RST Sabre leather airbag jacket | Sporty, comfortable, airbag-packing bargain

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Sitting somewhere between RST’s S-1 and Tractech Evo 5 jackets in terms of cost and ethos, the RST Sabre is a sporty touring jacket designed with mass appeal in mind.

More interestingly, because it’s frequently discounted, this jacket is one of, if not the cheapest ways to get hold of the extra protection an airbag system offers.

That’s something that really appeals to me because I’ve got very comfortable with the armour my RST Pro Series Airbag suit offers. I can’t wear that all the time, it’s too hot and restrictive for long periods off the bike, and looks a bit much down the pub.

For shorter rides, trips to my local bike night, or really any occasion that means getting off the bike for more than ten minutes, can the Sabre airbag jacket offer similar peace of mind in a more usable form?

Is it comfortable?

My main consideration was comfort – I wanted something easier to wear all day than my suit, but that retained the close-cut feel and didn’t feature loads of excess fabric. I’ve already got plenty of restrictive, sporty jackets that I want to take off the second I switch off my ignition, and even more billowy textile garments that inflate like a windsock the second I sit up behind the screen.

Being made from leather (premium drum dyed cowhide, no less) certainly helps with the latter, as does the slightly sporty cut. It’s short at the front, but there’s no aggressive aero hump at the back, and the sleeves have a small pre-bend in them but nothing too OTT.

The leather itself is soft to the touch and pliable, and the four-way stretch and accordion panels really help improve freedom of movement. They’re principally there to create space for the airbag to fill once it’s gone off, but they also make the jacket stretchy and comfortable to move around in.

Perforation in the upper chest and arms lets a decent amount of breeze through, and there’s a zip-in thermal gilet for colder days. Adjusters on the waist and zips on the cuffs give you a degree of adjustability too. Both the cuffs and neck are lined with neoprene, which feels great on hot or cold days.

I’ve been wearing this for around a year now and it’s been great in the warmer months. Towards the end of 2023 I could get away with wearing it underneath a big hoody but at its core this is spring/summer/autumn jacket – mainly because it’s not at all waterproof. The collar is also cut into quite a deep V, so a rollneck base layer is a good idea on chillier days.

Although I’ve not toured with it yet, I have done some longer 200/300-mile trips in the UK and found it performed absolutely perfectly. It doesn’t pull you into weird positions off the bike and is styled subtly enough to get away with at the pub, too.

How practical is the RST Sabre jacket?

A significantly more practical garment than my race suit (mostly because it has two pockets and can be removed without taking my trousers off) but in reality, it’s about as easy to use as any other motorcycle jacket.

It does have quite a slim cut, especially around the wrists, to the point where I usually have to take my (admittedly bulky) watch off in order to be comfortable. Depending on what trousers I wear I can also get a bit of a gap at the back.

RST jeans are fine because they have a higher waist, but if I’m wearing my Oxford or Bull-its I have to use one of those connector belts to keep everything together. My Tractech Evo 5 jeans have a zip built in so they’re fine too. I am 6 foot 2 though, and quite often have this problem with jackets, so it might be ok for you.

On the subject of zips, the airbag module is accessed via a zip at the bottom of the jacket, which often means turning the whole thing upsidedown to access it. Unfortunately you have to remove the box to charge it, and it’s located a good way up the back of the jacket, which is reasonably heavy, so the whole thing can be a bit of a faff.

What about the way it looks?

I think the Sabre looks great – sporty enough to be interesting but not so much that it makes you stick out when you’re off the bike.

For what it’s worth I think the white flashes help break it up a bit better than the all-black version – that’s largely subjective, but I also like the way they improve my visibility.

What’s the quality like?

The fixed lining feels very plush and held in place securely, while the leather outer layer is sturdy and robust, with almost zero signs of the miles I’ve put it through so far, save for bug splats.

The main zip is big and chunky and there’s a hook and loop fastener at the top and bottom, as there is on the cuffs, too. These all still stick well and haven’t started to curl up or separate like they sometimes do.

Protection

I suspect one of the main reasons you’re looking at this jacket is because it features an airbag system but doesn’t cost an obscene amount of money.

But it’s worth taking about the passive safety features on this jacket, not least the AAA CE abrasion rating. The shoulders and elbows feature level one impact protectors, and the latter cover a decent portion of the lower arm.

The back has a level one protector as part of the airbag system, plus the actual bag itself, which protects the back, neck, abdomen and chest.

You do need to subscribe to In&Motion to use this, and that costs extra on top of the jacket purchase. You can either pay £400 up front or subscribe for £120 a year/£12 a month like I do. If you pay as you go, you get a lifetime warranty and updates for the box.

You can swap the box between different jackets or suits without needing a new subscription for each one, but it’s a financial commitment one way or another.

Is it good value for money?

At this point then it’s a good time to highlight the cheaper versions of the Sabre – either a textile jacket with the airbag, or a leather version with no airbag at all.

As I’m writing this, the RST GT and Axiom jackets are also available with an airbag for less, but both are textile and not particularly sporty looking, so there are other compromises there.

My verdict

The RST Sabre Airbag jacket has been my go-to for the past year or so because it works on all sorts of bikes and all sorts of rides, while benefitting from the protection of an airbag.

It looks great, fits perfectly, and integrates well with my other gear. In the colder months it fits neatly under a hoody and isn’t too bulky to wear underneath a waterproof onesie either.

For all those reasons and more it’s an easy five stars, particularly if you’ve got any other In&Motion airbag kit, because the module can be swapped between them for free.

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How MCN tests jackets

At MCN, our team of expert journalists have decades of experience gained over hundreds of thousands of miles. We don’t test our jackets 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.

Each of our writers has an in-depth understanding of the needs of today’s biker… because they are one.

To find out if a jacket is worth spending your money on, our testers wear them in the way you will. In the case of this classic leather jacket, that means dry and mostly sunny days in the saddle, but if we’re testing waterproofs we head out in the rain.

If you can’t see a review against an item on this page, it’s because we haven’t tested it yet. These items 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.

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

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