If youre a frequent visitor to WRN, you know I recently returned from two big industry trade shows, the V-Twin Expo, and Dealer Expo, where manufacturers display their latest products for the dealers who look for new items for their stores. Many of the motorcycling apparel manufacturers were at both shows displaying their new womens styles for 2009.
Trends for 09: Pink is still in, in small amounts. Were not seeing full-on pink jackets in mass quantities, rather splashes of it. Subtle, edgy graphics in tribal designs seem to be the hot ticket on ladies riding gear these days as companies try to appeal to a younger crowd, or the over 40 set who wants to look younger with these stylish new designs. Just below waist is the popular length. No more long ¾ or waist length, although there still are some of those styles around.
Women riders expect more from their apparel these days so the companies that want to stay competitive offer thoughtful features like fleece lined collars, large zipper pulls, waist cinches and expandable panels to accommodate a variety of sizes. When buying compare features apples to apples. The more features you get the more versatile the jacket. Women want their riding garments to work with them, not against them. Apparel that has seams that scratch your neck or wrists, no full length liner, pockets that dont have zippers, and not enough inside pockets just arent worth our time anymore. Manufacturers know women expect more, and more of them are stepping up to the plate.
Below are some riding jackets and pants that caught our eye that we think you should know about.
Scorpion Sports
Scorpion started offering womens motorcycling apparel, and helmets with feminine graphics last year. (Click here to read my review of a Scorpion leather outfit.) Since Scorpion is committed to the women’s market, the company is releasing some hot new styles for 2009. ScorpionUSA.com
Fieldsheer
Fieldsheer has been making quality, price conscious motorcycling apparel for years and was one of the first to introduce womens gear. Fieldsheer continues to expand and refine its womens line of textiles and leathers. Fieldsheer.com
Icon
Icon has been at it for a few years now and always seems to be one step ahead of the curve in terms of style. Designs cater to hipper, edgier crowd, and the news style for spring 2009 is no exception. RideIcon.com.
Teknic
Another company thats been making womens gear before most others, Teknic has had the time to refine its womens line over the years. Offerings include leather and textile outfits. Jackets are generously sized up to 14 with some garments up to size 16. TeknicGear.com
Z1R
Z1R came onto the scene first as a helmet manufacturer, but this year introduced a line of womens apparel. By waiting until now, the company has had the chance to observe others and create what they think is hot right now. Z1RHelmets.com
Support WRN by buying from our preferred womens motorcycle gear retailer.
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I feel your pain about gear that fits. I'm trying to help with that by creating a place where you can search for gear based on what fits other women….real women….not just sizing charts. Check out “Ponytails and Dirty Nails: Motorbikes for Girls” at http://mtrpkl.wordpress.com. Submit info today to build the database!
I'm another one of those tall female riders. I'm 5 feet 11 inches and have a 36-inch inseam. I've never found pants or jackets that fit right. Men's stuff fits so poorly that sometimes it even feels like a bit of a hazard. If anyone knows of any companies who fit tall women please pass on the info.
DITTO LADIES.
And while were complaining…. How about jackets, shirts, tees, etc. that don't end with your belly button or half your stomach exposed? I'm a plus size 46-inch chest, 5-feet 2-inch tall with a 26.5 inseam. Talk about a nightmare to find things that fit. And enough with the glitter already. Does everything Harley makes for women have to have glitter or rhinestones or wild designs? At age 59, I want truer fitting clothes for the mature woman who happens to be full figured. And while your at it, how about some chaps, blue jeans, rain gear pants being made for petite sizes.
Trying to be a fashion icon is not the issue. I would like to look a little feminine while riding. Women riders are growing each year by the dozens. Why can't we have other options to wear while riding. I am tired of just basic black, pink, and light blue. We should be able to have a variety of riding clothing. We should have motorcycle clothing that offers safety and yet still look like a female while riding.
Add my name to the list of tall women looking for gear that fits. I'm 5-feet-11 and of slender build. As one of the other tall gals here mentioned, men's gear just doesn't work. The proportions are all wrong.
I'm not into graphics. Just give me some some classic, clean lines with a nice variety of color choices. And don't forget the mesh. Here in the south, it's a must have for summer riding.
I am rather disappointed with the gear for riders overall. I will say that the market for women's apparel is improving. I think there should be so much more detail to the existing apparel. For example, take a plain pair of chaps and rhinestone it. Place cow skin down the sides. Make it stylish, trendy, and cheap in price but high in quality.
Another example, a regular pair of jeans, hole it up, make it look rough and rugged just like the mean girl hitting the streets. You could also make other pairs with embroidery of beautiful girly stuff and the rough riding stuff. Flames are great, but also crosses, Indian, tattoos, fairys, angels, bleeding hearts and other works of art. Conservative, but a bad ass kick to it. The more I start looking for something different I start to see the same old things. It is time the apparel market for women kicks it up a notch and gets in the groove with the way today's apparel is and bikerize it.
I really enjoyed this article. I would love to find out how to get in the know of all the vendors out there and start creating my own stuff to help others look great while rumblin' down the road.
Nice article. I agree with what is said in the previous comments — hard to find roomy gear other than in the mens. I am 5 feet 4 inches and, well, a little bigger than a size 4 shall we say and most XL are just small.
Joe Rocket Cleo in XL fits me just fine. The Trixie leather fits without the armor and the liner but the sleeves are way too long. What's up with the larger the size, the longer the arms are?
So far, I found a jacket that I really like, the Fieldsheer Sprint in size 16. I got a little room to spare to layer a fleece under even with the armor and the liner.
I've seen some Arlen Ness leather jackets that seem to be made more generously sized (targeted for the HD clientele) so I might go and try one on.
I'm in the late 50s (ouch) and never dress my age. When I'm riding my bike I want to wear hot colors like orange, turquoise, purple, hot pink…not just boring black, and no pastels please. I want to wear flames, tribal designs, lightning bolts, and yes, skulls! I'm not alone in wanting these colors/designs. All my girl rider pals have been talking about and waiting for them to show up in the stores for years.
Love the info you have on riding gear for chicks! I am 4 feet 11 inches 128 pounds and have a hard enough time finding daily clothes, so you can imagine the hell I go though finding riding gear. I love riding my bike(s) and I always wear protective gear. Just bothers me that I have to find gear and have it altered. I have looked for leathers I actully like and usually settle for some basic Joe Rocket or plain black Icon. I love the skull and cross bones Icon and about to order it! Glad my guy found your site!
I have sent this link to a few of my friends who have the same issues I have looking for riding gear for females.
AMEN to all of the comments regarding womens gear. I happen to be what I suppose is considered “short,” 5 feet 2 inches and 149 pounds. I have had a terrible time finding riding gear that I am comfortable with. If jackets fits the middle, the shoulders are linebacker size and the pants are 12 inches too long. Very frustrating to order online and have to return. I finally found a Cortech LRX Series 2 Jacket and Tourmaster Venture pants that work great. Don't give up gals. If I found gear that fits, so can you.
WRN reviewed a similar jacket to the Cortech LRX Series 2, the Tour Master Trinity Series 2. You can read it by visiting this link:
https://womenridersnow.com/PublicFiles/DepartmentViewer.asp?ArticleID=1147
I agree with the many comments here that there is not enough “generously cut” motorcycle clothing. I am 53 and a bit chunky. I have found Tour Master & Cortech to have very nice fitting jackets in plus sizes and tasteful styles. Also Firstgear. I like what Fieldsheer is doing, with practical styles in big sizes for women.
I used to like Icon until I got their catalog. The women's section looks like a girlie magazine, and most recent catalog had the women's section introduced with a photograph of girl-on-girl about to kiss, wearing their Icon leather jackets half unzipped with nothing underneath. I really don't know who they're marketing to, unless it's guys who want to dress their babes in Icon leather. Anyway, I'm glad to see the other companies are taking women riders seriously.
You hit it right, Wendy. I asked an Icon rep about the ad you're talking about, the girl-on-girl thing,saying how do you expect heterosexual women to be attracted to that? The answer was that the main target market for Icon is men (boys) looking to outfit their girlfriend in Icon clothing.
So much of that streetbike culture has “kids” hopping on sportbikes without proper gear. The seductive ad is meant to appeal to the guys who have influence over what their passenger wears – steering them hopefully to Icon. It made sense to me when it was presented that way.
I sure hope the response from the lady riders on here gets back to the manufacturers. There are many of us plus size ladies out here who are tired of having to buy men's gear with arms and legs too long. I wouldn't mind spending money on gear made to fit me right. The sizing of many manufacturers is ridiculous. I'll have to check out the Joe Rocket Diva sizes. I bought a Joe Rocket men's textile jacket five years ago as they didn't have Diva sizes at the time. At least one manufacturer realizes the potential market out here and I'll be glad to buy from them if it will fit right.
I have also had a hard time finding a jacket that fits properly. I am a size 12 and looking at the sizing charts I am a 3XL. I have, however, found a wonderful jacket that I love from Joe Rocket. They have Diva sizes that actually have room for you to reach your handlebars. I am wearing a 1 Diva and I have a 38-inch waist (working to get it smaller) and a 44-inch bust and I'm 5 feet 3 ionches. I do have plenty of room and almost wish I could go down one size but the next size down is regular sizes and I'm afraid the regular sizes will be like all others too small. Diva sizes have a really good shape. Check out Joe Rocket Diva sizes if you are “women shaped” which most of us are, right? I really wish motorcycle gear manufacturers would realize that.
What is up with the sizing? I am afraid to buy jackets online because motorcycle clothing is usually cut so small. I wear a medium in the real world, but in the motorcycle world, I end up with larges and extra larges.
If these companies want to market to the female market, they need to use universal sizing! Make an 8 an 8 and a 10 a 10, or a medium a medium. Come on!
I agree with the earlier posting that tall clothing would be wonderful. I need a 36 inch inseam and all the jackets are at least 2 inches short in the sleeves. I, too, have to go to the men's area to shop.
I hope these manufacturers are reading your site and thinking of us older, tall and plus gals who are out there riding. We have $$$ and don't mind paying for something that fits right. And some red would be nice in outer apparel rather than pink all the time.
It is nice to see that manufacturers realize women are riding also. But I have to agree with others that have posted. Size still is an issue. I looked at the Fieldsheer site for new pants. There size for that is a joke. When size 10 is a XL. That sends a red flag to me. Makes me believe that their size 24 jacket may not be a plus size that we think it is.
I would like to see a comparison on cold-weather riding gear. I would like to get new gear but I don't want to spend a lot of money on gear that doesn't work. I have been riding in as cold as 30 degrees, barely kept warm enough to make the 40-mile trip from work to home. As a third shifter, I have to plan on riding in the lows.
Really, I'd like to know why manufacturers think we all like to wear skulls? There are some cool riding clothes but skulls are not cool — unless you've been dead a few years. I ride a custom trike, non-Harley. I don't want to wear Harley designs. I think we can have some great looking riding clothes without the logos.
This is a great article. I'm glad there are now so many choices for women looking for jackets. Unfortunately, there is still a problem with manufacturers expecting us all to be tiny. I looked at the Icon, Scorpion, and Teknic sites only to find that Icon and Scorpion only go up to a 40-inch chest and that Teknic doesn't have a size chart at all. So for girls like me (I have a 44-inch chest) I guess we'll still have to wear the men's stuff. Pity.
Did you see where Fieldsheer is making sizes up to 24? The company has a nice offering of apparel.
I, too, am 6 feet tall and have a terrible time finding women's motorcycle gear that is long enough. I end up having to purchase men's, and as you know, the design, colors, and fit are made for men. Are there any companies that cater to tall women riders?!
I think one of the things that the riding gear manufacturers need to consider is that not everyone is a size 4. I am over 50 and have been hit by some of the middle age spread. Recently I started riding again and decided I was going to be smart and wear real riding gear instead of shorts and a halter top like I did 25 years ago. I found it difficult to find anything that would fit as many of the manufacturers only go to size 14, a few make a size 16 and I didn't find any that were a size 18. Thank goodness the 16 fits but I have had to get men's pants. When are they going to learn that some of us older, a little thick around the middle women want comfortable riding clothes, too?
Is it too much to ask for less pandering to women and just some good gear that fits? I'm over 40, and I don't care to look “young,” nor do I like pink or tribal designs, whatever they are. I just want good quality gear. Stop trying to make us into fashion icons.
Great to see more women's motorcycle riding apparel becoming available on the market. I can't wait to check out some of the Web sites in your article. I have two riding jackets, one is basic skins (bought back in 1997) and a FXRG purchased in 2005. The FXRG has many excellent features, and a few that need changing. Glad to see more manufacturers stepping up to the plate!
Be sure to check out our review of the FXRG gear posted on 2/20/09.
I would sure like to see a feature on plus size riding gear. I ride two Triumphs, but wear Harley gear because they have plus sizes – doesn't anyone else? I'd sure like to wear stylish and functional non-branded gear.
I'm interested not only in the new designs out for women, but how they fit. I'm 6 feet tall, but with a slender build and have a really hard time finding riding gear. Arms aren't long enough on women's gear but the shoulders are way too broad on the men's gear, so information on which brands come in longer lengths would really be helpful to me.