Exceptionally comfortable, highly protective and with style to boot, the Speed gloves from UK manufacturer, 78 Motor Co. get the Moto Lane once over.
Having ridden with the Speed gloves in the winter rain – as well as in bumper to bumper traffic in the middle of summer – we feel we’ve done the hard yards so you don’t have to. So what did we think?
Overview
With an increasingly fashion conscious market, 78 Motor Co. set out to create a glove that looks cool, fits great and offers a high degree of protection for your stylish urban adventures.
The Speed glove blends style and substance with knuckle protection designed to be refined and discreet. The glove also features a double layer underside panel and under thumb reinforcement without the usual ‘bulk’ that can be present on other gloves. A padded, oversized silicone velcro strap provides a super tight closure without snagging and a handy velcro buddy tab at the wrist keeps your gloves together when not in use. Meaning you won’t lose sleep over the one that never made it home.
Comfort
The Speed design consists of over 20 individual panels all designed to fit to the contours of your hands while riding, hand cut from full aniline calf hides and perforated in the right places. Because of this they hit the goldilocks zone in that they’re thin enough to operate your bike’s controls, but thick enough to provide confidence that they’ll hold up in the event of a slide. Just right.
Inside you will find a poly satin lining for a smooth, comfortable feel, free of hard inclusions or rogue stitching. 78 Motor Co’s Speed gloves are designed for optimal airflow with a unique ‘cooling fin’ design allowing them to dry quickly after getting wet.
Sizing is on the smaller side and tends to vary a little bit between styles within 78 Motor Co’s range. Where you’ll fit a large in your existing gloves, you may find yourself better suited to an XL here. Being made from genuine leather, they of course will stretch a little over time, so buy snug but not tight.
We’ve found the Speed gloves to be incredibly comfortable no matter what the weather. From chilly autumn mornings, to the warmer summer months, the Speed gloves do a good job of regulating temperature. They’re not an all season glove in colder or hotter climates, so bear this in mind should you live somewhere prone to more extreme temperatures – however for most applications, the Speed gloves will be there for you pretty much all year round.
Safety
The Speed features double stitched seams, a triple stitched thumb and a padded, oversized silicone velcro strap that provides a super tight closure without being restrictive. Combine this with high-quality full aniline calf hides, and you’re looking at a pair of high-end gloves that take safety very seriously.
Thankfully we haven’t tested the glove’s abrasion resistance in a real world accident – and hope we never do. However given the attention to detail and use of high-quality materials, we’re confident the Speed gloves will hold up when you go down.
Value for money
At $175 (AUD) a pair, they’re not a cheap glove, but they do provide value for money if you don’t mind dropping that sort of money on a pair of gloves.
At the end of the day you get what you pay for, and with 78 Motor Co’s Speed gloves you get an exceptional quality motorcycle glove that looks great and provides plenty of comfort. That’s worth the money for us!
Features:
- Hand finished from the finest full aniline calf hides
- Poly satin lining for a smooth, comfortable feel
- Double stitched seams and a triple stitched thumb
- Glove consists of over 20 individual ‘panels’ all designed to fit to the contours of your hands while riding
- A padded, oversized silicone Velcro strap provides a super tight closure without snagging
- Designed for optimal airflow with our unique ‘cooling fin’ design allowing the Speed to dry quickly after getting wet
- Smart phone compatible
- Colour options include Dune Yellow, Nappa Black, Chocolate Brown and Signet Red
In summary
If you’re in the market for a premium leather riding glove, we highly recommend the Speed gloves from 78 Motor Co. Premium leather, protection in all the right places, a bevvy of colour options and designed to perfectly compliment your urban adventures; the Speed gloves get our seal of approval.
