Among all your riding gear, a pair of motorcycle gloves offer a combination of comfort and protection. Your gloves helps to lessen fatigue and vibrations as you ride and, should an accident occur, provide a more substantial layer against abrasive asphalt.
Whether you’re a beginner or more experienced rider, you’ll come across many types of gloves with various features. As you narrow down your options, consider the following.
Basic Glove Characteristics
Not all types of motorcycle gloves properly protect your hands. Those offering a baseline of protection typically include:
- Reinforced palms
- Knuckle reinforcements or armor
- A cinching strap
Beyond these attributes, riders also need to consider the following factors:
- Glove Length: A wrist fitting below your jacket and up part of your arm delivers better coverage, as the material can ride up if you fall.
- Breathability and Insulation: Gloves are seasonal. The breathability you need to remain comfortable during summer rides will change if you decide to head out for winter, when you will need a layer of insulation.
- Convenience & Manageability: Gloves should not be too cumbersome because of the clutch and front brake.
- Certification: Although a European standard, gloves that are EN13594:2015 CE certified have been tested for the level of protection and ergonomics they provide. Only longer gloves have this certification; shorter cuffed designs are excluded.
HOW DO YOU RIDE?
Motorcycles gloves should be chosen based on where and how you ride, taking into account your bike style, location and frequency of use:
- Racing Gloves: These are designed for those who participate in legal racing around a track and provide a higher level of hand protection with Kevlar reinforcement.
- Motocross: Not to be confused with racing gloves, motocross gloves offer extra palm and knuckle reinforcements but tend to be shorter, more lightweight and ventilated.
- Dirt Bike/Off-Road Gloves: While these appear similar to motocross gloves, they are built for riders who spend more time on the trails. In turn, they feature primarily textile construction with vents for breathability and a grippier texture for handling a bike on dirt.
- Street/Cruising Gloves: These gloves should be your go-to for spring through fall. They are built for long-distance riding and offer full leather or leather and textile construction with a thicker design and a degree of ventilation. More importantly, these function as an all-purpose glove that feels comfortable in all conditions, offers hand protection if you fall and keeps you comfortable on longer rides.
- Seasonal Gloves: Also designed for longer trips, you’ll encounter warm and cold-weather motorcycle gloves. The former adds more ventilation and uses lighter-weight material reinforced with Kevlar or carbon for lengthy summer trips. Winter gloves accommodate rides in conditions under 50 degrees with insulation, thicker material and a waterproof exterior.
- Heated Gloves: You can also purchase heated gloves specifically for cold weather riding. The insulation will keep your hands warm and the improved circulation will allow you to maintain safe handling of the bike.
- Adventure/Touring Gloves: These motorcycle gloves tend to provide the greatest strength and versatility, handling longer trips, off-road riding and more extreme weather. These deliver a waterproof, thicker and more durable three-season combination that offers more comfort and arm protection.
What gloves do you wear for motorcycle riding? Share your preferences and what has worked best for you on our Facebook page.