Finding a motorcycle jacket that actually fits is a struggle I know all too well. For years, the industry seemed to think "women's gear" just meant taking a men's jacket, making it smaller, and adding a splash of pink. At Bohn, we believe you shouldn't have to choose between a jacket that looks good and gear that actually keeps you safe on the road.

When your jacket doesn't fit right, the armor inside can slide around or even rotate away from your joints during a fall. 

This leaves you vulnerable to the very injuries you were trying to prevent, but there is an incredible sense of relief when you find gear that stays exactly where it should.

This article will change how you think about "the best" jacket by focusing on what really matters: keeping you comfortable and protected every time you ride.

Bohn women's gear: designed for real fit and safety. Armor stays in place, keeping you protected without sacrificing style or comfort.

Top Recommendations for Women Riders

Bohn Cool-Air Armored Shirt

If you ride in hot or humid weather, this shirt is a total lifesaver. It is made with a wide-mesh fabric that lets the wind blow right through to keep you cool. You get full impact protection for your shoulders, elbows, and back with CE-Level 2 SAS-TEC armor, but it feels like you are just wearing a light base layer.

Get the Cool-Air Mesh Shirt

Bohn All-Season Armored Shirt

This is our most popular option because it works so well in almost any riding scenario. The fabric is a soft, stretchy Lycra™ that moves with your body like high-end yoga gear. It keeps the CE-Level 2 SAS-TEC armor snug against your skin so it won't shift if you hit the ground.

Get the Airtex™ Shirt with Lycra™

Bohn All-Season Adventure Armored Pants 

These incredibly comfortable pants offer the ultimate impact layer for your lower body. With CE-Level 2 tailbone, hip, thigh and knee armor, you'll have impact protection on the areas of the body most likely to be injured. Worn normally for on and off-road and designed to fit with taller motocross/adventure style boots.

Get Bohn All-Season Adventure Armored Pants

3 Truths About Motorcycle Jackets (That Might Surprise You)

Truth 1 – The First Hit is the Big One

Most people spend all their time worrying about "the slide," but the very first moment you hit the pavement is often the most dangerous. That initial impact is what causes broken bones and deep bruising, so your gear needs to prioritize absorbing that energy immediately.

While abrasion-resistant fabric is important, managing the force of the hit with high-quality SAS-TEC armor should be your top priority.

Truth 2 – If the Armor Floats, It Fails

A jacket that feels "roomy" might be comfortable for walking around, but it can be a safety risk on a bike. If the armor is just sitting in a loose pocket, it can easily move out of the way the second you start to tumble.

For armor to help prevent injury, it must be held tight to your body so it stays between you and the road.

Truth 3 – Being Uncomfortable is a Safety Risk

If your gear is too heavy, too hot, or makes you feel stiff, you won't be able to react as quickly to traffic. Heat and irritation drain your focus, and a distracted rider is a rider at risk.

Light, breathable gear keeps you sharp and helps you make better decisions, which is why comfort is a core part of safety.

Women's Motorcycle Jackets That Work Well Over Armor

Before we talk about what makes Bohn different, let's look at some of the popular women's jackets on the market and how they fit into a layered protection strategy.

Rev'It! Torque Textile Jacket

Rev'It! makes quality gear, and their Torque jacket is a solid choice for women who want a sporty textile option. It offers good abrasion resistance and comes with CE-Level 1 armor in the shoulders and elbows. The fit runs fairly relaxed through the torso, which makes it a decent outer layer option.

The challenge is the armor. Like most jacket armor, the foam inserts are thin and sit in pockets that allow movement. For riders who want more serious impact protection, wearing a Bohn All-Season shirt underneath gives you body-fitted CE-Level 2 armor from SAS-TEC, with the Rev'It! jacket handling the abrasion layer.

Rev'It! Torque: sporty women's jacket with CE armor. Pair with Bohn All-Season shirt for body-fitted SAS-TEC protection and comfort.

The Torque is built to last with quality stitching and materials that hold up well to regular use. It works particularly well for sport-touring riders who need versatile protection for both highway miles and weekend canyon runs.

Joe Rocket Ladies Cleo Elite Mesh Jacket

Joe Rocket has been making affordable gear for years, and the Cleo Elite is one of their most popular women's mesh jackets. It provides excellent airflow for hot weather riding and the fit is accommodating enough to layer over a base layer.

Where it falls short is in sizing range and armor quality. The jacket tops out at 2XL, leaving many riders without options. The armor is basic foam that compresses easily. If you pair it with a Bohn Cool-Air shirt underneath, you get the mesh jacket's abrasion protection plus substantial impact armor that stays in place.

Joe Rocket Cleo Elite: affordable women's mesh jacket with airflow. Pair with Bohn Cool-Air shirt for proper impact protection and fit.

For riders on a budget who need summer gear, the Cleo Elite offers solid value at its price point. The jacket's simple design and easy maintenance make it a practical choice for daily commuting in hot climates.

Alpinestars Stella T-GP Plus R v4 Air Jacket

Alpinestars makes some of the best-regarded gear in the industry. The Stella T-GP Plus offers excellent build quality, good ventilation, and a sleek look. It is designed for sport riding with a more aggressive fit.

The fit is tailored and runs snug, which means layering underneath can be challenging. This jacket works best for riders who prefer the sport aesthetic but may not accommodate a Bohn shirt as easily as looser-fitting options. The armor coverage is standard for sport jackets but won't provide the extended forearm and shin protection that dedicated armor systems offer.

Alpinestars Stella T-GP Plus: sleek sport jacket with ventilation. Pair with Bohn armor for added protection even with a snug fit.

If you're committed to the sport riding position and aggressive styling, the Stella T-GP Plus delivers on performance and looks. The ventilation system works well at highway speeds, making it suitable for warm-weather sport touring despite the fitted cut.

Speed and Strength Women's Starstruck Mesh Jacket

Speed and Strength's Starstruck mesh jacket combines mesh panels with AR-600 ripstop fabric for breathable summer protection. The jacket includes removable Vault C.E. armor at the shoulders, elbows, and spine—a significant upgrade over basic mesh jackets. An elasticized ruched waist maintains a flattering fit while maximizing airflow during hot weather rides.

The mesh construction delivers excellent ventilation for tropical and summer conditions, though like most mesh jackets, abrasion protection is limited. Pairing it with a Bohn Cool-Air shirt underneath transforms the Starstruck into comprehensive protective gear without sacrificing breathability. This combination provides serious impact and abrasion protection while maintaining the casual, non-technical aesthetic Speed and Strength is known for.

Speed & Strength Starstruck mesh jacket offers breathable summer riding with C.E. armor. Pair with Bohn for casual, cool protection.

The Starstruck appeals to riders seeking cool, casual protection for warm-weather commuting and short rides. Multiple storage pockets, 360° reflective trim, and zippered hip gussets add practical functionality to the package.

Why Traditional Jackets Often Fail Women

For decades, women have had to "make do" with gear that wasn't built for their bodies. Many brands use a "Euro fit" that is very narrow in the shoulders and hips, which leaves many of us out. If you have a curvy build, a petite frame, or a plus-size figure, finding a standard jacket that fits both your waist and your chest can feel impossible.

We see riders all the time who are wearing jackets two sizes too big just so they can zip them up. The problem is that a jacket that is too big is a jacket with armor in the wrong place. If your elbow pads are down by your forearms, they won't help you when you need them.

Many women's jackets just don’t fit – Euro sizing, limited range, and misplaced armor leave petite, curvy, and tall riders unprotected.

The other issue is sizing range. Most women's motorcycle jackets stop at XL or 2XL. If you are petite, you might find that even the smallest size has sleeves that hang past your hands. If you are plus-size or tall, you may not find anything that fits at all.

The Layering Advantage

The jackets I mentioned above are all solid options for abrasion protection and weather resistance. Where they fall short is in impact armor quality, fit, and sizing range.

This is where Bohn's approach makes sense. Instead of searching for one perfect jacket that handles everything, you can separate your protection into two layers:

• The Bohn armored shirt handles impact protection with body-fitted CE-Level 2 armor from SAS-TEC

• Any of those mesh or textile jackets handles abrasion resistance and weather protection

This system gives you flexibility. You can wear different outer jackets for different conditions while keeping the same high-quality armor underneath. A mesh jacket for summer. A textile jacket for cooler weather. A leather jacket for style. The armor stays consistent and properly positioned no matter what you wear over it.

The Power of "Invisible" Protection

One of the biggest benefits of using a Bohn armored shirt as your foundation is the freedom it gives you. Instead of buying one expensive, bulky motorcycle jacket that might not fit quite right, you can use our armored under-layers to turn any jacket into a "riding jacket".

Do you have a favorite leather jacket that looks great but has no protection? Just put a Bohn All-Season shirt underneath. Want to ride in a simple flannel or a denim jacket on a nice day? The SAS-TEC armor in our shirts stays hidden and "invisible" under your clothes.

Bohn armored shirts provide invisible, flexible CE protection under any jacket–stay safe, stylish, and comfortable on every ride.

This approach lets you keep your personal style while ensuring you have CE-certified protection exactly where you need it. Our armor system is flexible and lightweight, so you won't feel like you are wearing a suit of armor. You can walk into a restaurant or a store and look like a regular person, not a "Power Ranger."

Understanding Your Armor

When we talk about protection, we focus on the materials that actually do the work. We use SAS-TEC because it is a "smart" material. It is soft and flexible while you are riding, so it doesn't restrict your movement. However, if you hit the ground, the material instantly firms up to absorb and spread out the force of the impact.

We offer two levels of protection:

• CE-Level 1: Great for daily commuting and general riding. It is very thin and easy to hide.

• CE-Level 2: Offers even more impact absorption for riders who want the highest safety rating available.

Our armor pieces are also much larger than what you find in most jackets. Our elbow and forearm armor is 5 × 12 inches, giving you coverage all the way down to the wrist. The standard shoulder pads are 5 × 8 inches, and for our 3XL+ riders, we use a larger 6 × 9 inch pad to ensure the protection matches your size.

Bohn uses SAS-TEC smart armor–flexible while riding, hard on impact, large coverage, removable, and built to last 10 years.

This armor is built to last. While many foam pads degrade quickly, our SAS-TEC inserts have a lifespan of up to 10 years. You can also remove the pads easily whenever you need to wash the fabric shell.

Riding in the Heat

Heat is the #1 reason riders choose not to wear their gear. I have talked to so many women who say they ride in just a t-shirt because it is simply too hot for a heavy jacket. We want to change that "all or nothing" mindset.

Our Cool-Air and Airtex shirts are a realistic solution for hot weather. By using a sheer mesh fabric, they allow maximum airflow to reach your skin. You get the cooling sensation of the wind while still having CE-rated back protectors and limb armor between you and the pavement.

Stay cool and protected with Bohn Cool-Air & Airtex shirts–breathable mesh, CE-rated armor, and comfort for hot-weather riding.

It is much better than wearing nothing, and it is comfortable enough that you will actually want to wear it every time you hop on the bike.

FAQs

Can I wear Bohn armor under my own leather jacket?

Yes! This is exactly what many of our riders do. Because our shirts are so thin and discreet, they fit easily under most outerwear. It is a great way to add CE-Level 2 protection to a jacket that didn't come with any armor.

Is the armor removable?

Absolutely. All of our SAS-TEC pads are removable. This allows you to wash the fabric shell in a regular washing machine or even "tune" your coverage by removing certain pads if you are doing a specific type of low-speed riding.

How do I know what size to get if I am very petite?

We take pride in being size-inclusive. Our 3XS and Short sizes are designed specifically for petite women. We have helped many riders who are 4'9" find gear that actually fits their limb length and torso.

Will the armor make me look bulky?

Most riders find that Bohn armor is very easy to hide. Because it is flexible and follows the curves of your body, it doesn't have the "boxy" look of traditional plastic armor. Under a standard jacket or even a loose hoodie, it is virtually invisible.

How long does the gear last?

Our high-quality fabrics are built for years of use, and the SAS-TEC armor itself is rated for a lifespan of up to 10 years. This makes it a great long-term investment in your safety.

Is it okay to wear this in 100℉ weather?

Our Cool-Air line was designed specifically for extreme heat. The open-mesh fabric is specifically made to provide airflow while keeping your armor positioned correctly. It is the best way to stay protected when the temperature (℉) starts to climb.

Do you make armored pants as well?

Yes, we make armored pants and shorts that use the same SAS-TEC technology to protect your hips, knees, shins, and tailbone. They are designed to fit under your favorite jeans or riding pants for full-body protection.

Where is Bohn gear made?

We are proud to say that Bohn Body Armor is designed in the USA. Our headquarters is located in Mooresville, NC, which is just north of Charlotte. We have been a family-owned business helping riders since 1997.