Motorbike Protective Clothing - Motorcycle boots and gloves

Your hands and feet are operating important controls as you ride, so the boots and gloves you choose are doing a number of vital jobs. As well as protecting you in case of accident, they have to keep you warm and dry without hindering your free movement. To see why the right gloves matter, try texting when your fingers are numb with cold.

Boots:
Even on a scooter, it’s important to wear boots that will protect your feet and ankles if you come off your motorcycle. If you don’t want to wear something that looks like a motorbike boot, there are plenty of style options, including casual leather boots and low-rise boots for urban riding.

Not all boots give the same protection, so look for the European Standard mark. And don’t think that your safety boots from work will do. Steel toe caps are designed to save your toes if you drop a piano on them, not your ankles!

Fit is important, so buy your boots from a dealer where you can try them on. If the boots are tight, they could restrict your movement or even cut off the circulation and numb your toes. Too loose, and they could easily come off and give no protection at all. If they slip on easily they’ll slip off just as easily.

Some boots designed for riding are not great for walking around all day, so if that’s important to you, wander around the shop in them before you commit yourself. But remember, you can always change your footwear when you arrive.

And do try them on with the trousers you plan to ride in, and sitting on a motorcycle if you can, to check you can operate any levers with them on.

You may want to get different boots for summer and winter. A waterproof boot with a fleecy lining is ideal for bad weather riding, but in summer you’re probably looking for something cooler and lighter.

Gloves:
Yes, your hands are the first thing to get cold, but there’s more to good motorcycle gloves than a thermal lining. Remember last time you fell over? Which bit of you met the ground first? Suddenly, a strong glove with a reinforced palm seems like a good idea. Gloves come in all sorts of styles, colours and sizes, so there’s no need to sacrifice style for safety.

Other things to look out for are a strap to hold the glove on, and a decent cuff to defend your wrist. Reinforced knuckles are a good idea too. Metal studs look tough, but in fact Kevlar or polycarbonate are more practical.

For winter riding, a thick glove with a thermal lining, or even room for a thin inner glove, will help you stay focused on the road, not the cold. Not all gloves are waterproof, but wet hands get chilled fast, so if you’ll be riding in all weathers look for a waterproof and breathable lining.

In summer, a thinner glove will probably be more comfortable. Town riding can mean your hands get hot - and tired, if you’re using the clutch and brakes a lot -  and you may want something with ventilation.

Always try the gloves on and check that you can move your fingers freely, operate the motorcycle’s controls and adjust your visor. Does the leather bunch up under your palm when you curve your hand over a handlebar?  That could become painful on a long ride. And any seams inside the glove will rub on your hand, which is the last thing you want. Ask somebody to try and pull the glove off, to check they’ll stay on when you need them.

A good pair of gloves will keep you riding for years, but don’t let that stop you buying a pair to match every outfit you ride in!