Whenever you ride a motorcycle, having a sturdy jacket on is extremely important to both your safety and your comfort. The best type of jacket to wear, however, depends on the weather and how much risk you are willing to live with. During rain or snow, wearing a waterproof jacket is the best choice for overall safety and comfort. If a normal jacket is worn, it will quickly become waterlogged, which will make the rider extremely uncomfortable. It will also decrease their attention to the road, which may lead to more accidents. If a rider is driving at high velocities, then an armored jacket is the best choice. The extra padding and plates built into the jacket will help protect the rider if there is an accident, and will help deflect any road debris that might be kicked up towards them. Under normal, clear-weather conditions, while it is technically safer to wear an armored jacket, a normal leather jacket may be substituted, depending on how risk-averse you are. If you want to take as little risk as possible, then an armored jacket is the way to go. If, however, you wish to sacrifice a margin of safety for increased comfort and flexibility, then a leather jacket or bomber jacket is the proper jacket to wear. Regardless of what kind of jacket you wear, however, having on any type of jacket is usually better than wearing none at all, and you should always put on a jacket before you set out to ride.
