Best Vegan Motorcycle Gear From Vegan Boots To Vegan Gloves

Updated: 01 November 2024

Life is all about choices and more people are choosing to live their lives as vegan, avoiding the use of any form of animal products. Brands are introducing vegan motorcycle products which use more sustainable materials.

While it’s becoming easier to adopt a healthy and animal-product-free diet, eliminating any forms of animal product from your furniture or clothing can still be tricky and that includes vegan motorcycle products.

And it’s even harder when you start to consider a subject as relatively niche as vegan motorcycle products. We know it’s very easy to buy decent motorcycle kit that will protect you; in fact, arguably the most protective form of clothing is a set of racing leathers, but clearly, that will never satisfy someone’s desires to avoid animal products.

However, there are options out there for riders who want to live a cruelty-free life – they just take a little more finding. We’ve rounded up some vegan motorcycle products for riders who want to avoid animal products yet give themselves the best protection and comfort when riding.

Shark Spatan RS Helmet

Reviewed on our sister title RiDE

Price: £275.49 (was £289.99)

www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk

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Tried and tested by Steven Herbert-Mattick

Steve contacted Shark to ensure that this helmet was in fact animal cruelty free, to which they confirmed that there are no animal products used in the manufacture of this helmet.

"This high-quality sports-touring helmet is well-made and comfortable enough for full-day rides. The variable-thickness visor gives a great view ahead and works best on sporty bikes that have you canted slightly forwards. The Pinlock is perfectly mist-free, too. The drop-down visor is easy to operate using the top-mounted switch, gives full coverage and the neutral tint works very well, though you'll need the vents open to avoid steaming it up"

"My 56.5cm head is smack between the small (55-56cm) and medium (67-58cm) shell sizes. While the fit of the small is tight, there are no pressure points anywhere, just an overall snugness that's never uncomfortable. Weight is a fairly standard 1460g. The lining is plush and not too sweaty even In heatwave temperatures. The smooth, fuss-free shell shape is aerodynamically stable and there's a generous chin curtain which helps reduce noise on the road. Venting is a mixed bag. The top vent is so effective it lets in a ferocious gush of air that actually makes it quite noisy. even with earplugs, The chin vent, however, is so ineffective l'm never quite sure which is the open position. Thankfully the visor's mechanism means it's easy to get a faceful of fresh air but if 1 ride with the main visor up and the sun visor down, it whistles."

Pros

High quality build
Easy to use drop down sun visor
Great field of vision

Cons

Chin vent is not very effective

Construction	Multi fibre composite
Chin strap type	Double D ring
Safety standard	ECE 22.06
Warranty	5 years

Four exhaust vents on the rear
Triple air intake on the front of the helmet
Internal dropdown sun visor
Pinlock 120 Max Vision insert included
Removable chin cover

Five HG3 Heated Gloves

Price: £113.74 (was £163.46)

www.fc-moto.de

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Tried and tested by Steven Herbert-Mattick for two years and 4,000 miles

"The test of these gloves for me isn’t the near-perfect heating or the easy operation — it’s how well they work as a winter glove when the battery runs out. Decent armour is fitted not just in the knuckles but a there’s a scaphoid slider too. And they’re totally waterproof, warm and comfy. You get three heat settings, easily controlled by a colour coded LED light on each cuff. Full power will drain the batteries in about an hour and a half."

"The short cuff isn’t enough to always stay over sleeves, while the batteries make them a bit bulky for going under the cuffs of some jackets. But their fully-synthetic, cruelty-free construction, battery life on the lower settings and fantastic warmth across my always freezing digits is excellent."

Pros

They're super warm, even when the battery has run out
They are totally waterproof
Good battery life

Cons

Cuffs could be longer

Quality

5.0
Value

5.0

Armour	Palm slider, knuckles
Power	Battery operation
Heat settings	Three heat settings

Touch screen compatible index finger
Reflective details
Hipora waterproof membrane
Thinsulate thermal lining

Richa Arc GTX Jacket and Trousers

Tested by our sister title RiDE

Price: £759.99 (Jacket) £549.99 (Trousers)

www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk

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Tested by Steve Herbert-Mattick for 2,500 miles

"Wear and tear, absolutely none. No hook-and-loop that doesn’t, no broken zips or fasteners... The reflective patch on the ankle is a bit scuffed, if you want to be fussy."

"Jacket first. It’s a great fit with a really stylish cut that’s flattering on and off the bike. That’s helped by well-considered adjusters that hold firm and thoughtful detailing for the protective and reflective bits. The little hook on the collar flap means you can pin it back for extra air, which I like because being laminated Gore-Tex, you don’t get much in the way of venting. What you do get definitely works though"

"The trousers are probably the best I’ve worn. As subtly-styled and well-shaped as the jacket and totally leak-free with actually-usable pockets and generous flare-outs at the bottom so they work with all boots I’ve tried. The D30 armour in the knees never causes any pressure discomfort and, because my waist and inside-leg measurements are at odds with off-the-peg sizes, the braces make sure they stay up when I’m walking around without the jacket on to zip them too as well."

Find the trousers here

Sidi Aria Boots

Price: £233.99 ( was £259.99)

www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk

View Offer

Tried and tested by Steve Herbert-Mattick for Three months and 1,500 miles

"I was looking for a simple pair of boots to use every day that would be comfortable, easy to get in and out of and work in all weathers. These fit the bill nicely and for all their technical appearance, are pretty basic: Gore-Tex, breathable, zip closure with hook & loop flap, armour in the right places and a slim leg I could get under jeans."

"Breaking them in over a single-day, 500-mile ride wasn’t the best idea. Even through thick socks the openings rubbed my shins red raw. Something to do with the ergonomics of the Ténéré World Raid I was riding and the angle of my leg, but enough to make me worry I’d made a mistake. I stuck with them, however, and the 1000-odd miles since (all far shorter rides, mind) have been fine, comfy and dry with the Aria proving themselves a well-made touring boot for daily use. Best of all, their fully-synthetic, micro injection and mesh construction is 100% vegan-friendly."

Pros

They are comfortable once worn in
Have proven to be waterproof
Vegan friendly

Cons

Took some time to break in

Quality

4.0
Value

4.0

Construction	Mesh and Gore-Tex
Type	Waterproof touring boot
Armour	Heel and ankle

Hook and loop and zip closure
Nylon inner sole and removable arch support pad
Back reflective insert to help aid visibility
Gore-tex waterproof and breathable membrane

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By Jim Blackstock

Product Tester for MCN and sister publication RiDE Magazine - Jim began riding motorcycles in the late 1980s while working in an automotive repair garage after earning a Mechanical Engineering degree. Initially, he used bikes for practical purposes but later shifted to cars, starting a publishing career in the early 1990s focused on car modifications and product testing. After a stint in PR and Marketing for major motorsport teams and events, Jim returned to publishing and joined RiDE Magazine in 2017 as a Production Editor. His expertise in product testing soon led him to oversee the magazine’s product content. Rediscovering his love for motorcycles, Jim earned his license through the Direct Access process and now enjoys riding his KTM 790 Adventure across various terrains.

Shark Spartan RS helmet

Sidi Aria boots