There’s nothing cooler than going down the freeway on your bike in full leathers, but sometimes we just want to ride to the supermarket for an errand, the cafe for a drink, or commute to work. I wear my full leather gear anywhere around town and I stick out like a power ranger on his way to fight another monster. Sometimes riders just want discreet, low-profile riding gear that blends well at the office or at the corner store.
That’s where armored shirts come in. Armored shirts are motorcycle gear that look like normal everyday clothing but hidden underneath it are a suite of impact and abrasion protection to keep riders safe in the unfortunate event of a crash.
Speed and Strength Black 9 Moto Shirt
Starting off with a jacket that has minimal protection. Motorcycle gear usually falls into one of two categories, protective or comfortable. It’s rare to find the gear that fits in both categories. The Speed and Strength Black 9 Moto Shirt (Amazon) is one of these rare breeds of motorcycle gear. This jacket will be a good choice for riders that want to wear minimal gear or riders who want just a step above regular clothes for protection.
Construction
The Speed and Strength Black 9 Moto Shirt is constructed with Dupont-Kevlar and have Kevlar-infused reinforced shoulders and elbows. The shirt is of a cotton, polyester, and nylon blend fabric to maximize comfort on your rides. This fabric is going to be more protective than a normal cotton-nylon blend to prevent road rash in case you go down.
Armor
The Kevlar panels are in place to guard your elbows and shoulders against the road rash you might get from a slide. The Black Moto 9 shirt doesn’t have any armors nor does it have pockets if you ever want to install some. This shirt maximizes comfort and style by being less bulky and hiding the fact that it is an actual motorcycle garment.
Other features
The Speed and Strength Black 9 Moto Shirt also comes with a YKK zipper under the buttons to make sure the shirt stays on the rider and doesn’t open up. It also has expansion gussets along the shoulders for comfort, mesh lining interior for comfort, and a snap-down collar to keep it from flapping around at speed. If you just want a simple piece of gear or a shirt that provides a bit more protection than your average day-to-day, the Black Moto 9 is definitely the way to go.
Merlin Axe Kevlar Shirt
The Black 9 Moto provides good protection but if a rider wants more protection and a full Kevlar covering for peace of mind, the Merlin Axe Kevlar Riding Shirt (Revzilla) is the way to go. The Merlin Axe Kevlar Shirt is a step above the Black 9 Moto with shoulder and elbow armors.
Construction
The Merlin Axe Kevlar shirt has Kevlar not only in the high-stress and impact areas but in the entirety of the jacket. This ensures full abrasion protection from slides and even impacts. The Merlin Axe Shirt is constructed with a cotton and polyester weave and is great for hot summer rides.
Armor
The Merlin Axe Kevlar Shirt comes with Kevlar reinforcements throughout the body and not just on the elbow and shoulders. It also has CE Level 1 elbow and shoulder armor as well as an optional pocket for a back protector. The impact areas are well reinforced and even has a drop-down back cover to make sure it protects the tail bone from impacts and abrasion.
Other features
Belt loops and an attachment zipper on the Merlin Axe Kevlar Shirt means riders can attach this jacket to any armored jeans or riding pants to ensure maximum protection. It also has a YKK center front zipper with a snap closure and a pair of front pockets for additional storage.
The Merlin Axe Kevlar Shirt is a good choice for anyone who wants the right amount for protection. This is jacket provides basic protection and full abrasion resistance as well as optional additional protection for riders who want more security from impacts.
Rev’It Westport Overshirt
Both jackets mentioned earlier are great offerings for any rider who wants to ride in style and safety. But what if you’re looking for a riding shirt that adds class into the mix? Then look no further than the Rev’It Westport Overshirt (Revzilla).
The Rev’It Westport Overshirt is just as protective as the two jackets mentioned prior but what makes this jacket special is that even up close, it looks like a normal, everyday cold weather jacket. It even has a stylish quilted exterior that wouldn’t look out of place in the office or for a night out at the bar.
Construction
The Rev’It Westport Overshirt is what some might call a high-end casual jacket as it comes with a lot of features. This jacket has built-in insulation so it would work great for temperate to cool-weather riding. The jacket has a full 11 oz. Cordura Denim construction which makes the jacket feel like a soft cotton jacket but has the protective capabilities of a full-on textile jacket.
The outer shell is a cotton and polyamide mix with the outer shell being 100% polyamide. The interior lining is full polyester material making this jacket extremely comfortable. The outer shell is also lightly waxed giving it some water resistance for the unfortunate surprise showers.
Armor
For armor, the Rev’It Westport Overshirt has Seesmart CE-level 1 at the elbows and shoulders. Rev’It’s Seesmart armor is an innovative piece of gear as it gives riders full level 1 protection while being extremely thin and flexible. You’ll hardly even notice the armor is there! This armor fits seamlessly and doesn’t ruin the jacket’s lines.
One thing to note regarding the pocket for a back protector is that the back of the jacket is pretty thin so if you decide to add a back protector, there’s a chance that it might become visible.
The jacket also comes with PWR shield triple stitched into the impact areas to add reinforcement to the already highly durable Cordura Denim. The Cordura Denim, Seesmart armor, along with the PWR shield reinforcement undoubtedly makes this jacket well worth the price.
Additional features
Other features on the Westport Overshirt include two external chest pockets, two handwarmer pockets, premium-quality YKK zippers, metal snaps on top of the buttons, an internal pocket, and a napoleon pocket. The jacket also comes with jean loops to ensure they don’t ride up in a slide and expansion gussets at the back of the shoulders for a comfortable reach for your controls. The jacket also comes with a reflective strip at the back for nighttime rides.
It’s easy to rationalize not wearing your full gear when you just want a quick ride to the store or if you think it’s too hot to put on all your leathers. Armored shirts are a great way to reinforce that rationalization. These garments give you a step up in protection compared to just wearing your regular clothes.
Some swear by their gear and make it a point not to ride their motorcycles unless they wear All The Gear All The Time (ATGATT) and that’s completely fine. But if you’re like me, who rides almost anywhere and anytime, whether I’m headed home for the holidays on a 5-hour drive or I just want a cold drink from two blocks away, these armored casual riding gear are perfect.