The very first piece of motorcycle gear I ever bought, before taking the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Basic RiderCourse, was a pair of motorcycle gloves. Protecting the body part that allows me to ride, as well as work, eat, brush my teeth, etc. is a top priority for me.
Having no clue as to what features to look for, I ended up with a basic pair of gloves very similar to Hot Leathers' Ladies Driving Gloves reviewed here. These are ideal for riders just getting started building their motorcycle wardrobe, as well as those who don't like to wear gloves at all. These functional budget-priced leather gloves are worth having with you at all times on your motorcycle.
Hot Leathers Ladies Driving Gloves are available in two options: black leather with light pink piping and stitching, and black with purple stitching and piping shown here. There's no all-black option in these particular gloves.
At an entry-level price point of just under $30, these no-frills gloves will effectively protect your hands from the sun, wind, bugs, and flying rocks. And should you go down of simply fall over with the bike, your hands are the often the first body part to hit the pavement. Leather provides a protective abrasion barrier.
Available in sizes small to extra large, my usual women's glove size, large, fit perfectly and the gloves felt comfortable the moment I put them on.
The gloves feel great to wear thanks to the suppleness of the lightweight leather, as well as the thin fleece lining that feels extra soft against the skin.
New leather gloves often require a break-in period; the leather is stiff and pulls on the skin when squeezing in the clutch and brake levers. This is not the case with these Hot Leathers gloves. I like that they flexed easily as soon as I began wearing them.
The only slight discomfort I felt was in the tip of my right forefinger, where the seams all join together. There is a little too much extra material there that can be annoying to feel. Turning the finger inside out and repositioning the fleece liner helped a bit.
The fleece lining is cozy and, although it's not stitched to the leather in the fingers, it stays in each finger when pulling off the gloves. Hopefully, as I wear the gloves more and they age, the lining will stay in place.
Hot Leathers website indicates that the fleece lining make these gloves suitable for
cold weather riding. The term "cold" means different things to different people. I would only consider wearing these gloves in temperatures between about 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The inexpensive gloves have no venting features or moisture-wicking properties, and the lightweight fleece lining isn't suitable for more severe cold-weather protection.
The glove's short gauntlet fits easily under a jacket cuff.
The zipper on the top side of the hand helps if you want to get a sleeve cuff under the gauntlet, but isn't necessary for getting the gloves on or off.
A strip of purple leather is thoughtfully attached to the zipper so it's easy to grip with the other gloved hand.
Extra pieces of leather are double-stitched into the palm and thumb areas for added strength in places that experience extra pressure when holding the handgrips. The elasticized wrist helps keep wind from flowing up inside the gloves to the hands.
At Women Riders Now we recommend that all riders wear gloves, and it baffles us when we see those who ride gloveless. Riders tell us they don't like wearing gloves because they're too bulky and they can't "feel" the controls; or gloves are simply too hot to wear, or they cost too much.
These basic leather riding gloves from Hot Leathers solves two of these three issues. They're not bulky so you won't lose sense of the hand controls, and they're budget-priced at just $29.95. The fleece lining makes them a little warm for 80-degree and higher weather, but should temps drop suddenly when a storm rolls in, you've got gloves to keep your hands warm.
Hot Leathers has packed in a lot of benefits into a basic pair of leather gloves. The fact that they are so comfortable and require absolutely no break-in makes them a good buy for riders needing simple, no fuss coverage for the hands.
Now remember, these are not waterproof and don't have hard impact protection, venting, or breathable features, but these Ladies Driving Gloves from Hot Leathers are really comfortable in moderate temperatures and squish up small enough to store in a bag to carry along as a spare.
Click this link to order the gloves online. And use the code "WRN" to receive free shipping.
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