Motorcycle Gloves

Find your fit

By Marie Almond

Riding is about more than just the bike – you’ll want good motorcycle gloves that protect your hands and are flexible to allow for good circulation. And it’s a bonus if those gloves look good too!

Brand Breakdown

Kevlar Racing Gloves from Motoport are an alternative motorcycle glove designed for vegans. They contain no leather and are 10 times stronger. They are lighter, stronger, more breathable, machine washable and won't lose tear strength even after washing. (Unlike leather, which can lose tear strength from machine washing, just from getting wet then dry.) Sells for about $130.

Alpinestars has ST-1 Drystar Gloves that are waterproof, fleece-insulated and breathable with a Drystar liner, a 500 nylon outer shell and laminated padded stretch neoprene across the knuckles. These gloves also feature Clarino reinforcements on the palm and thumb, and detailed embroidered logos. RideGear has these for $39.95.

Sportex all-year carbon gloves are from Brosh. They have good ventilation, carbon and rubber protectors on the knuckles, and are made from imitation leather, for the price of $35. Brosh also has Spy summer gloves made with breathable textile fabric with Kevlar, carbon protection on the fingers and a Velcro fastening stripe. These gloves have leather on palms, and will cost $44.

Brosh Skipper gloves are leather and waterproof, with knuckle protection, for $55. Last but not least Brosh has winter gloves with a polyester exterior, a middle layer of sealed waterproof nylon and an inside layer of Thinsulate thermal insulation. Sizes range from XS to XXXL.

BMW Airflow gloves are made of high quality leather, and feature a top panel of AirTex. They’re tear resistant and allow for air flow. Knuckles are backed with foam and fingers are padded, while the thumb has a suede panel over breathable fabric. They’re a good glove for spring and summer, and are available in unisex sizes for about $79.

Fabric Review

While vegan fabric is an excellent alternative, leather gloves are known for their thickness and resistance to abrasion. There is no doubt that leather, worn on all parts of your body, will help you walk away after a slide on the pavement.

Kevlar is a material that gets its strength from its weave, a method of weaving liquid into solid. It’s hard to corrode and is extremely heat resistant. It has no melting point, but may be corrosive if exposed to chlorine. It’s lightweight, and variants can be found in brake lines, tires and vests used by firefighters and police officers.

Neoprene, because of its thermal properties and flexibility, is a versatile synthetic rubber – it’s used mainly in sports and medical industries. Be careful of companies offering products made of this material at lower prices, as they may not have the thermal or stretch quality.

It used to be we could depend on the reputation and reliability of North American cars to meet our standards - but could it be the times are changing? Here in the U.S., overseas models are continuing to rise in popularity. Find out why!

If you love your car, you’ve got treat it right – stock will never do for your hot wheels! Whether it’s for performance or just for the look, aftermarket parts can turn that car you just brought home into your own pimp ride.