The term motorcycle boots encompasses a large variety of boot styles used for various riding purposes or simply for fashion. The most common, all purpose motorcycle boots keep the same shape and size of normal boots, but are more flexible and sometimes are less tight around the leg, in order to allow complete flexibility and mobility for the bike rider. In addition, there are several specialized boots for a variety of events or purposes such as engineer boots, harness boots, motocross boots and touring boots.

Harness motorcycle boots

These boots are more of a fashion item than something with a specific purpose, although they offer a certain amount of protection. They are usually worn by the specific group of motorcycle riders called bikers and they can have an extremely varied height (from 10 to 40 inches). Harness motorcycle boots are usually made out of heavy weight leather and usually come in dark colors such as black, brown or dark gray.

As stated earlier, harness motorcycle boots are also designed to offer the bike rider a certain amount of protection from injury to the foot and leg. Some models have built-in steel toe caps and metal shanks on their heels as they usually come with a square toe. The soles and heels are made out of tough rubber and have a flat or bumpy form to increase comfort while riding long hours.

Engineer motorcycle boots

This category of boots is extremely similar to harness boots, however a few distinct details can be pointed out. First of all, whereas harness boots usually have a square toe, engineer motorcycle boots have a rounded one which is both a fashion and a comfort factor. The strap adjustment system is also different on engineer boots, which have an adjustable strap across the ankle area as well as one right under the knee, at the top of the boot.

Motocross boots

Motocross boots are specifically designed for off-road racing, although mountain climbing amateurs and enthusiasts are also usually keen on getting a pair. Since motocross is a sport where injuries are common, these boots focus on offering extra protection to the foot and leg area. For this reason, motocross boots are a lot stiffer than normal motorcycle boots and the material used in making them is a lot harder. This is also to give the boots more stability on the foot while riding on the bumpiest of terrains.

Compared to harness and engineer boots, motocross boots are shorter (usually around 14-16 inches) and they can be made out of anything ranging from leather, plastic, industrial composite and metal parts. Motocross boot producers also focus on giving the boots a solid comfort factor, since they can get very annoying otherwise, especially after hours of strenuous mountain climbing and off-roading.

Touring boots

Touring boots are designed for long hours of riding on hard surfaces such as pavement, tarmac and so forth. Usually touring boots are preferred for day-by-day riding on city streets, highways and the likes, although some bike riders use them in various tournaments as well. Obviously, since they are going to be used on such a long amount of time, it’s extremely important that a pair of touring boots provides a high amount of comfort. Hence, they are usually lighter, shorter than most other boot types (roughly around 12-14 inches) and they are usually made out of light materials such as leather, rubber, plastic and so forth.