Fast feet: Best sports and track motorcycle boots

Published: 23 April 2024 Updated: 23 April 2024

If your motorcycling involves sports bikes, trackdays or even racing then you almost certainly want the race-style clothing to match – and that includes not just one or two-piece race-style leathers with a sports full-face helmet but also gloves and race-style boots, too.

All of that’s not just to look good. Race-style boots may not be designed to deliver warmth, weather protection or be intended for year-round use like touring boots, but they do have the latest safety features and are designed to be light and comfortable ‘on-bike’ when machine control, aerodynamics and comfort are paramount.

And although track specific kit, such as one-piece race leathers, have their limitations on road, race boots still give brilliant road protection and lots of enviable style.

There’s also a huge choice from a raft of manufacturers, including waterproof and ventilated version, across a wide range of prices.

So which boots are best for you? What do they offer, what features do they have and how much do they cost?

To help you decide, whether you’re off racing, are trying a few trackdays or simply want to enjoy your sportsbike on the road, here’s our choice of some of the best.

Richa Blade WP Boots

<strong>Tested by Gareth Evans for 2,000 miles and two track days</strong>

Price: £139.99

www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk

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I’ve built quite a relationship with these boots over the past few months. We’ve seen some things – most notably some huge storms, both on road and on track. I can confirm Richa’s claim that they’re 100% waterproof, but more importantly, I love how comfortable they are considering the rigidity required to offer the required protection. But you might expect that from the most expensive boots in the firm’s racing line-up.

There’s bracing for your calf, armour for your shin and both things for your heel, plus removable toe sliders and even a reinforced patch for gear changes, which was welcome given the quickshifter on my R7 needs a bit of a kick to operate. Despite their racey looks, they’re actually pretty flexible for use off the bike (although my jeans don’t fit around them so I’ve had some weird looks) and they’re well ventilated too, which helped in the blazing sunshine at Brands Hatch between the torrential downpours.

The soles have treaded rubber grip, which helps on the pegs and the ground. Plus in this colour scheme they match Yamaha’s 60th Anniversary Edition Speed Block livery brilliantly. You’ve got a choice of four other hues if this one doesn’t work.

In fact, my only criticism of these boots is that they’re fairly tight around my calves and ankles, and while they’ve faired well to date, I’m a little concerned the fastening zip is getting a hard time. It gets the liner trapped occasionally too, and that plus the force required to do the boots up could mean it doesn’t last as long as I’d like. I’ll keep on going with them and let you know.

Pros

Comfotable
Genuinely waterproof

Cons

Zipper struggling after a while

Quality

4.0
Value

4.0

Armour	Toe Sliders, Heel, Ankle, Shin
Type	Road and race
Construction	Synthetic leathertex

Internal waterproof lining
Stretch instep for enhanced walking comfort
Replaceable metal toe slider
Protection at the shins, ankles and heels
Zip with hook and loop closure

DXR Code Evo Boots

Tried and tested by Dan Sutherland for four months and 3,000 miles

Price: £75.99 (was £79.99)

www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk

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"I’ve put more than 3000 miles of testing through these Code Evo waterproof sports boots this year – using them for commuting, weekend rides, a short tour, and more than the occasional summer downpour. At a penny shy of £76, they offer a spec sheet far greater than their price would suggest – featuring double stitching in vulnerable areas, grippy rubber soles, toe sliders, external shift pads, and hard plastic armour over the shin and ankle areas.

Finished in red and black, they look decent too – sporting a style reminiscent of some sports touring designs and showing no signs of premature wear after substantial daily use. There’s still plenty of meat left in the soles, and the YKK zip closer has never snagged. Both Velcro pull tabs on the closures also remain in place. Initially a little stiff to wear, once broken in the DXRs have come to be very comfortable, with a wide opening to slip your feet in with ease, and a narrow enough shin area to tuck beneath your riding jeans or textile trousers. I have noticed some of the top stitching on the flap behind the zip closer coming apart though, which is something I’ve experienced with many boots of this type of design."

Pros

Great value for the money

Cons

Not as well made as other more expensive boots

Quality

3.0
Value

5.0

Armour	Ankle, Shin, Toe Sliders, Heel
Type	Road and race
Construction	Microfibre and synthetic leather

Polyester interior, hyper resistant and breathable synthetic fibre
Waterproof and breathable Z liner, ideal in rainy weather
Expansion gusset to the top of the boot, opening wide to easily put on / take off
Both ankle and tibia reinforcements for ultimate safety
Accordion zone on the instep and Achilles tendon, providing more flexibility for better comfort and support
DXR rubber outsole, promoting grip, water dispersion and resistance over time
Interchangeable toe sliders
Ventilation grills to keep your feet cool

Sidi Performer Gore-Tex Boots

Tried and tested

Price: £251.99 (was £279.99)

www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk

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Come up quite tall, though they don’t feel stiff or cumbersome. Easy to put on, with a side zip that runs virtually all the way down to the sole, and feet are left feeling comfortable and relaxed inside, with no pinch points or unwelcome snugness. There’s no obvious external bracing though, which might affect perceived confidence for some riders, but countering that is the perfect CE rating –these earn the higher Level 2 score for all three test criteria (cut, abrasion and rigidity). Constructed in microfibre with a Gore-Tex membrane, they resolutely refused to concede a single drop of water in both our pressure-washer and our submersion tests. If you like the look and fit but don’t go out when it rains, there’s a non-waterproof version of the Performer available for £55 less

Pros

Big on protection

Cons

Quite tall and don't look as robust as they are

Quality

4.0
Value

4.0

Armour	Heel, Toe Sliders, Shin
Type	Road and race
Construction	Technomicro material and Gore-Tex

Shaped and fixed shin plate with lower air channels
Calf area exhaust in soft polyurethane protected with mesh
Metatarsus external protection
Replaceable nylon toe slider
Internal inner and outer ankle protective caps
Nylon inner sole with removable arch support pad

RST TracTech Evo3 WP

Tried and tested

Price: £159.99

www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk

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Substantial shin plate and prominent ankle bracing give these a very racy look. Feel quite stiff in construction though – it can be difficult to reach your left foot forwards enough to get under the gear pedal. That bracing had a habit of digging into ankles on both sides too. Waterproofing is provided by RST’s own SinAqua membrane, which stayed totally dry in the spray test, thought did let water through when the boots were submerged. Fit is good, through it takes a couple of goes to get the main zip done up and the Velcro closed properly

Pros

Waterproof
Lots of features
Good price

Cons

Lacks cache of some Italian brands

Quality

3.0
Value

4.0

Armour	Ankle, Shin, Toe Sliders, Heel
Type	Road and race
Construction	Microfibre and waterproof and breathable membrane

Strong TPU shin and heel protection
Hinged ankle prevents overextension
Calf expansion panel for added flexibility
Hard-wearing gear shift protection pad
Anti-slip multi-density sole for added grip
Replaceable hard-wearing toe slider

Alpinestars SMX-6 V2 Drystar

Tried and tested by Jim Blackstock

Price: £256.49 (was £269.99)

www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk

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I love these boots. They are sporty enough for almost any road use but are superbly comfortable and very reassuring, with the armour and protection. They go under most of the jeans I normally wear in summer and easily go under textiles while leathers also fit inside easily. They have kept my feet warm and dry for two years on a variety of bikes and have plenty of life left in them yet.

Read Jim's full review here

Pros

Top quality brand
More affordable price
Good blend of features

Cons

Less high tech than some

Armour	Ankle, Toe Sliders, Shin
Type	Road and race
Construction	Microfibre upper and Drystar membrane

TPU lateral ankle brace support between calf, shin and ankle for impact shock protection
TPU injected shin guard, calf protector, heel counter, shift pad, ankle brace and toe sliders
Double density ankle protector on the medial side
Replaceable toe slider with easy screw fixings
Instep and Achilles accordion flex zone
Internal toe box protection
Removable anatomic footbed with EVA and Lycra

TCX RT Race

Tried and tested by Jim Blackstock

Price: £239.99 ( was £299.99)

www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk

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The RT Race from TCX come in several varieties, solid microfiber, as shown here as well as waterproof and ventilated for additional airflow. Formed in full microfibre, they are Vegan-friendly and are a very proper sports and race boot; they recently won a Best Buy triangle from sister title RiDE.

They have a laced inner boot for excellent comfort and ankle bracing as well as strong heel and toe cups, shin armour and a ratchet strap at the top. They use a zip fastening on the outside which some may find odd but offer excellent feel and comfort. Seal of Approval - We've tested this product and would spend our own money on it

Read our full review of the TCX RT Race boots here.

Pros

Very comfortable
Excellent protection
Vegan friendly

Cons

Not the cheapest

Armour	Toe Sliders, Heel, Ankle, Shin
Type	Road and Race
Construction	Microfibre

Padded rear flex area for comfort
Abrasion-resistant microfibre heat guard
Soft touch breathable mesh lining with double-density foam
Double Flex Control System helps prevent ankle twisting
Abrasion-resistant replaceable polyurethane toe and heel sliders
Replaceable anatomic extra light and breathable footbed

About the author: After qualifying as a mechanical engineer, Jim Blackstock began working on magazines in the early 1990s. He remains passionate about product testing to ensure readers know what products offer good value and why. He relishes torrential rain to see if riding kit keeps water out and an hour or two to tinker on a project bike in his workshop.

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