The best sportbike jackets have to have some special qualities. They’re constructed differently than cruiser motorcycle jackets or cafe racer jackets. The whole point is that they’re as advanced and performance-focused as the bike that the rider wears them on.
They also need to provide exceptional protection and be stylish and eye-catching. There are thousands of sportbike motorcycle jackets out there, and you can spend hours learning all you can to try to find the best one. To help you out, I’ve put together a list of the 15 best sportbike jackets. Here they are.
What to Look for in a Sportbike Jacket
There are sportbike jackets out there at every price point and every level of quality. While I’m all for you spending as little as money as possible, I also want to see you buy a high quality jacket. Here’s a closer look at the qualities to look for.
Good Construction
This means you have sportbike jackets with good material. This means strong material, but strength isn’t everything, you still need to be able to move and that should be taken into account when thinking of material, too.
Construction isn’t just about the material, though, it’s about how those materials are placed and stitched together. Honestly, I trust the brands here. I go with a good brand I trust.
This often leads me to Alpinestars, Dainese, Icon, or Rev’It!, but I have no problem with that. You can go with other brands, but pay attention to how the jackets are made.
Armor
Armor is important in any jacket, but it’s doubly important in a sportbike jacket. You need protection on your hard points: elbows and shoulders.
A back protector is also something you should have. A chest protector is something to look for and covet, too.
Vents for Airflow
You don’t want to cook in your jacket, right? Well, then you need good airflow. Companies do this usually one of two ways (sometimes both). Vents that are often zippered, and perforations in the material of the jacket.
Either work fine, but pay attention to the location of the vents or perforation. Also, it can be nice to have vents you can close for those chilly days.
Adjustment
Not every jacket is going to fit right off the rack. That’s where adjustment comes in. Sportbike jackets are designed to fit a little tighter, so you want to be able to cinch them down. Look for adjusters on the arms, cuffs, and waist.
Adjusters on the cuffs and waist is usually good enough, but arm adjusters are always nice, too.
1. Alpinestars T-GP Plus R v3 Air Jacket
The Alpinestars T-GP Plus R v3 Air Jacket features highly durable and abrasion-resistant 600D polyester fabric, it has extended mesh panels on the torso and arms, CE Level 1 certified armor in the elbows and shoulders, Nucleon KR-Ci chest and back protection, and added external shoulder protection. You also get a sport fit with pre-curved sleeves, a 3D mesh collar, a Velcro fastener with waist adjustment, Velcro wrist cuff closures, an internal waterproof pocket, two external pockets, and reflective details for added visibility. Overall, the Alpinestars T-GP Plus R v3 Air Jacket is one of the best sportbike jackets out there for the money.
Check it out at Amazon
Check it out at Revzilla
Check it out at CycleGear
2. REV’IT! GT-R Air 3 Jacket
Need a jacket that will move some air in those hot riding months? The REV’IT! GT-R Air 3 Jacket is a good choice. The jacket is designed for the sportbike rider and features a polyester 600D material with 3D mesh material featuring primarily. There’s also CE Level 1 armor in the elbows and shoulders and room for a back protector (sold separately). The jacket gets reflective panels and logos for added visibility and a race fit with adjustable straps and tabs on the waist, arms, and wrists.
Check it out at Amazon
Check it out at Revzilla
Check it out at CycleGear
3. REV’IT! Eclipse Jacket
If you’re looking for a more casual sportbike jacket that’s simple but effective, then the REV’IT! Eclipse Jacket is a great option to choose from. The jacket features a mesh, polyester 600D construction. It also gets Knox Flexiform CE protection in the shoulders and elbows and there’s room for a back protector (sold separately). The jacket gets reflective logos, a tour fit, ventilation panels, adjustment straps at the waist and wrists, and jeans loops.
Check it out at Amazon
Check it out at Revzilla
Check it out at CycleGear
4. Dainese Super Speed Textile Jacket
Need something super aggressive? How about breathable? Yep, the Dainese Super Speed Textile Jacket is both. Built for summer performance, the jacket features Duarex and Boomerang fabric elastic fabric inserts, CE-certified composite protectors in the shoulders and elbows, aluminum inserts on the shoulders, and adjustment at the neck, wrists, and waist. The jacket also has a pocket for a back protector and a pocket for a chest protector (sold separately). There are reflective inserts, two exterior pockets, and one interior pocket.
Check it out at Amazon
Check it out at Revzilla
Check it out at CycleGear
5. Alpinestars Missile Air Leather Jacket For Tech Air Race
Missle is an apt name for this jacket. The sportbike jacket is designed to work at high speeds. The Alpinestars Missile Air Leather Jacket For Tech Air Race is no joke. It features 1.3mm genuine cow leather, CE-certified protectors in the elbows and shoulders, race-derived external protectors on the elbows and shoulders, large accordion-style stretch panels, an ergonomic back hump sculpted for airflow, pre-curved sleeves, perforation for airflow, pockets for chest armor (sold separately), fixed inner liner, two external pockets, and 3D textured fabric comfort collar. The jacket also has a snap button system that attaches a back protector (sold separately).
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Check it out at CycleGear
6. Icon Mesh AF CE Jacket
The Icon Mesh AF CE Jacket is the kind of jacket you want to wear when it’s straight up balmy out. The large panels of mesh material provide excellent airflow, and the durable textile chassis with D30 CE-certified armor in the back, elbows, and shoulders, make it a genuinely safe jacket for riding. The motorcycle also comes with what Icon calls its attack fit (sporty), pre-curved arms, reflective accents, and just general bad-ass styling. This is certainly not the most advanced sportbike jacket, but it will give you the essentials and then some.
Check it out at Amazon
Check it out at Revzilla
Check it out at CycleGear
7. Fly Racing Street Flux Air Jacket
The Fly Flux Air Jacket is another great sportbike rider option if you want something that is going to keep you cool while you ride in hot weather. The full mesh construction allows for maximum airflow and it’s still an abrasion-resistant jacket. The jacket also comes with armor on the elbows and shoulders. The jacket has adjustments on the arms and cuffs, high visibility reflective piping, belt loops to connect to riding pants, and a pocket for a back protector (sold separately).
Check it out at Amazon
Check it out at Revzilla
Check it out at CycleGear
8. Alpinestars Hyper Drystar Jacket
The Alpinestars Hyper Drystar Jacket is a great option no matter what you’re doing on your sportbike. It works for sport touring, commuting, and taking on some twisty canyon roads. The multi-panel and multi-material construction incorporates 450D poly-fabric with 600D dobby reinforcement. There’s also a Drystar membrane, removable long-sleeve thermal liner, and adjustment on the arms, cuffs, and waist. Pair all that with pre-curved sleeves, CE armor for the shoulders and elbows, TPU shoulder protection, pockets for back and chest protectors (sold separately), multiple vents for airflow, and a zipper for connecting to some riding pants.
Check it out at Amazon
Check it out at Revzilla
Check it out at CycleGear
9. Dainese Dinamica Air D-Dry Jacket
The Dainese Dinamica Air D-Dry Jacket is an excellent buy for anyone looking for a sportbike jacket that will provide true protection that’s good for hot weather and comes with a waterproof liner. The jacket features CE armor in the elbows and shoulders, aluminum plates on the shoulder, thermoformed shoulders, 3D-Stone fabric, mesh fabric, Mugello fabric, Nanofeel liner, elasticated inserts, jacket-to-pants fastening system, sleeves adjustment, waist adjustment, and cuff adjustment. You also get one inner pocket and two outer pockets. There’s room for a back and chest protector (sold separately).
Check it out at Amazon
Check it out at Revzilla
Check it out at CycleGear
10. Cortech Apex V1 Jacket
The Cortec Apex V1 Jacket is a killer sportbike jacket. It looks absolutely badass and it provides tons of protection. The jacket features cowhide leather construction, pre-curved arms and a sport fit, and perforated zones on the front, back, and arms. There’s also a removable thermal best liner, neoprene rolled collar, hook and loop waist adjusters, zippered cuffs, TPU sliders on the shoulders and elbows, reflective inserts for added visibility, CE-certified armor in the elbows and shoulders, and a pocket for the back protector. There’s also a zipper at the waist to connect to pants.
Check it out at Amazon
Check it out at Revzilla
Check it out at CycleGear
11. Icon Contra 2 Leather Jacket
The Icon Contra 2 Leather Jacket is a stylish sportbike jacket that comes with plenty of features and a top-quality construction. The jacket features a textile and leather construction, sport fit, and D30 CE-certified armor in the back, elbows, and shoulders. The jacket also has pre-curved arms, front and back zipper vents, removable insulated liner, and a ratchet waist closure. It’s a good-looking sport rider jacket, too. At least, I think it is.
Check it out at Amazon
Check it out at Revzilla
Check it out at CycleGear
12. Spidi Clubber Jacket
Spidi makes some fantastic motorcycle gear, and the Spidi Clubber Jacket is no exception. This jacket could have featured on my cafe racer list, but I honestly think it’s more appropriate here as a sportbike jacket. It features 1 mm thick buffalo leather construction, a removable thermal vest, CE-certified armor in the elbows and shoulders, room for a back protector (sold separately), an Italian tartan cotton liner, snap adjustments at the waist, embroidered Spidi logos, accent stitching, hoo-and-loop zipper guard, and Spidi H2Out x47 waterproof rain and L30 thermal liner. This is, in my opinion, the best-looking leather jacket on this list.
Check it out at Amazon
Check it out at Revzilla
Check it out at CycleGear
13. Speed and Strength Hot Head Jacket
The Speed and Strength Hot Head Jacket is the kind of jacket you can get for a very affordable price. That’s not to say that it’s a bad jacket. There are plenty of great features, including high-tensile nylon construction, mesh airflow panels at the forearms, biceps, torso, and back, a removable liner, attack fit, a low-profile lycra collar, two exterior pockets, CE armor in the shoulders and elbows, room for a back protector (sold separately), hook and loop adjustment on cuffs and hem, and reflective accents.
Check it out at Amazon
Check it out at Revzilla
Check it out at CycleGear
14. Sedici Podio Jacket
Looking for a sporty-styled jacket with excellent hot-weather performance? The Sedici Podio Jacket is another great option. It features a 600D Oxford chassis, mesh panels for airflow, a removable liner that’s waterproof, hook-and-loop waist adjusters, a neoprene rolled comfort collar, three external zippered pockets, reflective piping, CE armor in the elbows and shoulders, a pocket for a back protector (sold separately), and a zipper to connect to pants. Overall, this is a killer sportbike jacket.
Check it out at Amazon
Check it out at Revzilla
Check it out at CycleGear
15. Alpinestars GP Plus R v3 Airflow Jacket
The Alpinestars GP Plus R v3 Airflow Jacket is the upgraded version of the first jacket on this list, and it’s better than ever. The jacket features 1.33 cowhide leather construction, perforations for improved ventilation, high-resistant stretch fabric in key areas, CE Level 1 armor in the shoulders and elbows, pockets for chest and back protectors (sold separately), accordion stretch panels on the back and shoulders, HRSF polymide stretch material on the sleeves, waist adjuster, low profile collar, zippered hand pockets and two inner pockets, waterproof document pocket, ventilation that’s zippered, and reflective inserts.
Check it out at Amazon
Check it out at Revzilla
Check it out at CycleGear
Are these all of the sportbike jackets out there? Of course not, you’ll find all kinds of options, and some of them will be a little more track-focused then the ones found here. These are the best sportbike jackets for general sport rider use. If I were to be going to a track regularly, I’d look for a full racing suit.
