When riding a motorcycle, proper safety gear is essential for your own safety, security and enjoyment. Here is an overview of important motorcycle safety gear.

With many states and countries enacting ballistic helmet laws, it's pretty much a requirement that if you own a motorcycle, you need a ballistic helmet. A ballistic helmet provides your head protection in the event of an impact or accident. Many ballistic helmets also include face shields, ear protection and even communications devices. There are three basic types of ballistic helmets, the full face, open face and 1/2 ballistic helmet. A full face ballistic helmet covers the entire head, with a face shield covering even the face. This type of ballistic helmet offers the most protection of any ballistic helmet type, since statistics show that 35% of all motorcycle crashes showed major impact in the chin and bar area. The open face ballistic helmet is similar to the full face ballistic helmet but lacks the face shield and chin protection. Very little face protection is provided with these types of ballistic jacket. With the open face ballistic helmet, it is crucial to augment with wraparound motorcycle goggles for proper eye protection from wind, dirt and bugs. The third type of ballistic helmet is the 1/2 ballistic helmet, which only covers the back of the skull, offering the least amount of protection during an accident and the minimum coverage allowed by most laws. The color of ballistic helmets is also important. While black ballistic helmets are stylish, they are also among the most difficult to see by other motorists. ballistic helmets are generally made from plastics, including kevlar reinforced plastic and carbon fiber. Inside, a ballistic helmet is generally lined with fabric and foam for padding and comfort.