Ride a naked? Here's our top kit to keep you safe at speed on your motorbike - all reviewed by MCN

The type of gear that is worn by the naked motorcycle rider is probably the most wide and varied style that there is. It tends to be a crossover of sportsbike gear through to a more retro look and maybe some touring kit for the more adventurous rider. This means that a naked bike rider can really style themselves entirely to their own taste and requirements.

• Related: Bag a bargain on a used, top-spec middleweight naked

What gear do I need to ride a naked motorcycle?

In the UK it is compulsory by law to wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle, therefore you will need to make sure you that you buy one. As for other kit like jackets, trousers, boots and gloves, it’s entirely up to you if you decide to wear them, but it is advised to wear full gear every time you start that bike up and go for a ride, however far you’re going. The old saying ‘dress for the slide, not the ride’ is still making the rounds for good reason, it will literally save your skin the event that you go sliding down the tarmac.

Already know what you’re after? Jump to:

• Helmets
• Jackets
• Jeans
• Gloves
• Boots
• Luggage
• Intercoms
• Earplugs
• How we test kit

What to consider when buying motorcycle gear

Whatever type of motorcycle gear it is that you are looking for, it is important to understand and check the safety ratings; ECE 22.06 testing standards and SHARP stars for helmets and CE ratings for jackets and trousers, boots and gloves. Then there is the armour ratings to consider, these are often listed separately from the abrasion resistance ratings and will be either level 1 or level 2, with 2 offering the higher impact resistance.

Also bear in mind what type of riding you will be doing, will you be out in all weathers and requiring waterproof kit? Are you more of a fair weather rider who will perhaps value style over practicality? Whatever it is that you are looking for we’ve pulled together a selection of gear that we have tested and think is worth considering in your search.

Helmets

Pretty much any style of motorcycle helmet will work on a naked style motorcycle but the main thing to consider is wind noise as without any windshield you will be more at the mercy of mother nature. Whether that helmet is a sports style or more of a touring helmet will probably come down to what you like the look of and what type of riding you do.

Also consider what features are important to you; will you require an intercom unit, how much ventilation do you require from the helmet, is there a drop down sun visor, do you want a flip front and is the liner removable and washable. Which of these is important to you will determine which helmet you chose.

Below are a few that we reviewed and liked at MCN.

Jackets

In terms of which jackets work well for this type of bike, this is going to come down to your priorities and preferences. For example you are probably not going to require a race hump, but you may consider how many pockets there are or whether the jacket is waterproof. Alternatively you may be someone who values the look of the jacket over some of the practicalities.

The main fabrics used are leather and textile, generally leather offers a higher abrasion resistance but textile can offer versatility with ventilation, waterproofing and machine washability that a leather jacket may struggle to offer. It’s important to think about what you need from your motorcycle jacket; do you need a removable thermal liner, does it need to be waterproof, how much pocket space do you require and what armour is fitted as standard. Many jackets will require you to buy the back protector separately and some offer space for chest protection too.

We have made a selection of our tried and tested jackets below to cover a few different options.

Jeans

If you’re a commuting biker or a sunny weekend blast type of rider, this will play a role in which trousers you opt for. Motorcycle Jeans are a go to choice for a lot of people these days as the safety ratings have been improved with better abrasion resistant fabrics. Jeans tend to be more comfortable and casual for on and off the bike and there are lots of ladies options available too. However as a commuter you might be looking for something weatherproof and easy to slip over regular clothes or you may want to look for trousers with a removable thermal lining. Consider if you want hip armour as well as the more standard knee armour and of course, check the overall CE rating too.

Below are a selection of our reviewed trousers.

Gloves

There aren’t many differences between the various types of motorcycle gloves. The main choices are gauntlet or short cuff and summer or winter, beyond that it generally comes down to style preference and level of protection against the elements. Some are waterproof, others are more breathable and some are highly thermal. If you really feel the cold, maybe consider heated gloves.

Boots

In terms of riding boot choices for the naked motorcycle rider, you are likely to be looking for something like a casual sportsbike boot or maybe a more street style. Protection level is the main difference between these different styles, with sports style boots often offering shin protection where a more casual street style probably won’t as they tend to be a shorter boot.

A sports boot may have toe sliders also if you are wanting to really push limits of your bike. If however you are wanting a boot that you can stay in all day you may opt for the more relaxed style. If you are commuting in all weathers you may choose a touring boot as waterproof boots will be important in keeping your feet dry .

Below we have selected a few of our tried and tested boots.

Luggage

You may want to carry some additional things with you when riding, especially if you have chosen a jacket with few pockets. There are a few options in terms of luggage; tank bags, rucksacks and tail bags tend to be the most popular for the naked motorbike. Some luggage will be made specifically for a particular model of motorcycle, but there are lots of universal luggage options out there that are designed to fit pretty much any bike.

The manner in which you want to mount your luggage is also worth considering, some will attach magnetically, some use a combination of straps and others will have fixed mount points so you can easily remove the luggage from the bike or leave it safely locked to the bike.

Below is our selection of luggage that we liked when we tested it.

Intercoms

Whether you ride alone or with friends you may want to consider an intercom system, to listen to music or keep in touch with others in your riding group. There is a large array of options to choose from, so we have listed a few of our reviewed tech below. Fitting your intercom to your helmet will vary depending on your helmet and the unit that you choose.

Earplugs

No matter what motorcycle you ride, earplugs are another piece of kit to consider, protecting your hearing against wind noise and loud exhausts is important. Getting a pair that fit comfortably is crucial as you do not want the distraction of irritating earplugs getting in the way of your windy roads or track ride. There are lots of options available but the thing to look for is the SNR (single number rating), this is the level of noise reduction offered by the earplugs. The higher the number the more effective they are. This is also backed up by a CE approval of EN352-2, this is the PPE certification for hearing.

How MCN tests motorcycle kit

At MCN, our team of expert journalists have decades of experience gained over hundreds of thousands of miles in order to provide you with opinions and evaluations you can trust, alongside news of the most significant developments in motorcycling safety gear. We want you to stay safe, enjoy your riding and hopefully look great while doing so! 

We don’t test our kit to destruction; we use it exactly how you do, in the real world and in all conditions.

That means we can deliver impartial buying advice you can rely on. To make it onto this list, these items of motorcycle kit must have been worn for thousands of miles by our team of experienced testers, show no major flaws, and meet modern safety standards as well as offering decent value for money. 

Each of our expert reviewers tests their products for a variety of things, both subjective and objective, and these are no exception. Factors assessed include the helmet’s conformity to the latest ECE 22.06 safety regulations, the level of armour in jackets, what knuckle protection gloves have, how heavy the kit is, and if they include details such as a drop-down sun visor, removable liner or any additional aerodynamic or practicality enhancing properties.

However, we also assess how they fit, their perceived build quality, how quickly we’re able to swap the visor out, what the venting feels like and how comfortable/adjustable the product is during daily use.

We cover thousands of miles in these lids and regularly compare them with one another in the office, so collectively we’ve built the sort of knowledge base you can trust.

If you can’t see a review against a product on this page, it’s because we haven’t tested it yet. These will only be included if we think they’re important and relevant in the market, and rest assured, we will be working on bringing you a review as soon as we’ve done the miles.

When we review a product, we award it a score out of five. In the ratings tab of a given product, you may also find more specific scores for the different aspects of a product’s performance to help you make an informed decision. We test against criteria like how comfortable it is, how protective is it, does it look good and if it is good value for it’s price tag. Here’s a guide to what each number score means:

• 1 star – Poor performance in this category or overall. A product with a single star rating has fallen below the expected standard and should be avoided.
• 2 stars – Basic performance in this area or overall. A product with a two-star rating has managed to perform to a barely acceptable level and there is room for improvement.
• 3 stars – An average performance in this area or overall. A product with a three-star rating has achieved a basic level of performance and is deemed adequate.
• 4 stars – A product has performed over and above the accepted averaged in this category or overall. A product with a four-star rating has surpassed expectation and delivered in a particularly impressive way.
• 5 stars – A product has performed at the highest possible level in a particular category or overall. A product with a five-star rating has delivered to the highest possible level, impressing the tester with its performance. We would happily spend our own money on it.

To find out more, head to our dedicated page explaining how we test motorcycle products.

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