Riding Shirts Explained: When an Overshirt Can Replace Your Motorcycle Jacket
A riding shirt is the piece many riders reach for between April and October: on the way to work, for an evening loop through the countryside or for a short ride to the lake. It looks like an overshirt, and on the bike it can do the job of a jacket. But "Kevlar® flannel", "armoured shirt" and "certified riding shirt" are not the same thing.
Three labels, three different things
| Label | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Armoured shirt | There are protectors. It says nothing about the fabric. |
| Kevlar® flannel | There is aramid in the shirt. Not how much, and not where. |
| Certified to EN 17092 | The complete shirt was tested: fabric, seams, closures, fit and protectors. |
Only the last one tells you how the whole shirt performs. More in our guide to EN 17092.
Lined or single-layer?
Some shirts have a protective lining sewn into a regular shirt. That adds weight and warmth. In a single-layer shirt, the protective fibre is part of the fabric itself, so it moves and feels much more like a normal shirt.
On which rides is a riding shirt enough?
- Good for: dry, mild to warm days, commuting, town, country roads
- Add a layer: on cool mornings in spring and autumn, a thin fleece underneath
- Not on its own: in steady rain or in winter. Add a rain shell or switch to a jacket
The Kingston Motorcycle Shirt
- Single-layer PEKEV® Ultra Lite, cotton-lined for comfort
- Certified to EN 17092, class AAA
- Protectors at shoulders and elbows, see product page for details
- Regular fit with room for a base layer
- Colours: Charcoal, Coronet Blue, Fudge, Rhubarb Red
View the Kingston Motorcycle Shirt
Finding your size
- Choose by chest measurement: from S (94–99 cm) to 4XL (124–129 cm).
- Check the fit in a riding position: the sleeves should still reach your wrists and the elbow protectors should sit on your elbows.
- Between sizes? Take the larger one for comfort on the bike.
Questions riders ask us
Can a riding shirt replace a jacket?
A shirt certified to AA or AAA meets the same abrasion classes as many riding jackets. What it does not have is weather protection.
How do I wash it?
Remove the protectors, wash on a gentle cycle at max. 30°C and let it dry flat or on a hanger. The protection in PEKEV® does not wash out.
In one sentence
Look past "armoured" and "Kevlar®" to the EN 17092 class, and make sure the protectors sit where they should when you ride.
