Yes it’s true, women love to ride motorcycles too! And we want to look good, be safe and be appropriately geared up for the weather. If you’re like me, you’ve learned that finding the right women’s biker clothing can be really tough!
I think sometimes that motorcycle gear manufacturers have forgotten that women want stylish ladies motorcycle gear that isn’t just sized-down for women but is made especially for us! We want women’s motorcycle apparel that acknowledges and accommodates our unique shapes. We’re not just small men – we’re women and we ride too! Women’s motorcycle fashion is important to us.
Whether you’re riding your own bike or on the back of your partner’s bike, great womens motorcycle gear is an absolute necessity. I want to feel safe on a rip up the Sea to Sky Highway!
As an avid motorcyclist with more than 50,000 touring kilometres behind me, I’ve tried SO MUCH women’s biker clothing! Through trial and error, I’ve managed to find some great motorcycle touring gear from online sellers and retailers that I know and trust. This motorcycle gear for women is tried-and-true and has worked in real riding conditions!
Let’s get started!
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Ladies Motorbike Gear – ATGATT or not?
Personally, I’m an ATGATT gal: I use All The Gear All The Time.
But, there’s no judgments here. If you prefer riding without gloves in the summer or with sneakers instead of boots, that’s your personal decision to make. We all decide where our personal comfort zone is and if you feel better riding without a jacket in the heat of the summer, good for you! You’re still riding and that is what’s important.
Women’s Biker Clothing – Fabric Choices
Ladies motorcycle gear comes in a variety of fabric choices. The two most popular choices for womens riding gear tend to be leather and textile. Leather is known as the best to protect well against skin abrasions and is the classic choice. Textile womens biker apparel is widely used for all types of women’s motorcycle apparel and is flexible enough to be worn in both hot and cold weather. Most textiles and leather are designed with built-in armour, reflective detailing for increased visibility, and a variety of other options.
The choice you make for your women’s motorcycle gear depends on what style you prefer and the kind of flexibility you need. You will also want to consider price point, as leather women’s biker clothing can be a lot more expensive than textile ladies motorcycle clothing.
Ladies Motorcycle Gear – Helmets
Using a motorcycle helmet is the law in most countries, including Canada. Parts of the United States do not require a motorcycle helmet – 28 states still do not require it. Some states only require riders of a certain age to wear helmets – for example, riders 20 years and younger must wear helmets in Texas.
Given the statistics of motorcycle accidents and the odds of your head striking the pavement (or something worse!) in an accident, I strongly recommend using a female motorcycle helmet. A helmet is the most important ladies motorcycle clothing you can use while riding a motorcycle.
The weight of female motorcycle helmets is also a factor. I really feel the weight of the ladies motorcycle helmets over time on a ride and therefore I prefer a lighter helmet. I always make sure the helmet I choose is DOT certified. Ensure there is a sticker on the inside or outside of the helmet indicating that it complies with the safety test from the US Department of Transportation.
Best Women’s Motorcycle Helmets
When choosing a female motorcycle helmet, I like to match the colour of the women’s biker helmet to my bike, and secondarily to my gear. I also like my helmet to have reflective elements so I can be easily seen at night.
I’ve used several brands of helmets over the years and have found the best success with Shoei helmets. This helmet fits my head shape the best, they wear well and are DOT certified, of course.
My preferred helmet is the Shoei GT-Air II. It’s lightweight, has an internal sun visor (which I LOVE), and fully adjustable ventilation.
If you prefer a lower-profile ladies motorcycle helmet, this Bell helmet is a solid choice:
Best Womens Motorcycle Jacket
I’ve had quite a few motorcycle jackets for women over the years and have tested a number of styles. I’ve also had many conversations with my women rider friends about their ladies motorcycle jackets and what biker wear they prefer and why.
Most women prefer to have 2-3 biker clothing for ladies jackets in rotation at any given time. For some it’s about the weather and what is most comfortable at the time they’re riding.
For others, it’s about ladies motorbike jacket fashion and what suits their mood that day!
Best Motorcycle Gear for Women
I normally have 3 women’s motorcycle jackets in rotation and I prefer textile jackets for my women’s motorcycle wear. I like the versatility of textile and the fact that female motorcycle jackets are available in a wide variety of colours, sizes, and styles. The price range for ladies motorbike jackets in textile can vary widely, depending on the features in the jacket. A ladies riding jacket in textile can be a great choice for a long weekend getaway, as they are so versatile!
I like to get a multi-purpose women’s motorcycle riding jacket that can be worn in 2 different seasons. Jacket manufacturers like to advertise jackets that can be worn in 3 seasons but my experience suggests that the third season (usually late fall/winter) isn’t very comfortable!
Look for women’s motorcycle apparel that has a removable thermal liner and zips that can be opened for airflow when it’s warmer out in late Spring or early Summer.
One of my favourites is the Joe Rocket Heartbreaker 3.0. It has a great design and a matching thermal liner with excellent safety armour at the shoulders and elbows in this biker outfit for women.
Best Summer Motorcycle Jacket
Something I’ve learned the hard way is that if you love riding in the summer (and who doesn’t?) you really must have a mesh summer riding jacket. There’s nothing worse than over-heating in the wrong motorcycle clothing for women on a long ride!
I got the Joe Rocket Cleo Elite women’s summer motorcycle jacket last summer and wore it almost daily. It was comfortable to wear, even in upwards of 90 degrees F or 30 degrees C. This women’s motorcycle riding jacket also has a rainproof inner liner in case you get caught in a summer storm! This womens motorcycle apparel is also a great piece of women motorcycle touring clothing.
Best Women’s Motorcycle Pants
A lot of women wear women biker jeans to ride and this is a classic choice. Old-school or boyfriend-cut Levi’s with a riding jacket scores a lot of points in the style department!
If you want a little more protection in your women’s biker pants when you ride, there are lots of women’s biker fashion jeans available.
I’ve worn a number of different types of ladies motorcycle riding gear pants when I ride, and lately I’ve been wearing riding jeans. I really like them! They’re comfortable to ride in, have a great old school biker clothing vibe and I look relatively normal walking into a restaurant or coffee shop after getting off my bike!
These ladies motorcycle pants are a great choice. They have a bit of stretch and are straight cut. There’s Kevlar at the knee and seat for abrasion resistance and armour at the knees. I like the classic jean style too.
In the heat of summer you’ll really appreciate some women’s motorcycle riding gear pants that breathe while you’re riding. These motorcycle pants for women offer large mesh areas as well as reflective panels. These ladies biker pants are reinforced at the seat and knees and armour is included too. These ladies motorcycle riding pants are a great choice to go with the Joe Rocket Cleo Elite jacket:
A relatively new option on the market for women’s biker apparel is Kevlar leggings, also known as motorcycle leggings for women. I’m really excited to try these! I know that so many women love wearing leggings on a regular basis so why not when we’re riding too?
This motorbike clothing for women is on my wish list for this riding season. Fully lined with Aramid and reinforced with Kevlar, they’re designed for maximum abrasion resistance while looking like just another pair of yoga pants. They even have pockets! The rise is really high on these, which can come in handy when you’re bent over on the bike. I really love the idea of women’s kevlar motorcycle pants – safety first!
The best thing about these women’s motorcycle leggings is the wide variety of sizes. They’re great for biker ladies of all heights. There are 3 inseam lengths – short 28”, regular 30” and tall 32”, sizes from 2 to 18. I think these will become my new favourite women’s motorcycle riding pants.
Ladies Motorcycle Gear – Gloves
Gloves are an essential piece of women’s motorcycle touring clothing. Gloves are a really personal choice among riders. Some like to have maximum contact with the throttle and therefore love a really smooth and thin leather glove. Others prefer armour on the knuckles and maximum protection with gauntlet style gloves.
I prefer a mix of both but no matter what the season or style, I always choose gloves with a measure of armour built in. Ladies motorcycle wear needs to be safe!
These are my favourite early spring and cool riding day gloves. They’re long enough to offer some lower arm warmth together with excellent protection on the palm and wrist. Full-grain leather too! Perfect for motorcycle ladies 🙂
I love these gloves for summer riding! They’re just short enough and very lightweight. As well they’re super stretchy and have mesh inserts to keep your hands cool. At the time same time, these great gloves offer knuckle armour to keep your hands safe. These gloves are a great part of a biker outfit for ladies.
Ladies Motorcycle Boots
I love that there are so many choices out there for women’s biker boots these days!
There was a time when all I could find was clunky-looking ugly ladies motorbike boots that I was never satisfied with. I was so glad when the manufacturers started making more old school biker gear with women in mind.
These best women’s motorcycle boots are a great choice if you want to have protection for your feet and ankles when you’re riding but you don’t want to look like you’re wearing riding boots! Described as motocognito, these boots are supple, full-grain leather. They’re waterproof, have dual ankle discs, and a reinforced toe box. They’re full-on riding boots without the look! These are a perfect choice for biker women’s clothing.
I like short women’s motorcycle riding boots during the summer riding season to complement my summer biker clothing, and I love wearing these vented boots. They’re ideal for warm weather and built specifically for women’s feet. My feet don’t get too hot wearing these in the summer!
Ladies Motorbike Gear – Hair Care
Ladies, can we talk hair?
I can’t even tell you how many things I tried to keep my long hair from getting knotted up when I rode.
We’ve all seen those images of women riding with their long flowing hair behind them, but if you have long hair you know that that image is a load of BS!
If you’ve ever ridden any distance with your hair flying behind, you’ve gotten off the bike with your hair in knots that took hours to untangle, not to mention the bugs that had taken up residence! I knew there must be a ladies biker gear solution for this.
Motorcycle Hair Tips
Late in my first season riding, I saw a woman riding with her hair wrapped up in one of these. I walked right up to her and asked her what it was and where she got it. I haven’t ridden without one since! It’s a complete godsend for those of us with longer hair. All motorbike ladies need one of these!
It works like a charm. I just wrap a ponytail holder around my hair at my nape, attach this ponytail wrap to the elastic and snap it closed. It keeps my hair tidy and knot free while I’m riding!
Or if you like a more badass look:
Where do you like to shop for women’s biker clothing? Do you have favourite look?
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I love those jackets and boots very much. Thank you for your nice post. I want to make a surprise gift for my motorcycle rider wife. Lesley thank you so much for post this informative post and help me get some idea.
I don’t ride but those motorcycle jackets look so cool! Thanks for this unique post!
Thanks for your comment, Ann! Motorcycle jackets are definitely cool – it’s even cooler when you’re riding while wearing them ;-).
Great post – just need to go out and get a bike for exploring now!
Thanks Jessica! You definitely should!
I ride for fun on my GXR-600 and i also wear all the gears. But being safe and comfortable is just pleasant. I will definitely look for your legging
Thanks for your comment, Letty 🙂 I always feel more comfortable when I’m fully geared up too. Let me know what you think about the leggings!
I am so glad to see someone create this list! When I started riding, it was hard enough to find any women’s gear that wasn’t just men’s gear but smaller – let alone find someone who had reviewed any of it! I tried so much gear, just like you. I’m so glad that the market for really good women’s gear is growing!
I don’t ride at the moment – I sold my ZX10 when I was pregnant with my first, and I want to wait until my babies aren’t so little before I ride on the street again. But I still get excited to see other women writing about riding. And this is a great resource!
Thanks for your kind words, Dani 🙂 Finding great women’s gear can be really frustrating but through trial and error, I’ve been able to track down stuff that really works. I didn’t ride when my kids were younger either – no time! I hope you’re able to get back to riding soon 🙂
Hi Lesley:
I don’t ride, but if I did, I would be a atgatt girl! No judgment here either. Great outfits and explanations. Enjoy your rides!
Visiting from The Midlife Blogging Community
Melanie
Thanks Mel ? Maybe riding is in your future? ?
Great information here! I’m also an all gear all the time girl – though I don’t ride my own, I do ride on the back of my husband’s bike. We’ve toured the country on the back of the bike several times and it’s integral to be safe and comfortable. I’m totally going to look into those leggings as well – love the idea as they are way more stylish than my slider jeans!
Thanks Tina! It think ATGATT is definitely the way to go 🙂 I can’t wait to try the riding leggings – so comfortable looking! Let me know how you like them!
The internal sun visor in your favourite helmet is a great feature! I love that these items are both functional and allow you to express yourself a little with your fashion choices
I absolutely love having a sun visor built into my helmet – saves me having to worry about sunglasses and is super handy too!
I ride too. I love the jacket and Jean’s! Thank you for sharing, wonderful post.
Thanks Doreen! I’d difficult to find great women’s gear sometimes so I’m glad I was able to find these!
I didn’t know there was so many different types of motorcycle gear for women. This was a really informative post. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Christina – great women’s gear is hard find, but it’s out there!
I love the jackets and boots! Can I wear even if I have no intention of ever getting on the back of a motorcycle? 🙂
I think you could definitely get away with that Jae! But, you really should try to get on a motorcycle – they’re very addictive!