Ah, leathers. The defining item of a motorcyclist's protective gear. Whether you're out for a ride on a sunny Sunday afternoon on a Fireblade, tackling Craners on a Panigale, or competing in MotoGP, you'll be wearing a set of leathers. They come as a one-piece or two-piece, available in different types of leather, with different armour, and in a range of colours—there's not always black, you know.
Motorcycle leathers are an essential component of motorcycle safety gear. They are designed to protect the rider's skin and body from abrasion, impact, and other types of injuries that can occur in the event of an accident. They're made from high-quality leather - typically cow or kangaroo hide - and offer excellent protection against road rash, cuts, bruises, and other injuries that can occur during an accident. They don't just protect you in the event of an accident, either. A motorcycle has many hot bits, and your leathers provide an essential barrier between your skin and the searing agony of pushing your bare flesh against a hot exhaust or engine casing. Additionally, they also protect you whilst you're on the move. Hit a giant bee at 70mph, and it'll feel like a bullet, so best let the leather take the strain.
Of course, you don't have to wear leather. While a leather suit may offer supreme protection, modern textiles get surprisingly close, but each has pros and cons.
Leathers
Pros
- Durability: Leather is more hard-wearing and abrasion-resistant than the majority of textiles. Look after a set of leathers, and they'll last for a good few decades. They're also simpler to repair than textiles.
- Protection: Leather offers a significant amount of protection in the event of an accident. A good set will mitigate the chances of damage from abrasion, cuts and impact.
- Style: Who doesn't want to leave their house in the morning looking like a member of The Avengers? It's entirely subjective, of course, but they do tend to look better.
Cons
- Comfort: Leather can be heavy and stiff, especially when new. It can take time to break in. Putting them on and taking them off can also be a real pain, particularly if they're wet or you consumed too many mince pies over Christmas.
- Weather: They don't do well in terrible weather. Contrary to popular belief, they're not waterproof and provide very little warmth in the winter months. At the same time, they can become horribly hot and sticky through summer. Ick.
- Price: Leathers tend to be more expensive than many textiles, which may make them less accessible to riders on a budget. A top-of-the-range made-to-measure Dainese CustomWorks suit could set you back more than a bike.
Textiles
Pros
- Comfort: Textiles are often more lightweight and flexible than leather, making them more comfortable to wear. They are much simpler to put on and take off and significantly less restrictive than their leathery counterparts.
- Weather: In hot weather, mesh textiles are fantastic for keeping cool. In winter, waterproof and insulated options are the best choice for grotty commutes.
- Price: Although you can spend eye-watering sums on the latest and greatest textiles, the entry point tends to be significantly cheaper than leathers.
Cons
- Durability: Although some incredible materials are available, very few come close to leather in terms of durability. However, good textiles should last for many years, although you may need to top up their waterproofing ability from time to time.
- Style: They've come on in leaps and bounds in terms of style, but let's face it, they're never going to be sexy. Kill Bill wouldn't have been the same if Uma Thurman wore hi-viz textiles.
- Protection: While there's little wrong with the protection available, per se, it's easier to fall into the trap of buying the wrong size clothing and having necessary armour not lining up where it's supposed to be.
What should I look for when buying leathers?
Of course, it's easy to go online and spend time looking for a set of leathers that make you look like Spiderman or something, but there are some important factors to consider when you're making your purchase. As with every other piece of protective equipment, it's important to remember to go and try it on first in a retailer who can offer assistance and knows what they're doing. This is especially true if you've never bought leathers before, but equally important for experienced riders who may be switching brands or need a new size.
Quality of materials: There are different types and different grades of leather available. "Full-grain" leather is typically considered the best, as the entire grain remains intact for greater durability and longevity. You may also find "top-grain" leather, which is almost always thinner than full-grain, as the outer surface has been sanded down to remove imperfections in the hide. A good set of leathers will be made from either top-grain or full-grain cow or kangaroo leather with a thickness of 1-1.4mm, depending on the application.
It's possible you may see goat, pig and lamb skin used on gloves and other items, but it's important to remember these types of leather are more prone to tearing, so if you see a suit made from these, it's probably not up to the job of protecting you. Just remember: moo or roo. Kangaroo leather is typically lighter and stronger than cowhide but is almost always more expensive. Some brands will have their own brand of leather, such as Dainese with their D-Skin 2.0, which is full-grain cow leather which has been treated to improve longevity and durability.
Grading
The grading of leather is what happens to it during the manufacturing process. The processing will determine its strength, durability and its feel. When it comes to motorcycle gear, there are only two types you need to look out for; full-grain and top-grain.
Top-Grain leather isn't as thick as its full-grain brother due to being sanded down in during manufacture to remove any imperfections. This makes top-grain leather look more aesthetically pleasing than full-grain, but it's a tier below when it comes to strength and durability.
Full-grain leather is the best as it retains all its natural strength, making it perfect for motorcycling.
It's important to note that some manufacturers have their own treatment and processing. For example, Dainese's D-Skin 2.0 is full-grain cow leather, which has been treated with Dainese's secret blend of herbs and spices.
Hide
There are many different types of hide used for motorcycle gear. The hides can come from cows, goats, lambs, kangaroos and even stingrays. While it's common to find many types used for gloves and boots, you'll typically only see cow and kangaroo hides used for suits. This is simply because cow and kangaroo hides are the best when it comes to strength, durability, flexibility and feel.
Kangaroo hide is lighter, stronger and more flexible than the mooing alternative, but it comes at a price. You'll typically only find kangaroo leather on top-end suits, so be prepared to take a bit of wallet damage if you're looking for a roo suit.
While kangaroo may be the best, there's certainly nothing wrong with cowhide, and material technology has progressed so much over the last couple of decades that the gap to kangaroo hide is narrower than ever before. Sure, cowhide may be thicker and stiffer, but with the number of accordion stretch panels on leather suits these days, flexibility isn't too much of a concern.
Fit and comfort: Proper fit is important for both safety and comfort. A correct-fitting set should be snug without being tight, and that's with only thin baselayers underneath. If you can't breathe, they're too tight. If you can wear a hoodie underneath them, they're too loose. Many sets of leathers feature articulated arms and legs, which are cut to be comfortable when you're in the riding position. When you're trying on leathers, make sure you try them out sitting on a bike (or a bike jig, such as the one at Bike Stop) to make sure they're comfy when you're in the riding position. There's little point in putting them on, standing upright and thinking they're fine. If you wear a back protector, make sure you try on your new leather with the back protector in place.
Armour: All sets of leathers should feature CE-approved armour for the shoulders, knees and elbows. Additionally, you can back or chest protectors for increased protection. Most suits will offer some form of attachment for a back protector and maybe pockets for chest protectors.
Ventilation: If you plan to ride in hot weather, look for leathers with good ventilation to help keep you cool and comfortable. Some suits are available with a perforated leather option, which is definitely the best option if you're only going to be riding in warm weather. Furthermore, some suits provide additional ventilation through the hump.
Style: It may seem quite minor in the grand scheme of things, but it's important to get a set of leathers you like the look of. If you like the way they look, you're more likely to wear them. As an added bonus, you can also enjoy your reflection in shop windows whilst you're stopped at traffic lights.
Brand Reputation: While some people sneer at popular brands, they've become popular for a reason. I've met a few people who sneer at anything which isn't a made-to-measure BKS suit from 'the good old days', but Dainese, Alpinestars, Spidi and RST (and others) all put a lot of time and money into research and development. The companies selling LupinStars, Dongeasy and HSV leathers on eBay for £50 aren't spending anything on R&D.
Remember that investing in high-quality motorcycle leathers is an investment in your safety while riding. By taking the time to carefully consider your options, you can find a set of leathers that offer both style and protection.
One-piece or two-piece?
A one-piece suit is basically a large baby-grow made of leather. A two-piece suit comprises a separate jacket and trousers which zip together at the waist. Naturally, there are pros and cons for each.
One-piece: The aerodynamic romper suit. Generally considered to be more protective as there are no seams or gaps and thus fewer points of failure. The downside is they can be incredibly irritating when it comes to putting them on and taking them off. If you've never worn a one-piece before, you'll never know the desperation and frustration of badly needing a wee and desperately trying to peel them off. If you're doing lots of trackdays or out-and-back rides without stopping anywhere then you should probably consider a one-piece.
Two-piece: Significantly more practical than the one-piece as, when you stop for a latte during a Sunday ride, you can take off the jacket. Almost all trackday organisers will be fine with you wearing a two-piece suit, so long as there's a full zip around the waist where the trousers connect to the jacket. Remember that a two-piece suit is different to a separate jacket and trousers setup, as a two-piece suit will usually feature a shorter jacket and longer trousers than if you bought the pieces separately. This means that the jacket from a two-piece suit can't usually be worn as 'just a jacket' as it's too short.
Standards
It used to be the case that motorcycle clothing only had to be certified to EN 13595 and carry the CE mark if it was used in a professional capacity. So unless you used a motorcycle as a police officer, courier or any other occupation requiring the use of a motorcycle, you didn't have to use clothing that met the requirements of EN 13595. However, most riders use their motorcycles for leisure and commuting, meaning clothing didn't have to comply. Until 2018, it would be rare to find motorcycle clothing certified to EN 13595. However, things changed. To cover items produced for leisure riders, EN 17092 was introduced. The new standard comprises a series of tests to ensure the gear you're wearing when you ride will keep you safe and protected.
EN 13595
Items covered: Jackets, trousers, one-piece suits and two-piece suits for professional motorcycle riders.
The original test for clothing for professional riders comprises four parts. Part one details the requirements and examination procedures.
Part two is the Impact Abrasion test and involves the specimen being dropped at a distance of 50mm onto a 60-grit abrasive belt moving at 18mph. The test runs until the specimen is holed, and a time in seconds is used to determine a pass or a fail.
Part three is the Seam Burst Strength test. A circular specimen is cut from the clothing and clamped over a diaphragm. The material is slowly extended into a dome shape, applying force to the seam in all directions. The pressure required to burst the seam determines the result.
Part four is the Impact Cut test. A sample from the garment is mounted over a rectangular hole. A sharp blade is dropped onto the sample, and the maximum penetration of the blade through the material is measured.
EN 17092
Items covered: Jackets, trousers, one-piece suits and two-piece suits for all motorcycle riders.
The new standard contains six parts. As with EN 13595, the first part details the requirements and examination procedures. Items can be tested as AAA, AA, A, B or C class, depending on their intended use.
Dimensional Stability: This test determines if a garment shrinks after washing or cleaning. If the item's dimensions grow or shrink by more than 5%, it's a fail.
Impact Energy Absorption: Elbow, shoulder, knee, and hip impact protectors must be present in Class AAA and Class AA clothing. Hip protectors are optional for Class A. Class B items should provide the equivalent of Class A but without requiring impact protectors. Finally, Class C items are designed to provide impact protection in areas only covered by the impact protectors and are typically used with under or over garments.
Impact Abrasion Resistance: Three samples of the material are mounted in holders at a 45° angle. They are then attached to rotating arms, dropped onto a concrete tile and allowed to come to a natural stop. This is performed three times. It's considered a pass if the samples complete the test without an opening of 5mm or more in any direction on the layer closest to the body.
Seam Strength: Each seam type, zip and protector pocket seam is tested for strength. If the seams maintain their integrity, the item passes.
Tear Strength: The test differs depending on whether it's a leather or textile garment and is used to determine the resilience to tearing.
Fit and Ergonomics: A test to ensure that garments fit in accordance with the manufacturer's size labelling. The assessor must be able to carry out all essential movements whilst wearing the garment.
Labelling for successful passes will vary from garment to garment, and its category rating is based on its application and is indicative of the level of protection. The first picture on the right shows a AAA-rating for a Dainese Kyalami CustomWorks 1-piece suit. The suit offers complete coverage with high abrasion resistance and armour in all the correct places.
The two photos immediately to the right show a pair of leather Dainese Delta 3 pants with an AA-rating and textile Dainese Tonale D-Dry pants with an A rating. You'll also notice the suit and leather pants don't display the box showing the standard. This was because these items were designed before the standard had been finalised. The textile pants were designed before finalisation in 2020, but met the provisional standard, which is why they bear the 'pr' prefix before the EN 17092-2:2017 tag.
There's a lot more to leathers, but there should be enough information here to get you on the right path. If you're looking to buy a new set, your best bet is to get yourself down to Bike Stop and seek assistance from the team. They'll have you looking like Batman on his day off in next to no time.
