Motorcycle Gloves: What Bikers Should Know About The Different Safety Levels

There's no shortage of motorcycle gear to choose from. Dozens of brands offer different types of helmets, jackets, leather suits, boots, pants, and even an air bag vest system for crash protection. My policy when riding is to wear All The Gear All The Time (also known as ATGATT), which means at the very least I'm sporting a full-face helmet, durable jacket and pants, riding boots with ankle protection, and of course, gloves. From head to toe, my body is covered in some sort of safety gear. But not all accessories are created equal.

Like similar pieces of protective gear, motorcycle gloves are rated for the kind of defense they offer. While there are both North American and European safety standards for gloves, the most common system you'll see internationally are CE ratings (Conformité Europénne or European Conformity in French). Some gloves lack ratings altogether. If you see riders wearing what look like glorified gardening gloves, those probably have a CE rating. Many who spend time in the dirt will skip the CE-rated gear in favor of air flow. For maximum safety though, you want something with CE-level protection, which can be broken down into different categories that designate the kind of protection a specific glove offers.

The basic rating for motorcycle gloves is CE Level 1. It lacks the padding of higher tier gloves, only providing a small amount of abrasion resistance. CE Level 1-KP is a step up thanks to the addition of knuckle armor on the gloves. If you've ever been on the receiving end of a rock kicked up by a car driving in front of you, you know just how valuable knuckle armor can be at preventing injury. Additionally, the armor's carbon fiber material creates a sleek stylistic look.

Level 2, as you might expect, offers even more protection and is in fact considered the toughest option. I rarely wear anything less than Level 2 gloves. Why? For starters, all Level 2 gloves have knuckle protection. They also differ from Level 1 gloves in their cuff length, force required to pull off your hand in a crash, cut resistance, and more. These factors are especially important if you plan on riding fast because if you go down, you'll want your gear to stay intact. No matter your intent, a quality pair of gloves should be considered essential gear for any new motorcycle rider.