Motorcycle Apparel (Fit)

Motorcycle Apparel (Fit)

by Mary
(East Bay, CA)

What is the biggest difference between women's apparel and men's apparel?

I mean mostly jackets and not pants. I've bought a riding jacket fit for women (textile with armor), and it fits fine. But my friend (a rider) says there's not much difference between men's jackets and women's jackets in terms of function of fit (only different in terms of style/design/feminine fit). Being a newbie, I wonder if this is true.

I assumed that women's gear is shorter, and the shoulders are narrower. But would a bulky men's jacket (of my size) still fit its function while I ride, or will it get in the way?

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Motorcycle Apparel (Fit)

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Oct 08, 2011

What about tall girls?
by: Anonymous

At 5'11" I am finding it impossible to find a medium tall leather motorcycle jacket (or even textile) with armor. Not big and tall, just tall. It should not be this hard!

May 14, 2011

I am a tall girl and I want PINK, damn it!
by: Anonymous

I am 6 feet 2 inches tall and not skinny any more. If I go around in the few tall mens or the one tall woman's jacket found that looks just like a mans jacket people will think my husband is riding my Punk Vespa again. I want pink damn it.

I got a supposedly "close enough" jacket with some pink on it but I hate it. It is too short in the body, the elbows hit in the wrong place and I had to take out the shoulder and elbow armor to get a little more sleeve length. I would not have bought it if it had not been a special order and my first piece of protective riding gear.

I am not happy with the "tall" size rain jacket I found. The body fits nice but the sleeves are still too short. I have considered asking the company for more of the fabric to lengthen them from a spot above the elbows but the thing makes me sweat so bad I don't use it anyway. I just don't ride in the rain.

I could have used a size larger than they made in that jacket too considering it was supposed to fit over other protective gear. Um. No.

Jul 30, 2010

No difference in function.
by: Anita - Sac, CA

I've had a men's joe rocket jacket for a few years and absolutely loved it....until I lost 20lbs and it became baggy on me. I now have the equivalent jacket made for women and am happy, but not ecstatic, about it. The shoulders fit a bit snug, but I have wide shoulders to begin with so I just have to ensure I don't gain too much weight; otherwise, back to men's jackets. As far as the safety features go, there shouldn't be any differences between men's and women's. I think it all depends on your build and fashion requirements. I also tend to be fuller in the belly which causes a lot of the women's jackets to feel like corsets and are not comfortable.
I too am vertically challenged at 5'3" (5'4" w/boots) and as far as pants go, I've found that women's definitely fit me better. Even though I have found men's pants to fit me in the waist and inseam, they tend to fit really baggy around my legs - made me feel like the M.C. Hammer of motorcycling.

Jul 29, 2010

How different?
by: Aili

No, there isn't much difference in the performance of men's and women's motorcycle jackets (its boots you have to be careful of). My husband has a men's version of my mesh jacket, and the armor, pockets, velcro tabs are all the same. The difference is in the cut - mine has princess seams to fit over the bosom, and a narrower waist. That's it.

With boots, you have to be careful whether they're rider boots or fashion boots -- not even all Harley boots are made alike.

Jul 29, 2010

Makes Sense
by: Mary

Thank you for all your comments. My take from it all is that we need to support motorcycle apparel for women so that they know there's a large enough market to sink their research into.

And the other one is try them all on (men's or women's) and make sure they fit. Sit in a riding position in them and all that. I'm pretty short (5'2") so I think I may be staying in the women's department. And it makes sense that all the bulky material left in a smaller men's size may not help in a slide.

Funny thing is that when I shop for jeans, I shop at the men's department because you can choose your inseam length. Women's jeans all tend to be long by default, and I have to hem them all the time. Unless I shop in the petite department, which I don't often.

Jul 29, 2010

Think of your jeans.
by: Sandra

Sure, women can wear men's jeans; some women prefer it for whatever reason. But I have a hard time getting a good fit in WOMEN's clothing, let alone try to have a men's cut conform to my curves.

My husband and I went leather shopping months before we actually got our bikes. LOL And I must have tried on 10 coats or more before I found THE ONE. Yes, it's "just" a black leather motorcycle jacket...but like everything else I spend money on...if it does not make me FEEL GOOD about myself in it, it does not come home with me.

Remember, fit is important; it's your second skin!

Now boots? I had to make some compromises there...I'm a high heels kinda girl, but the cute leather calf boots w/a 2" heel and laces up the back that I started out wearing just don't cut it. I rode fine in them, but was kidding myself that they could stand up to the job of keeping me safe and steady. It took a LOT more shopping to find a functional boot that didn't make me feel like a construction worker - but I settled on Milwaukee Renegades and am learning to LOVE them, too...except for the whole feeling of walking with cement blocks around my ankles... :)

Jul 29, 2010

My 0.02
by: Anonymous

I think providing the motor clothes manufacturers good feedback is the right way to go. At the same time, we have to understand, they are in business to make money, so they have to be able to sell enough of the tall women's clothes to make it worth their while. I have the opposite problem; I wish they made shorter inseams, because I will need to get my pants hemmed. There are companies who will custom make motorcycle clothes for you, but the cost goes way up to around $750 or more per piece of clothing. I sympathize with you. The mens clothes don't fit me right, but I can make them work if I have to. As someone else stated the shoulders are too wide and the sleeves too long, though if you are six feet tall, the sleeves may be perfect for you. Suggest going to a motorcycle shop and trying on the men's jackets/pants to see how they work for you personally.

Jul 29, 2010

There is a difference.
by: Anonymous

I bought some womens riding pants. They were too short. I am 6' tall. All of the womens riding gear is too short for me.

I contacted the company for material to lengthen the pants and register my unhappiness at this circumstance. They sent me men's pants to try. They made my butt look bigger, while they fit in the length. The mens jackets also do not fit right.

Not only is it about fit, but about style. Yes I ride a bike, but I am also a fashion,er, well, slut, I guess. I bought a Jordan women's motorcycle jacket, in part because of the buckles and embellishments on them.

I told the rep at the company for the pants I bought, many times that they needed to expand their clothing options for tall women. Several times. I told him I was not the only tall woman riding and that if they made them, they would sell.

We shall see if they do it.

Jul 29, 2010

Women's Gear
by: kp

here's my take: if we want motorcycle gear companies to make functional and protective gear-jackets, gloves, pants. We need to let them know. The only way I know of to do that is to support the women's gear that's already out there and let them know any pros or cons, I've done that with several pieces I have. Women's gear, especially jackets and pants NEED to fit a woman's body, not just a man's size small. I want my jacket to fit me, really fit me, nice and snug just in case I go sliding across the pavement, all that extra fabric, leather or textile will just slide up and leave my skin exposed. A bulky fit is not what you want long term.

my .02!

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