Published: 31 August 2023Updated: 18 January 2024
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After a helmet, the most obvious piece of kit that bikers wear is a good motorcycle jacket. Motorcyclists have been wearing leather jackets ever since riders first discovered that cow hide was better at resisting damage than tweed. Things have come along way since then…
From the fairly basic all-black jackets riders worn by the Rockers in the 1960s (black to hide the oil spots as the bikes’ engines were generally far from oil-tight), we now have multi-coloured jackets in a huge variety of different shapes, styles and colours, covering everything from casual to full on touring. Garments are available that are specifically designed for summer or winter, and there are even a few options that include the latest airbag protective technology.
About motorcycle jackets
For many riders a leather jacket simply isn’t practical, which is where textile jackets come in. Textiles are not only generally lighter than leather, but they can also be waterproof and breathable, meaning they are better options for those looking to cover big miles in comfort. And again, like leather jackets, they come in a huge variety of styles, from adventure to sporty, in short and long lengths, and lots of different colours.
So which are the best options? We’ve rounded up a selection of motorcycle jackets to cover every category and answered all of the important FAQs at the bottom of this article to help you make the right decision.
Best jackets for each use
- Textile – RST Pro Series Commander
- Leather – Richa Mugello 2
- Adventure – RST Pro Series Adventure-X CE
- Touring – Oxford Mondial
- Sporty – Richa Gotham 2 Jacket
- Casual – Richa Lausanne
- Summer – Merlin Shenstone
- Winter – Spidi Alpen Trophy
- Waterproof – Wolf Titanium Outlast
- Laminated – Richa Infinity 2
- Heated – Keis V501RP
- Mesh – Oxford Dakar Dry2Dry Air 1.0
- Womens – Dainese Ladies Racing 3 leather jacket
- Waxed – Oxford Holwell 1.0
- Kids – Duchinni Kids Jago
Our top picks on clearance deals
Over 40% off Wolf Fortitude CE Waterproof Textile Jacket – was £349.99, now £199.99
30% off RST Pro Series Paragon 6 CE Textile Jacket – was £249.99, now £174.99
39% off RST Sabre CE Textile Jacket – was £179.99, now £109.99
Over 45% off Merlin Wishaw Signature D3O Leather Jacket – was £349.99, now £182.99
Over 45% off Pharao Cedar Waterproof Textile Jacket – was £189.99, now £99.99
Over 35% off RST Ladies Roadster II CE Leather Jacket – was £249.99, now £159.99
Over 30% off RST F-Lite CE Textile Jacket – was £149.99, now £100.87
Over 40% off FLM Touring 3.0 Textile Jacket – was £169.99, now £99.99
50 % off Dainese Ladies Rochelle D-Dry Textile Jacket – was £349.95, now £174.98
Over 50% off Merlin Kurkbury Textile Jacket – was £349.99, now £169.99
Over 50% Merlin Exile D3O Explorer Textile Jacket– £349.99, was £169.99
50% off Dainese Alligator Textile Jacket – was £369.95, was £184.98
Over 50% off Merlin Perton Textile Jacket – was £349.99, now £169.99
Over 35% off RST Maverick CE Textile Jacket – was £199.99, now £124.99
Over 30% off Oxford Mondial Advanced Textile Jacket – was £289.99, now £199.99
Over 50% off Merlin Ladies Harriet Wax Textile Jacket – was £329.99, now £159.99
Best textile jacket
Price: £299.99
Price: £299.99
Best textile jackets Ben Clarke tested the RST Pro Series Commander for two months and 1000 miles. He said: "The RST Pro Series Commander jacket is the firm’s flagshiptextile motorcycle jacket. It’s a completelywaterproof laminate jacketthanks to its SinAqua Pro technology – meaning you don’t have to mess around with waterproof linings – and is packed with vents for when the weather is good, too." "The Commander is ajacket built for touringand so it’s crammed with practical touches like its five inner and five outer pockets, soft touch collar and removable thermal liner – plus a AACE ratingand CE level 2 armour for your back, shoulders and elbows." "For riding large distances through all weathers or simply commuting through the winter, the Commander is a solid option and, at £284.99, it won’t break the bank either."
Pros
- Warm
- Dry
- Comfy
- Practical
- Loads of pockets
- Lots of venting
Cons
- Quite heavy
- Not the best-looking
-
Comfort
4.0
-
Practicality
5.0
-
Looks
3.0
-
Quality
5.0
-
Protection
4.0
-
Value
5.0
-
Overall
5.0
| Construction | Waterproof laminate textile |
| Type | Touring, commuting |
| CE rating | AA |
| Armour | CE Level 2 at elbows, shoulders and back |
- Attachment zip
- Thermal
- Waterproof
- Vented
- Adjustable at arms, wrists and waist
- Five outer and five inner pockets
Best leather jacket
Price: £429.99
Price: £429.99
Best Leather Jackets Dan Sutherland tested the Richa Mugello 2 leather jacket for one year and 1500 miles. He said: "There’s no question this is an expensive jacket, but it’s high-quality, stuffed with comfy, supple D3O protection, and offers soft leather – plus a removable thermal lining for greater versatility. It also gets hard external shoulder protectors, and perforations for ventilation. It should come with a back protector for this price, though." "It’s not a jacket for colder days without plenty of layers squeezed in underneath, but the cooling chill coming through the stretch panels of the arms is welcome in summer."
Pros
- High quality
Cons
- Expensive
-
Quality
4.0
-
Value
3.0
| Armour | Elbow, shoulder |
| Attachment zips | Full attachment zip, short attachment zips |
| CE approval | AA |
| Colour scheme | Red |
| Gender | Uni-sex |
| Length | Short |
| Material | Leather |
- High performance 1.3mm cowhide leather construction with safety stitching
- Detachable thermal liner
- Perforated leather panels for ventilation
- Aramid fibre stretch panels
- Slim fit design with comfort pre-curved arms
- 3M reflective panels to aid low light visibility
- Strategically integrated neoprene comfort cuff and collar edging
- CE certified D3O shoulder and elbow armour included
- Pockets for optional back and/or chest protectors
- Shoulder and elbow external race cup sliders
- Waist adjustment hook and loop straps
- Long and short connection zips for attaching to Richa jeans
Price: £224.99 (was £299.99)
Price: £224.99 (was £299.99)
Best adventure jackets
Price: 199.99 (was £289.99)
Best Touring Jacket
Rrp: £169.99
Price: £150.49
Rrp: £169.99
Price: £150.49
Best sports jacket
| CE rating: | A |
Price: £199.99
Price: £199.99
Best casual jackets
Price: £229.99
Price: £229.99
Best summer jackets
| <strong>CE Rating:</strong> | AA |
| <strong>Armour:</strong> | L1 (S, E, B) |
| <strong>Material:</strong> | Cotec/ballistic mesh |
| <strong>Cooling:</strong> | Mesh |
- Waterproof and breathable thermal liner
- Numerous pockets
Price: £363.99 (was £454.99)
Price: £363.99 (was £454.99)
Best winter jackets
Price: £239.98 (was £299.99)
Price: £239.98 (was £299.99)
Best waterproof jacket
Price: £169.99
Price: £169.99
Best mesh jackets
Price: £539.95
Price: £539.95
Best women's jacket
- Compatible with Double Chest protector
- Air flow vents on chest and back
- Reflective panels
- Two zipped pockets for small items
- Full length jacket to jeans connection zip
- Adjustable waist
Rrp: £199.98
Price: £199.99
Rrp: £199.98
Price: £199.99
Best waxed jackets
Price: £74.99
Price: £74.99
Best kids' jackets
More motorcycle jackets to consider
Alpinestars are world-leaders in motorcycle clothing and the T-Jaws jacket is both stylish and very practical as it is claimed to be waterproof. Constructed from poly fabric, the T-Jaws has zippered shoulder vents to provide cooling as well as stretch panels and Velcro fasteners to deliver a comfortable fit. There is CE-approved armour in the shoulders and elbows and a pocket to allow the firm's CE-approved Nucleon back protector to be fitted, which is available separately. A great option for sportsbike riders who want a short textile jacket that can be ridden whatever the weather, especially if zipped to a pair of the firm's trousers to make a complete riding set.
Best for value
Price: £199.99 (was £269.99)
Price: £199.99 (was £269.99)
Oxford's top-of-the-range adventure jacket is claimed waterproof thanks to a drop liner and comes loaded with features. Alongside a removable, thick thermal liner you get ventilation panels, and loads of adjustability. Add to this two water-resistant YKK zips and a pocket for housing a back protector.
Best race jacket
Price: £299.99(was £429.99)
Price: £299.99(was £429.99)
Furygan's Raptor jacket is wholly CE-certified as a piece of Personal Protective Equipment and is made from premium cow hide of the same specification as the firm's one-piece leather race suits. To keep you safe, areas exposed to abrasion in the event of a crash are triple-stitched and there is CE-approved D30 armour in the shoulders and elbows with a pocket for a back protector. Impressively, the leather has been treated to make it claimed waterproof and there is a removable thermal vest and two zips to allow it to be attached to either Furygan's jeans or leather trousers. A very impressive leather jacket that is perfect for sporty riders who aren't afraid of a drop of rain.
Rrp: £25.22
Price: £16.70
Rrp: £25.22
Price: £16.70
Superb wash and care solutions for cleaning outdoor textiles and maintaining waterproofing. For all products with a waterproof membrane, restores rain-resistance without affecting breathability.
FAQs: The important questions
What is its certification?
There has been a recent change in certification when it comes to motorcycle clothing with a CE A, AA and AAA protective rating introduced. By law, all newly produced motorcycle clothing should have this stated on their label. The A ratings mean:
AAA (triple A) is the highest grade, intended for the highest level of risk. Key areas (e.g. shoulder, elbow, hip) must be covered by an approved impact protector and resist abrasion for at least four seconds at 70mph.
AA (double A) is the next level and covers the wide range of risks that riders are likely to encounter. The abrasion test lasts for two seconds at roughly 45mph.
To pass the single A grade, garments are only required to resist abrasion for one second at 30mph, so they can be less bulky and more comfortable to wear on a daily basis.
Generally, AAA is for sporting equipment such as leather race jackets and jeans or one-piece suits where AA is touring textiles and A urban equipment such as scooter or lightweight jackets. Many older jackets don’t have this rating and instead are simply ‘CE-approved’ which generally means that actually the jacket itself isn’t CE-approved, only the armour is. The confusion here is that technically a motorcycle jacket is a piece of Personal Protective Equipment but if it is sold as ‘non-protective’ then only the armour needs to be CE-approved, which is how most jackets are marketed. A few carry full CE-approval, but not that many.
What armour does it have?
It is important to check the armour is CE-approved but generally it is only CE-approved on the shoulders and elbows with a soft back protector. Ideally, buy a separate back protector that is CE-approved and always wear it. A back protector can save you from serious, and life-changing, injury.
Can it be zipped to a set of trousers?
A lot of jackets have a zip to allow them to be connected to a set of trousers (from the same manufacturer) to create a single garment. This is more protective as it stops the jacket riding up in an accident. Trackday companies insist on ‘zip-together’ leathers being worn on track.
Is the lining removable?
Most textile jackets will have a removable lining but not all leather ones will. If the lining isn’t removable, the jacket can become sweaty and a bit smelly, so buying one with a removable lining is generally a good idea (most textile jackets can be machine washed or hand washed, leather ones can’t). A lot of leather jackets have a quilted lining, which can be removed.
Does it have vents?
The more vents, the cooler you will be! Some leather jackets are perforated, which is fine if the sun it out but less good when it rains, where textiles generally have zip-covered vents. If you are planning on touring hot areas, the more vents the merrier, but be aware that any zip is a potential weak point when it comes to water ingress so a waterproof zip is ideal.
Is it waterproof or water-resistant?
A lot of jackets are ‘water-resistant’ or ‘shower-proof’ which means they will resist a bit of rain but not a full-on deluge. A waterproof jacket should ensure you stay dry.
What size is it?
Consider what you are planning on wearing underneath the jacket. If you are going for a jacket to use in winter you may need a bit of extra wiggle room under for jumpers to help ward off the cold. If you are riding in summer then you can afford to have a snugger fit. Some jackets are measured in sizes (XS to XXXL), others in EU measurements or UK sizes so check each firm’s size chart first what size will suit you.
Does it have a hump?
Some sporty leather jackets have an aerodynamic hump on their rear. It is a pointless fashion accessory on a leather jacket used on the road, so think if you want this style or not.
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