Whilst competing in the most exciting sport on earth, MotoGP™ riders wear customised high-tech leather suits which assist them in their performance, keeping them comfortable as they race at speeds of over 350km/h and offering great protection when crashes occur.
One of the key ways that MotoGP™ leather suits protect the riders is through the abrasion resistance they provide after a crash, when the riders slide across the asphalt of the track, or through the gravel in the run-off areas outside the track.
In addition though, the racing suits have numerous protective elements all throughout their structure, with protective pads, sliders and even airbags helping to reduce injury from heavy impacts on crashing.
Along with the riders’ helmet, gloves and boots, their leather racing suit is a vital piece of MotoGP™ safety equipment and in this comprehensive guide we will examine them in detail. We’ll look at the materials they comprise, specific pieces of safety tech in the MotoGP™ race suit and their overall utility in rider safety.
Materials Used in MotoGP™ race suits
MotoGP™ leather suits are constructed by suppliers such as Alpinestars and Dianese, using a combination of materials for maximum rider protection, comfort and flexibility.
The primary material is the main outer layer, which is typically kangaroo or premium cowhide leather, providing abrasion resistance, breathability and durability.
Armor and impact protectors made with materials such as carbon fiber and TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) are inserted at critical points (chest, shoulders, back, elbows, knees, shins) for impact absorption.
Then there are also Kevlar and Aramid fibres used in stretch panels – also known as accordion panels - and reinforcement areas to give extra strength and tear resistance while allowing flexibility.
Together, these materials create an aerodynamic and lightweight yet extremely protective suit optimised for the incredible speeds in MotoGP™ and the inherent risks of racing. Each rider has a perfectly fitting leather racing suit which must fit closely to their body, keeping each respective protective element in the right place in case of a crash, whilst also allowing the rider to move freely on the bike.
Why is leather used in MotoGP™ race suits?
The main material which MotoGP™ race suits are constructed of is premium natural leather, of kangaroo or cowhide origin, as the manufacturers of these hi-tech pieces of rider protection deem leather to be superior to any textile or synthetic alternatives.
Leather is specifically used in racing suits due to its unmatched resistance to abrasion, combined with its tough, durable and breathable qualities.
The leather provides a reliable barrier that helps protect the rider’s skin from severe road rash and other injuries. Unlike synthetic materials, leather can withstand high abrasion levels without tearing easily, which is crucial during high-speed crashes. Leather also sits well around the rider’s body, offering a comfortable, flexible yet secure fit.
Heat, Impact and Abrasion Protection in MotoGP™ leathers
As the riders absolutely push the limits of top speeds of over 350km/h, braking at the very last millisecond, cornering at remarkable lean angles of 65° from vertical and battling with their rivals, crashes are common in MotoGP™.
In 2024, there were 335 crashes over 20 Grand Prix weekends, down from 358 in 2023, which also featured the same number of events. On average, that was 16.8 crashes per GP in 2024 and every time a rider crashes, they are relying on their leather racing suit for protection.
When crashes occur, the riders typically land on the asphalt and skid or slide across the surface into the gravel run-off areas outside the track limits. This sliding movement in contact with the asphalt on the track generates huge abrasion (friction) and heat, which leather racing suits specifically designed for MotoGP™ riders are highly resistant too.
Race suits are tailored to fit each rider precisely, to keep protectors for parts of the body such as the knees, coccyx, shoulders, back, elbows and forearms in place. On the knees, elbows and shoulders the riding suits also have replaceable sliders which sit on the outside of the leathers, allowing the rider to brush against the track surface with those body parts, assisting them with their balance and judging how far they are leaning their bikes over on cornering.
Airbag systems in MotoGP™ race suits
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the speed hump at the top of the rider’s back was introduced in elite level racing. It was originally invented to reduce the aerodynamic drag created by the rider as they ‘tuck down’ over the handlebars when accelerating or pushing at the limit on the straight.
As the technology used in racing suits from suppliers such as Alpinestars, Dianese and Spidi has progressed, the hump now also acts as a compartment where components are carried. These include items such as data logging devices, water bladders (hydration packs from which the rider drinks via a tube running into the helmet) and the electronic controls related to airbags.
Airbag vests are now a standard safety feature integrated into the riders’ leathers. Using accelerometers, gyroscopes and GPS, they enable rapid deployment when a rider crashes, whereby a mechanism releases a pin which punctures a metal cap on a CO2 cylinder, which inflates the airbag. The activation and inflation time is virtually instantaneous, e.g. within 0.045s of the start of the crash.
Airbag vests aim to protect the chest, shoulders, ribcage, upper back and neck, dispersing the load of an impact in a crash.
MotoGP™ race suits: Comfort and Rider Performance
The riders’ suits used in MotoGP™ feature stretch panels (accordion paneling), perforation zones, and airflow design. They are much more sophisticated than the standard leathers an average motorcyclist would use on the road, providing greater mobility without compromising protection.
Former racer and winner of the 1998 British Grand Prix, Simon Crafar explains how the MotoGP™ riders’ racing suits are specially designed for competition. He states, “When you get down into the tucked in position, which is almost a fetal position, and then try to move your arms out to the bars, those road suits just don't fit. They're all baggy and loose in the front.”
“They're restrictive in the back area and stop your arms stretching and moving up. If you're fighting against the leather suit it uses a lot of energy, so you end up tired. So the race suits are much more designed for the racing position. The arms are already bent, for example, the suits are much shorter in the front. They're not even comfortable to wander around in, but on the bike, they are fantastic.”
He added, “The paneling, which is called the accordion paneling, it stretches. The reason for this is you need the suit to fit snugly. So when you have a fall, the impact protectors don't move around.”
A vital part of the MotoGP™ riders’ armoury
So these leather-based racing suits continue to evolve with the latest cutting edge features, assisting the riders in terms of both safety and performance. They are purposely designed for comfort in the ‘tucked in’ racing position, protecting the rider from the elements and with external sliders offering vital, additional protection.
The combination of durable leather and synthetic materials helps to significantly reduce risk of injuries when the riders skid over the track surface or into the gravel following a crash. If the rider hits another rider or impacts with a crash barrier at trackside, their racing suits help to absorb the impact with strategically positioned protectors over the most vulnerable body parts.
Whilst still recovering from other injuries already sustained in pre-season, the 2024 World Champion Jorge Martin suffered a high profile crash at the 2025 Qatar GP in which he fractured right posterior ribs, with a chest trauma causing rib contusion on the right thorax with pneumothorax.
The crash impacted the entire first half of the season for the Spaniard, keeping him out of action for a significant period of what would have been a title defence campaign. Had he not been protected by his state-of-the-art MotoGP™ leather suit, as Martin put it himself on Instagram after the crash, “Thank God, this could have been much worse.”
Looking to learn more about the detail and vocabulary of Grand Prix motorcycle racing? Check out the MotoGP™ Glossary.