Motorcycle Shirts: Kevlar® Flannel, Armored or CE-Certified?
In short: A protective riding shirt is certified to EN 17092 as a complete garment, ideally class AA or AAA, with armour at shoulders and elbows. “Kevlar® flannel” or “armored shirt” alone is not a guarantee. The Kingston Motorcycle Shirt is single-layer PEKEV® Ultra Lite, certified to class AAA, with RE ZRO® Flat Level 2 armour.
The riding shirt has become one of the most popular pieces of motorcycle clothing, and it is easy to see why. It looks like a flannel or an overshirt, you can wear it to work or to the pub, and on the bike it replaces a jacket on warm days. But "Kevlar® flannel", "armored shirt" and "riding shirt" can mean very different things. Here is how to tell a real protective riding shirt from a shirt with a few pockets for armour.
What is a motorcycle riding shirt?
A motorcycle shirt is a protective garment cut like an overshirt: buttons or snaps at the front, a collar, chest pockets. Inside, it has an abrasion-resistant layer and pockets for impact protectors at the shoulders and elbows. Worn over a T-shirt or a thin base layer, it is meant to be your outer layer on the bike.
Kevlar® flannel, armored shirt or CE-certified shirt?
- Armored shirt usually means the shirt has protectors. It says nothing about the fabric.
- Kevlar® flannel means there is aramid in the shirt, often as panels at the shoulders and elbows. The rest can be regular flannel.
- CE-certified to EN 17092 means the complete shirt was tested: fabric, seams, closures, fit and protectors. Class AA or AAA is the standard to look for if the shirt is your only layer on the bike. More on the classes in CE AA vs AAA Explained.
A shirt with a protective panel only at the shoulders leaves your back, sides and forearms in regular fabric. Coverage matters as much as the material.
Single-layer or lined?
Many riding shirts use a protective lining sewn into a regular shirt. That works, but it adds weight and warmth, and the lining can shift. In a single-layer shirt, the protective fibre is woven into the fabric itself. It moves like a normal shirt, breathes better and keeps its shape after washing.
The Kingston Motorcycle Shirt
The Kingston Motorcycle Shirt is our everyday riding shirt. It looks and moves like a favourite overshirt, and the protection is built into every thread.
- Fabric: PEKEV® Ultra Lite, single-layer and abrasion resistant, cotton-lined for comfort
- Certification: CE EN 17092, class AAA
- Armour: RE ZRO® Flat Level 2 at shoulders and elbows, plus a back protector pocket
- Fit: regular, relaxed through the shoulders and chest, with room for a base layer
- Colours: Charcoal, Coronet Blue, Fudge and Rhubarb Red
When is a riding shirt enough?
A certified riding shirt is a great choice for dry, mild to warm days, for commuting and for riding in town or on country roads. It is not a rain jacket and not a winter jacket. On cool mornings, layer a thin fleece or base layer under it. On wet days, add a rain shell over it.
How to choose the right size
- Choose by chest measurement. The Kingston runs from S (36–38") to 4XL (48–50").
- Check the fit in the riding position: arms forward toward the bars. The sleeves should still reach your wrists, and the elbow protectors should sit on your elbows.
- Between sizes? Size up for riding comfort.
Frequently asked questions
Are Kevlar® shirts safe for motorcycle riding?
It depends on how much Kevlar® there is and where. Look for a CE EN 17092 class on the label rather than a material name. That tells you how the whole shirt performed in the test.
Can I wear a riding shirt instead of a jacket?
A riding shirt certified to class AA or AAA meets the same abrasion classes as many riding jackets. It just doesn't have weather protection. On dry, warm days it can replace a jacket.
Should I add a back protector?
Yes, if you can. The Kingston has a pocket for a back protector in size M or L.
How do I wash a motorcycle shirt?
Remove the protectors, wash on a gentle cycle at max. 30°C / 86°F and lay flat or hang to dry. With PEKEV®, the protection does not wash out.
The bottom line
The best riding shirt is the one that protects like a jacket and looks like a shirt. Look past "armored" and "Kevlar®" to the CE class, check how much of the shirt is actually protective, and make sure the armour sits where it should. Then wear it, on and off the bike.
