Best kit for the retro bike rider | Let MCN take you back with our old school gear choices

There is a definite retro vibe going on in motorcycling right now. All the big manufacturers – and a fair few of the smaller ones as well – have retro machines in their line-up.

It’s an interesting concept – mix old-school styling and nostalgia with modern technology and safety so you get bikes that, for example, have fuel-injection throttle bodies that are deliberately designed to look like carburettors or liquid-cooled engines with fins manufactured into the engine case to look like old air-cooled motors.

That combination of retro styling combined with modern performance and safety carries across to the clothing that looks just right on retro motorcycles. You wouldn’t go out for a relaxed sunny ride on a 1970s-inspired naked in a set of racing leathers or on a cruiser in touring textiles. So you need the right clothing that will keep you safe.

Jackets

When it comes to jackets, you’re probably talking a retro leather or a waxed-cotton style garment and there is no reason why you can’t have style and class with top-level safety and performance in either. There are also now armoured cotton shirt options available these days which work well with the retro and vintage style. Ensure you check the safety ratings, in terms of armour jackets should always have elbows and shoulders with at least a pocket for a back protector, be sure to check the abrasion resistance rating too.

We have pulled together a few of our favourites below.

Jeans

Similarly, when it comes to trousers, it’s likely that you will be looking at a pair of jeans and as you would with any jackets, look for CE ratings overall as well as the specification of armour and where it is; trousers should come with knee armour as a minimum and ideally, hips as well.

Related: Best leather motorcycle jackets

Helmets

When you’re looking at helmets, the first choice is open or full-face. Many prefer the wind-in-the-hair (more like bugs-in-the-teeth) feeling of an open-face while others prefer the added protection of a full-face. Either way, there’s something for everyone and they should be at least ECE22.05 or ECE22.06 specification and if possible, some be SHARP star-rated too.

Gloves and Boots

Boots and gloves also need to be up to spec so again, look for CE ratings, with as many ‘2’ ratings as possible; 1 is a basic pass and 2 indicates a higher level of protection. You are likely to be looking at leather boots and gloves with a short cuff and a short ankle as this is the most common style for the retro and vintage look. Depending on whether you are an all year round rider or a fair weather rider will play a role in choosing between a summer glove or winter glove. This will also impact if you require a pair of waterproof boots or a summer boots.

We’ve put together a selection of our tried and tested retro boots and gloves below.

Luggage

In terms of luggage, panniers are probably the most retro style that you can go for but there are also tail bag and rucksack options available too. You may even find a retro tank bag. Which luggage you go for is probably going to depend on what you need is and which motorbike you have chosen. Below are a few options that caught our eye.

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