Motorcycle armor buying guide | The best ways to protect yourself on a motorcycle explained

Wearing armor may not be comfortable, but it beats other types of protective gear like casts, slings, bandages and the like. Embrace the danger and manage the risks with the best armor choices on the market today.

With the range of materials and design options available, there’s no reason not to armor up. The benefits are obvious. Think of the bulk they add as making you look larger and therefore tougher.

Jump to:

• Types of motorcycle armor explained
• What to consider before buying
• The best motorcycle armor for all riding styles
• How MCN tests motorcycle armour

Types of motorcycle armor explained

Integrated Armor

This is the most common kind, integrated into motorcycle jackets or riding jeans. Integrated armor has been around for decades. Just put on your jacket and go for a ride. You can replace the armor, upgrade it or remove it if you’re not riding.

The downside is they don’t offer as much safety as dedicated protectors and are usually a brand-specific fit. Integrated armor can also shift away from the impact point it’s meant to protect in a crash. Proper fit is important.

Back & Chest protectors

Back and chest armor are often considered optional, but the protection they offer is crucial. Hard impacts to the chest can be fatal. Most crashes involve hitting something in front of you, so the benefits of a chest protector are obvious. Your back is particularly vulnerable as well. A study from the Journal of Trauma showed that back injuries in a motorcycle crash often have life-changing consequences.

Most dedicated protectors combine back and chest protection and often exceed the CE test’s standards for safety. They usually cover more back and chest area than integrated options.

Find out more about back protectors in our dedicated guide to motorcycle back protectors.

Armored under-layers

Armored shirts and pants embrace the layering philosophy. They offer impact protection, while your jacket and pants offer abrasion resistance. The closer the armor is to your body, the less it moves out of place. Plus you can choose any appropriate external layer you want. They also tend to be lightweight and breathable, but more specialized models can be pricey.

Airbags

Motorcycle airbags have become increasingly popular and offer significantly more impact protection than standard motorcycle armor. Just like in a car, they rapidly expand in the event of a crash, and reduce impact energy with cushioned air instead of hard plastics.

Again, they’re pricey. But for those who can afford it, they’re an easy sell.

Find out more about motorcycle airbags in our dedicated guide to motorcycle airbags.

What to consider before buying

Material and construction

Motorcycle armor is made of hard plastics, but incorporates other materials as well. Higher grade armor might be made of different rubbers, memory foam, silicone, or a viscoelastic material that’s flexible to wear, but stiffens on impact.

Certification and CE standards

CE-rated motorcycle gear is one of the gold standards for ensuring safe and effective gear. Apart from helmets in most states, there is no legal requirement to wear impact protection of any specific rating. But there’s little point in considering gear without at least a CE rating of A, at a minimum.

The current CE standard for motorcycle armor is EN1621, which covers armor for the shoulders, elbows, back, chest, hips, and knees. They each come rated to level 1 or level 2, which denote how protective they are. Level 1 armor is designed to offer reasonable protection against the majority of city speed crashes, while level 2 offers reasonable protection against common impacts at average highway speeds.

Find our full guide to motorcycle CE ratings explained.

Fit and comfort

Armor can’t protect well if it doesn’t fit. Look for armor designed to contour the rider. CE level 1 armor can be made incredibly thin and flexible, and the extra comfort is an acceptable safety tradeoff for some.

Ventilation

Many armor designs feature ventilation, which stops you getting sweaty spots where the armor sits. The ventilation offers some weight savings too, with the added benefit of being more flexible and comfortable.

The best motorcycle armor for all riding styles

All motorcycle armor protects you, but some are better suited to different kinds of riding. Let’s break it down by riding style.

Jump to:

• Commuting
• Touring
• Off-road
• Track-day
• Adventure

Commuting

Riding through rush-hour comes with risk, especially when filtering between lanes. Here’s the best armor for daily commutes:

Touring

Sometimes you just want to get away from it all. That includes familiar roads. Unfamiliar roads come with a higher risk of crashing. Along with higher road speeds, touring comes with its own specific risks Here’s our top picks:

Off-road

Off-road riders need less abrasion resistance. Riding off-road is a serious workout, and you’ll often have a lot of slow speed crashes and tip-overs. Lightweight and breathable armor underneath a motocross jersey are ideal in these conditions. Here’s our picks of the best off-road armor:

Track-day

All track days require back protectors, so you’ll need one of if you haven’t already got one. Here’s our best options — tested by us:

Adventure

Adventure riders need a combination of qualities found in both touring and off-road armor. If you’re riding from tarmac to turf regularly, here’s the best armor:

How MCN tests motorcycle armor

The MCN team of expert journalists have decades of experience over hundreds of thousands of miles. We don’t torture test anything. We use it just like you do in the real world and in all conditions to deliver impartial motorcycle armor advice.

MCN covers countless miles each week and tries lots of options in a short space of time. We quickly discover which motorcycle armor works great, which ones don’t and why.

We only feature motorcycle armor we’ve extensively tested. Comparison motorcycle armor will be included if deemed important and relevant. Testing is ongoing and we will continually add gear and products to our site.

To find out more, head to our dedicated page explaining how we test motorcycle products.

Scoring explained

Products are given a score from 1 to 5 stars. Beyond the ratings tab, you’ll find in-depth info on product and gear performance and attributes.

• 1 Star – Avoid at all costs.
• 2 Stars – Barely acceptable.
• 3 Stars – Average or adequate.
• 4 Stars – Above average.
• 5 Stars – Excellent performance.

To find out more, head to our dedicated page explaining how we test motorcycle products.

NOTE: While MCN may receive commissions or other compensation from the links on this page, we never allow this to influence product selections – read why you should trust us.

- Just so you know, we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website - read why you should trust us.