Since the races at the foot of Mount Olympus over two thousand years ago, the pursuit of ultimate speed has been ingrained in the DNA of human civilization. In modern times, this pursuit has been pushed to new heights by generations of great riders in professional motorcycle racing. Today, in the top-tier motorcycle racing events, the motorcycles’ extreme speed performance even surpasses that of F1 cars.
However, just as a coin has two sides, behind the endless quest for speed lies a bottom line that racers must adhere to—safety.How to ensure one’s own safety under extreme high-speed conditions is a real challenge every racer must face. Beyond superhuman reflexes and grueling training, the only things safeguarding riders on the track are professional gear and accessories. Smart and professional racers all know that racing "naked" is risking their lives. The protective functions of helmets and racing suits probably need no further explanation, so here we’ll mainly talk about a few commonly overlooked accessories.
Racing gloves
The difference between racing shoes and regular shoes is that racing shoes have reinforced padding in areas frequently in contact with footpegs, since gear-shifting motorcycles require riders to use their feet to change gears. Regular shoes will wear down and get damaged over time, while one of the key features of racing shoes is durability. Racing shoes also feature enhanced protection around the ankle area, offering better fit and preventing ankle movement to avoid secondary injuries in case of an accident. Like racing suits, these brands of racing shoes and gloves are CIK-FIA certified, and you can choose based on your budget and actual needs—such as Sparco, PUMA, Alpinestar, OMP, MIR, and more.
Motorcycle action cameras
Nowadays, some motorcycle racing events have started using first-person perspective footage to capture the most authentic and thrilling scenes of the race. While in terms of filming performance, there’s little difference among international brands like GoPro, Drift Innovation, Sony, and Garmin—and each has its strengths—the foremost concerns for event organizers and riders are safety issues.
To capture the most rider-perspective-like footage, motorcycle action cameras are usually mounted on the side or top of the helmet, using the camera lens to represent the rider’s eyes—directly capturing what the rider sees or feels, while also including the motorcycle’s dashboard to reflect the rider’s subjective viewpoint and give viewers an immersive experience. However, attaching cameras to helmets currently raises potential safety concerns. First, the mounting accessories may compromise the structural integrity of the helmet itself. In case of an accident, most action cameras adopt a matchbox-style design with a front lens and rear screen, and when paired with mounts and adapters, they may make the helmet more prone to cracking, thus failing to provide the intended protection. Second, the complex mounting accessories for action cameras may cause secondary injuries to the rider if they break apart during an accident.
Safe, aerodynamic, easy to install, impact-resistant, lightweight, long-lasting battery… These seemingly demanding “racing requirements” are exactly where the European action camera brand Drift Innovation thrives in the motorcycle market. With an accurate understanding of riders’ pain points, after establishing a solid foothold in the niche field of motorcycle racing footage, it quickly entered the mass market. Any product needs to be tested in a real-world scenario to accurately identify users’ pain points. The Drift Ghost 4K motorcycle action camera features a unique bullet-shaped streamlined design, and when using simple accessories to mount the camera on the helmet, it does not disrupt the helmet’s original aerodynamic structure—effectively reducing wind resistance while making riding and filming safer. Its unique 330-degree rotatable lens design ensures a forward-facing shot regardless of installation angle, greatly minimizing safety risks caused by mounting accessories and allowing riders to focus fully on the race and speed through the course.
DRIFT is the world’s first action camera to receive full NASA certification and was once launched into space aboard the Cygnus spacecraft to complete filming missions, marking the pinnacle of its excellent performance and safety. Recently, the British Superbike Championship (BSB) announced it will once again partner with DRIFT for the 2017 season to bring viewers first-person perspective broadcasts—precisely because of Drift’s outstanding safety record.