ONE-PIECE LEATHERS

The ultimate second skin for safety-conscious superbike riders, trackday regulars and racers.

FIT

One-piece leathers aren’t supposed to be comfortable — at least, not when you’re standing up straight or walking around. They should be snug, even tight at first, but a good suit will be cut to feel right and not restrict movement when you’re tucked up in a compact sportsbike crouch. Bagginess can compromise safety, so don’t go for a size too big just because it feels more comfy in a shop. Well-chosen stretch panels combine a close fit with flexibility.

LEATHER

Cowhide or kangaroo? Thick or thin? Vented or not? Most leathers are cowhide, typically a minimum of 1.2mm on lighter, more flexible suits going up to 1.6mm on sturdier, heavier suits. Kangaroo is supple and stronger than the same weight of cowhide but tends to be expensive. Perforated leather is a good idea if you only plan on riding in hot, dry conditions; otherwise, non-perforated is comfier across a wider range of weathers.

ARMOUR

Track suits should have Ce-approved shoulder, elbow and knee armour as a minimum. Proper hip armour is worth looking out for — some suits simply use thin padding there instead. Most suits have no back armour, assuming that you’ll want to wear your own back protector. If that’s the case, make sure to bring your preferred protector along when you go to try on a suit.

CUFFS

Inspect the wrist and ankle cuffs. Some suits use a soft neoprene lining for comfort. Most close with zips and Velcro tabs; some have two zips at the ankle which allow the leg to open up wide enough to go over boots. When trying on a one-piece suit, bring along the gloves and boots you plan on using to check they all fit together neatly.

SLIDERS

All one-piece suits have Velcro panels for knee-sliders, though not all come with the sliders included. Check whether your suit’s patches are ‘hook’ or ‘loop’ Velcro (most are loop but not all), and obviously only get sliders with the matching backing. Move kneesliders around to give you the largest, flattest contact patch when they touch down. An increasing number of suits now include replaceable elbow sliders — functional for a few, and something to daydream about for the rest of us…