Part of the fun of riding a cruiser, café racer, or retro sportbike is the apparel that goes with it. The ideal gear will look the part while offering comfort plus modern protection and function. The Kansas glove from Racer Gloves fits the bill perfectly, straddling the centuries gracefully.
The Racer Kansas gloves use a cowhide leather chassis and builds from there.
Next up are the stretch panels on the index and middle fingers, as well as the wrist. They blend in with the gray leather, giving a bit of a tuck-and-roll look. This improves the function over a plain leather glove lacking any flex areas.
The Racer Kansas motorcycle gloves are secured on your hand in a stylishly effective way. There’s a pewter-tinged heavy-duty YKK zipper initial closure, supplemented by a hook-and-loop leather wrist strap with tastefully subtle raised Racer branding. Racer offset the zipper—a nice styling touch—and the zipper is flexible enough that you don’t notice it when twisting the throttle.
The interior of the Racer Kansas glove has a comfortable tricot lining that feels fantastic on the hand and fingers. The palm has enough padding to help damp the vibrations that often emanate from a retro motor. The padding and liner are a bit more on the comfort side of the comfort/sport balance. For non-critical street use and friendly café racing, they’re just right. Racer has integrated the seams perfectly, and you never notice them.
While not ideal for the absolute coldest or hottest days, the Kansas gloves work well over a wide range of temperatures. You can always throw on a glove liner if it’s down in the 40s or below, though there’s no way to move air through the gloves when it’s over 100°. The rest of the time, they feel just right.
In a nod to the 21st century, the index fingertips and thumb tips get a touchscreen-friendly material.
Looking cool counts, as does being safe and comfortable. The Racer Kansas gloves take care of those three requirements without breaking a sweat.
Photography by Kelly Callan
Racer Kansas Gloves Fast Facts
- Sizes: S-3XL
- Color: Antique Grey
- Racer Kansas Gloves Price: $90/pair MSRP
