Here's a pic of how I ride through the desert. 115 in the shade that day. I learned a valuable lesson on protective gear that I do may best to pass on.
I found out that counter intuitively, riding with the visor down is cooler than riding with it open. The way the venting works on my helmet, the breeze coming through the helmet was moving faster and had a more cooling effect than the hot wind in my face with the clear visor up. This works only while riding, sitting at a traffic light, open was better.
The mesh protective jacket. This is the most important piece of gear I own. It feels like air conditioning, no bs. Once I start to sweat and that air comes through the jacket without the sun's heat, it is a life saver in warm/hot weather. I have a rainproof liner that comes with it, it makes it a wind proof jacket so it also replaced my leather jacket that doesn't have armor in the elbows and shoulders and back pad. This jacket is a must have in my opinion.
Motor cycle specific boots. I used all kinds of boots before I found the motorcycle specific boot. My boots are made by company that no longer exists. I used Red Wing boots, HD boots, A bunch of others. I found my current boots at an independent motorcycle shop that cators to Racers and Touring Motorcyclists. My boots are for touring. They have protective inserts in the shins, heels, toes and soles. All the crush points are covered and they are rain proof and they still breath. The tread on the sole is super traction and where other boots have slid and I would have dropped my bike these boots hold strong.
Long pants are another must on a bike. Too much debris on the roads and other flying dangers like stones that get kicked up to not have some basic coverage. I've ridden in shorts plenty of times with no problem, but the one time I came home with a stream of blood on my shin from something that got kicked up and landed in my skin reminded long pants are worth it. Stuff like that just bounces off a pair of blue jeans let alone leathers.
Gloves for protection have all the fingers. I use a glove with armor in the knuckles and backs of the fingers. They have padding in the palms to ease the pressure points.
I think once you find your comfort level your gear will reflect how much protection you feel you need. I ride my bike like I stole it, and I'm trying to get away from the cops, and my gear isn't a set of race leathers but it would keep me intact in an easy off. At speed only a set of race leathers will keep you intact. Intact as in all the pieces in one wrapper.
The best protection is a heads up riding mode that comes with time in the saddle.
BTW, I use fingerless gloves riding my bicycles. The fingers are removed to help cooling of the hands while riding. I used to use full finger gloves bicycling and the fingerless gloves made a huge difference in cooling. I don't get as out of breath riding my motorcycle
BasicCAFE883 
