I was following a guy on a KTM today as we spit lanes down on PCH. There are spots on the weekend when the beach traffic is just nuts. Anyway, he was moving at a pretty good clip, safely but quickly. We pulled up to a light that had just turned red... it was a long stoplight so I started up a conversation. Yeah, I talk with the wildlife. I said he was a fun biker to follow. He smiled and then proceeded to show off and explain his protective gear. Had some sort of airbag undergarment on his chest and on his back, along with armored elbow and knee joints in his pants. He said he feels more confident splitting knowing he has airbags that will deploy. I just smiled, the light turned green, and off we went.

I've had 3 good spills on my bike that required bike and human body repairs. None of these injuries would have been lessoned with protective gear. Bones break and ligaments get torn, regardless. Never had any road rash or abrasions but I did crack one helmet.

I guess the moral to this, wear what makes you comfortable and confident but please wear a helmet. The brain is a terrible thing to waste.

 

It really comes down to you. What level of protection you're comfortable with and what amount of that protection you're willing to tolerate wearing. Everyone is different. Start by going to a local shop and trying on some helmets to see what fits. Helmets and heads come in different shapes. Even if my head measures the same as yours it doesn't mean the same helmet will fit both of us. From there you can move on to whatever other stuff you feel like you need. Check out some of the online shops. I've had good luck with revzilla.

Edit: Impact resistant Eyewear is not optional. If the helmet you choose doesn't have a face shield you need glasses or goggles. I wear yellow lensed "nighttime glasses" when I ride in the dark and sunglasses during the day.

 

Nov 21 2020 55-60 MPH. Helmet,Boots Gloves Jeans and good jacket with inserts . Walked away not one scratch after about 100 to 150 foot side and upside down in a ditch. Followed TOW truck to dealership bough a new bike. With out the gear It would have been me getting a ride to Hospital. It is your life and your ride You decide.

 

I was present when my brother was hit by a drunk driver on his BMW 900. After that, for me it's pretty much the highest rated helmet I can afford, nice jacket with armor, reinforced gloves, jeans, and riding/steel toe boots. I know I look over dressed for my weekly ride to the doctor, but it's where I'm the most comfortable.

 

One area that is often over looked is hearing protection, I always wear ear plugs.

 

From the looks of that faceshield you'd of had one messed up mug had your face been exposed!

As to the OPs question.
Specific recommendations will be quite difficult especially not even knowing what a 'typical' ride will be like. Just general recommendations though:

For a helmet you just about HAVE to find a shop with a good selection and try a bunch on. Head SHAPE, as opposed to just size, will make a drastic difference as to what fits comfortably. A good helmet, with good venting and of the proper head shape will be all-day comfortable with ease. A poor fitting helmet of the wrong internal shape will have your head aching and you ready to throw it off within an hour.
Your helmet is EASILY the most important piece of safety gear so if you're gonna skimp or cut corners, here is NOT the place to do it.

Gloves are pretty simple, though also very important; it's natural to want to put out your hands to 'catch' yourself when thrown from a bike. Good quality, sturdy and proper-fitting are keys here. You really want leather at least over the palm and some kind of knuckle protection as these are the parts that will hit the ground first, and hardest, in the event of a crash. Something perforated (partially) or vented can be really helpful in hot conditions.

Jacket will vary depending on your riding conditions. Good sturdy leather is hard to beat, especially with armored inserts, but can get hot. They're GREAT for cooler weather though.
A good quality mesh jacket is a godsend in hot weather and still provide decent crash protection if it has proper armor and reinforcements.

Pants vary. You can go with pants that go over what you're wearing or they make a variety of armored heavy-duty jeans if you want to go that route. Me personally, I just wear regular blue jeans and accept the risk for the sake of not dealing with the hassle of 'suiting up' every time I wanna ride. With all gear, if it's too much of a hassle to want to deal with you'll be less likely to wear it.

Boots; well for footwear tennis shoes are utterly worthless. As are any boots that don't fully cover the ankle, go at least partway up the shin, lace up/fasten securely AND have reinforcements to stabilize the ankle as well as armor for venerable parts of the foot. All the guys riding in combat boots are only fooling themselves if they think they're going to provide any significant protection. Me personally, I often ride in the 'cowboy boots' I wear every day. I accept the risk and am under no delusion that my boots will provide more than absolutely minimal abrasion protection and ZERO ankle protection/stabilization.
I used to wear actual motorcycle boots, not Redwings or anything like that, to the office and found if you get the right pair they can be quite comfortable, albeit with some limitations on range of movement in the ankle and sole. After I left that job though I got lazy about switching over to motorcycle boots every time I wanted to go for a ride and began just wearing my regular boots (bad habit, and poor excuse, I know ). What I found with motorcycle boots though is you need to pick your compromise: more comfortable will almost certainly = less protection, though like I said, good protective boots CAN be all-day comfortable. Water-proof will most likely = hotter. Though I HATE wet feet, my feet are naturally hot so breathability was a better choice for my needs over water-proof (its REALLY hard to get both). Vented/perforated boots feels GREAT on the feet!
Also, quality insoles can absolutely MAKE a set of boots so a good solid boot with a marginal insole can be made VERY comfortable with an insole swap.

Another thing to keep in mind is your gear's COLORS can really make or break it. Bright colors and high-vis make you MUCH more visible to cagers. As an added bonus, lighter colors are much cooler in hot weather, if you live in such a climate. Black, of course, looks MUCH less dorky so choose your compromise here . I have a white/silver helmet, white/black gloves and a black jacket (or 2) so clearly I'm not a 'if it's not a screaming high-vis shade of yellow or orange you're gonna die' kind of person, though I certainly don't condemn the guys that are. Choose what you're comfortable with and what you're most likely to wear, because worn gear is ALWAYS better than gear still hanging up at home.

 

Is this your first bike, or your first Harley? That would make a difference, if I answered your question.

 

One thing to be aware of: protective gear may save your skin, but it won’t necessarily prevent internal injuries.

When I had my accident back in ‘19 (hit a car that pulled out of a driveway in front of me-I was traveling approximately 50 MPH), I was wearing a leather jacket with shoulder and elbow armor, knee length boots, jeans, gloves and a half helmet and prescription eyewear. I didn’t suffer so much as a scratch. I lost only a single drop of blood under my thumbnail. Despite that, I suffered five broken ribs, a hairline fracture of my C7 vertebrae and a stage three left shoulder separation that will never be right even after reconstruction.

I still ride, and the only change I’ve made to my gear is that I now ride with either a leather jacket or a mesh jacket with armor. If it’s too hot for the mesh jacket, I don’t ride. No more riding in a t-shirt.

 

In your mind where is the line for looking stupid (your words) or not looking stupid? Only you can know this. If your only concern is how you appear to other people then the gear really isn't the issue. Wear what you want just remember the asphalt is harder than any part of your body.

 

Heres the only piece of advice that was not mentioned - BUY FROM A REPUABLE DEALER. The knock off **** can kill you.