Motorcycle gloves are a significant piece of your protective equipment. There are many types of motorcycle gloves from winter to summer; leather or synthetic ones and many more. In this article, we will tell you all the significance that you need to know when buying your gloves.
So how do you choose your motorcycle gloves? You need to consider two main factors when choosing gloves: safety and comfort. Your gloves need to fit you perfectly in size, you mustn’t feel too tightened or too loose, and you need to choose them depending on your riding style and the conditions in which you will ride the most.
Continue reading as we will write all the necessary things that you need to consider when buying your motorcycle gloves.
Table of Contents
Why Is It Important to Fit Your Motorcycle Gloves?
Every rider needs to buy gloves that perfectly fit their hands, and the reason is that you need to feel comfortable and secure while riding. Although some riders prefer not to wear gloves at all, I would recommend you NOT TO DO that, and to wear your gloves all the time (even if you go to your local store that is a few miles from your home), because you never know what to expect on the road.
Tip: Please wear your gloves all the time because you don’t want to have your hands all scratched and injured just because you wanted to “save” some time while putting them or you felt like you didn’t need them during this ride.
As I said, there are two main reasons for wearing your gloves:
Safety or Security: If you are on longer rides, there is a possibility that you feel your hands fatigued and tired. Other than that, if you fall off your bike, you will protect your hands from getting severe injuries. It is human nature to place our hands on the ground while we fall because we instinctively protect our other body parts, which leads to our hand’s injuries. With that being said, this means that our hands are our first contact point when hitting the ground, so you need to protect them as much as possible, and hand gloves are the best way to do that.
Comfort: Wearing your gloves will make your hands feel much more comfortable, and you will feel more pleasant than you would in case you wouldn’t wear gloves. Your gloves will absorb the vibrations that are shifted from your motorcycle handlebar to your hands and, by doing so, make you feel much more comfortable since you won’t feel so many vibrations. This will also prevent any numbing or fatigue in your hand’s muscles so that you will enjoy your ride much more.
These are the two main reasons you should buy your motorcycle gloves, and the only way to be sure that your gloves will protect you and be comfortable at the same time is to buy the gloves that fit you perfectly.
If your gloves are too tight and don’t cover your hands, you will feel discomfortable during your ride. Opposite to that is a scenario where your gloves are too big which can lead to the gloves falling off your hands, and worse than that, they won’t provide you the protection you need.
What Gloves Size Do You Need?
You need to consider many factors when buying your motorcycle gloves. In this chapter, we will give you a list of factors that you need to look for when purchasing your gloves:
Brand: Similar gloves from different manufacturers may look the same, but every brand has its way of creating and producing gloves. What that means is that you may want to take the same size that you would typically buy from brand “A” (let’s say L size of the gloves), but the size of the gloves from brand “B” is the same in size label but different in measurements (you take size L like you usually would, but you notice that these gloves are bigger or smaller than those you already have).
Tip: If you are not 100% sure about the size of the gloves you plan to order online, then it would be best to stick to your local moto equipment store, so you try the gloves that will fit you perfectly.
Gloves Material: The material used in manufacturing gloves is another factor that you need to consider before buying your pair of gloves. There are two primary material types that most motorcycle gloves are made of, and that is textile and leather.
Both of these materials will have an effect on your comfort because they have a direct impact on the shape of your glove and the way it suits your hands. As time passes and the more you use your gloves, they will eventually start to form your hand shape and fit you better (if you buy the right size and shape gloves, of course).
Note: Remember that leather gloves can stretch to about 5% over time.
If your glove is made out of textile, they won’t stretch as much as the leather ones, but they will get softer as you use them more.
Tip: If your size varies between two available sizes, you should buy a bigger size if you intend to buy textile gloves.
Usage Type: You need to consider where you will use your gloves the most to know what type you will need to buy. You need to buy a different kind of gloves if you plan to be racing or touring, then you would need to buy if you plan to ride during the winter season when it’s cold outside and rainy.
Origin Country: This is another significant factor to consider when buying your gloves. You may think that it doesn’t matter in which country your gloves are made, but it does matter, to be honest with you. There is a difference between American-made gloves and European-made ones. American gloves are bigger than those made in Europe (if we compare the size of the same gloves, for instance, “L” size), so you need to have that in mind while ordering moto gloves.
After considering all of the factors mentioned above, you can decide what glove size is perfect for you.
Note: It would also be helpful to measure your hand so you know the correct dimensions of your hands.
What Sizes Are Motorcycle Gloves Available In?
In this section, you can find a table showing you in what size you can get your motorcycle gloves:
| Women Sizes | Men Sizes | ||
| X-Small | 6″ | X-Small | 7″ |
| Small | 6.5″ | Small | 7.5-8″ |
| Medium | 7″ | Medium | 8.5-9″ |
| Large | 7.5″ | Large | 9.5-10″ |
| X-Large | 8″ | X-Large | 10.5-11″ |
This table can help you determine what glove size will suit you best.
How to Determine What Type of Gloves Do I Need to Wear?
Depending on what conditions you plan to ride, you will need a specific glove type for that condition. Below you can find the most often occasions in which most of the riders ride, and considering that, we gave you the best possible explanation that you need to follow.
| Usage Type | Explanation | What You Need to Have in Mind When Selecting the gloves |
| Touring | This type of gloves is specially designed for long-distance rides (trips). They are made to protect you from a harsh environment and any possible injuries on your road trip, such as hitting the ground and similar. | These gloves don’t need to be tightened to your hands as the racing gloves should. Since you use them on a longer ride, they need to give you more agility and flexibility. You need to feel control of your handlebar all the time, so you are in control of your motorcycle constantly. |
| Racing | This section is reserved for riders who race. You should look for gloves that will give you comfort and safety on track. | Look for gloves that will provide you with more aggressive curvature on your fingers. Your hands must have maximum protection and be secured all the time while you race. |
| Cold Weather | If you plan to ride in cold weather like the one during the winter season, you need to get gloves that offer you the best insulation possible while at the same time giving you the best protection and comfort possible. | What is characteristic of these gloves is that they are a little bit bulkier because they are made of extra layers of insulation to keep your hands warm. These gloves also have a waterproof membrane that keeps your hands dry in case of humid or rainy weather. Remember that these gloves are also comfortable for your hands, especially your fingers and palm. They mustn’t be over-tightened. |
Here I will show you my glove collection:
Here are my racing gloves from one of the best MotoGP riders, Valentino Rossi:
I also like to ride during the winter season when there are nice sunny days and no rain at sight. I use my winter gloves on this occasion:
And the last in my collection are my summer gloves that let my hands breathe since they are very light but protective:
There is also other protective equipment such as motorcycle helmets and jackets to consider when talking about riders’ safety.
If you want to know How to Choose a Perfect Motorcycle Helmet, click on this link.
For more information about How to Choose a Perfect Motorcycle Jacket, you will find it by clicking on this link.
How to Test the Fitting of Your Moto Gloves?
Your motorcycle gloves should fit you perfectly, and you should feel comfortable wearing them. If you plan to buy gloves in your local moto shop, it would be wise to try a few of them to determine which pair gives you the most comfort. Here are some steps for you to follow when testing your motorcycle gloves:
- Take the gloves and open them as much as possible.
- Put the gloves on your hands and concentrate on the feeling they give you. You need to be able to put on the gloves without any problems. If you have any issues with putting the gloves on your hand, it signals that the gloves are too tight, and you need to look for a bigger pair. On the other hand, if you put your hand in the gloves without any resistance, this may indicate that the gloves are too big and you need a smaller pair.
Note: The part of the glove that goes around your wrist needs to be a bit tighter.
- Check the gauntlet and how much space is in the gauntlet. This is another important segment of your gloves to fit correctly. Open the gauntlet as much as possible to see how widely it can open and after you do so, tighten the gauntlet to fit your hand perfectly.
- Check the finger’s length because you need to feel comfortable in your fingers. If the gloves are too small, you will feel cramps if you wear them for a longer period; on the other hand, if they are too big, they can fall off your hands and not protect your hands.
- Test your gloves grip by holding the handlebar and seeing how firm a handgrip is. It needs to have a strong grip, so you feel total control over your handlebar and the entire bike, especially during rainy rides.
If you don’t feel any pain or discomfort when going through these steps, that means that you found the perfect gloves and you should buy them.
Do Gloves Need to Be Tight?
Motorcycle gloves shouldn’t be tight; they need to be snug. There is a possibility that they feel a little tight the first time you try them. You could feel a little squeeze on your wrist or your finger’s sides the first time you try them. This feeling is perfectly normal, and you shouldn’t worry about it.
The tightness that you feel should not restrict the movement of your hands and fingers. If your hand is too tight, it can be dangerous if it limits the control of your handlebar, which can lead to you falling from your bike. You can lose control over the handlebar because too tight gloves will cut off blood circulation in your hands, and bad blood circulation leads to losing sensation in your hands. If this condition lasts for a longer period, it can result in injuries related to low blood circulation or low blood pressure.
The material used in producing your gloves is important and impacts your glove’s tightness. If you buy a pair of winter gloves, they should have more space for your hand than if you buy a racing or touring pair of gloves because there is a chance that you will need to put in a glove liner. Racing gloves should be the tightest gloves type when comparing all glove types.
Considering all glove types, all of them need to fit you snugly depending on which conditions and to what extent you will use them, so you have the best possible control over your motorcycle. You shouldn’t feel any discomfort while holding your fingers in a naturally curved position while wearing your gloves. Also, you should feel comfortable while holding your handlebars, especially when you are on long-distance rides, and you shouldn’t tolerate any discomfort while wearing your gloves.
Motorcycle Gloves for Women
Women have narrower hands than men do, and this means that there may be some differences in hands measurements that you need to consider when ordering your pair of gloves.
- Women have narrower palms than men do.
- Women usually have longer fingers in relation to the palm when compared to men.
Take these factors into consideration when ordering your pair of women motorcycle gloves.
Some may think that an easy solution to ordering the correct fitting size for women is just ordering a number or two smaller man-size gloves, but they couldn’t be more wrong. Ordering a pair of women gloves takes the same approach as when ordering a man pair of gloves. You need to select the size that suits your hand’s measurements perfectly so it meets both safety and comfort standards. Not satisfying these two standards can lead to injuries or discomfort during your rides.
Look for companies with a broad aspect of gloves like IXS, Airoh, Axo…
These companies will give you the best style and design gloves and, most importantly, provide you with safety and comfort, which are the two most important factors when selecting your riding gear.
Here you can watch an excellent video from RevZilla explaining what to look for when choosing your pair of gloves:
Final Thoughts
Motorcycle hand gloves are an important part of your motorcycle protection equipment. They are responsible for your hands’ safety and comfort, and because of that, you need to give yourself enough time to test them and choose the best fitting motorcycle gloves. We hope that you learned everything about motorcycle gloves and that you will find the best fitting pair for your hands.