or adventure-style motorcycles.
What to look for
Fit comes first. A helmet should feel snug around the entire head without creating pressure points. It should not shift when you shake your head, and the cheek pads should press firmly against your cheeks. Internal padding will bed in over the first few weeks, so a slightly tight fit at the point of purchase is normal. A loose one will only get worse.
Check for the ECE 22.06 approval sticker on the chin strap or rear of the helmet. This confirms the helmet has been tested against the current European standard for impact absorption, retention, and visor performance.
Ventilation matters more than many first-time buyers expect. A helmet with adjustable vents keeps you cooler in summer and reduces visor fogging in colder weather. Quick-release visor systems and pinlock-ready visors are also worth looking for, as they make day-to-day riding more comfortable.
Jackets
A motorcycle jacket does three things at once: it protects you from abrasion if you come off, holds armour in the right position over your joints, and shields you from the wind and rain.
The two main material choices are textile and leather. Textile jackets are the more versatile option for everyday riding. Many come with removable waterproof liners and thermal layers, making them practical across seasons. They’re generally lighter, dry faster, and tend to be more affordable.
Leather jackets offer superior abrasion resistance. In a slide, leather holds up longer against tarmac than most textiles, which is why it remains the material of choice for track riding and sport-focused riders. The trade-off is that leather is heavier, slower to dry, and less adaptable to mixed weather unless paired with a separate waterproof layer.
Whichever material you choose, look for CE-rated armour at the shoulders and elbows. Armour tested under the EN 1621-1 standard comes in two levels: Level 1 provides a baseline of impact protection, while Level 2 transmits significantly less force to the body. For regular road riding, Level 2 armour is the sensible choice if your budget allows it.
A back protector pocket is also worth checking for. Many jackets include one as standard, but the protector itself is sometimes sold separately. Back protectors are tested under EN 1621-2, and again Level 2 is worth prioritising.
If you’re planning to ride through the colder months, our guides to winter gear for new riders and how to build a warm cold-weather riding setup cover the layering approach in more detail.
Trousers
Your legs are among the most exposed parts of your body on a motorcycle, and they’re often the first thing to hit the ground in a slide. Ordinary jeans offer almost no abrasion protection at speed, they can wear through in under a second of contact with tarmac.
Dedicated motorcycle trousers come in the same textile and leather options as jackets. Textile touring trousers, often with a waterproof membrane and thermal liner, are a practical choice for commuters and all-weather riders. Leather trousers suit riders who prioritise abrasion resistance above all else.
A third option is armoured riding jeans. These use an abrasion-resistant material such as Kevlar or Dyneema woven into or lined behind standard denim, with pockets for CE-rated knee and hip armour. They look closer to everyday clothing, which appeals to riders who want a less technical appearance off the bike.
Whatever style you go for, make sure the trousers have CE-rated armour at the knees and ideally the hips. A zip that connects the trousers to your jacket is a useful feature too as it stops the jacket from riding up in a slide and keeps the armour where it needs to be.
Gloves
When you lose balance or begin to fall, your hands go out instinctively. That reflex makes gloves one of the most important pieces of protective clothing a rider can wear.
Motorcycle gloves are tested under EN 13594 and should carry a CE mark. Look for reinforced palms with a slider or scaphoid protector as this is the area that absorbs the most impact in a palms-down slide. Hard knuckle armour adds further protection against impacts with kerbs, debris, or other vehicles.
Fit is critical. Gloves that are too loose will bunch up and reduce your feel for the controls. Too tight, and your hands will fatigue quickly, especially on longer rides. You should be able to operate the brake lever, clutch lever, and switchgear comfortably with the gloves fastened.
Most riders benefit from owning at least two pairs: a lighter, well-ventilated pair for warmer months and an insulated, waterproof pair for winter. Our winter kit for the daily commute guide includes recommendations for cold-weather gloves alongside other commuting essentials.
Boots
Feet and ankles are vulnerable in a motorcycle accident. A dedicated pair of motorcycle boots protects the ankle joint, the shin, and the sole of the foot in ways that trainers, walking boots, and work boots simply cannot.
Motorcycle boots are tested under EN 13634, which assesses abrasion resistance, cut resistance, impact protection, and sole stiffness. Look for ankle armour – either internal or external – and a reinforced toe and heel.
Height matters as well. A boot that covers the ankle completely offers far more support than a low-cut shoe. For touring and everyday road riding, a mid-calf boot provides a good balance between protection and comfort.
If you plan to wear your boots off the bike as well – walking around town, commuting to work – several manufacturers now make riding boots that look close to conventional footwear while still meeting CE standards. These are a practical choice for riders who don’t want to carry a second pair of shoes.
Base layers and cold-weather gear
Riding in the cold saps concentration quickly. Stiff, numb fingers make your reactions slower and your control inputs less precise – and that has a direct effect on safety, not just comfort.
The layering principle works the same way on a motorcycle as it does in any outdoor activity. A moisture-wicking base layer sits against the skin to manage sweat. A mid-layer – fleece, down, or synthetic insulation – traps warmth. Your outer jacket and trousers provide wind and waterproofing.
Heated gear takes things further. Heated gloves, jackets, and grips connect to your motorcycle’s battery and deliver consistent warmth at the press of a button. For riders who commute through winter or tour in colder months, heated kit can extend the riding season by months. Our heated kit for winter touring guide covers the available options in more detail.
Neck tubes, balaclava-style base layers, and thermal socks round out a cold-weather setup. They cost relatively little but make a noticeable difference to comfort on a cold morning.
Extras worth considering
Visibility is one of the simplest ways to reduce risk on the road. A bright or reflective outer layer makes you easier to spot in traffic, particularly during the darker months. Hi-vis vests, reflective panel inserts, and bright-coloured helmets all help, and the Highway Code specifically recommends fluorescent clothing during the day and reflective gear at night.
Earplugs are underrated. Wind noise at motorway speeds can reach levels that cause long-term hearing damage over time. Moulded or filtered earplugs reduce harmful wind noise while still allowing you to hear traffic, sirens, and your intercom. If you’re planning to ride on faster roads, our motorway riding tips for new riders guide is worth reading alongside this one.
A chest protector, tested under EN 1621-3, adds another layer of impact protection and is increasingly common in sport and adventure riding gear. Like back protectors, these are sometimes included with a jacket and sometimes bought as a separate insert.
How to get the right fit
Protective equipment only works properly when it fits well. Armour that shifts out of position in a crash is armour that isn’t protecting the joint it was designed to cover.
Try everything on in person where possible. Wear the base layers you plan to ride in so you get a realistic sense of how the jacket or trousers feel when layered up. Sit on a bike in the showroom if you can as the riding position changes the way a jacket sits across the shoulders and how trousers pull at the knees.
For helmets, spend at least ten minutes with it on your head. Pressure points that feel minor at first can become painful over a longer ride. Make sure the fastening system – typically a double-D ring or micrometric buckle – sits comfortably under your chin.
Your local Vertu Motorcycles dealership stocks riding equipment from Honda, BMW Motorrad, and Ducati, and our colleagues can walk you through sizing, fit, and the features that matter most for the kind of riding you plan to do. If you’re yet to settle on your first bike, our test ride guide is a good next step.
What to buy first
Budget rarely stretches to everything at once, and knowing what to prioritise helps.
A helmet is non-negotiable. You can’t ride without one legally, and it’s the item that protects the part of your body least able to recover from injury. Buy the best-fitting, best-rated helmet you can afford.
Gloves come next. Your hands are essential to controlling the motorcycle, and they’re exposed to the full brunt of a fall. A good pair of CE-rated gloves costs far less than a jacket and offers immediate protection from day one.
A jacket with CE-rated armour should follow closely. This is typically the most expensive single item, so it’s worth choosing one that works across conditions rather than buying a summer-only jacket and replacing it when the weather turns.
Boots and trousers complete the setup. If funds are limited, a pair of CE-rated armoured jeans and sturdy ankle-covering boots will bridge the gap until you’re ready to invest in dedicated textile or leather trousers.
All of this equipment is available at your local Vertu Motorcycles dealership, including flexible payment options that let you split the cost over several months.
Choose Vertu Motorcycles for your riding equipment
At Vertu Motorcycles, we stock a wide range of riding equipment for Honda, BMW Motorrad, and Ducati motorcycles. Every clothing item carries a two-year warranty, and all helmets are backed by a five-year warranty for added peace of mind.
Our colleagues are riders themselves and can help you find the right helmet fit, talk you through the differences between armour levels, and make sure you’re set up properly before your first ride. Find your nearest Vertu Motorcycles dealership to see the full range in person.
If you’re new to motorcycling and still in the early stages, our Honda New to Riding, BMW New to Riding, and Ducati New to Riding pages are built around getting you started with the right support.
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