MOTO-D Performance Riding Motorcycle Undersuit Review

For anyone who has donned motorcycle leathers in anything above warm temperatures, you’ll no doubt know just how uncomfortable it can get if you aren’t correctly dressed. For example, you’ve just thrown on any old t-shirt.

The effects are then amplified when riding on the track, given how much extra effort you put in to keep your machine the right way up. Then there’s the exuberant voodoo dance you have to do when the time comes you actually want to get your leathers off!

For these reasons it’s important that we wear the correct clothes under our leathers to keep us cool, comfortable, and so we can leave the leather-removing crow bar in the van.

I’ve recently got my hands on the MOTO-D Racing Performance Riding Motorcycle Undersuit, which are designed to help in all of the above areas. If you’re in the park for a new set of motorcycle base layers, or you’ve never bought any before, I recommend you keep reading.

What’s it made of?

MOTO-D uses a four-way stretch polyester-spandex blend that is extremely smooth on the outside and comfortable in fit to riders of all shapes and sizes.

On a basic, material level there isn’t much difference in this suit to most other cooling base layers, but that’s because there doesn’t need to be.

Base layers commonly feature about 80-90% of either polyester or nylon, and 10-20% of spandex (or elastane – depending on where you’re from), and this is because this combination does a great job of staying tight to your skin (that’s the spandex) while the polyester wicks away sweat to help keep you cool and comfortable.

It is a common make up across the vast majority of base layers, and for good reason.

What’s the difference?

But if this suit is made of the same stuff as any other, what’s so special about it?

That’s a great question.

The quality is in the design, super comfortable fit, and how it’s made – not necessarily what it’s made from. It is here where the MOTO-D Racing undersuit stands out.

Being a full length, one piece base layer gives this suit a huge plus point. I have myself been frustrated in the past by the way that two piece base layers come apart in the middle and bunch up during riding. This will obviously reduce the effectiveness as well as how comfortable they end up being, on top of being a general distraction.

With MOTO-D’s one piece design, this is never going to be an issue, and with the footstraps stitched at the bottom of the legs you can be sure that this motorcycle base layer will stay exactly where intended.

Being high-stretch (yet form fitting), MOTO-D’s undersuit provides the rider with maximum range of motion allowing them to get into any position they wish and hit that apex just right, with no restrictions.

Unlike tight “compression” tops and bottoms that are great for gym workouts, MOTO-D say their undersuit’s unique “second skin” feel is the most comfortable undersuit you can buy.

This is something they are clearly standing by with great confidence, because as part of their service they will even pay return postage charges if you are not satisfied!

Trying it out

As soon as I got my hands on the suit it felt well-made and of high quality, and just by looking at it I could tell it was going to be comfortable too. And it was.

Putting it on is much like putting on your race leathers, and once you’re in and it’s all zipped up I could feel no uncomfortable points when standing or moving around.

Because of its design, getting into my leathers felt easy. Where as in the past I would have to try to return the upper half of my base layer to its original position after hoisting my leathers over my shoulders, as you would expect none of that was needed with the MOTO-D Racing undersuit.

Getting my leathers back off again was equally as easy, which I should say is a joyous benefit of most base layers.

A nice little design touch comes from the zip too, and the designer was clearly thinking of things away from the track.

The full length zip can be opened and closed from either the top or bottom, and at first I was curious as to why it was designed this way, but I soon realised it was put there to make toilet breaks a little easier to manage. Nice touch!

If I was demanded to pick fault with any part of the suit, it would be that getting it on is a little trickier than a two piece, but for the benefits you gain from being a one piece, this is a non-issue.

Motorcycle base layers are something I did without for too long, and when I eventually got my hands on some I had wished I’d done it sooner.

I would highly recommend the MOTO-D Racing motorcycle undersuit to riders of both the track and street.

Also, be sure to also check out their Coolmax “Traction Grip” Motorcycle Socks which keep your feet cool, dry, and stop them stinking up your boots.

The company is based in the USA, but for those of you in different parts of the world they will happily (and from experience, swiftly) ship worldwide, as well as guarantee proper fit.

A highly recommended product.

For more information visit www.motodracing.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/motodracing