Gloves

What do you want from motorcycle gloves?

Motorcycle gloves need to protect your hands and wrists without reducing your ability to operate the controls.

Does it comply with the european standard for motorcycle gloves (EN 13594)?

Those that have been tested against the EU standard will be marked CE 13594, but there are relatively few CE marked motorcycle gloves available.

Check also that they comply with ISO 11642 which is the international standard for colour fastness in water. Gloves that do not comply may stain your hands.

Leather or textile?

Gloves need to provide at least 2.5 seconds of abrasion resistance in a crash. Leather needs to be at least 0.9 mm thick to provide sufficient protection.

Comfort and fit

Gloves should fit snugly. With your hand held flat, there should be just a pinch of free fabric at the tip of each finger. Check to ensure the material does not bunch under your hand when you grip the handle bars.

They must be water proof, to prevent your hands from becoming dangerously cold to the point that you cannot operate your controls.

How are they designed?

Gloves should cover your entire hand and wrist.

Impact protection is recommended for the back of the hands and knuckles. This should be a hard surface designed to spread the impact of a blow. Don't be mislead by soft padding, which is only for comfort.

The little finger is often the first point of contact with the ground. Webbing between the little finger and the next may prevent it from being twisted and broken under your weight.

Avoid hard objects such as buckles, buttons or studs which can injure you.

How well are they constructed?

Seams should have at least once row of concealed stitching as reinforcement.

Are all fastening points secure and protected?

Gloves should be fastened on the inside of the wrists to prevent fastenings being torn or worn away against the road surface.

Gloves that are just pulled on without additional fastenings, will be pulled off in a crash. Do not buy them.

Final check

Check that you can operate all of your motorcycle controls and adjust your visor, while wearing the gloves.

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