Motorcycle Leather Vest

Vests made of leather are an excellent choice for both men and women for tough outdoor apparel. They provide good protection from the cool winds, wet weather and can be worn over any motorcycle gear. Vests made with lamb skin will give a more stylish look for women as they will be softer, and for men, choose cow hide which will give it sharper lines for a biker look. Modern vests will fit just right and provide a snug fit, and the weight should not be too heavy, to weigh you down. Additional features will be a zippered pocket on the inside of the vest and open pockets on the outside. It is recommended to wear some under armor heat apparel, if you are using these under direct sun on a hot day. This will provide further cooling from the heat.

Depending on your needs, check that the leather vest does not come with unwanted patches, or logos and emblems that may interfere with the look you are after. If in doubt, contact the vendor before you purchase. Expect to pay a price of above $80 for a good quality product made with durable material. Pay attention to the stitching, as this is the area that will most likely be stressed during riding. Always start with a smaller size and work your way up, as the leather will stretch over time. If you have a larger body size, you will need to make allowance for your stomach area and choose one size higher than your normal body fit. Leather vests should be worn with a tight fit around the shoulders but loosen as you tailor towards to stomach line.

Denim Motorcycle Vest

Denim vests make a perfect jacket replacement for an every day casual look, without being weighed down by heavier materials like leather. The advantage of denim is that you can choose from a larger range of colors instead of just brown or black. Decided if you want to have traditional buttons or snap buttons, which may suit you better if you need quick removal after a ride. Most denim sizes can be matched exactly to the normal size of clothing that you wear. Keep in mind that denim will generally not stretch as much, and may be tight around the chest area if your size is too small. Look for extra features like zip pockets and also snap pockets. Mens and ladies sizes are usually shown as small (S), medium (M), large (L) and extra large (XL). Shipping and delivery costs are generally lower for denim wear, as the weight is lower.

Motorcycle Safety Vest and Reflective Vest

Safety vests need not look ugly anymore in the modern day. For example, the Icon Mil-spec Mesh vest creates a highly visible safety vest when worn at night. This is due to the highly reflective materials used to shine any light back at the source, and in the day the bright orange colors provide excellent visibility even from a distance. The weight of the safety vests are generally light, with some being able to be folded and put into your pocket easily. Colors range from orange and yellow, to the occasional white, depending on the purpose. Most riders are content with orange, as it compromises style with function. Road workers, military personnel and delivery staff will find these vests invaluable for their jobs. Wikipedia have a great definition of high visibility clothing.

Motorcycle Bullet Proof Vest

If you are after a SWAT or Police style looking vest, these these are perfect for your riding experience. These vests are made purely with tactical styling in mind, featuring customized magazine pouches which can be detached and moved around. Extra padding is provided on the inside for extra comfort and protection. Most are constructed of durable nylon, and come with adjustable straps and holsters to allow the user to hold their flash lights, knives, and accessories. Velcro will hold almost all of your belongings in place while you are on the road. Please note that most of the vests your see for sale online are not bullet proof, unless it is stated that they are compliant with NIJ levels. Vests made for motorcycle riding are purely for aesthetic purposes only.

Icon Safety Vests

The Icon Mil-Spec Mesh Vest looks great and fits perfectly for the ladies. Competitively priced at around $55, their 2010 release comes with a new design that guarantees military specifications and passes all reflective testing. Comes in both orange or yellow colors, and feature removable ID holders and ample storage pockets that are sealed by velcro straps. The chassis is made with nylon fighter mesh for sufficient ventilation. Sizes range from XS (extra small) to XL (extra large) and also come custom fitted as XXXL. These vests are perfect not just for those in the services department, but can look great in dark roads and highways where there is insufficient lighting.

Icon Bombshell Vests

For every day use, Icon have released their Bombshell series vest, specifically for women. These feature a curvy design mixed with premium grade leather up to 1.2mm. Retail price is $250 and features a hard back armor which can be removed for extra comfort. These are also sized from XS to XXXL. The weight of the vest is 3.1 lbs and come with premium YKK zipper system. There are options to buy them with GSXR emblems and various other designs such as the Street Angel designs. The colors available are in black, white, and pink.

Joe Rocket Womens Street Vest

For a softer look, try the Joe Rocket brands which feature great comfort for long trips on the road while sitting down on your bike, while allowing a stylish vest that can be worn while you are not on your bike. The padding for your spine can be removed, but at the same time it comes with a holder for an optional spine protector to reduce any risk of injury. There are also adjustable straps near the waist for fine tuning of the vest for a perfect fit. Retail price for this vest is $90 and is available from XS to larger sizes of XXXL.

Chain Style Vest Extenders

Most bikers ride because they love the wind blow in their hair on a warm sunny day. For those after an even greater feel, they ride with the vests open and pin them together using vest extenders, so it will not flap in the wind. Extenders come in 2 sizes, mainly the 7 inch in length and the 4 inch. Both will fit standard snaps and come be removed easily without additional pinning.

Some popular design on extenders are the American flag vest extender, to proudly display your country on your ride. The Eagle vest design has a similar function and be used the same way. Both have a solid build and you can feel the weight behind the design. Check that the chain linking the snaps is heavy duty and that the metal finish will not tarnish over time. Some are made with antique nickel while others are made with stainless steel. The better products come with top grain cowhide leather for the strap.

Side Vest Extenders

For a full body extender, these are great if you want to still keep the vest closed, but add a few inches so you can wear the vest over your motorcycle jacket. This is perfect if you need to show your pride and colors over your jacket in winter. Without buying an extra large vest, if you have a thick jacket, then leather side vest extenders will allow you to keep the same design and look if you already own a leather vest. Colors are usually in black or brown. The grommets may not exactly match and align with the original vest, so check the length before any purchase, so that you can button up both the jacket and vest up to the top, in cooler weather.

Harley Davidson patches

These patches are a great way to streamline your look with your bike. People have been swapping patches for years at regular events such as Daytona Bike Week, Myrtle Beach and similar events. These branded patches can be easily sewn into leather vests and jackets, or some can be ironed into the fabric to effortlessly give it the personal touch. There are many designs ranging from their trademark Inferno design, Prism design, their No 1 Shield design or their classic Love Scroll emblem.

POW-MIA patches and Military patches

These are personal patches which can start with the words “In memory of” and can be customized with any name you need. Some also come with memorial designs such as NYC, Vietnam or Pentagon, so you can always carry the love and respect on your motorcycle around with you. If you are after an American Flag or one for another country, these can also be customized and attached for your motorcycle vest easily.

Miscellaneous patches

Miscellaneous motorcycle vest patches have always been popular with bikers, since they add character to one’s ride and add humor to a great day out with your friends. Many of these are made up of one liners, patches with attitude, or simpler designs such as an altered corporate logo. For religious patches, these can also display your religion with pride without too much seriousness, as many are designed in good humor and taste.

There are many other features which can be compared. However, these are the most common factors used when choosing a motorcycle vest for your needs.