Optional gear and clothing help protect motorcycle drivers on the road.

By Dennis McCafferty

Thanks to innovations in the motorcycle industry, you can ride as safely as you can stylishly these days.

That's because more and more motorcycle manufacturers and aftermarket customization shops — and even apparel and helmet makers — are finding ways to introduce products that offer head-turning aesthetic appeal while reducing the accident factor of the ride. So riders now have expanded options where they can pick and choose ways to customize their motorcycles and gear to improve safety. Here are some of the more high-profile technologies now making an impact:

• Airbag systems on the bikes. Honda Motor Co. is the first company to develop a motorcycle airbag system, which is available on its Gold Wing line. The airbag is contained in the part of the motorcycle between the handlebars and the rider's seat. The Gold Wing's fork incorporates four crash sensors that monitor acceleration changes and a detector that calculates when a collision is occurring. Once an impact is detected, the airbag inflates of help protect the rider. The 2009 Gold Wing's price starts at just under $21,000.

• Airbag systems on the driver. Divers can even strap safety devices on their backs. Silver Spring, Md.-based Impact Jackets sells a number of jackets made for riders that are airbag-system equipped. The products, which come in a variety of styles and colors, start at $395. The company also provides an inspection service for the jackets — which includes new CO2 cartridges and a repacked airbag system — for $35. "We've saved four lives in the past 12 months with this technology," says Charles Paige, president. "The need for safety is clearly on the increase."

• Anti-lock brakes. The concept of anti-lock brakes on motorcycles is also catching on. Research shows that riders on motorcycles with anti-locks have a 38 percent lower risk of a fatality than those on motorcycles without anti-locks, according to the Highway Loss Data Institute, the nonprofit research affiliate of the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety. The institute also found that anti-lock braking systems in motorcycles reduce the incidence of insurance claims by nearly 20 percent.

  BMW, Honda and Yamaha offer models with anti-lock brakes as standard equipment. These same manufacturers, along with Harley Davidson, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Triumph, also have models with optional anti-lock brakes.

• Helmets. Headwear is also constantly improving. Some current gear uses carbon-fiber as the shell material, to provide durability without added weight. "You want a helmet as strong as it needs to be to properly disperse an impact, but lightweight," says Ty van Hooydonk, director of product communications for the Irvine, Calif.-based Motorcycle Industry Council.

• Foot and hand protection. Boots and gloves are safer than ever. Alpinestars, a Torrance, Calif.-based sport apparel manufacturer, has come up with its Supertech R Racing Boot, which can be worn by both sporting and street riders. Made of protective thermoplastic, it's flexible enough to allow freedom of movement while preventing hyperextension and overrotation. The outer shell is made of full grain leather to offer impact protection. (Pricing starts at $399.) The company also makes full-grain leather gloves with carbon-plastic protection panels over the knuckles. (Starting at $179.)

• Other apparel. Harley-Davidson's MotorClothes jacket/pants line comes with stylish but protective features such as heat-deflecting leather, tear/abrasion-resistant Airguard nylon and wind/waterproof membrane. Prices start at $385.

• Handlebars, too. Handlebars can also be customized to provide better protection of drivers' hands. For example, they can be curved in such a way so that the driver's hands are protected if a motorcycle falls sideways. One popular variant of handlebar protection are "Barkbusters," which are sold by retailers/distributors such as Peacedale, R.I.-based Twisted Throttle. Barkbusters feature plastic hand guards and there are a large variety of products for various motorcycle models. (Prices vary, from under $10 to over $100.)

• Better lighting. Improved lighting products can call other drivers' attention to the motorcycle. Colorado Springs, Colo.-based Kisan makes a TailBlazer Deceleration Taillight Bulb that flashes red as the motorcycle slows down, warning drivers who are trailing behind. The company also makes PathBlazer headlight modulators. By flickering the lights, such products help make the motorcycle more noticeable.

Proper Training a Must

Experts stress, however, that all of the enhanced safety equipment in the world can't replace what's most essential: proper training.

"It's wonderful to have all the best safety technologies available," says van Hooydonk. "But the human element is the most important factor when it comes to safety. If you haven't received the proper training to acquire the skills needed, it won't matter that you have a great braking system, because you won't be able to engage it in time, or you might not reach for the brakes at all. If you don't know how to use the equipment — and combine that with the right behaviors and judgments — you'll still be taking risks that shouldn't be taken."

The combination of training and driver-selected customized accessories and gear can help make the ride on a motorcycle more fun and ultimately safer.

Dennis McCafferty is a freelance writer with extensive experience in the automotive field, as well as with NASCAR. He has written for Chrysler magazine, UAW-GM People magazine, Dodge Tomorrow magazine, and Corvette Quarterly.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and not necessarily those of Progressive Casualty Insurance Company or its affiliates.