Best sports and track motorcycle boots, tried and tested by our team of experts

If your motorcycling involves sportsbikes, trackdays or even racing then you almost certainly want the sportsbike kit to match – and that includes not just one or two-piece leathers with a sports full-face helmet but also sporty gloves and race-style motorcycle boots, too.

Jump to:

• What is a sporty race boot?
• What to consider when buying race boots
• The best race boots
• Frequently asked questions
• How we test race boots

What makes a sporty race boot?

OK so yes, it’s partially the looks, we like to try to emulate the appearance of our favourite racers like Rossi or Hickman, but proper sportsbike gear serves a purpose too . Race-style boots are usually not designed to be exceptionally warm, waterproof or intended for year-round use like a touring boot. Instead they focus on safety features, feel of the bike controls and being lightweight and aerodynamic.

And although track specific kit, such as racing leathers, may not be the most practical choice for riding on road, race boots still give brilliant protection and lots of enviable style when riding on the road.

Race focused boots will feature things like toe sliders and rigid armour to provide protection to the ankles, heels and shins. They usually have fairly low profile soles with minimal tread to allow a better feel through the footpegs along with stretch panels to allow easy ankle movement.

What to consider when buying race boots

There are a couple of things to consider when buying sporty race type boots. Do you ride in situations where you might get caught out in the rain? If so then waterproofing might be worth looking for. How much do you want to spend? There are lots of options available to suit almost any budget. If you race fairly frequently, potentially replaceable toe sliders could be a better option than fully fixed variants to give your boots a bit more longevity. There is also the consideration of colour choice, purely vanity based, but most riders want to co-ordinate their boots to their leathers, helmet and motorcycle.

Like all other motorcycle kit, sporty boots are CE rated, against two standards; one from 2015 and one from 2017. The latter includes four areas and each is scored with a 1 or a 2 – 2 being the higher rating.

The first of the four indicates the height of the boot; 1 is short, 2 is tall but after that, it’s all about the protection, so when you are considering boots, look for as many 2s as you can find.

The best sporty race boots

To help you decide, whether you’re off racing, having a go at a few trackdays or simply want to enjoy your sportsbike on the road, here’s our choice of some of the best that we have tried.

Frequently asked questions

How do I stop my sports boots from squeaking?

Many sporty boots with rigid protection squeak when you walk. The easiest way to deal with this is by using a silicone spray in the areas where the armour joins the boots, this helps to allow it to move more freely.

How should my boots fit?

Ideally you want a snug fit, allowing full feel to the gear levers and rear brake, while still allowing your feet to breathe. If you have boots that are too snug, you will start to lose feeling in your feet where the blood flow is reduced. If they are too loose you you will not have the best feel to the bike.

How do I break in my new boots?

The same way that you would break in any new shoes, wear them around your home gradually building up the length of time that they are worn for each time, this allows them to stretch, hopefully without causing you blisters

---

How MCN tests sports motorcycle boots

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 sports motorcycle boots 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 boots are no exception. Factors assessed include the boots’ ability to provide feel through the pegs, what level of protection they offer, how comfortable they are to wear, how they look, how easy they are to put on and anything other features they may have, such as waterproofing.

We cover thousands of miles in these sport boots 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 pair of boots 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 pair of motorcycle boots, 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.

- Just so you know, we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website - read why you should trust us.