The Summer heat and leather aren’t so compatible. I love my leather motorcycle jackets as much as the rest of you, but they're not really ideal for hot months. Depending on where you live, temps can reach 90º well before noon. It's enough to make some riders opt for a textile jacket and brave the chilly night ride home to avoid baking in the sun during the daytime riding hours. You can always layer up, but you can’t always layer down. Maybe riding where you live isn't so extreme. But if you travel and rent a motorcycle in Chicago, for example—where it can be hot one minute and chilly or raining the next—your layers will be essential. Check out our article on warm weather motorcycle gear for women, which includes great layering pieces. 

What about style vs protection? Do we tend to sacrifice one for the other in summer months? Sure do! I’m guilty of walking out the door with only a t-shirt because I don’t want to be “that girl” who shows up to a happy hour in a sporty track jacket. Sometimes even my most stylish leather moto jacket is just not compatible with summer temperatures and we leave that weight—and protection—at home. 

When choosing “bike life” during the warm seasons, we understand that we won't always be able to remove our helmet to reveal flawless makeup complete with a diva hair whip. However, that doesn’t mean we have to sacrifice all the things—especially when it comes following these motorcycle safety tips. As the number of women riding motorcycles exponentially grows, we definitely shouldn't have to spend money on a smaller-sized men’s jacket. (You can, however, check out warm weather gear for men here.) Twisted Road is here to bring you our top five best women's motorcycle jackets for warm weather riding. I attempted to include various brands and budgets, but ultimately this list will showcase some of the best-quality, armor-ready, ventilated jackets on the market for my ladies who rip with the boys but don’t want to wear men's motorcycle gear!

1. Alpinestars Stella T-GP Plus R v2 Air Jacket

Price: $240.00
Style: Sport 
Sizing / Fit: Tailored

Protection: Lightweight CE-certified elbow and shoulder protectors; pocket for optional Nucleon CE Level 2 back protection (sold separately); shoulder protection features over-molded TPU guard layered under the outer fabric; all protectors are perforated and securely housed in mesh compartments; pockets for optional chest protectors (sold separately)

Colors: Black/White, Black/White/Fuchsia, Black/White/Red

This jacket from Alpinestars has the durability and protection of the brand's best-selling leather motorcycle jacket, but it's constructed with a lightweight, abrasion-resistant 450/600 Denier poly-fabric material for summer. This is an aggressive sports jacket, and protection is absolutely the top priority for most shoppers considering this type of gear; safety is what sets it apart from a lot of similar styles. The shoulder armor is the most notable element of the included protection in this jacket; it features an over-molded TPU guard layered underneath. The stretch panel around the upper back offers flexibility in your range of motion, whether in a crouching position on the track or on a daily commute. Mesh paneling wraps around the bicep to offer more airflow in a non-inhibitive way. The lower rear profile design offers lumbar coverage, and the main shell is water resistant for wet weather protection. Storage-wise, you can expect larger external front hand pockets and multiple internal compartment pockets. This is a pretty snug fit, and full armor throughout the jacket might require a size up. We always recommend that you try on at your local Alpinestars dealer for best fitment. Alpinestars claims this as the ideal featherweight summer riding jacket, and it’s a great choice for those hot track days. 

2. SPIDI Summernet Lady

Price: $219.00
Style: Casual / Sport / Touring
Sizing / Fit: Tailored Euro styling but typically runs true to size
Protection: Elbow and shoulder armor included; back armor is also available from SPIDI (sold separately)
Colors: This jacket is currently offered in two colors on the SPIDI website, both highlighter yellow and all black. However, I’ve found several other colors offered during previous years in this same style floating around the interwebs as well.

SPIDI is an Italian brand and offers that Euro look and fit throughout the body. This abrasion-resistant mesh jacket offers phenomenal ventilation with big panels of perforated fabric throughout the entire body, which is immediately evident after 10mph. The true Euro styling is emphasized all the way from wrist snaps, adjustable waist fastening, to zip gussets at the waist for a truly customized fit. It also offers both night and daytime visibility with reflector zones as well as the option to add a SPIDI thermo lining. Although there is no internal storage with this jacket, the two front zip pockets are just big enough to fit an iPhone and can realistically serve your basic storage needs if you’re zipping through town. This jacket could be suitable for long touring (read here for tips on traveling with motorcycle gear), adrenaline-fueled straightaways, and also could flatter a casual city rider living in or renting a motorcycle in San Francisco, while maintaining protection and style. It’s truly an adaptable jacket for any lady rider and won’t cramp your style if you need to wear it to work in business casual attire!  

3. Alpinestars Eloise Air Jacket

Price: $200.00
Style: Casual / Sport / Touring
Sizing / Fit: Tailored
Protection: CE certified protection on the shoulder and elbows; Alpinestars bionic chest and back protectors (sold separately)
Colors: Black or Indigo

The Eloise Air Jacket is superbly styled for an optimized women’s sport fit and can be an attractive option for both sport riders or cruisers as it has very minimal branding and doesn’t scream “gears.” Minimal styling and graphics don’t mean minimal bells and whistles. This lightweight jacket is constructed from a durable advanced 480 denier poly-textile that is double PU coated for durability, abrasion resistance, and water resistance. Alpinestars provides ample storage for this minimalistic jacket with a waterproof stash pocket and your basic external zippered pockets. The sleeves are pre-curved for reduced fatigue and enhanced riding comfort, and the mesh inserts are strategically positioned for optimized cooling. Tall ladies, Alpinestars thought of you with an elongated rear profile that offers lumbar coverage, particularly in an upright riding position. As with most ladies' jackets we’ve included on this list, fit customization is offered here too, with snap-button waist and collar adjusters. Keep in mind this is a pretty snug fit, so packing in full armor throughout the jacket might require a size up. We always recommend to try on at your local Alpinestars dealer for best fitment. Don’t be surprised if you even forget you’re a badass biker lady while wearing this feminine jacket.

4. Klim Artemis Hi-Viz Women's Jacket

Price: $559+
Style: Adventure / Touring / All-Weather
Sizing / Fit: Regular fit
Protection: Integrated D3O Level 1 shoulder and elbow armor, Viper 1 back pad; No extra armor is needed since the jacket comes with CE level 1 D3O armor at the elbows, shoulders, and back.
Colors: Hi-Viz Yellow, Hi-Viz Sage, Gray - Kinetik Blue, Dark Gray, Gray

I’ll begin by saying this jacket by Klim is not your most budget-conscious option. However, adventure riders are of another species in the fact that they need to be prepared for anything. Embarking on an adventure tour on a motorcycle requires extensive planning and intelligent storage options. The ideal adventure jacket will be as utilitarian as the rider herself. Some of the key things you can find a lot of on this jacket: VELCRO®, Klimatek cooling mesh, stash pockets, adjustable straps, zippered gussets, and ventilation galore. The Klim brand markets itself as hardware, not apparel, which I think holds a lot of truth when you really pick apart the details and thought that went into this complex jacket. The fabrics stand out on their own. A Gore-Tex shell and an anti-odor lining are exactly what the doctor ordered for a journey through the elements—wet, dry, hot, or cold. Nearly everything about this jacket can be tailored to the rider’s temperature, comfort, and mobility. The best thing about this jacket? It was engineered by women, for women. I especially love that there are more neutral colors as well as hi-viz options. Consider the REV'IT! Voltiac 2 Women's Jacket for a more affordable adventure jacket option.

5. Harley-Davidson Women's Callahan Mesh Riding Jacket

Price: $110.00
Style: Cruiser
Sizing / Fit: Semi-tailored, available in Plus
Protection: Body armor pockets at elbows and shoulders; no armor included 
Colors: White

Everyone loves a Harley-Davidson motorcycle jacket. Harley brings us a simple, classic textile jacket with subtle branding that makes this a very popular option for ladies with cruisers. 100% polyester mesh offers plenty of airflow and comes equipped with 3M™ Scotchlite™ Reflectivity and some feminine embroidered and printed graphics. This no-frills, crisp white jacket is affordable and machine-washable. 

Honorable Mention: ATWYLD Barricade Armored Shirt 2.0

Price: $205.00
Style: Armoured shirt
Sizing / Fit: Designed to be worn skin tight
Protection: Removable D3O® CE level 1 breathable shoulder, elbow, back and chest armor 
Colors: Black

Armored shirt designed to layer under your favorite riding jacket or off-road jersey. This is a nice layering piece if you really want to stay cool and lightweight while cruising around the city or country roads. This piece is machine-washable and is made of moisture-wicking Nylon/Spandex Jersey 280 gsm Jersey and Air Permeability mesh for breathability.

It's not easy to ride in hot weather while wearing a motorcycle jacket, but it doesn’t mean we should forgo protection when the sun is beating down on the pavement. We’ve found these jackets to be carefully designed to fit the female form and offer the right amount of protection and ventilation to make your summer journeys as comfortable (and stylish) as possible. As a daily commuter and all-weather rider (well, in Texas), I’d be interested to hear fellow female rider reviews or questions on these jackets. I am 5’ 10” with a long, lean build and I personally stick to SPIDI and other European brands for most of my women-specific warm weather motorcycle gear as it just fits my body type. If you're considering renting a motorcycle from Twisted Road, some listings include a riding jacket—which is always a bonus if you pack light! Through the booking portal, you can communicate with the bike owner if you have more specific questions regarding the gear they can offer, so it’s pretty convenient when planning your travel logistics prior—especially if you are planning, for example, a 10-day California motorcycle trip, or a similarly lengthy motorcycle road trip.