Sidi Fusion Lei Boots Review: Women’s Motorcycle Boots

November 10, 2018

Sidi Fusion Lei Boots Review: For Sporty Women

When I’m heading out for a fast ride through the backroads, or into the canyons for a Sunday afternoon sprint, I reach for my trusty Sidi Fusion Lei riding boots.

I won’t be riding as fast or cornering as hard as if I was on a pure sportbike, so the sport-touring friendly Fusion Lei boots are the perfect compromise between Sidi’s track-ready Vertigo Lei and the casual Sidi Lady Gavia Gore-Tex street boot.

Motorcycle boots can be a complex assembly of pieces that look formidable in their attempt to protect, and graceless to walk around in. However, when I slip into the slender-built Sidi Lei Fusion boots, I enjoy how spare, comfortable, and yes, protected, my feet feel.

The upper boot is constructed of Lorica. It’s a synthetic leather that resists the abuse that riding boots will undergo, while still managing to retain its good looks. Four different panels of the material are stitched together, with site-specific nylon pieces overlain in critical areas for additional durability, and to provide impact protection.

The nylon toe sliders are screwed on, and replaceable should you spend a lot of time scraping through turns. They also do an excellent job of running interference for your pinky toes, giving me the confidence to lean in on slow tight turns.

The back of your foot is safeguarded by a hard-plastic heel cup that fully wraps around the boot. The Sidi Fusion Lei boots also have shock absorbing foam lining the inside of the boots’ heels. Up front, a Teflon-coated shift pad preserves your left big toe.

The Fusion Leis also look after your lower legs: a large nylon shin plate is affixed to the front of the boot, and Sidi’s Vertebra system is double stitched to the back side of the Fusion Lei to shield your Achilles tendon. Plastic ankle caps are built into the interior of the boots to protect both the medial and lateral anklebones.

Unfortunately, I did have a chance to assess the crashworthiness of the Sidi Fusion Lei boots. In the rain in Spain during my test of the 2018 Yamaha MT-07, I lost the front end coming out of a corner. Both my feet and the boots were none the worse for wear, I am happy to report.

It’s easy to slide your feet into the Fusion boots as the side zipper extends to within an inch of the sole. This helps because the cut of the boot is narrow around the ankle area. I usually ride with riding jeans tucked in, and it is quite snug pulling the zipper over this one point.

The top third of the boot closes with a stout Velcro flap that will not accidentally come loose. Although the flap has an elastic panel that allows for a larger calf, there is no way to adjust the top of the boot for a close fit on narrow calves like mine.

From a comfort standpoint, the perforated inner lining contributes a pleasingly light and cushiony feel against your legs, while the insole is firm and comfortable. There is a removable arch support.

The understated paisley detail on the outer sides of the boots is a nice touch, and they show very little signs of wear despite years of use.

The Sidi Fusion Lei is a lightweight, slender, and sturdy women’s’ motorcycle boot that is also comfortable enough to walk around in during riding breaks. They are the perfect speed when I want a bit more protection than a commuting boot, but not something as robust as a track day boot.