Motorcycle boots are a major purchase. In this blog post, we’ll examine what features you might want to look for. It’s the first of two posts about motorcycle boots. We’re going to write about boots for street riding: cruiser boots and touring boots. Motocross boots and other offroad boots, like racing boots, have their own special requirements.

At Eagle Leather, we carry many different kinds of boots that will protect your feet and ankles as you ride. Good leather work boots can do that. Even fashion-only boots are safer than sneakers. But motorcycle boots are a breed of their own. They are made to withstand being ground into the road surface in case you wipe out. They usually have features like molded ankle protection, more resistance to twisting, soles that stay put on an oily surface.

Of course, you won’t find everything you need to know in a blog, but you can count on our expert sales staff to further advise you, both in the store and online.

As you read, you can think about where you ride, how much you ride, how aggressively you ride, how much protection you want, what design will work best with your bike, what look you want, and how much you want to pay.

Both cruiser boots and touring boots have to protect your feet, ankles, and shins from road hazards. Both need soles with enough traction to grip the road when you stop, and both must help support your weight plus the weight of your bike whenever you start and stop.

Cruiser boots have thick soles. Most cruiser boots are short, but they do come in various heights. As you look at the array of cruiser boots from Bates, you’ll notice that the thick soles are slip- or oil-resistant and the shanks and other parts of the boot may be reinforced. Steel toe reinforcements are common. Some riders are leery of them because they fear the inner edge of the steel reinforcement could cut off their toes in a crash. But that’s a myth. In fact, Mythbusters disproved it on one of its episodes. Cruiser boots are often made of leather, but you’ll also find other materials, such as Gore-Tex®.

If you take a lot of longer rides, consider using touring boots. They usually have more features designed for your comfort, and that’s what you should look for. Uncomfortable boots on a long ride are not only a pain in the you-know-where, they are a distraction and they can make you more tired and therefore they are a safety hazard. Touring boots are usually between ten and fourteen inches high. The sole bends for flexibility.

Touring boots may also have removable inserts that mold to your foot’s anatomy; added protection at the toe, heel, ankle, and shin; liners that breathe; shifter pads; and waterproof exteriors.

Eagle Leather has many boots that will be excellent for touring. Check out, for instance, the Men’s 13” Eagle Engineer Boot here. It has a full foot-long leather upper shifter pad, cushioned insoles and a lightweight ABS insert, and is made with Goodyear welt construction.

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