To measure for motorcycle gear, wrap a flexible tape over the base layer you ride in and record your chest, waist, sleeve length, hips, inseam, hand circumference at the knuckles, foot length and head circumference. Match each number to the size chart for that gear, then confirm the fit seated in a riding position.
Jacket size comes from your chest at its fullest point, and sleeve length runs to the wrist bone from either the center back of the neck or the shoulder point, depending on the brand. Pants size comes from your natural waist, while hips and inseam (crotch to ankle bone) check the fit. Gloves go by the hand measured around the knuckles, boots by heel-to-toe foot length in riding socks, and helmets by head circumference about 1 inch above the eyebrows. Riding gear sizes differently from street clothes because it's cut for a bent-arm, bent-knee position and has to hold armor over your joints.
What do you need before you measure?
You need a flexible tape measure, the heaviest base layer you plan to ride in, a sheet of paper, a wall and a helper for the sleeve and inseam. A cloth sewing tape bends around your chest and head. A steel garage tape doesn't.
Keep the tape level and snug, with room for two fingers underneath. Measure each point twice and average the two readings.
Eight measurements cover a full riding kit, and five of them pick a size directly.
| Measurement | Gear it sizes | Picks the size on the charts? | What the number does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chest | Jacket | Yes | Sets the jacket size |
| Waist | Pants (and jacket fit) | Yes, for pants | Sets the pants size |
| Sleeve length | Jacket | No | Checks sleeve length on brand charts that list it |
| Hips | Pants | No | Checks room across the seat |
| Inseam | Pants | No | Checks leg length over your boots |
| Hand around the knuckles | Gloves | Yes | Sets the glove size |
| Foot length | Boots | Yes | Sets the boot size |
| Head circumference | Helmet | Yes | Sets the helmet size |
How do you measure for a motorcycle jacket?
You measure for a motorcycle jacket at three points (chest, natural waist and sleeve length), and the chest number decides the size. Take the jacket measurements in this order.
- Measure your chest around the fullest part, under the armpits, with your arms relaxed and the tape level.
- Measure your waist around your natural waistline, keeping the tape level.
- Measure your sleeve from the center back of your neck, over the shoulder and down the outside of your arm to the wrist bone, with the arm relaxed at your side.
Brands start the sleeve measurement in different places. Klim's size chart runs it from the center back of the neck to the wrist bone, while Dainese and Alpinestars measure from the shoulder point to the wrist, so the Klim-style number always reads longer for the same arm. Write down both and label them.
Sleeve fit gets checked on the bike, not standing. With your arms reaching for the bars, the sleeves still need to cover your wrists, which is also the test in J.D. Power's motorcycle jacket fit guide. Motoport, a US riding-suit maker, asks sport riders to say so when ordering, because leaning forward stretches the arms out further.
How do you measure for motorcycle pants?
You measure for motorcycle pants at your natural waist, the fullest part of your hips and your inseam, and the waist number picks the size. Take the pants measurements standing straight in socks, with your feet together.
- Measure your waist around your natural waist, where your belt sits.
- Measure your hips around the fullest part of your seat, about 8 in (20 cm) below the waist.
- Measure your inseam from the crotch down the inside of your leg to the ankle bone.
Inseam end points differ by brand. Dainese measures from the crotch to the ankle, Klim measures to the floor without shoes and Alpinestars to the bottom of the leg, so a crotch-to-floor number runs longer than a crotch-to-ankle one. Check which end point a chart uses before you compare. Waist placement varies a little too, since Alpinestars and Dainese both put the natural waist in line with the navel.
Hip and inseam numbers don't change your size on a waist-only chart. They tell you whether the seat leaves room for hip armor and whether the legs reach your boots. Seated on the bike, the cuff needs to touch or nearly touch the top of the boot's foot arch, which is the length Motoport fits its riding pants to.
How do you measure for motorcycle gloves?
You measure for motorcycle gloves by wrapping the tape around your dominant hand across the knuckles, with your fingers together and your thumb held out of the loop. Read the number where the tape meets its zero end, in inches and centimeters.
Keep the tape flat on the back of the hand. A tape pulled tight enough to dent the skin gives a small reading, and a small reading means a glove that cramps your fingers on the grip. Measure twice and average.
Finger length, leather stretch and the fit of a new glove all sit outside a single tape reading, and motorcycle glove sizing works through each one.
How do you measure for motorcycle boots?
You measure for motorcycle boots by taking your foot length from the back of the heel to the tip of the longest toe, wearing the socks you ride in. Measure your foot length with these steps.
- Put on the riding socks you plan to wear with your boots.
- Stand on a sheet of paper with your heel against a wall and your weight on that foot.
- Mark the paper at the tip of the longest toe on that foot.
- Measure the foot length from the wall to the mark.
- Repeat the foot measurement on the other foot and use the longer number.
Check which length a boot chart lists before you compare. A foot-length chart matches your measured number directly. Forma, a motorcycle boot maker, lists inside boot length instead and tells riders to add 1 inch (3/4 inch for small sizes) to their foot length before reading its chart.
How do you measure your head for a helmet?
You measure your head for a helmet by wrapping the tape about 1 inch (2.5 cm) above your eyebrows and around the widest part of the back of your skull. Keep the tape level, read it in inches and centimeters, and measure twice.
Hair, head shape and brand differences all affect how a helmet fits, and the full method sits in how to measure your head for a motorcycle helmet.
Which size matches your measurements?
Your size is the row whose range contains your measurement, read from the chart for that piece of gear. A 40.5 in (103 cm) chest, for example, falls in the L jacket range of 40-42 in (102-107 cm). A reading that lands exactly on a boundary, such as a 22.0 in head, sits between two sizes.
Jacket sizes go by chest, measured at its fullest part with your arms relaxed.
| Jacket size | Chest |
|---|---|
| XS | 34-36 in (86-91 cm) |
| S | 36-38 in (91-97 cm) |
| M | 38-40 in (97-102 cm) |
| L | 40-42 in (102-107 cm) |
| XL | 42-44 in (107-112 cm) |
| 2XL | 44-46 in (112-117 cm) |
| 3XL | 46-48 in (117-122 cm) |
| 4XL | 48-50 in (122-127 cm) |
Pants sizes go by natural waist, where the belt sits. Check the fit seated in a riding position.
| Pants size | Waist |
|---|---|
| 28 | 28-29 in (71-74 cm) |
| 30 | 30-31 in (76-79 cm) |
| 32 | 32-33 in (81-84 cm) |
| 34 | 34-35 in (86-89 cm) |
| 36 | 36-37 in (91-94 cm) |
| 38 | 38-39 in (97-99 cm) |
| 40 | 40-41 in (102-104 cm) |
| 42 | 42-43 in (107-109 cm) |
Glove sizes go by the dominant hand measured around the knuckles, fingers together and thumb out.
| Glove size | Hand measurement |
|---|---|
| S | 7-7.5 in (18-19 cm) |
| M | 7.5-8 in (19-20 cm) |
| L | 8-8.5 in (20-22 cm) |
| XL | 8.5-9 in (22-23 cm) |
| 2XL | 9-9.5 in (23-24 cm) |
| 3XL | 9.5-10 in (24-25 cm) |
Boot sizes go by foot length. Try boots on with riding socks.
| US size | EU size | Foot length |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | 40 | 9.6 in (24.4 cm) |
| 8 | 41 | 9.9 in (25.2 cm) |
| 9 | 42 | 10.3 in (26.0 cm) |
| 10 | 43 | 10.6 in (26.8 cm) |
| 10.5 | 44 | 10.8 in (27.1 cm) |
| 11 | 45 | 11.0 in (27.9 cm) |
| 12 | 46 | 11.3 in (28.6 cm) |
| 13 | 47 | 11.6 in (29.4 cm) |
| 14 | 48 | 11.9 in (30.2 cm) |
Helmet sizes go by head circumference. A helmet fits snug with no pressure points and doesn't rotate on your head.
| Helmet size | Head circumference |
|---|---|
| XS | 21.2-21.6 in (54-55 cm) |
| S | 21.6-22.0 in (55-56 cm) |
| M | 22.0-22.4 in (56-57 cm) |
| L | 22.4-22.8 in (57-58 cm) |
| XL | 22.8-23.2 in (58-59 cm) |
| 2XL | 23.2-23.6 in (59-60 cm) |
| 3XL | 23.6-24.0 in (60-61 cm) |
Why does motorcycle gear fit differently from street clothes?
Motorcycle gear fits differently from street clothes because riding gear is cut for a seated, arms-forward position and has to keep armor over your joints in a slide. Many riding jackets use pre-curved sleeves for that reason, as the retailer MotorcycleGear.com points out in its measuring guide.
Fit fails in two directions. A jacket that's too loose flaps at speed and lets cold air in, and loose armor slides off the elbow it's meant to cover. A jacket that's too tight blocks the vents and restricts your breathing, according to J.D. Power's fit guide.
Seated on the bike, a riding jacket rests on your thighs and covers your lower back. Pants need extra leg length and seat room, since bent knees pull the cuffs up toward your shins.
Should you measure over your base layers?
Yes, measure over the heaviest base layer you'll ride in, because a jacket sized over a T-shirt won't close comfortably over a thermal top. A Chicago winter commuter in a thermal layer and an Arizona rider in a wicking tee each size to the layer they actually wear.
Leave bulky outer layers off. A hoodie or fleece belongs in the try-on test after you've picked a size, not in the tape reading.
What should you do if you are between sizes?
Use the between-size rule for that type of gear, since helmets, gloves, boots and jackets each have their own. These category rules come from the same size charts.
- Helmet sizing errs on the snug side, because the liner compresses as it breaks in.
- Leather gloves go to the smaller size, and textile gloves go to the larger one.
- Boots go up a size for half sizes or wide feet.
- Jackets go up a size when you'll add a back protector.
- Pants get checked seated in a riding position before you settle on a size.
AtomBiker, a US online store for motorcycle helmets, jackets, gloves, boots and pants, lists these rules on its Sizing Guide.
Do men's and women's motorcycle gear sizes differ?
Yes, men's and women's motorcycle gear uses separate size charts, and the same size label covers different body measurements. Alpinestars, for example, lists its Euro 44 at a 33 7/8-35 3/8 in (86-90 cm) chest for men (US 34) and 35 3/8-37 in (90-94 cm) for women (US 8), and its women's chart adds a bust measurement. Read the chart for the cut you're buying, and see motorcycle jacket types for how women's jackets are cut.
How should armor line up with your joints?
Armor sits centered over the joint it protects while you're in the riding position: elbow armor over the point of the elbow with your arms reaching for the bars, and knee armor over the kneecap with your feet on the pegs. Motoport notes that knee armor sits 1 to 1.5 in (2.5-3.8 cm) further down the leg when the feet are set back in a sport-bike position. Knee and hip armor by pants style is compared in motorcycle pants types.
Frequently asked questions
Should motorcycle gear be tight or loose?
Motorcycle gear should be snug but not tight, close enough that the armor stays over your joints and loose enough to breathe and move. J.D. Power's fit guide suggests zipping a jacket up over an extra layer: if you can hug yourself comfortably, it fits.
Can you use your street clothing size for motorcycle gear?
No, your street size is a poor guide, because every gear brand sets its own chart and many use European size numbers. Alpinestars, for example, labels a men's US 34 jacket as Euro 44. Measure your body and read the chart for the gear you're buying.
Do you measure your inseam with shoes on?
No, measure your inseam in socks, without shoes. Klim's size chart specifies no shoes, and boots change where the cuff lands, not your inseam. Check that the cuff reaches your boot while seated on the bike.
What size motorcycle jacket fits a 42-inch chest?
A 42 in (107 cm) chest sits on the line between L (40-42 in) and XL (42-44 in) on a chest-based jacket chart. Choose XL when you'll add a back protector, and try both sizes seated in the riding position when you can.
Can you measure yourself for motorcycle gear without a helper?
Yes, chest, waist, hips, hand, foot and head are all easy to measure alone. Sleeve length and inseam are harder, which is why Klim's chart asks for a second person. Without a helper, measure a riding jacket or pants that already fit well and compare those numbers with the chart.
Is measuring enough, or do you still need to try gear on?
No, measuring gives you a starting size, and a try-on in the riding position confirms it. For helmets, run the pressure-point and roll-off tests in how a motorcycle helmet should fit. AtomBiker's 30-day returns give you time to try gear on indoors first, so check the return conditions before you ride in it.
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