Riding gear says a lot about who you are as a motorcyclist, but the most important thing to consider is that your motorcycle gear must protect you in a crash. How good your jacket looks won't matter if its seams shred when you hit the pavement. And, it's not good if the soles of your boots are made of slick leather that slides when you put your feet down at a stoplight.

The wrong gear can result in serious injury in a crash. There are lots of helmets, jackets, gloves, boots and pants available to motorcyclists that are designed to protect in a crash. One of the most critical pieces of gear is your helmet.

Helmets are the best protection for your brain; they protect your noggin. Helmets are required in most states, although helmet laws can vary. All states require that you wear eye protection. Some states let you ride without eye protection if you have a wide screen on your motorcycle. Bottom line, if you don't wear a helmet, you need one.

There are different types of helmets and you need to decide which type fits you:

· Full-face helmets
· Flip-up helmets
· Three-quarter helmets
· Half helmets

Full-face and Flip-up Helmets

These helmets offer maximum motorcycle gear protection because they all have polycarbonate visors. Full-face and flip-up helmets protect all sides of your head and face and also protect the eyes, nose and face from rocks, bugs or even birds. If you ride with the front of your flip-helmet flipped up, you need to wear goggles that can withstand an impact from a rock.

Three-quarter Helmets

Three-quarter helmets can make you feel less claustrophobic than wearing a full-face helmet. But, three-quarter helmets, although comfortable, leave your face unprotected not only from a crash, but also from stones, bugs or rain, which can sting when you're cruising at 55mph.

Half Helmets

Sometimes called "beanies", half helmets offer little protection because motorcyclists rarely fall directly on top of their heads in a crash. A half helmet is better than no helmet at all and is usually worn by bikers forced to wear helmets by state law.

There are a lot of helmet styles and colors in the marketplace so you can find something you like in prices ranging from $100 to $700 or more. You can also buy a white helmet and have it custom painted if you're looking for a unique helmet. Check with a custom bike builder or the Internet for custom painters.