Gloves Soft or Hard Knuckles

I'm looking for some spring/summer gloves as my current Spada ones were really uncomfortable after 4 hours.

So far i've seen some Knox Hanbury https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/277112 and Knox Orsa https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/276453

Both are short cuff which i need as to fit under my leather jacket cuffs, and have Scaphoid sliders which is good as my wrists are already screwed as too many cycle crashes as a youngster.

The Hanbury only have soft gel knuckle protection whereas the Orsa has hard knuckle protection.

Has anyone got or tried either of these?

I'd struggle to justify that much on summer gloves. Winter gloves with clever Gortex and thermal waterproof stuff yes it worth spending money on, but for summer gloves that are much simpler construction (leather with a lining and some padding) you get a nice pair for half the cost..

Personally I prefer the hard knuckle protection. .......but that's just me......

I've just bought some summer gloves.

Agrius Black gloves from GhostBikes for £20. Hard knuckle protection and very comfortable.

I prefer hard knuckles.

Had my RST stunt gloves for 3 years now and can't fault them. Think i paid about £35 for them at a local shop.

Just ask yourself the question, "In a crash, what part of your hands usually makes contact with the ground first?"

I have yet to see a crash where the back of the hands have hit the deck or where the back of the hands have been injured other than in crush injuries.

The fingers on the other hand.........

Hard knuckle protection is a gimmick in 99% of cases.

But it comes down to personal preference at the end of the day.

Just ask yourself the question, "In a crash, what part of your hands usually makes contact with the ground first?"

.

In my last 3 cycle crashes it's the shoulder or hip as I try to keep my hands and arms away from hitting the ground first. Did an amazing forward shoulder roll and landed on my feet last time.

Hope I never have to re-test that again

Just ask yourself the question, "In a crash, what part of your hands usually makes contact with the ground first?"

.

 

In my last 3 cycle crashes it's the shoulder or hip as I try to keep my hands and arms away from hitting the ground first. Did an amazing forward shoulder roll and landed on my feet last time.

Hope I never have to re-test that again

I rest my case

After the head, the lower body usually sustains the most damage, so feet and legs take the brunt of any impact.

In some cases, the shoulder and collar bone take a bashing, and as far as the hands are concerned, it is usually the palms that take the brunt of any abrasion damage as it is natural to put your hands out to protect or cushion your fall.

Both are short cuff which i need as to fit under my leather jacket cuffs, and have Scaphoid sliders which is good as my wrists are already screwed as too many cycle crashes as a youngster.

Just be aware that if you have a short cuff which goes under your cuff, you are presenting the tarmac with a raw edge to rip the sleeve of your leather open even though it should be double or triple stitched.

But you can't legislate for every time of impact injury.

Hard Knuckles...they're great for those odd occasions where you really need to punch someone and don't want to risk scuffing your knuckles on some twats face.

Just ask yourself the question, "In a crash, what part of your hands usually makes contact with the ground first?"

I have yet to see a crash where the back of the hands have hit the deck or where the back of the hands have been injured other than in crush injuries.

The fingers on the other hand.........

Hard knuckle protection is a gimmick in 99% of cases.

But it comes down to personal preference at the end of the day.

I was grateful for my hard knuckle protection when I came off in January, somehow took a knock to my right hip and right knuckle.

I was grateful for my hard knuckle protection when I came off in January, somehow took a knock to my right hip and right knuckle.

I guess its always a toss up between safety and function and you can never be 100% protected.

Hell the only safe way is NOT to ride and drive a car instead........

I was grateful for my hard knuckle protection when I came off in January, somehow took a knock to my right hip and right knuckle.

 

I guess its always a toss up between safety and function and you can never be 100% protected.

Hell the only safe way is NOT to ride and drive a car instead........

Or just don't leave the house full stop.. Scratch that, bungalow so you can't fall down stairs

I was grateful for my hard knuckle protection when I came off in January, somehow took a knock to my right hip and right knuckle.

 

I guess its always a toss up between safety and function and you can never be 100% protected.

Hell the only safe way is NOT to ride and drive a car instead........

 

Or just don't leave the house full stop.. Scratch that, bungalow so you can't fall down stairs

yeah but large percentage of people die at home, or in bed, so best to stay out of the house and away from any beds!

I bought a whole stream of gloves from SBS last year, in the hunt for a pair that would fit (short fat hands). The Orsa gloves were among those that had to go back. But I liked them as they were comfortable and seemed solid and well made.

I also liked the thinking behind the two little bumps on the palm that are meant to help you continue skidding along the tarmac rather than catching on the road surface and breaking your scaphoid. But is that just a gimmick too? Honestly I haven't a clue.

I also liked the thinking behind the two little bumps on the palm that are meant to help you continue skidding along the tarmac rather than catching on the road surface and breaking your scaphoid. But is that just a gimmick too? Honestly I haven't a clue.

Anything that helps reduce friction is going to help, The priciple is the same as tight fitting leather as it allows you to slide and will hold broken bones together like a splint in the event of a bone being broken, and can also act as a tourniquet in cases where theree is potential for serious blood loss such as a severed femeral artery.

I was grateful for my hard knuckle protection when I came off in January, somehow took a knock to my right hip and right knuckle.

Like I said, you can't legislate for every crash. Every type of kit has its plusses and minuses, some of it is practical, some of it is safety related.

You have to go with what you feel is right for you, or what you can afford and then hope you don't learn the lessons the hard way.

Just don't fall into the trap that the BBC have of believing that you have to buy expensive brand names to be protected, there ate a lot of brand names I would not give house space to and a lot of cheap stuff which is very good, bearing in mind that the majority comes out of a place called Sialkot in Pakistan.

I still have gloves that are a famous brand that retailed for over £70 a pair 10 years ago and I pad under a fiver for them direct from the factory, they just don't have the brand badges on them.

Only ever used thin summer gloves or normal winter gloves. I have had my fair share of offs in my time and never found the need for any of the features modern gloves have. Quite convinced they're all gimmicks without any real-world use.

Hard knuckles are fantastic for making a loud bang on the windows of other drivers who are on the phone, block you when filtering, or just generally drive like a numpty. They could also come in handy when the person you've just made leap a foot off the drivers seat gets out of the car.

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I've had a fairly solid bit of road debris ping off my knuckle protector once.....Took a lump out of the leather covering.....

I've had a fairly solid bit of road debris ping off my knuckle protector once.....Took a lump out of the leather covering.....

As far as I'm aware that is and has always been an often mentioned purpose of armour on the knuckles on bikes where hand guards aren't appropriate. In rare cases I'm sure armour here would help if you had a low side and your hand became trapped between the bike and ground. which is the more debilitating an injury.. a broken finger or a crushed knuckle.

Finally.. Isn't there always some desire especially among super sports bike riders to ape the top rank racers. Is knuckle armour commonly used by racers? As an example... Look closely at the gloves both Marc Marquez and Rossi wore last year. They sure look armoured to me.

In rare cases I'm sure armour here would help if you had a low side and your hand became trapped between the bike and ground. which is the more debilitating an injury.. a broken finger or a crushed knuckle.

Finally.. Isn't there always some desire especially among super sports bike riders to ape the top rank racers. Is knuckle armour commonly used by racers? As an example... Look closely at the gloves both Marc Marquez and Rossi wore last year. They sure look armoured to me.

 

Inyour first point, as I have already mentioned, very rarely happens and a broken finger can be just as debilitating as a crushed knuckle.

Don't confuse what they use in racing with what we might use n the road. Different disciplines, different surroundings. For example, racers have to use 1 piece leathers.

On the road 1 piece can and has been the cause of much more serious injury and permanant dissability for the rider.

Do a search and you will find the article I did a few years ago on that subject. If you can't find it, I will post it up again.

Vert rarely happens..

Im sure you're right.

Vert rarely happens..

Im sure you're right.

I was waiting to see who would be first to spot the deliberate mistake

Do a search and you will find the article I did a few years ago on that subject. If you can't find it, I will post it up again.

Yes please, have searched posts by you that contain the word leather, but not found it.

Do a search and you will find the article I did a few years ago on that subject. If you can't find it, I will post it up again.

 

Yes please, have searched posts by you that contain the word leather, but not found it.

Here you go...

Head injuries, although often the most serious, are not the only injuries motorcyclists suffer. Leg and arm injuries are common, and leg injuries in particular can be serious often causing permanent disability.

Under the EC personal protective equipment directive, a series of European standards were developed for motorcyclist protective clothing that was designed to.

1. Prevent or reduce laceration and abrasion injuries.

2. Prevent or reduce impact injuries such as fractures, broken bones and joint damage.

These standards marked with a CE mark are essentially to help riders distinguish between clothing that offers a minimal level of protection, and garments that may look similar but offers very little if any protection at all.

Unfortunately for many riders, the buying of new leathers is often no more than a fashion statement as opposed to a desire to maximise their protection, but, contrary to popular believe you can be fashionable and protected.

As with helmets, there are accidents and injuries from which even the best or most expensive clothing will not protect the rider for various reasons. It is therefore important not only to try and reduce the severity of the injury as best as you can, but also ensure that the garment is comfortable, does not impede the movement of the rider and will reduce the affects of fatigue thereby aiding concentration.

Leather is still regarded as the best form of protection against injury when riding a motorcycle. They are made from a natural material, which is breathable, abrasion resistant and supple. Like a crash helmet, they cannot offer total protection from injury, but they can reduce the severity and long term affects if they fit correctly.

Leather garments can be made from 4 different animals, Cow, which is the most commonly used, Goatskin, Buffalo or kangaroo skin.

Cowhide is the preferred choice of most manufacturers. It is heavy duty (compared with the others). It is hard wearing, and in the main the manufacturers use 1.4mm thick hides, which means that in the summer weather with the thickness and all the padding they can get hot inside.

Buffalo hide is often used on cheaper garments and this can be felt in the overall quality when compared to other leather products. Buffalo is tough, will last well but it tends to be a very stiff leather and can take some time to bed in and soften up.

Goatskin although worth considering as an alternative for summer use is very difficult to find in the UK. It is considerably lighter and more flexible than Cowhide, and many consider the goatskin to be stronger than cowhide due to the fibres being more closely knit together than cow skin. The downside is that goatskin stretches a lot quicker than cow so it may require specialist tailoring on an annual basis.

Kangaroo is probably the least known of the hides used although they are being used more regularly in very hot climates. The hides are supple, light and quite tough, but it has been found that they can react with sweat particularly when worn by riders who perspire freely. If this were the case then you would probably be well advised to look elsewhere as you may find your suit literally coming apart at the seams.

For those considering purchasing leathers for the first time, the question often asked is whether to purchase a suit/jacket combination, two piece suit or a 1 piece racing suit. The choice comes down to individual preference, but here are a few points that you may find useful to consider.

1. A jacket and trouser combination is probably the most popular choice for the majority of riders, and, they can be worn singularly or in combination. However, many jackets (not all) have a Thinsulate lining for warmth retention together with a quilted lining. Many riders complain that they overheat in warm weather which can ultimately affect concentration. However, this combination is ideal if you are an awkward size or on a limited budget.

2. A two piece zip together suit can be a good choice for a number of reasons.

• They can normally only be worn as a complete garment thereby maintaining your crash protection.

• They come in a number of colour choices therefore conspicuity can be enhanced.

• They are normally lighter than jacket/trouser combinations which for some means they will be more comfortable for summer or warm weather use.

• When stopping for a break, the jacket can be unzipped from the trousers thereby enhancing comfort when away from the bike.

• They maintain their shape and size better.

• They often have features such as perforated leather to allow air to pass through in warm weather, stretch fabric panels behind the knees, waist and inner thighs which again can enhance warm weather comfort.

On the downside, it is worth bearing in mind that:-

• They can normally only be worn as a complete suit.

• They can take a while to break in and mould to your shape.

• They are not particularly warm in the colder weather.

• There are not as many pockets as in a jacket/trouser combination, which for some may be a good thing.

• The colours tend to be more flamboyant than jacket/trouser combinations.

1 Piece suits are the other alternative often favoured by those who ride Supersports or participate in track days. Whilst offering a fair degree of protection, for road use they have often been deemed impractical as you cannot separate them when away from the motorcycle, but more importantly in serious accident situations, the emergency services have occasionally experienced difficulty in rendering an effective diagnosis or treatment simply because they cannot cut through the leather to tend to the riders injuries, or they cannot risk removing the garment without fear of causing further injury. This of course comes down to a matter of preference.

Leather is abrasion resistant, and its main function is allow you to slide, thereby reducing friction. From new, leathers should fit as tightly as possible to allow for stretching and moulding to the wearer’s shape. If the leather is a poor fit then there is the possibility that as the rider slides down the road, the friction caused by the road surface will cause the leather to snag. This could cause a flailing limb to snag and whilst the torso is still travelling at speed, the flailing limb will slow down too quickly and can result in severe injury. On the plus side, a good fitting leather can slow down any potential blood loss, particularly internal blood loss, or it can at least stem the flow until medical help arrives on the scene.

If you are unfortunate enough to be involved in an accident as a result of which you are injured (and we all hope that it doesn’t happen), at least you can be comforted that the severity will be less than if you were wearing non protective clothing, and the sympathy you receive from the emergency services and Hospital will be far more favourable than your compatriot wearing his jeans and trainers.

Very informative

What's your viewpoint on Kevlar jeans? I wear fully lined Hood jeans with D3O armour. I would prefer to wear leather when I'm going to be doing lots of NSL roads but I'd feel a bit of a tit wearing all leather on a PCX.