Abstract: A handlebar grip, particularly for a cross-country motorbike, has a covering of densely distributed flexible needles extending in a substantially radial direction from the external cylindrical surface of a tubular handgrip body mounted on the extremity of the handlebar. The needles made of a material with a high modulus of elasticity provide a grasp surface desirably soft and capable of ensuring a secure grasp also in presence of rain and mud by "pricking" the palm side of a preferably gloved rider's hand. The needles have the points preferably oriented in such a way as to form a favorable incidence angle with the rider's hand for promoting a more secure grasp.

Abstract: An upper body protector is provided primarily for use by off-road racers and is comprised of a substantially rigid louvered polypropylene exoskeleton with a padded lining. Rather than comprising in essence a front and rear body shield held together by shoulder straps, this protector has a shoulder cover that extends completely over the shoulders forwardly and rearwardly to protect the deltoid muscles and the clavicle. The remaining structure of the protector connects to the shoulder cover and includes a lengthwise adjustably connected ventral shield, a dorsal shield, a pair of epaulet pivotally attached over the shoulder articulations and being stopped from pivoting into the neck by a pair of raised ribs defined in the shoulder cover along side the neck opening.

Abstract: An upper body chest protector is provided for use particularly in off-road motorcycle and bicycle racing which features spring-biased epaulets, so that as the upper arm is raised, the respective epaulet will be raised against the spring bias to permit movement of the upper arm, but upon lowering of the arm, the epaulet is forced down into its lowered position to assure that the shoulder will be protected thereby after the upper arm is lowered.