Here is how to choose a motorcycle race suit. Check five things: the leather, the armor, the knee sliders and seams, the fit, and the style. The style is a one-piece or a two-piece suit. Then match the suit to your riding level. A new track rider needs different things than a racer.
Short answer:
A one-piece suit is the usual choice for the track. It has no gap at the waist, so it stays in place when you slide. A two-piece suit is a jacket and pants that zip together. It is easier to put on and take off, and you can wear the jacket on its own.
Many riders start with a two-piece suit and move to a one-piece suit as they ride more track days. Track rules on suit style vary, so check with your track before you ride.
The Tyro, Veteran, Whiz Tech and Savitar Pro suits each come as a 1-piece suit, a 2-piece suit, a jacket or pants. You can read more in our guide to one-piece vs two-piece leather suits.
Most motorcycle leathers for the track use cowhide or kangaroo. Cowhide is thick, tough and easy to care for. It is the most common race suit leather. Kangaroo is thinner and lighter for its strength. It feels softer and moves more easily, so many racers like it. Both can work well when the suit is made well.
Think about how you ride. If you ride a few track days a year, cowhide gives you a tough suit that lasts. If you race and want less weight, kangaroo may suit you more.
For a closer look at the materials, read what motorcycle racing suits are made of.
Good race suit armor covers your shoulders, elbows and knees. It should carry a CE mark. A CE mark on armor means it meets a European test standard for impact. You also want a back protector. Armor and fit matter more than any other feature, because the armor has to sit on your joints to do its job.
EN 1621-1 is the European standard for armor on the joints, such as the shoulders, elbows, hips and knees. EN 1621-2 is the standard for back protectors. Each standard has two levels. Level 2 lets less force pass through to your body than Level 1. So Level 2 armor gives more impact protection.
The Tyro, Veteran, Whiz Tech and Savitar Pro suits have composite protectors that are CE certified to EN 1621.1. Each one also has a CE-Level 2 back and thigh protector. On the outside, each suit adds hard armor over the joints:
Knee sliders are hard pads on the outside of the knee. They let your knee touch the track in a corner without wearing through the leather. Strong seams keep the suit in one piece if you slide. Stretch panels let you move into the riding tuck. Check all three before you choose a suit.
A race suit should feel snug when you sit on the bike in the riding tuck. It may feel tight when you stand up. That is normal. The armor must stay on your shoulders, elbows and knees when you move. If the armor slides off the joint, the suit is too big. Loose leather can also flap at speed.
Try the suit in the tuck. Reach for the bars and bend your knees up high. The sleeves should cover your wrists, and the legs should cover your ankles. Nothing should pinch so hard that you cannot move.
The four MotoSpeeds race suits come in men's sizes EU 42 to 60 and women's sizes EU 38 to 50. They also have a Custom Size option. With Custom Size, the suit is made to your measurements. See how to measure for a custom suit to take your numbers. For help with standard sizes, read our race suit sizing guide and our post on how a one-piece suit should fit.
Pick a suit that fits how often and how fast you ride. A new rider needs good armor, a back protector and a tough shell. A racer may want lighter leather and titanium armor. All four MotoSpeeds race suits share CE armor, a CE-Level 2 back protector and CE Type A knee sliders. They differ in leather and outer armor.
| Suit | Made for | Leather | Outer armor | Knee sliders | Back protector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyro | Beginners | Top-grain cowhide | Metal: shoulders, elbows, knees | CE Type A, swappable | CE-Level 2 back and thigh |
| Veteran | Enthusiasts | Leather | TPU-reinforced: shoulders, elbows, knees | CE Type A, swappable | CE-Level 2 back and thigh |
| Whiz Tech | Professionals | Kangaroo, Monaco treated | TPU-reinforced titanium: shoulders, elbows, knees | CE Type A, swappable | CE-Level 2 back and thigh |
| Savitar Pro | Isle of Man TT | Leather | TPU-reinforced titanium: shoulders, knees | CE Type A, swappable | CE-Level 2 back and thigh |
If you are new to the track, the is a good place to start. It has a detachable mesh lining that breathes, and a semi auto-lock YKK zipper. The is for riders who do a lot of track days.
The is made for pro riders who want kangaroo leather. The is made for road racing at the Isle of Man TT, and has a detachable liner.
A replica suit has the look of a bike brand, so it can match your motorcycle. MotoSpeeds has one-piece replica suits for Ducati, Yamaha, Honda, Aprilia and Suzuki riders. They share the same build: cowhide leather, removable CE-approved armor and a removable back protector.
Each replica has dual-density CE-approved armor at the knees, shoulders and elbows. You can take the armor out. Dual density means the pad has a soft layer and a firmer layer. The spine protector is also removable. The suits have removable knee sliders, a polyester mesh lining and an optional removable aero hump. The Suzuki suit also comes in blue, fluorescent yellow and white, for men and women.
Want your own colors and logos? Our let you send your own design. They use cowhide and have removable CE Level 2 armor (EN 1621-1:2012) at the shoulders, elbows, knees and hips. They also have a removable spine protector that is EN 1621-2 compatible, TPU elbow sliders and replaceable TPU knee sliders.
A race suit is made for the track. It is tight, made of leather and built for riding in a tuck. A touring suit is made for long road trips. It is looser and often made of textile, with pockets and vents. If you search for motorcycle riding suits, first decide where you will ride most.
If you mostly ride on the road for many hours, look at our . You can also read our post on how to pick a touring suit. If you ride track days or race, a leather race suit is the right tool.
Clean your race suit after each ride day and let it dry in the air. Wipe off bugs and dirt with a damp cloth. Use a leather cleaner and then a leather conditioner now and then. Hang the suit on a wide hanger, away from strong sun and heat. Never put a leather suit in a washing machine.
Take the armor out before you clean the suit. Wash the mesh lining by hand if it comes out. Check the seams, zippers and knee sliders often. Swap worn sliders before they wear through. See our steps on how to clean a motorcycle race suit. After a crash, read when to replace or repair a race suit.
Look at five things. First, check the leather, such as cowhide or kangaroo. Second, look for CE armor at the shoulders, elbows and knees, plus a back protector. Third, check for knee sliders. Fourth, look for strong, double-stitched seams. Last, make sure the suit fits snug in the riding tuck. For the rest of your kit, see our track day gear checklist.
Armor and fit matter most. The armor must have a CE mark, and the suit must hold it on your joints. Next, look at knee sliders that you can replace. Then check for stretch panels that let you move. A race hump on the back helps air flow when you tuck in on the straights.
Pro riders often want light leather and strong outer armor. The Whiz Tech suit uses Monaco-treated kangaroo leather and TPU-reinforced titanium armor at the shoulders, elbows and knees. The Savitar Pro suit is made for road racing at the Isle of Man TT. Both have a CE-Level 2 back and thigh protector.
Textile suits are made for touring and road riding. Most riders choose leather for the track, because a race suit is cut for the tuck. Each track day sets its own gear rules, so ask the organizer before you go. For road trips, see our .
A leather suit should still pass the same five checks. It should use tough leather, have CE armor and a back protector, and have knee sliders. Its seams should be strong. It should fit you well in the tuck. The year matters less than these checks.
Ready to pick your suit? Compare all of our side by side, and use the five checks above to find the one that fits your riding.