Maybe you’ve seen some motorcyclists on the road wearing long protective boots that reach up to their knees. Maybe you’ve also seen bikers just wearing casual shoes. Motorcycle footwear is specially made to offer great protection in case of an accident and comes in all sorts and styles. Good motorcycle footwear is important to protect your feet, ankles, and even your shins. For some sports, wearing specific motorcycle shoes is obligatory.
This guide will tell you what kind of motorcycle footwear is available and what they are used for.
Casual Boots and Shoes
Casual motorcycle boots and shoes look like sneakers or everyday boots from a regular shoe store. But regular shoes offer little to no protection in case of impact or when a motorcycle falls on your legs or ankles. Casual motorcycle shoes are different–they are enforced and offer better protection. Motorcycle shoes are constructed with special soles, armor plating, and abrasion-resistant materials.
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Casual motorcycle boots and shoes are versatile because they leave lots of room to move and are more comfortable than the big, bulky motorcycle boots used for racing and touring. Besides, casual shoes are more stylish as well. A big benefit of these casual shoes is that they can also be worn when you’re not riding your bike. While wearing these shoes, you can simply step off your bike and walk around the office, store, or any other place you like.
Casual motorcycle boots and shoes save you the trouble of bringing extra shoes with you if you need to go somewhere walking. However, they offer less protection than motorcycle boots covering your ankles or entire leg. They are mostly used by those who use their bike to commute and are not suitable for racing, longer rides, or rides in bad weather.
Another thing to remember is that most motorcycle boots and shoes have laces, which can get caught in the wheels or on other parts.
Sports and Racing Boots
Casual shoes are unsuitable for motorcycle sports because these often happen on rough terrain and at high speeds. An impact would be quite serious; therefore, good protection of the ankles, feet, and legs is needed. Sports boots come in different lengths, from ankle boots to over-knee boots.
Participants of motorcycle sports, such as dirt biking, often put their foot down during the race and, therefore, need extra thick and strong soles. There should be extra protection around the ankles as they are often the weak spot of the leg. Racing boots should have a snug fit and good ventilation so that they cannot move around or come off and can prevent sweating. This also limits their ability to move–they are not suitable for walking around. Most racing boots have extra safety panels attached to buckles and can be removed. Sports boots never have laces, which is very dangerous because of the high chance of getting stuck in the bike.
Sports boots’ main goal is protection, but they also focus on performance. During MotoGP racing, it is important to be aerodynamic. To make this possible, special motorcycle racing boots are lighter and slightly more flexible to use the bike’s foot controls. The protection of these boots is placed in the area where racers need it most.
Featured Photo by Harley-Davidson on Unsplash
