In it for the long haul: Best touring motorbike jackets

The best motorcycle touring jacket is perhaps one of the most versatile bits of motorcycling gear. A decent one will keep you warm and dry when the weather gets unpleasant but allow you to stay cool, calm and collected when things start to warm up a bit.

It will have a decent thermal liner to keep you warm but it should be removable so that, when the temperature starts to climb, you can remove it to stay cool yet remain fully protected. It should also keep the rain out, either by virtue of the material it is made from, from a separate waterproof layer bonded to the outer material or by a membrane, such as Gore-Tex or the garment manufacturer’s own proprietary version.

The theory is that the membrane is full of tiny holes, big enough to allow water vapour – sweat – out but not liquid water – rain – in. This means you stay dry but without the unpleasant feeling of being wet on the inside, albeit warm and wet instead of cold.

You may also be looking for vents in the jacket, to allow you to get further cooling when the weather gets warm by opening them and allowing air in. These may be on the chest, under the arms or on the forearms or on the back. Remember the best way is to open the rear vents as well as front vents, to create a through-flow of air and allow the warm air to escape.

One of the ways the best motorcycle touring jackets differ from sports jackets, for example, is in its length. Touring jackets tend to be longer to make sure they eliminate any gaping while riding and you will usually find a zip in the small of the back to join them to matching trousers from the same manufacturer. You may find these zips work with other manufacturers but that would be a coincidence, not by design.

Here is a selection of the best motorcycle touring jackets that we know work well.

How touring motorcycle jackets are rated

Like all other forms of motorcycle clothing, touring jackets must conform to CE regulation EN17092 which provides several levels of rating for abrasion resistance, cut resistance and construction.

These ratings are B, A, AA and AAA in increasing levels of strength and resistance, AAA being the best. However, you are unlikely to find textile touring jackets with this rating, the highest probably AA.

In addition to the overall rating, the armour included will also have a CE rating, either Level-1 or Level-2. Level-2 is rated to absorb greater amounts of energy and hence, is the better of the two. Expect to find armour in the shoulders and the elbows and at least a pocket for a back protector, if not a protector itself.

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