After consulting reviews, compiling specs, and performing over a dozen hours of testing, we’ve made a list of the best motorcycle gloves you can find right now. Our top pick is the Superbike Full Finger Goat Skin Leather Touch Screen Motorcycle Gloves. These short cuff goat leather gloves incorporate knuckle protection and padded palm material while still maintaining touch screen capability. And if you need a top-rated bike, then check out our best motorcycles guide.
In picking out our list of the best motorcycle gloves on the market we looked at abrasion resistance, fit, durability, and performance when it comes to protecting your hands. We considered gloves for different riding styles, and when it came to selecting the best motorcycle gloves for summer, we gave preference to gloves that ensure that your hands don’t get too hot. Keep reading to learn more about other high-quality motorcycle gloves available for purchase.
Top 6 Best Motorcycle Gloves
#1 Superbike Touch Screen Motorcycle Gloves
Award: TOP PICK
WHY WE LIKE IT: Soft, flexible yet tough goat leather palms and touch-screen friendly finger materials combine to make these some of the most convenient short cuff motorcycle gloves you can buy.
- Perforated for better cooling
- Snap button cuff for convenient storage
- Touch screen-capable finger
- Not as abrasion-resistant as some synthetic material protective gear
If you’re looking for the best cruiser pair of motorcycle gloves that allow for convenient storage and for touchscreen operation, these soft, breathable motorcycle gloves are leather palmed and available with cooling perforations, offering a good compromise between impact protection and comfort. The leather palms are reinforced and there is added hard knuckle protection.
The cuffs include buttons for secure fitment. These buttons also allow you to button the pair of gloves together for more convenient storage when not in use. The goat leather material isn’t as abrasion-resistant as some synthetic gloves, but it’s softer and tougher than cowhide leather.
See Also: Top 5 motorcycle airbag vests with effective inflation speeds.
#2 Wtactful Touch Screen Motorcycle Gloves
Award: HONORABLE MENTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: These tactical general purpose comfortable gloves have grippy non-slip microfiber finger tips and reinforced palms, plus hardened backs for knuckle protection.
- Grippy polyurethane palm pads
- Touch screen-capable fingers
- Highly abrasion-resistant knuckle protection
- Somewhat limited size range
While these are billed as multi-purpose tactical gloves, they’re also a top choice among the best short cuff motorcycle gloves. 2019 and up versions of these microfiber and polyurethane gloves feature both palm reinforcement and touchscreen-capable finger pads. Along with great abrasion resistance, these gloves have reinforced knuckle protection and a belt-style wrist closure for extra security and a more snug fit. Speaking of security, if you want to make sure your bike helmet doesn’t get stolen, you need to check out our motorcycle helmet lock guide.
They’re available in sizes ranging from 6.7 to 9.4 inch palm circumference, but those with especially large or especially small hands may find this range a little limiting. That said, these are among the most versatile riding gloves out there.
#3 Milwaukee Leather Perforated Motorcycle Gloves
Award: BEST FOR ROAD RIDING
WHY WE LIKE IT: These perforated leather gloves are comfortable across a wide temperature range, plus they have gel padded palms and knuckle protection, making them among the best cruiser motorcycle gloves on the market.
- Gel-filled palm for added comfort
- Genuine leather materials
- Perforated for breathability and cooling
- Not touch screen capable
- Thick finger padding can make using cards inconvenient
Made from premium leather and optimized to go with cruiser style riding gear, these gloves feature gel-filled palms and toughened knuckle protection. They’re perforated for better cooling and according to long-term reviews are super comfortable when broken in. Like most cowhide leather riding gear, a break in period is expected.
Unlike with some specialized moto gloves, the fingers on these leather gloves aren’t pre-curved. They are generally very versatile and allow you to preserve most finger dexterity, though they lack the touchscreen compatibility that some motorcycle gloves offer. While they can be used with all riding styles, they’re designed for long haul cruiser motorcycle riding.
#4 TitanOps Motorcycle Gloves
Award: BEST ADJUSTABLE
WHY WE LIKE IT: A mixture of microfiber, nylon and spandex adds stretch while a reinforced palm and hardened knuckles protects your hands, and these gloves offer an adjustable wrist strap as well for better fit.
- Snug fit thanks to adjustable loop wrist strap
- Reinforced palm with double stitched leather for durability
- Integrated hard polymer knuckle protection
- Sizes run large
- Not as specialized for riding as some of the best motocross gloves
Among the best motorcycle gloves for beginners thanks to their adjustable velcro palm straps and microfiber nylon finger pads, these gloves offer decent abrasion resistance with a padded palm and hard knuckle inserts. They also maintain grip well and allow for a good mixture of strength and breathability.
Easy to keep clean as well as durable on the road, these gloves are fully machine washable. They resist heat well, though they tend not to be the most snug-fitting gloves on the market, so you may want to choose a size smaller than usual with these.
#5 Alpinestars Men’s SMX-1 Air v2 Motorcycle Gloves
Award: BEST DURABILITY
WHY WE LIKE IT: These motorcycle gloves have premium leather construction, reinforced polymer knuckle protection and stretch zones on the fingers and backhand for extra comfort.
- CE-certified for road driving
- Integrated stretch zones for better flexibility
- High abrasion resistance thanks to hardened polymer knuckles
- Can be warm due to snug fit
- Not as versatile for non-riding activities as some other “tactical” gloves
CE-certified as protective gear for a motorcycle ride, these gloves have durable, abrasion-resistant hardened polymer knuckles and reinforced synthetic suede palms. Flexible inserts between thumb and forefinger ensure that your hands don’t lose all their dexterity, while the polymer-blend side reinforcements add abrasion resistance.
While they go very well with other sport-oriented riding gear, these motorcycle gloves may not be as versatile as some of the other protective gloves out there for such uses such as hiking, climbing, gardening and housework. That said, with premium leather and mesh construction and unique “stretch zones,” plus a touch-screen capable finger material, these are among the best gloves out there for sport and road riding.
#6 X4 Street Bike Full Finger Motorcycle Gloves
Award: BEST ON A BUDGET
WHY WE LIKE IT: Made from abrasion-resistant nylon and poly mesh, with breathable uppers and velcro closure, these are among the lowest-priced padded gloves on the market.
- Keeps cool thanks to the perforated mesh
- Hard plastic shell knuckle protection
- Long-lasting nylon and polyurethane material
- Not 50-state certified as protective gear
- Not very warm in colder conditions
These nylon and polymer-mesh gloves have padded palms and hardened plastic knuckle protection, but are very lightweight and breathable, allowing your hands to stay cool on hot days. Less expensive than any leather riding gloves we’ve seen, and coming in at an even lower price point than many hardware and mechanics gloves, they’re suitable for dirt bikes and scooter riding, even if they aren’t necessarily the most rugged options.
Durability is good overall, though the velcro-loop closure is a little less robust than the loop and hoop style wrist straps on higher-end riding gloves. These gloves also have very short cuffs.
How We Decided
In order to select the best motorcycle gloves for your money, we looked for abrasion and impact resistance, grip, hand comfort, and ergonomics. We preferred gloves that were certified for use in motorcycle riding classes on road and track, and gave extra credit to gloves that worked with other protective gear for different riding styles.
We also made sure to only include gloves that had hardened, impact-resistant knuckle protection integrated into the gloves’ chassis. In addition, grippy materials like polyurethane microfiber on the fingertips were considered a must.
Breathable perforated leather or mesh construction was considered a bonus, as this is especially important if you’re looking for the best motorcycle gloves for summer.
Best Motorcycle Gloves Buyer’s Guide
The Most Important Features to Consider
- Knuckle Protection
In order to save your hands from road rash, gloves for a motorcycle ride should have abrasion-resistant and impact-resistant knuckles and this knuckle protection, preferably a material such as kevlar or hardened polymer, should be integrated into the “chassis” of the glove rather than merely stitched to the outside. - Stretch Zones
While some motorcycle gloves offer flexibility and dexterity at the expense of impact protection, you can often have the best of both worlds when considering gloves that combine rigid impact zones, padded palms and stretch zones in between. Made from lycra, nylon or spandex, these zones help maintain comfort and flexibility without compromising safety. - Touchscreen Capability
Since a number of motorcycle GPS units these days come with touch screens, you may want to consider riding gloves that offer touch screen capability. Many of the best motorcycle gloves, 2020 models especially, offer this feature.
