A motorcycle jacket is a piece of motorcycle equipment that every rider needs to have. It will provide you protection from many elements and factors that are present during motorcycle rides.
With that being said, you need to know what motorcycle jacket is the best for your needs and riding style, and in this article, we will help you choose the perfect motorcycle jacket.
So how do you choose a motorcycle jacket? You need to consider many important elements when choosing your motorcycle jacket; safety and comfort are the most important. Based on what conditions you will ride the most, you need to select the jacket’s material and its style. After choosing the jacket, go on a test ride to ensure it fits you.
Further in this article, we will cover everything you need to know about your motorcycle jacket, so continue reading to find out what will help you choose your perfect jacket.
Table of Contents
Everything You Need to Know About Motorcycle Jackets
Thickness and Durability
Motorcycle jackets come in different styles and sizes, and as a general rule, the thicker the jacket, the better it is. Thicker jackets also mean that they are heavier and have a greater ability to resist abrasion. Lightweight leather jackets are enlarged 1mm (2.50z) thick, and that makes them ideal for protecting your hide in situations where you will slide slowly. 1.2mm (3oz) is a general-purpose thickness of a good leather jacket. This may not look like a significant increase, but an extra thickness enables your jacket longer abrasion resistance.
Heavyweight jackets are approximately 1.4mm (3.5oz) thick, and they give you the best slide protection. Still, besides the thickness of your jacket, many other factors affect the quality of your jacket, such as the tanning process, construction, stitching.
Motorcycle jackets are mostly made out of two materials: leather and synthetic material.
Motorcycle Jacket Styles
Motorcycle jackets can be categorized into four different style groups:
- Racing
- Sport or Street
- Cruiser
- Adventure Touring or Dual Sport
Racing: Racing jackets are characteristic of a tight fit, which prevents wind resistance, and are made of flex panels that enable rider mobility. At the same time, the padding protects from abrasion during high-speed rides. Racing jackets have a zipper to fasten to racing pants and a narrower collar compared to other jacket types.
Cruiser: This is the most used type of motorcycle jacket. There are many styles of leather jackets and the reason why many riders love them is that they are very aesthetic and comfortable. They are mostly used for daily transportation and everyday life like driving to work or local stores by casual riders.
Sport or Street: These jackets are modified racing jackets designed by taking lower speed into account than the racing jackets. They have fewer flex panels and a looser fit, making them more comfortable. You can also get seasonal jackets with ventilation and insulation that make the rider cool during the summer season and warm in cold conditions.
Adventure or Dual Sport: This type of jacket is the least used because they are used mainly by riders who go on longer rides that can be from a few days to a few weeks long, and there is a great possibility that there will be harsh weather conditions especially if you plan to ride through rough terrains and climates. When you look at this type of jacket, it may look like a survival jacket that tries to imitate a racing jacket with many pockets where you put your gear. It is also made of many layers of impact padding and insulation and a form-hugging design that has extra fastening around your neck.
Note: If you plan to go for longer rides like long trans-continental adventures or winter riding, this is the perfect motorcycle type for you.
There are also other important motorcycle protective pieces of equipment like helmets and gloves.
If you want to learn more about motorcycle helmets and How to Choose a Perfect Motorcycle Helmet, then click on this link.
If you want to know more about motorcycle gloves and How to Choose Perfect Motorcycle Gloves, click on this link.
What Do You Need to Pay Attention to When Buying a Motorcycle Jacket
There are many elements that you need to take into consideration when choosing your motorcycle jacket, and in this section, we will give you the most important one:
Textile or Leather Material: Motorcycle jackets are mostly made of leather and textile material. You need to choose which material you want your jacket to be made of. Leather jackets have a nice classic look that many riders like, and it is very comfortable. The real strength of a leather jacket is measured by its abrasion resistance. On the other hand, many riders agree that textile jackets are a better option when choosing a jacket that is both versatile and comfortable in multiple weather conditions and different climates. It all depends on your preferences when choosing between these two jacket types. If you like leather durability, you will select a leather jacket, or if you want to feel comfortable in different climates, you will pick a textile motorcycle jacket.
Visibility (Reflectivity): Visibility is a safety factor that has a significant role in an everyday ride. You must be noticeable on the road, especially during a night ride. Since a motorcycle rider and a bike is far less silhouette than a car on the road, you need to make yourself visible as much as possible to other traffic participants.
Liners and Armor (Padding): This factor is important if you ride or live in an area where there is cold and warm weather, and you would want to consider buying a jacket that has a removable or all-weather lining that will warm you during winter rides, and won’t cook you during hot summer rides. Make sure that your jacket has armor (padding) on your chest, shoulders, and back area since these are the spots that get the most damage in case of an impact or you falling off your bike.
Fitment: Your motorcycle jacket needs to fit you perfectly, and you need to be comfortable while wearing it. Your motorcycle jacket mustn’t be constructive or too tight because it can cut off your circulation, leading to fatigue and resulting in difficult and dangerous situations. It may not be easy to find the best suiting motorcycle jacket at first since there are many styles of jackets, and you can pick between jackets with many fitment adjustments on your waist and slider on the jacket’s sleeves.
Jacket Construction and Fastenings
Jacket Seams and Panels
The traditional method used for putting motorcycle leather components is stitching, so motorcycle jackets can look a little bit robust. According to industry standards, this leather jacket style suggests 11-14 stitches every 5cm run. You should check the seems and look for triple stitching or overlaying.
To check the skin quality, you need to pull the seams apart. That way, you will see if the thread stretcher or the holes in your leather jacket elongate. If this happens, it indicates that the leather used in making your motorcycle jacket is lousy quality material.
You can detect if your jacket is a low-quality one if it is made from many different panels. It is much simpler to produce smaller panels out of offcuts than to use bigger cuts from the hide. Most of the time, if there are more panels, the risk of failure in an accident and in case of falling is much greater. The most common problem in motorcycle jackets is burst seams.
Jacket Zipper
You need to fasten your zipper to the top. Notice if it moves freely or is fixed when you put it to the top. Your zipper needs to be secured, so your jacket doesn’t unfasten while you ride.
Additional Jacket Fastenings
Check the fastenings on the pockets and cuffs. You need to check the one around your waist. That is important because it is used for connecting to the matching trousers.
High Visibility Options
High visible motorcycle jackets make you be easily seen in the traffic, which is vital, especially during night rides since you need to be noticeable to other traffic participants to avoid crashes and traffic accidents.
That is why many highly visible motorcycle jackets can help you achieve high visibility.
Jackets like Alpinestars Gp Plus are a great choice since they are both highly comfortable, safe, and visible.
One-Piece Leather Suits
One-piece leather suits are a highly safe choice for every rider, both professional and amateur. A perfectly fitted suit protects you better in case of a slide, which will make the body armor move less in case of an impact.
Textile Jackets
Textile jackets are a great choice, and I personally have them. The great thing about textile jackets is that they can be three in one, and what I mean by that is that you can have one jacket for three seasons (cold winter season, spring and summer when it starts to get hot, and autumn season when it can be rainy). Textile jackets can be designed with multiple layers that can enable you to ride all the year, and they can be extra ventilated, which is excellent for hot summer days when you don’t feel like sweating.
After Care for Your Jacket
You need to maintain your motorcycle jacket properly in order for it to serve you long and in quality. Use a waterproofing product on your jacket, clean the spots around seams and zippers, and your jacket will be fine. Leave the jacket to dry and put some leather feeding lotion on it. If your leather jacket is full of bugs, use warm soapy water and wash the bugs from your jacket.
Here is a nice video you can watch about choosing a perfect motorcycle jacket:
Final Thoughts
Motorcycle jackets are a piece of motorcycle equipment that every motorcycle rider must have, along with motorcycle gloves, helmets, and riding boots. You need to make your safety a top priority, and a motorcycle jacket is a nice way to start. Every rider has his own style, and what may suit you may not suit me and vice versa.
The point is that there are so many different choices in today’s market that you shouldn’t look for any excuses not to get a motorcycle jacket. You can choose between leather or textile jackets, one-piece suits or two-piece suits and many different colors and styles and there must be something you will like.
We hope you like this article and that it has helped you understand motorcycle jackets better and choose the perfect one for you.