The Best Motorcycle Boots For All Riding Styles

Motorcycle boots come in various shapes and sizes and choosing the right type of boot can be an expensive affair. We’ve listed the 10 best motorcycle boots keeping in mind the different types of riders and their riding styles.

Top Rated Motorcycle Boots - 2018

1. Gaerne G-Adventure

Best Touring Motorcycle Boots

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2. Harley-Davidson Riddick

Best Cruiser Motorcycle Boots

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3. O'Neal Rider

Best Off-Road Motorcycle Boots

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1. Gaerne G-Adventure Adult Off-Road Motorcycle Boots

Comfort
95%
Durability
95%
Protection
100%

These boots are full length, dual sport cross-over boots. They are a great mix between road touring and off-roading boots.

The Gaerne G – Adventure comes with some of the more rugged protective elements that are required for dual sports. They also have stylish comfortable elements that come with long distance touring and walking boots.

This boot has a reasonable amount of comfort while standing and walking.

The G-Adventure is waterproof and breathable through a non removable, built – in membrane.

It is a good option for those of you looking for a cold and wet weather boot.

The G – Adventure comes in a full grain leather upper along with a high–grip shifter pad. The toe box is reinforced and the sole has a rugged outdoor style with rubber lugs.

The boot offers a lot of stability in the sole. The mid foot being stiff with a lot of flexion in the toe.

For fitment and locking, you get TPU cam – lock buckles that are ratchet adjustable.

A broken shin or tibia is a common motorcycling injury and the G-Adventure Boot from Gaerne comes with protection for just that.

The shin area comes with a TPU plate that is provides excellent padding, shielding your shin from hitting the foot-pegs.

The heel is held down nicely by the heel cup, giving a precise snug fit.

Who is this motorcycle boot for?

The Gaerne G-Adventure are a great option for off-roading as well as touring enthusiasts.

They are suited for cold and wet weather riding conditions.

2. Harley-Davidson Men's Riddick Boot, Black With Ankle Protecting Air-Bags

Comfort
95%
Durability
95%
Protection
95%

The Harley Davidson Riddick is a cruiser style boot that looks as mean as it sounds.

The Riddick comes with a reinforced toe for when you’re shifting gears so that the boot doesn’t wear out as fast.

I has a traditional lace – up system along with a zipper so for easy access and removal of the boot.

The cool thing about the Riddick is it comes with zipper air flow vents. Being a hot weather boot, cooling is of absolute importance. And during those 120 degree days all you have to do is pull the vents down to get some cool air into the boot.

The Riddick is a comfortable boot that comes with an air cushioning system in the sole. This adds extra cushioning for when you’re walking.

The Riddick is not a waterproof boot, but the tongue is stitched up high, so it does add some level of protection against the rain.

The boot also comes with an ergonomic footpad that conforms to the shape of your foot.

The coolest feature about this boot is that your ankles are protected by mini airbags. These airbags break open upon impact just like in a car to help soften the blow upon impact.

These boots come with replaceable soles, in case you wear them down and would like a new pair slapped on.

Who is this motorcycle boot for?

This is a great option for a hot weather cruiser boot that offers plenty of added protection and cushioning for your feet.

3. O'Neal Rider Boots

Comfort
85%
Durability
100%
Protection
100%

The O’Neal Rider Boots are motocross boots that can be used on the track or on the trail. These boots are meant to hold your foot in tight, while offering excellent protection and stability.

The O’Neal Riders are made of sturdy molded-plastic protective plates that help reduce impact.

The fit of the boot is precise and helps reduce range of motion on your foot. While the easy to operate four – buckle snap lock system helps give a perfect fit.

The toe comes with a metal guard in order to protect the sole of the shoe from coming off. These steel toe guards have removable screws, so they can be replaced when worn out.

The sole comes with good tread and grip, and comes with a full metal shank for added support.

The insole is cushioned for extra comfort and the interior comes with a mesh lining along with generous heel support.

The ankle region has a lot of protection as well.

Who is this motorcycle boot for?

These boots come at an excellent price point and are excellent value for money.

A great boot for all you off-roading enthusiasts out there. 

4. Power Gear Motorsports NEW Men's Motorcycle Racing Boots

Comfort
95%
Durability
90%
Protection
100%

The Power Gear Motorsports Sports Motorcycle boots offer a lot in terms of riding hardware.

They come packaged with all the protective features you could ask for on a sports motorcycle boot.

Starting off at the tip, the toe sliders are adjustable as well as removable. Above the toes comes a reinforced gear shifting pad that reduces wear and tear on the boot during aggressive shifting..

The midfoot hosts an active vent to allow for airflow on those hot summer days.

Moving to the back you meet the heel cup which is removable and replaceable as well. These are the only boots on this list that come with an achiles protector. While on the sides, you will find sturdy removable ankle protectors as well.

Another safety feature on this boot which is not present on the other boots on this list are calf protectors.

Moving back to the front, these boots come with a removable shin guard. While on the side you gain access to the boot through the zipper system.

These boots are extremely lightweight considering the amount of hardware on board.

The Power Gear Motorsports NEW Men’s Motorcycle Racing Boots are the most technical boots on this list and come in at a bargain of a price.

Who is this motorcycle boot for?

These boots are for those of you with sport or racing motorcycles.

The Power Gear Motorsports Motorcycle Racing Boots offer excellent protection and features for a bargain of a price.

5. Joe Rocket Big Bang 2.0 Men's Motorcycle Riding Boots

Comfort
95%
Durability
85%
Protection
85%

The Joe Rocket Big Bang 2.0’s are extremely stylish boots.

These riding boots have military inspired work boot look to them. They are made from full grain leather and come with a tonne of other features.

The strap comes with a ratcheting system, that ensures the boot provides that precise riding fit.

The toe box has plenty of room for movement, while fitting well enough to make gear shifts fast and easy. Although, we did find the the toe box to be slightly high and you might have to change your shifter up a few clicks.

The toe box also comes with a patch of textured rubber that will give excellent grip over your controls.

The heel cup fits sung and hugs the foot ensuring that there is no slippage.

These boots are made to look and feel sturdy. They’re triple stitched and are durable and abrasion resistant as well.

The ankle area is protected by built in plates on the outside and inside and are padded by foam. While the tongue area comes padded as well. The only problem is the top of the boots aren’t as plush as we liked them to be, although they do break in very nicely down the road.

The sole is bonded, comes with lugs for added grip and the boot is oil resistant as well.

They fit extremely well even though they don’t come in half sizes. This is due to the fact that they come with a traditional lace up system along with a buckled strap that goes right across the feet, giving you a snug and secure fit.

The Big Bang 2.0’s come in two colors, the matt black and matt grey.

Who is this motorcycle boot for?

This is an excellent all round motorcycle boot that is fashionable, comfortable and can be used for any style of riding. One of the best commuter motorcycling boots around.

6. The Harley Davidson Men's Scout

Comfort
95%
Durability
90%
Protection
90%

As the name suggests the Harley Davidson scout is a boot that you use to scout the road ahead. It is a boot that you can wear comfortably both on and off the bike.

The Scout is a classic motorcycle boot in the Harley Davidson stable. It comes in two colors – Black and Brown.

This boot has a rugged look and feel to it with a metal harness around the ankle and a metal logo above with Harley Davidson etched into it. The upper is made of a quality leather that is soft to the touch and wears well with time.

On one side of the boot comes a zipper, making it easy to put on and take off.

Inside the boot is a removable cushioned insole that is comfortable and plush. This removable insole also gives you the option of swapping it out for your own orthotic.

The out-sole of the scout is thick and comes with a semi- aggressive tread pattern that offers a lot of traction. The thickness of the out-sole is both protective and comfortable enough to take off the road if you choose to do so as well.

Who is this motorcycle boot for?

The scout is a cruiser style motorcycle boot for those of you who like to explore the unknown.

It is stylish, durable and practical enough to take with you on those long rides on the highway, yet comfortable enough to wear on a daily basis.

7. Dingo Men's Chopper Harness Boot

Comfort
95%
Durability
100%
Protection
75%

Dingo boots are known for their form and function and the brand hasn’t failed to deliver with the Men’s Chopper Harness.

The Chopper Harness is a great looking and durable cruiser style motorcycle boot.

The Dingo Chopper harness comes with a sole meant for riding these types of bikes. The heel has slightly higher heel and the tread is smooth, allowing your boot to move easily around the controls.

The looks include  decorative silver tone hardware on the toe and heel, giving it that rugged old school look.

The upper is made of a quality leather with minimal seams. While the eagle on the harness gives this boot a stand out classic look.

The boot measures 12 inches from the shaft and fits well.

Cruiser boots generally come with one specialized requirement, and that is the sole thickness or height.

The reason for this is that cruiser style motorcycles can get pretty wide, and the added boot height offers extra footing. Thus making gear shifts easy.

Who is this motorcycle boot for?

The Dingo Chopper Harness is for those of you who ride extra wide choppers or cruiser style bikes.

8. Forma Adventure Off-Road Motorcycle Boots

Comfort
80%
Durability
95%
Protection
100%

The Forma Adventure Off-Road Motorcycle Boots are great for those of you who are into adventure or touring riding styles.

These boots come in two heights – Tall and Medium and also come in two color versions – Black and Brown.

The Forma Adventure Boot gives you the comfort you need to walk about all day in. It comes with a lining that is fully waterproof with a Dry-Tex liner that goes all the way up to the second buckle.

Forma is an Italian company and their fit an finish on this boot is impeccable.

The boot is lightweight and comes with a lot of different features at an attractive price – point.

The upper is made of a oiled full grain bovine leather. The mid sole is a dual density sole that offers a lot of stability.

While the out sole has an aggressive lug pattern that has excellent traction on the dirt and mud, while still being comfortable to walk around on. One thing to be noted is the sole isn’t too stiff but neither too flexible.

It’s right in between comfort and stiffness which is what makes this boot comfortable to walk around in all day.

Features also include TPU toe padding as well as toe shifters on both feet.

All features on this boot are dual stitched and built to last.

The heel of this shoe also provides protection with the internal TPU cup. This cup not only protects the heel but also hold it in place, reducing slippage during walking.

It also comes with lateral and medial ankle protection, along with embossed ankle cups on both sides. Bellows are added to the font and the back for comfort and range of motion.

There’s also a plastic shin guard up top for some added safety and protection.

The insole is shock absorbing but removable as well. This allows for replacement with any of your custom orthotics.

Who is this motorcycle boot for?

The Forma Adventure Off-Road Motorcycle Boots is an excellent choice for those of you looking for an adventure on your bike.

9. Tourmaster Solution WP Air Mens Road Boots

Comfort
90%
Durability
90%
Protection
85%

We love the Tourmaster Solution WP Air for 3 couple of reasons.

  1. Its price
  2. It comes in a variety of wide sizes, up to size 14
  3. It is an all season boot

The Tourmaster Solution WP Air, is a sport touring all season boot, which is built from leather and exposed panels.

These exposed panels have an abrasion resistant mesh lining on top. Which allows air to flow over the top of the Tourmaster’s waterproof membrane.

This mesh area exposes the waterproof membrane and allows sweat to pass through, hence providing that cooling evaporative effect.

Tourmaster have added reflectors across the boot, for improved visibility at night.

They also come with padding around the toe for reduced wear and tear while shifting gears.

Along the front and rear of the boot, the Tourmaster Solution is fitted with bellows for better ankle mobility.

The shin area of this boot gets reinforcement inside it for added protection. This is essential for those with kickstarters or anyone on a bike in general. The shin area is high risk area and should ideally have some sort of protection.

The inner side of the boot has a zipper for easy taking off and putting on of the boot.

The sole of the Tourmaster Solution is extremely flexible and adds comfort for those of you who like to get off your bike and explore on foot.

Who is this motorcycle boot for?

The Tourmaster Solution WP Air Men’s Road Boots are one of the best all season motorcycle boots you can find on the market today.

10. Speed and Strength Run With the Bulls 2.0 Men's Moto Leather Shoes

Comfort
100%
Durability
85%
Protection
80%

The Speed and Strength – Run With the Bulls 2.0 is not your traditional motorcycle boot.

This is a motorcycle shoe.

One that you won’t have to take off when you get off your motorcycle to go to the office or to school.

These motorcycle shoes are extremely comfortable and were built to be worn both on and off the bike for extended periods of time.

This shoe has a non shanked sole that is extremely flexible. Giving you that plush comfort your favorite pair of shoes provide.

While comfort is one thing, safety is another. Speed and Strength have taken rider safety seriously.

This motorcycle shoe comes with a reinforced ankle cup with TPR rubber on the back that adds burliness to the heel area of the foot.

The RWTB 2.0’s come with molded ankle pads for proytection as well as abrasion resistance.

It also comes with a reinforced heel and toe box.

Another subtle safety feature is the stylish velcro strap added to the boot. Laces are nice but they pose potential safety problems when in comes to bikes. So Speed And Strength have designed this shoe so that the laces are secure and tucked away under the leather strap.

These are urban inspired sneaker style shoes with more protetion than your regular sneaker.

The shoe comes in full leather with textile and PU features built in. Perforations in the leather allow for more air flow for those of you who want to tackle the warmer months of the riding season.

Who is this motorcycle shoe for?

This shoe is for those of you urban commuters that want safety styling and comfort packaged into one shoe.

You can keep these shoes on even when you’re not on your machine. One of the best casual motorcycle boots around.

Choosing the right motorcycle boot for the type of rider you are.

Like we’ve mentioned before, motorcycle boots come in all shapes and sizes Different rider have different riding styles.

In order to choose the right motorcycle boot it is important to know the broader list of riding styles. so we’ve listed the general categories motorcycle boots fall under, based on their purpose and build.

1 Sport Or Racing Motorcycle Boots

Sport Boots are built purely for racing. Forget about walking long distances in these boots as they’re built for ultimate riding protection.

Sport boots are lighter, stiffer and offer a lot more overall protection to your leg than most boots out there. They’re built to have your feet up comfortably on your bikes rear set foot pegs.

The sole is going to be very smooth and thin, which will give you excellent touch sensitivity with your controls. These soles also offer a uniform platform to stand on while riding.

Toe sliders are built into the boot for when you hit the twisties hard. A good sport or racing boot will have removable toe sliders, in order to replace worn out ones.

A lot of sport bike boots come with a removable inner bootie that gives you that precise tight fit.

These boots also comes with a lot of armour and protection around the shin area for added shin protection.

These boots are built to limit your range of movement with all the armour and protection they provide. This is in order to maintain the structural integrity of your foot every time you ride.

These boots also come with toe and heel cups along with reinforced padding around shifter area of the foot.

2 Cruiser Motorcycle Boots

There are several different styles of cruiser motorcycle boots. Some look like work boots, some like combat boots

The rugged leather riding boots have been the staple of motorcycling gear since its inception. These boots are extremely popular and are a classic style on and off cruiser bikes today.

Cruiser boots were built to have your feet up comfortably on neutral or forward biased foot-pegs.

They don’t come with the crazy technical bells and whistles most sport bike boots come with and thus provide decent comfort for walking around with as well.

Although, you can literally find cruiser boots with all the basic bells and whistles a sports bike comes with if your really want to. These boots also come in a slightly wider footprint than your sport boots do.

Cruiser boots come in all shapes and sizes, short, medium or tall. One thing to keep in mind is the top of the cuff isn’t too big that your jeans can’t fit over it.

Also make sure to look for breathable models as these boots can get quite hot in the summer.

3 Touring Boots

Touring boots usually come in medium to full height. These motorcycle boots are set up for a neutral foot-peg position.

These boots are meant for those long bike trips where you want to do a little bit of everything.

Therefore they are built to be waterproof for all types of weather. They are also protective, with a little bit of armour plating built – in.

These are your go – to all round motorcycle boot, especially if you’re going to be doing a lot of sight seeing on your trip.

One thing to note about touring motorcycle boots are the cost and weight of the boots are higher. This is because manufacturers have to design the boot to do a lot of things well.

You’ll find touring boots in both the sporty as well as cruiser designs.

4 Commuter Motorcycle Boots Or Shorty Boots Or Motorcycle Shoes

Commuter boots are for those who are on their bike for a short amount of time during the day. These boots can be used to the office or school or just anywhere else without standing out like a sore thumb.

Commuter boots are ankle high. They come with most of the features of other motorcycle boots with the benefit of being easy to walk in.

5 Adventure – Dual Sport Boots And Adventure Boots

ADV boots are kind of like motocross boots. They are built to be bullet proof,come with buckles and are very stiff around the ankle. The stiffness is so that you can put your foot down confidently while cornering.

The way you can distinguish between an Adventure boot and a motocross boot is, Adventure boots are softer than motocross boots.

Motocross boots are almost like a cast. They are solid, stiff and fit like a glove. Walking with these boots will feel extremely clunky.

They have a lot of armour and buckles in precise fit. The soles on these boots are extremely hard as well. They are built to deal with serrated footpegs. Something to look for in a motocross boot is buckles. More buckles mean a more premium fit.

Buckles are used instead of Velcro or zippers due to being in and around the dirt a lot.

Screws on these boots mean that the armour and other fit-outs are removable.

Motorcycle Boot Sizing For Men and Women.

Motorcycle boots are made to fit differently for men and women.

Although, one shouldn’t be afraid to cross over depending on the size of their foot and calves.

Men’s boots have a wider fit at the toe box as well as at the calves. While women’s boots fit a lot narrower.

Safety and why you need motorcycle boots?

A lot of people think that there is no difference between a motorcycle boot and a regular boot. And nothing could be further from the truth.

Motorcycle boots mainly behave as a type of armour for your bones and joints. They come with a lot of skeletal rigidity to make sure that the boot and ultimately your leg does not get crushed in an impact

As we’ve seen in the examples above, motorcycle boots offer a lot of protection. Your ankles, shin, toes and feet are closest to the ground in case of a crash.

While every boot offers different levels of protection, it is absolutely advised to choose a motorcycle boot that provides the most amount of comfort and protection for your riding style.

These boots comes with a lot a safety bells and whistles.

They are the line of defense protecting your toes, ankle, heel and shin bones from being crushed or hyper extending in the event of a crash.

Functions and functions of the best motorcycle boots.

Motorcycle boots come with features such as thinner soles for feedback front he brakes. Stiffness to ensure optimal breaking and gear shifting. Reinforcement padding over the shifter area as well as waterproofing for those longer all weather rides. Heat and abrasion resistance, in case of a crash or general riding wear and tear as well.

Conclusion

While motorcycle boot hunting can be a bit difficult if you don’t know what you’re looking for, it is an often forgotten piece of gear.

We hope that this guide on the different types of motorcycle footwear helps you make the right decision when buying the best motorcycle boots for your individual riding style.

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