Motorcycle shoes vs. motorcycle boots

Motorcycle shoes vs. motorcycle boots

Motorcycle shoes vs. motorcycle boots

Okay, maybe not the flip-flop part, but I'm sure we've all seen that type. My point is, you once had to choose between motorcycle boots and footwear designed by someone who'd never even thought about riding a motorcycle, let alone building the kind of protection you might need in the event of a crash. Today's riding shoes offer a middle ground.

So, if you're choosing footwear for your running, what are the pros and cons of this new category?

Features of motorcycle shoes

At this point, almost every brand has created and will likely continue to create casual riding shoes. I think the most obvious benefit that casual riding shoes provide is walkability. Being able to get to your destination, get off the bike, and walk comfortably is a huge benefit for most cyclists. It can also eliminate the need to bring an extra pair of shoes or leave a pair at the office for days when you ride your motorcycle to work.

Furthermore, whether you like to admit it or not, most of us care about how we are perceived by the general public. When you get off the motorbike and appear to be taking “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”, you tend to get noticed by the surrounding audience. Riding shoes help eliminate the “Hey, I ride a motorcycle” aspect (helmet, jacket and pants are a separate issue).

Of course, to get that walking comfort and style that blends in with the crowd, you give up some protection. Riding shoes typically come with ankle cuffs on the medial and lateral sides. They often feature a reinforced toe, heel and sole. You can also find a shift pad, waterproof liners, and some touches of reflectivity, but these features aren't as common as with riding boots. Where you sacrifice a fair amount of protection with a casual riding shoe is the lack of full shin protection and torsional and lateral support (protection against twisting forces). Riding shoes can also be made of lighter materials that provide less abrasion and impact resistance.

Features of motorcycle boots

Despite the practicality and comfort of casual riding shoes, they are not really a substitute for the protection provided by full-length riding boots. The ironic part is that I'm writing this article with a broken fibula and torn ligaments in my right ankle, supported while wearing riding boots. There's a lesson in there, so I think it's worth an aside.

I was riding motocross and my friend, Matt, knocked me off the track in mid-air. Just kidding, it would have been a much better story, though. Actually, I was on the motocross track, I stuck my leg out while going through a curve and my toe got caught in a rut. The rut grabbed my big toe and foot and twisted my ankle pretty badly. It didn't look great to me.

I was wearing Alpinestars Tech 7 boots , which I still fully believe in. I had a huge impact, and I don't think there was any way I could have avoided my injuries (other than snagging my toe in a rut) regardless of what boots I might have worn. So my point is, there's no guarantee against injury, no matter how protective your boots are.

However, full-length riding boots improve your odds. In addition to the features you usually find on riding shoes, riding boots typically have a decent amount of shin protection and a wider selection of waterproof options. Off-road boots go beyond street boots in the amount of protection they provide. They are generally heavier and more rigid, which makes them harder to walk on. When driving off-road, a hard boot with excellent torsional and lateral protection is very important.

Many road boots, especially those made with touring or commuting in mind, do not provide torsional and lateral protection. Boots made for racing or track days often feature a zipper system that helps prevent torsional and lateral injuries, while still allowing the ankle plenty of articulation to manipulate a motorcycle's controls.

Personally, the challenge I faced when I started buying full-length motorcycle boots was getting used to the stiffness. A bomb-proof off-road boot offers an incredible amount of protection, but it's probably not the right tool for the job for most on-road riding. May be too stiff to feel the controls properly and forget to walk. Luckily, there are so many options available, you can find riding shoes or boots that fit your particular needs.

Since I do a variety of types of driving, let me use myself as an example.

My favorite riding shoes and motorcycle boots

For my commute to the office and running errands around town, I usually wear my TCX Street Ace shoes . Even though my Marshalls are technically boots, I still wear them with casual riding shoes because they don't offer the same protection as a full-length motorcycle boot. The casual observer wouldn't even notice they're motorcycle-specific.

For sport riding or the (paved) track, I prefer my Dainese TR Course Out boots . These boots are comfortable to wear all day during my touring and sporty road rides, and for the price, they offer more torsional and lateral protection than many other competitors, which is reassuring when I'm on the track. I also like that they feel "low profile," meaning it's easy to tuck my toe under the shifter and they never feel awkward.

For my off-road riding, from enduro and hare scramble racing to dual-sport racing and the motocross track, I've been using the Alpinestars Tech 7s for a few years. I think they provide a perfect balance of flex while still offering excellent torsional and lateral protection. Due to my recent ankle injury, I'll probably switch to the Tech 10s for my next set of dirt stompers, because they have internal booty (yes, I said booty, let's be adults here) and offer bulletproof protection.

As you can see, I run and compete in different disciplines, so I have a set of boots for each. I understand that not everyone will have 10 pairs of motorcycle-specific boots in their closet, or even the four favorites I listed above.

I think for most riders a pair of casual riding shoes and a pair of full-length riding boots (road or off-road oriented, depending on where you ride) will cover most of the bases. Ultimately, it depends on the type of riding you do and the level of protection versus comfort you want to live with.

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