Should Motorcycle Gloves be Tight?

Nowadays, riders are focusing too much on their motorbike gloves; it’s probably because they protect riders from any abrasion during accidents. Now the question arises, should motorbike gloves be tight? 

Experts recommend not buying too tight or too lose gloves because too tight gloves can interfere with blood circulation, which can make your fingers numb. While the loose motorbike gloves can make you uncomfortable while riding. In simpler words, motorbike gloves shouldn’t be tight. 

Let’s look at what it means for you and what you can do about it.

While writing this post, I leave no stone unturned so that you can choose the perfect motorbike gloves for yourself. 

Should Motorcycle Gloves be Tight?

Your fingers are probably the first body part that gets in contact with the ground at the time of the accident. 

And that’s why it makes sense to choose reliable and well-fitted motorbike gloves. 

As mentioned above, the too-tight gloves will interfere with your hands’ blood circulation, which will make your fingers numb. 

And after some time you probably won’t feel your fingers and will lose motorbike handling, which may cause an accident. 

In easier words, you should always avoid wearing too tight motorbike gloves. 

What Happens if Motorbike Gloves are Tight? 

Many riders still think that tight motorbike gloves are perfect for them to protect their hands from accidents. But they are mistaken; have you wondered what will happen if your motorbike gloves are tight? 

Too tight motorbike gloves will start to interfere with your hands’ blood circulation causing your fingers to be numb. After some time, you’ll start losing your motorbike handling ability, which can be the most significant reason for an accident. This will worsen if you’ve wearing tight gauntlet-type motorbike gloves.   

Gauntlet-type motorbike gloves not only protect your whole hands but also protect your wrist from abrasion. 

But unfortunately, too tight gauntlet type motorbike gloves neither protect you from abrasion and accidents but could be the main reason for accidents. 

You may think it will be better to wear loose motorbike gloves and let’s see what will happen if you wear loose motorbike gloves.

Why Experts Don’t Recommend Loose Gloves?

Loose gloves are equally dangerous as tight gloves. Indeed, your fingers won’t be numb, but loose gloves come with serious concerns.

Experts don’t recommend wearing loose motorbike gloves because these gloves would leave your palms, balls of thumb, and knuckles exposed. It means your hands will be more vulnerable to injuries. Also, it would be too uncomfortable when wearing loose motorbike gloves. In simple words, avoid wearing loose motorbike gloves. 

It would be best to always wear well-fitted motorbike gloves to protect your finger from getting numb or getting uncomfortable. 

In the later section, I mentioned some ways through which you can buy well-fitted motorbike gloves. 

Also, read my previous post where I talked about some riding gear and what riding gear you can include in your motorbike gear list. Click here to read.

How to Size Your Hand? 

Sizing your hand is the only way through which you can protect yourself from buying ill-fitted motorbike gloves. 

You need to size both hands carefully, as both hands don’t have the exact measurement. 

In the whole process, you’ve to measure hand circumference as well as palm width.

The steps to measure your hand size are mentioned below. 

Steps to Measure Hand Circumference: 

Steps to measuring hand circumference:Details: 
Step 1 Preparation.Be prepared with a reliable measuring tape. 
Step 2 Measuring. Measure your hand circumference by wrapping the tape around your knuckles. 
Step 3 RecordingRecord the observation and compare it with the size chart. 

Step 1: Preparation:

Before measuring your hand circumference, you need measuring tape; go get a reliable measuring tape.

Step 2: Measuring: 

Hold tight the measuring tape and wrap the tape around your knuckles or the widest part of your hand. And don’t forget to do this step for your other hand too. 

Step 3: Recording:  

Record the observation and compare it with the size chart mentioned in the next section.

Do watch this video for a better understanding. 

Steps to Measure Palm Width: 

Steps to measuring hand width:Details: 
Step 1 Preparation.Be prepared with a reliable measuring tape. 
Step 2 Measuring. Measure the distance between the widest part of your palm area by wrapping the tape below your knuckles. 
Step 3 RecordingRecord the observation and compare it with the size chart. 

Step 1: Preparation:

Before measuring your palm width, you need measuring tape; go get a reliable measuring tape.

Step 2: Measuring:

Place your hand on the measuring tape and measure the distance between the widest part of your palm below the knuckles. 

Step 3: Recording:

Record the observation and compare it with the size chart mentioned in the next section.

To avoid any miscalculation, it’s advisable to buy motorbike gloves one size above your calculated hand’s size. 

Hand Size Chart:

After measuring your hand size, you’ll need a reliable hand size chart to avoid a miscalculation. 

Here’s the size chart through which you can buy well-fitted motorbike gloves. 

Size Men Women
XSSize not available. 5 7/8
S6 11/ 16 – 7 1/26 11/16
M7 7/ 8 – 8 1/47 1/16
L8 11/16 – 9 1/167 1/2
XL9 7/ 16 – 9 13/167 7/8
2Xl10 1/14 – 10 5/8 7 1/14
3XL11Size not available.

Don’t forget to check the manufacturer’s size guide also, as the manufacturer size chart might differ from the above size chart. 

How Does Motorbike Gloves Depend on Manufacturing Countries? 

So far, you have learned how tight the motorbike gloves should be. But have you ever wondered how manufacturing countries matter?

Experts always recommend checking the country of manufacture while purchasing the motorbike gloves because the size of motorbike gloves is highly influenced by countries and buyers. For example, American motorbike gloves are generally bit loose European motorbike gloves. European manufacturers always made gloves more secure and snug.

However, many Europeans are now shifting to making their gloves like an American style to capture the vast American market. 

Additionally, the European manufacturers made gloves with aggressive fitting and a narrow circumference around the palm area. 

But you’ll find these gloves come with an additional length on the fingertips. 

You can go with any glove, as long as you’ve your palm circumference area readings. 

Which Motorbike Gloves Material Fit Perfectly? 

In the market you will find three types of gloves material:

  • Leather material. 
  • Hybrid material gloves.
  • Textile material gloves. 

Now the question arises, which motorbike gloves material fit perfectly?

Experts claim that leather-made material fits perfectly in any hand. These gloves will last longer than any gloves and come with excellent abrasion resistance properties. However, leather gloves come with some disadvantages like low waterproofing and low weather resistance. You can also go with hybrid motorbike gloves for perfect fitting. 

Leather Material: 

Leather is the favorite glove material of riders; these gloves aren’t only eye appealing but have extended longevity. 

The leather-made gloves also show high resistant abrasion and can be molded according to rider hands. 

However, leather-made gloves aren’t suitable for rainy seasons. Additionally, these gloves are a bit expensive, which not every rider can afford. 

Textile Material: 

Textile material-made gloves are the second option for those who don’t like leather-made gloves.

These gloves are affordable and show intense weather-resistant properties. You can wear these gloves in rainy seasons as well.

But unfortunately, these gloves won’t last long and show less abrasion resistance and you might have to purchase another pair after high-level abrasion. 

Also, textile-made gloves don’t come with molding properties which makes the gloves ill-fitting for many riders.

Hybrid Material: 

As mentioned in the name, the hybrid material is the perfect combination of leather and textile material gloves.  

The hybrid material gloves allow you to live both worlds with pros only. However, in many cases, hybrid gloves won’t last longer than leather-made gloves. Still, they will last longer than textile material gloves.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What would happen if gloves are tight?

Too tight motorbike gloves will start to interfere with your hands’ blood circulation causing your fingers to be numb.

Why experts don’t recommend loose gloves?

Experts don’t recommend wearing loose motorbike gloves because these gloves would leave your palms, balls of thumb, and knuckles exposed

Why should you check the country origin of motorcycle gloves?

Experts always recommend checking the country of manufacture while purchasing the motorbike gloves because the size of motorbike gloves is highly influenced by countries and buyers.

Which gloves material is best for you?

Leather-made material fits perfectly in any hand. These gloves will last longer than any gloves and come with excellent abrasion resistance properties. 

How American gloves are different from Europen gloves?

American motorbike gloves are generally a bit loose while European motorbike gloves are more secure and snug.

Final Verdict: 

Should motorbike gloves be tight? Experts recommend not buying too tight or too lose gloves because too tight gloves can interfere with blood circulation, which can make your fingers numb. 

While the loose motorbike gloves can make you uncomfortable while riding. In simpler words, motorbike gloves shouldn’t be tight.

Don’t forget to check the steps that I’ve mentioned above to measure your hand size. 

Here are Some of My Favorite Riding Gears: 

Thank you for reading this article. I hope you found it helpful as you build your riding journey successfully. 


Here are some riding gears I use as a rider that I hope you’ll also find helpful.

These are affiliate links, so I’ll earn a commission if you decide to use any of them. But in all honesty, these are the same riding gears that I use and recommend to everyone, even my own family.


Motorbike Riding Pants:


For getting started, I like Scorpion EXO Covert Jeans for men (check the latest price on Amazon.com) and Indigo Protective Riding Jeans for women (check the latest price on Tobacco Motorwear).

These riding pants are comfortable so you can use these pants in summer, and these pants have a lot of space for using knee guards. 


Motorbike Riding Helmet:


Throughout my riding life, I used several helmets, and almost all helmets protect your head well. Still, I personally prefer YM- 929 of Yema helmets as it comes with Bluetooth and aerodynamic ABS shells (check the latest price on Amazon.com).


And suppose you want an eye-appealing and yet effective helmet. In that case, you can go with Icon Airform Sacrosanct Helmet (check the latest price on Revzilla). 


Motorbike Riding Jacket:


Jackets are crucial to protect your upper body. Honestly, every rider has a dream to have an affordable yet best riding jacket. And that’s why I personally recommend the Alpinestars T faster motorbike jacket because of the protection and comfort it offers (check the latest price on Amazon.com). 


Motorbike Riding Gloves:


Almost all riding gloves perform well by protecting your hands from sunburn and cool nights. And if you’re a serious rider, then you should go with Alpinestars SMX-1 Air v2 Glove, which is lightweight and offers you excellent protection. (check the latest price on Revzilla).