Nailed it!

There's many reasons usually given out about nail hygiene. Usually, they revolve around bacterial or other infections. On the Internet, you will also find a whole sackful of reasons why you should be cutting then, how you should be cutting them... and what is this doing in a motorcycle blog?

Well, the glove pic should give the game away, but here goes. When I started playing basketball in school, one of the first things I learnt was that the coach would not allow long nails (even slightly objectionable ones) on the court. You could painfully scratch others in the heat of battle (unintentionally, of course) or worse, an awkwardly caught pass could rip the nail right off your finger... bloody and intensely painful.

Since I started motorcycling, I've found the same hygiene quite useful as well. You see, long fingernails and motorcycle gloves don't really get along. A racing-type snug glove (like my recently expired Spidi similar to these) fits really tight. Over a longish ride, the seam can ride into the space between the finger and the nail – distracting, irritating, and if you don't stop to stretch the glove out now and then, very painful too. And here's the nub, if you've just spent a thousand or two buying a pair (congrats!) you would be happier if they lasted as long as possible, right? Well, short nails don't 'cut' into the leather at full stretch. In my experience, badly trimmed nails, tend to lead to tears in gloves at the finger tip. Personal experience – I've used Joe Rocket Razor gloves for the past five years now and they last roughly fifteen-eighteen months. If I don't obsess over the length on my nails (as in don't bite them), the gloves tear above the seam about two months earlier. Short nails also tend to survive crashes better.

Okay, you can start commenting about how OCD I am (yet again) now, if you like.