The Garage

Riding gear

Gloves

The European glove standard, what its tests cover, and how to size riding gloves.

Reading the label

The European standard for motorcycle gloves is EN 13594:2015. It covers the glove’s design, such as its overall length, the strength of its seams, how well the materials stand up to cutting, tearing and abrasion, and whether the glove stays on the hand.1

Its abrasion test is built around a rider falling and sliding along the riding surface, and its restraint test checks how likely the glove is to be pulled or thrown off the hand in an accident.1

Impact protection is an optional part of the standard, tested only when the maker makes that claim: it measures how much of an impact’s force reaches the hand through the glove’s padding.1

Not every glove names a standard. Read the label or the maker’s page for the one you are looking at.

Getting the size right

Use the maker’s size chart, which usually asks for the width of your palm, and try gloves on gripping a handlebar. They should be snug with no loose material bunching in the palm, and your fingertips should reach the ends without pressing on them.

When to replace them

Replace gloves when a seam opens or the palm wears through. A glove that no longer closes firmly at the wrist can come off when you need it.

Where to buy

A selection at MotoSport

Prices and stock from MotoSport's product catalog on Oct 1, 2026; they change, so check the price at MotoSport before you buy. Chosen by a fixed rule, not by testing: in stock, brands MotoSport carries in depth, at most two per brand, spread across the price range. Check the labels this guide explains before you buy.

These are affiliate links: we may earn a commission, at no cost to you, and it never changes what we write. Affiliate disclosure.

Sources

  1. EN 13594:2015, protective gloves for motorcycle riders, SATRA (test laboratory). Read 2026-10-01.

General guidance. Standards describe how gear is tested, not what it will do in a particular crash. The products shown come from a catalog rule or a brand's own list, not from our testing.