How Should a Motorcycle Jacket Fit? Layers, Armor and Riding Position

How should a motorcycle jacket fit? It should feel snug, but not tight. The armor should sit on your shoulders, elbows and back when you sit in your riding position. You should have room for one warm layer underneath. And the sleeves should still reach your gloves when your arms stretch to the bars.

Many riders check a jacket in a mirror while standing up. That is only half the test. A jacket can look right when you stand, then pull and ride up once you lean forward on the bike.

How Should a Motorcycle Jacket Fit? The Quick Answer

A motorcycle jacket should fit snug enough that the armor cannot slide off your joints, but loose enough that you can breathe and reach the bars. In your riding position, the sleeves should cover your wrists. The back should cover your lower back. The collar should close without pressing on your throat.

Here is the short checklist. Use it every time you try on a jacket:

• Shoulders: the shoulder armor curves over the point of your shoulder.
• Elbows: the elbow armor covers your elbow when your arm is bent.
• Back: the back protector stays in the middle of your back.
• Chest: the zip closes over your warm layer without straining.
• Sleeves: the cuffs reach your gloves with your arms stretched out.
• Waist: the hem does not ride up and leave your lower back bare.

Check the Fit in Your Riding Position, Not Standing

Always judge the fit in the position you ride in. Sit on your bike, or sit on a chair and hold your arms out as if you were holding the bars. A riding jacket is cut for this pose. If it only feels right while you stand, the size or the cut is wrong for you.

Once you are in position, check these four things:

1. Reach. Stretch your arms to where the bars would be. The jacket should not pull hard across your upper back.
2. Sleeves. Look at your wrists. The cuffs should not slide back past your wrist bone. A gap here lets wind and cold in.
3. Back. Ask a friend to look at your lower back. The jacket should still cover your kidneys. It should not ride up and show your shirt.
4. Collar. Lift your chin as if you were looking down the road. The collar should not press into your throat.

Where the Armor Should Sit

Armor only helps where it sits. The elbow pad should cover the elbow with your arm bent. The shoulder pad should curve over the point of the shoulder. The back protector should stay in the middle of your back and should not push the collar into your helmet. If the pads slide, the jacket is too loose.

Do these simple checks with the jacket zipped up:

• Elbow: bend your arm to a riding angle. Feel for the pad. It should sit right over the bony tip of your elbow, not above or below it.
• Shoulder: lift your arm forward. The pad should stay on top of the shoulder, not slip down your upper arm.
• Back: lean forward. The protector should stay centered on your spine. Turn your head. The top of the jacket should not hit the back of your helmet.

You will often see the terms CE Level 1 and CE Level 2. These are the two levels for motorcycle impact protectors. Level 2 lets less force through than Level 1. Level 2 pads can feel a little thicker, so try the jacket on with its armor in place. To learn more, read our guide to CE Level 1 vs Level 2 armor.

The Hawk Motorcycle Touring Jacket , the Revolt Textile Motorcycle Jacket and the Vertex Motorcycle Riding Jacket share the same armor. Each has CE Level 2 shoulder and elbow protectors. Each has a CE Level 1 divided insert chest protector and a CE Level 2 insert back protector. There is also a protective print at the elbows.

How Much Room to Leave for Layers

Leave room for one warm layer, and no more. Try the jacket on over the layer you will really wear, such as a fleece or a windproof base layer. Then do the hug test. If you can wrap your arms around yourself and the armor stays in place, the room is right.

Here is how to do the hug test:

1. Put on your riding layer and zip the jacket up.
2. Cross your arms and hug yourself, as if you were cold.
3. Check that the zip does not strain and the seams do not pull across your back.
4. Check that the elbow and shoulder pads did not move off your joints.

Too loose lets the armor move away from your joints. Too tight squeezes out the warm air between layers, so you feel cold and stiff on a long ride.

Do not size up just to fit a thick sweater. Thin layers work better than one bulky one. For ideas on what to wear under your jacket, see our layering guide.

How Should a Textile Motorcycle Jacket Fit vs a Leather One?

A textile jacket is cut with a little more room, so liners and layers fit inside. You then use its straps and zips to take up the slack. A leather jacket fits closer to the body. Leather jackets use stretch panels and an action back to let you move without a loose fit.

Textile jackets

Textile touring jackets are made to change with the weather. The Hawk, Revolt and Vertex each have a 3D mesh lining and detachable liners, including a thermal liner. With the liners out, the jacket should still hold the armor in place. You do that with the adjusters, which we cover in the next section. Our liner guide explains how removable liners work. You can also see our touring jackets with CE armor .

Leather jackets

Leather does not stretch much, so the cut matters more. Look for an action back. This is a panel across the shoulders that opens up as you reach forward. The Biker leather motorcycle jacket is cut from cowhide. It has an action back with a stretch panel in the liner arms and a removable quilted lining. The Cruiser Men's Outdoor Jacket is also cowhide. It has an action back, stretch panels in the liner arms, a zip-out insulation liner and two front vents built into the pockets.

With a leather jacket, take the liner out and try it again. It should still feel snug at the chest and arms. If it turns baggy, the size is too big for warm days.

Some leather jackets are made for street riding and style. The Black Cafe Racer Leather Jacket has a slim fit, zippered cuffs and a tab-adjustable waist. For more jackets of this kind, see our urban riding jackets .

Use the Adjusters to Fine-Tune the Fit

Adjusters let one jacket fit you in summer and in winter. Straps, tabs and zips pull the jacket in when the liners are out. They let it out when you add a layer. Each time you put a liner in or take one out, set the adjusters again so the armor stays put.

The Hawk, Revolt and Vertex jackets have these adjusters:

• Waist straps: a double strap at the waist and variable-height waist straps. These stop the jacket from ballooning in the wind.
• Side-seam zips: adjustment zips at the side seams to open or close the body.
• Lower-arm strap: an adjustment strap at the lower arm. Tighten it to hold the elbow pad on your elbow.
• Elasticated upper arm: keeps the sleeve close to the arm.
• Cuff tabs: close the cuff around your wrist or glove.
• Hem drawcord: pulls the bottom edge in to keep out drafts.
• Flexisnap collar: lets you change how wide the collar is, so it does not press on your throat.

There is also stretch at the elbows, which helps you bend your arms on the bars. A cuff zipper lets the glove cuff go under the outer shell and over your base layer. Long and short connection zippers are there too.

Signs Your Jacket Is the Wrong Size

Your jacket is the wrong size if the armor moves off your joints, the back rides up, or your shoulders feel stiff on the bars. A zip that strains or a gap between your glove and cuff are also clear signs. If the adjusters cannot fix it, you need a different size.

Too big:

• The elbow pad spins around your arm when you move it.
• The shoulder pad slides down your upper arm.
• The jacket flaps in the wind, even with the straps pulled in.

Too small:

• The back rides up when you lean forward.
• You feel stiff across the shoulders when you reach for the bars.
• The front zip strains over your warm layer.
• The sleeves leave a gap at the wrist above your gloves.

The fix starts before you buy. Measure your chest, waist and arms, then compare them with our size chart. The jackets named above also offer a Custom Size option. It is made to your measurements. Our how to measure page shows you how to take them.

Fit is not the same as style. If you want help with the cut that suits your build, read our guide to leather jacket styles by body type.

FAQ

How should a motorcycle jacket fit with layers?

Try the jacket on over the layer you will really wear. Zip it up and do the hug test. You should be able to hug yourself without the zip straining. The armor must still sit on your elbows and shoulders. If it slides off, the jacket is too loose.

How should a textile motorcycle jacket fit?

A textile jacket fits a little roomier, so its liners fit inside. You then use the adjusters to take up the slack. On the Hawk, Revolt and Vertex, that means the waist straps, side-seam zips, lower-arm strap, cuff tabs, hem drawcord and Flexisnap collar.

How tight should a motorcycle jacket be?

Tight enough that the armor does not shift when you move. You should still be able to breathe deeply and reach the bars with ease. If your shoulders feel stiff or the zip strains, it is too tight.

Should the sleeves cover my wrists on the bike?

Yes. With your arms reaching forward, the cuffs should still cover your wrists. Your glove can go over or under the cuff. On the Hawk, Revolt and Vertex, a cuff zipper lets the glove cuff go under the outer shell and over your base layer.

Does the back protector change the fit?

It can. An insert back protector, like the CE Level 2 one in the Hawk, Revolt and Vertex, takes up a little room. Try the jacket with the protector in. Then check that it stays centered and does not push the collar up into your helmet.