Protective, Comfort and Aesthetics Needs of Indian Male Riders for Motorcycle Clothing

Abstract

The author assessed the motorcycle riders’ clothing by investigating the fit, mobility, comfort, protection, and donning/doffing expectations for motorcycle protective clothing using a mixed-method design study. Data was collected from 55 male Indian motorcycle riders, of mean age 27.7 years, mean height 5.6’ and mean weight 70.4 kgs, from 5 metropolitan cities (New Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai and Lucknow) of India. FEA (Functional, expressive and aesthetic) Model was used to analyse responses regarding the satisfaction of clothing needs of an average male motorcycle rider in India. The result mainly reported functional considerations for the clothing design, but the motorcycle riders also suggested several expressive and aesthetic obligations. The author found that motorcycle riders needed improvements in their clothing’s fit, sizing options and design in relation to mobility, comfort, protection, and durability. Motorcycle apparel manufacturers could improve their protective clothing design by integrating this study’s results, leading to better protection of motorcycle riders and fulfilling their needs and expectations.