Motorcycle Jackets
Motorcycle jackets are as much an iconic symbol of riding, as they are ageless! Safety comes first, but beyond that take your time to find a
jacket that suits your style. Whether you are using it for posing or even just to leave the kids, and that nine to five in the dust, you should
feel completely in character when you put your jacket on!
When buying motorcycle jackets, you should be concerned with the jacket's protection, comfort and durability. To get the jacket most suited to needs you should consider the type of riding you will be doing, the weather conditions that you are likely to be riding in and what type of materials you are after e.g. mesh, textiles or leather.
Find that perfect fit, look and protection by reading on:
- Tips on buying jackets
- Where to buy NOTE: You can actually buy your jacket in this section!
- Mens and Ladies Size Conversions
Motorcycle Jacket Tips
- If you are buying your jacket from Europe check that it has the CE EN 13595 label – you should find this on the armour on the shoulders, elbows and sometimes back - this means that it complies with EU standards for abrasion, impact, cut and burst resistance
- Check that the label for lining has a high melting point
- All zips must be covered
- You must be able to lock your sleeves to your wrist – make sure also that the fastenings are on the inside of the jacket
- Check that there are no dropped stitches in any of the seams
- The seams on the shoulders and elbows must have at least one row of concealed stitching in addition to the exposed stitching for that extra protection in the event of a crash
- The fewer openings and joins in the motorcycle jacket the better, as these can burst open when you hit the road
- Leather is more popular among riders because of its look and feel, (some might even say smell.) If you are buying a leather jacket however, make sure it is loose enough to wear something underneath in winter
- Leather motorcycle jackets do breathe better and obviously don’t get so clammy in the summer
- Leather jackets are also not waterproof, so as a rider in the UK, I do recommend that you buy a rain jacket to go over your leather one (this would just be a thin plastic coated jacket) or otherwise try to apply a waterproofing spray to the outer shell of the jacket to increase water resistence
- Mesh jackets provide good ventilation in warmer weather, but do check the jacket’s abrasion resistance
- If you are buying a mesh or textile jacket, make sure that it is the right size, so that your jacket does not flap in the wind
- You can find jackets designed for summer or winter. It is useful to be aware of the difference when buying a motorcycle jacket. A summer jacket has a shorter, thinner liner. There is no reason however, that your summer jacket should not have good solid armour to max extra padding. A winter jacket has a longer, detachable liner and is well protected against the harsher weather (but do check the jackets seals). Again, ensure that is has good safety protection
- If your jacket is for all season use, get one with zip open vents in the front and back of the jacket
- Removable linings are useful but check that they fasten securely and don’t come off when you take the jacket off
- Don’t buy jackets with collars that are too bulky. You don’t want a collar that clashes with your lid when tucked behind the fairing. Collars should have plenty of adjustment but should also be able to stay up be themselves
- Don’t get jackets that have straps or pockets that could catch on anything, like your bike, and avoid jacket with decorations like studs that could cause you harm in the incident of a crash. (Keep this in mind when you put anything in a pocket.)
- Keep in mind when purchasing a jacket that you may want to buy extra protection like a Knox back protector. If you decide to go this route you will need to take sizing into consideration. (If you do have any impact protectors in your jacket – make sure that they can’t easily move around – you wouldn’t want them to shift in an accident!)
- You can expect to pay between £65 and £270 for a textile jacket and between £80 - £540 for a leather jacket
Recommended
Suppliers
Where to Buy
- SPORTBIKE have a great selection of mens and ladies motorcycle jackets and you can search their product listings by make
- Weise Mens Textile Jackets (Prices range from £119.99 - £159.99)
- Weise Mens Leather Jackets (Prices range from £129.99 - £169.99)
- Weise Ladies Textiles Jackets (Prices range from £99.99 - £129.99)
- Weise Ladies Leather Jackets (Prices range from £99.99 - £169.99)
- Alpinestars Textile Jackets (Prices range from £149.95 - £169.95)
- RST Mens textile Jackets (Prices range from £74.99 - £149.99)
- RST Ladies textile Jackets (Prices range from £79.99 - £99.99)
- Texport Ladies Jackets (Prices range from £79.99 - £119.99)
- GET GEARED also have a diverse selection of jackets. They offer the following makes; VANUCCI, PROBIKER, STREETFIGHTER, MADHEAD, cYCLE sPIRIT,OUTDOOR and HIGHWAY. You can search their product listings by the following categories:
- Short Motorcycle Jackets (Prices range from £44.99 - £169.99)
- Winter Motorcycle Jackets (Prices range from £69.95 - £249.99)
Motorcycle Jacket Size Conversions
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REMEMBER! - your motorcycle jacket will be with you and say a lot about you for a long time, so it is worth searching until you find exactly what you are looking for.