Fly Racing Women’s F-16 Racewear Review: Jersey, Pants + Gloves

Fly Racing offers two lines of female-specific moto gear—the Women’s Lite Racewear aimed at the serious rider/racer, and the F-16 Racewear for the average trail rider looking for a durable, comfortable value for her weekend moto adventures. There are distinct differences between the two lines, and I’m focusing on the Fly Racing Women’s F-16 Racewear line here.

The F-16 Racewear is a more rugged build than the Lite Racewear, has a slightly roomier fit, and doesn’t flow quite as much air. It’s a well-honed basic workhorse design that looks great and takes care of business without looking budget.

Fly Racing Women’s F-16 Racewear Review: Pants

The riding pants are constructed from hardy 600D polyester and stand up well to normal trail riding abuse. In Southern California, that means snags from scrubby trees and chaparral when riding in the desert or mountains, as well as the occasional tip over in a rock garden. In contrast, the silky feel of the Lite Racewear is more performance-oriented; it’s built for rubbing bars, not branches, on the racetrack.

In keeping with their more provincial role, the F-16 riding pants have a relaxed fit. While not baggy, it will not be mistaken for the curve-skimming cut of the Lite Racewear pants. The F-16s still flatter; they are well-designed and functional.

Fly Racing Women’s F-16 Racewear Review: Off-road pants

When putting on a new pair of riding pants, the first thing I notice is how they accommodate my knee braces. The F-16s have the necessary room to skim over my Pod K-4 braces without issue. The mesh liner, which keeps things cool and prevents the pants from sticking to sweaty legs, extends from the waist to the top of the knees, but not beyond. This is important as full-length mesh liners invariable catch on knee braces, making it harder to pull pants on and off.

The slightly curved cut of the Fly Racing Women’s F-16 pants means they feel exactly right when sitting or standing. There’s no excess fabric bunching around the knees. Generous use of stretch panels on the inner and outer thigh, as well as behind the knee all the way down the calf to the cuff, prevent any binding. The cuff is a simple flat hem that will not reduce circulation; a two-inch stretch panel provides a bit of fit. Finally, stretch ribbing along the lower back waist and across the top of the knees ensure all movements on the bike are free of restriction.

Fly Racing Women’s F-16 Racewear Review: Price

Unlike the fashionable and flyless Lite pants, the F-16 pants have a traditional fly covering the sturdy and larger toothed YKK zipper. A standard ratchet buckle secures the waist, and you can customize the fit with the left-side adjustable hook-and-loop belt. Two ventilation panels on the knee—one across the top, the other behind the knee—flow a bit of air.

Like the pants, the Women’s F-16 jersey has a fit that accommodates serious protection. The lightweight polyester fabric has enough stretch that I can pull it over my Alpinestars Stella Bionic Jacket 2 without effort. I have to pay a little more attention to the sleeves, as the padded elbows of the Bionic Jacket are not insignificant.

Fly Racing Women’s F-16 Racewear Review: Jersey

The Fly Racing Women’s F-16 jersey has a long tail that tucks nicely into the pants and is kept from riding up by the pants’ silicone-lined waistband. A 2-by-3-inch tag sewn into the jersey’s side seam—low enough to be tucked away in the pants—delivers the usual care instructions and fabric content in five languages.

Contradictorily, the written instructions say hand wash or delicate cycle, while the international icons indicate a Normal cold cycle. It’s moto gear, so I’m going to go with the latter—machine wash in cold and hang dry. Happily, there is no scratchy tag at the back collar of the jersey; the size and model number are simply printed directly on the fabric.

Fly Racing Women’s F-16 Racewear Review: Gloves

The F-16 gloves find a nice balance between lightweight comfort and basic protection. The palm side of the glove is made of thin faux leather with an array of silicone nubs on the two fingers you’ll be using on your hand levers. They provide a perfect, non-slip grip. The top side of the glove is a spandex, neoprene, and Lycra combination that is satisfyingly flexible with a secure fit.

There’s no impact protection to speak of offered by the Fly Racing F-16 gloves, so give the chaparral and cactus a wide berth if you don’t have handguards. An extra layer of the synthetic material where the thumb grips the handlebar protects from blisters, and there’s an adjustable hook-and-loop tab on the cuff to fasten the gloves. Despite the unisex sizing of the gloves, the Women’s-XL/Men’s-M fit my big hands perfectly.

Fly Racing Women’s F-16 Racewear Review: MSRP

Fly Racing fully delivers on a great-looking, functional, and durable line of moto gear with the Women’s F-16 Racewear. While not quite as slick looking as the race-targeted Lite Racewear, the Fly Racing Women’s F-16 Racewear takes care of business at a good price—$133 for the ensemble—without looking budget.

Action photography by Don Williams

Kelly tested the Fly Racing Women’s F-16 Racewear on the 2021 Kawasaki KLX140R F andf the 2021 Yamaha WR250F.

Fly Racing Women’s F-16 Racewear Fast Facts

Fly Racing Women’s F-16 Jersey

  • Sizes: Small – 2X-Large
  • Colors: Aqua/Dark Teal/Black; Grey/Pink/Black

Fly Racing Women’s F-16 Jersey Price: $28 MSRP

Fly Racing Women’s F-16 Pants

  • Sizes: US 0/2 – 15/16
  • Colors: Aqua/Dark Teal/Black; Grey/Pink/Black

Fly Racing Women’s F-16 Pants Prices: $80

Fly Racing F-16 Gloves

  • Sizes: X-Small – 3X-Large
  • Colors: Aqua/Dark Teal/Black; Grey/Pink/Black

Fly Racing F-16 Gloves Price: $25

Fly Racing Women’s F-16 Racewear Review Photo Gallery