Cheap motorcycle gloves in Australia: the best-tested budget gloves and what you get for your money (2026)

Most people looking for cheap motorcycle gloves are asking one question: how little can I spend and still get a glove that actually protects my hands?

The usual answers are useless. The shop selling $150 gloves says cheap gloves are dangerous. The listing selling $15 gloves says they're "pro grade". Neither shows any evidence.

Australia has evidence. MotoCAP, the independent programme that buys riding gear off the shelf and crash-tests it, has rated 317 gloves under its current method. We went through every result and checked what the best-scoring budget gloves actually cost in Australian shops today.

The short answer: you don't need to spend $150. The best-tested budget gloves we found cost $70 to $90, and some of them score 4 stars out of 5, better than many gloves at twice the price. Below about $50, you're choosing gloves that haven't been crash-tested, so you choose on what they're made of: a hard knuckle, a reinforced palm, full fingers and a fit that stays on. This page shows you the testing, the best-tested budget gloves with prices, how to choose under $50, and the one situation where the cheapest glove isn't an option.

On this page: 1. What crash testing says about price · 2. The four things every glove needs · 3. The best-tested budget gloves · 4. Under $50: how to choose · 5. Hard knuckles, explained · 6. NSW learners and P platers · 7. Scooter gloves · 8. Buying online without getting burned · 9. So how much should you spend? · Quick answers

1. What crash testing says about price

MotoCAP tests each glove three ways: how long the palm survives sliding on an abrasive belt, how much force gets through the knuckle protector, and how much pressure the seams take before they burst. The results become a star rating out of five. It also puts every glove into one of three price bands. Here's how the bands compare across all 317 current ratings (MotoCAP, checked 10 November 2026).

Three things to take from this.

Spending more does raise your odds. Half the dearest gloves reached 3 stars, against about one in six of the cheapest.

But price is no guarantee. 12 gloves in the dearest band scored 1 star or less. Plenty of riders have paid premium prices for gloves that tested worse than budget ones.

"Cheapest band" doesn't mean $20. MotoCAP doesn't publish the dollar limits of its bands, but its cheapest band includes gloves that sell for around $90. So the testing tells you what $70 to $90 can buy. It tells you much less about $20 gloves, because few gloves at that price have been through MotoCAP.

2. The four things every glove needs, at any price

When you come off, you put your hands out. The palm hits first and slides. The knuckles hit whatever is in the way. Australian crash research found gloves did more to keep riders out of hospital than any other item of gear (de Rome et al., 2011). Whatever you spend, a glove has four jobs.

1. A hard knuckle. A rigid shell spreads a hit across the back of the hand instead of letting it land on bone. Press it: it should feel solid, not just thick.
2. A tough palm. This is the big one. In MotoCAP's results, every one of the 43 gloves that reached 4 stars scored 9 or 10 out of 10 for abrasion. Of the 96 gloves that scored 5 or less for abrasion, not one reached 4 stars. Look for a second layer on the palm, ideally leather, especially on the heel of the hand.
3. Full fingers. Your fingertips land with your palms. A glove that leaves them bare protects the part of your hand you need least.
4. A fit that stays on, and seams that hold. A glove that comes off or splits open in a slide protects nothing. 138 of the 317 gloves tested scored just 1 out of 10 for seam strength. Look for a wrist strap that closes firmly and double stitching on the palm.

3. The best-tested budget gloves in Australia

These are gloves from MotoCAP's cheapest price band that scored 3 stars or more, where we could find a current Australian price. Prices were checked on 10 November 2026 and change often, so check before you buy. We have no commercial relationship with any of these brands.

A few things worth knowing about these:

• The two 4-star gloves are the standouts. Both scored a perfect 10 for abrasion, and both are cheaper than most big-brand gloves that scored lower.
• The Air-Ride 2 Short is the summer pick. It shows that a glove can be vented and still protect: mesh and perforation on the back, a double leather palm underneath. Its impact protection covers the knuckles only, not the palm.
• The Montreal 4.0 is the wet-weather pick. It has knuckle and palm protection and a waterproof liner. It isn't vented, so it's warm in summer.
• Check the label if you're on L or P plates in NSW. A MotoCAP rating is not the certification NSW asks for. See section 6.

Full results, including the test reports, are free on motocap.com.au.

4. Under $50: how to choose a glove nobody has crash-tested

Few gloves under $50 have been through MotoCAP. That doesn't make them useless. A light glove with the right parts in the right places beats bare hands and beats a garden glove. But you're choosing on construction rather than test results, so look harder.

• Turn it over. The palm matters more than anything else on the glove. You want a second layer, ideally leather or a tough synthetic suede, covering the heel of the hand.
• Press the knuckle. A hard shell is better than foam alone.
• Check the stitching on the palm. Double rows of stitching hold better than a single row.
• Make a fist. No loose fabric at the fingertips, no bunching across the palm, and a wrist strap that pulls the glove snug.
• Know its limits. A light budget glove suits short trips around town, a spare pair in the top box, or a farm bike. For highway speeds, the tested gloves in section 3 are worth the extra money.

5. Hard knuckles, explained (and why some hurt)

Knuckle protection comes in three main kinds:

• Carbon fibre shells. Light, rigid and thin. Spread a hit across the back of the hand.
• Moulded hard plastic (PVC, TPU or similar). Also rigid, a little heavier, very common. Works the same way. Many "carbon look" knuckles are this, with a carbon pattern on top.
• Soft padding only. Foam or rubber with no hard shell. Takes the sting out of a knock but doesn't spread a hard impact the way a shell does.

If your gloves hurt your knuckles, the usual causes are a glove that's too small, so the protector presses down when you grip the bars, or a protector fixed to a stiff backing that can't move as your hand closes. Try a size up, or a glove with the protector under a stretch panel so it moves with your hand.

6. If you're on L or P plates in NSW

This is the one situation where you can't just buy the cheapest glove that gets the basics right.

Since 1 July 2026, learner, P1 and P2 riders in NSW must wear gloves the manufacturer has labelled as meeting EN 13594:2015, Level 1 or Level 2. The penalty is a fine and two demerit points, and on a four-point L or P1 licence, two offences means suspension (NSW Government).

The check is the label on the glove: a motorcyclist symbol, "EN 13594:2015" and the number 1 or 2. A MotoCAP star rating doesn't count, and neither does "CE" on its own. If you're on L or P plates, the label comes first and price comes second.

Our NSW glove requirements page explains the rule in full, shows what the label looks like, and lists the five checks to run on any glove before you buy.

7. Scooter gloves: same road, same rules

Scooter riders often search for "scooter gloves" as if they need something different. They don't. A scooter shares the same road, the same traffic and the same speeds through town as a motorcycle, and a fall puts your hands on the same bitumen.

What scooter riders usually want is a glove that's light, cool and quick on and off for short hops. That's a short-cuff glove with the four basics from section 2. If you ride a scooter on L or P plates in NSW, the glove rule applies to you too.

8. Buying cheap gloves online without getting burned

1. Look for a palm photo. If the listing doesn't show the palm, ask why. You want to see a second layer or reinforcement.
2. Read what it's actually made of. "Premium material" means nothing. "Leather palm, mesh back, TPU knuckle" means something.
3. Check the size chart. Good sellers give hand circumference and length in centimetres. "One size fits most" doesn't fit most.
4. Check the returns policy. Gloves are hard to size without trying them on. Know you can swap a size.
5. Look the glove up on MotoCAP. It takes thirty seconds and it's free. If it's been tested, you'll know exactly how it did. Our complete motorcycle glove buyer's guide shows how to read the results.
6. If you need the label, ask for it. A seller who says a glove meets EN 13594 should be able to tell you the level and show you the label.

9. So how much should you spend?

Less than you've been told, as long as you spend it on the right things.

For the best protection per dollar: $70 to $90 buys a glove that has been crash-tested and scored 3 or 4 stars. That's the sweet spot, and it beats a lot of gloves costing twice as much.

On a tight budget, riding in town: under $50, choose on construction. A hard knuckle, a tough palm, full fingers and a firm strap. Keep it for short trips and town speeds.

On L or P plates in NSW: start with the EN 13594 label, then compare prices. Our NSW glove requirements page shows you what to check.

For highways and long days: go for a strong MotoCAP abrasion score and a leather palm. This is where the extra money earns its keep.

Whatever you spend, turn the glove over before you pay. The palm tells you more about a glove than its price tag ever will. And the glove you actually wear on every ride beats the expensive one you left at home.

Riding in the heat? Read our summer motorcycle gloves guide. For everything else about choosing gloves, read our complete motorcycle glove buyer's guide. Our own gloves are in the motorcycle gloves collection.

Quick answers

Are cheap motorcycle gloves safe? Some cheaper gloves test very well. In Australia's MotoCAP testing, gloves selling for $70 to $90 have scored 4 stars out of 5, while 12 gloves in the most expensive band scored 1 star or less. Few gloves under $50 have been tested, so check the palm, knuckle, fingers and strap yourself.

What are the best cheap motorcycle gloves in Australia? Of the gloves we could price, the DriRider Air-Ride 2 Short ($89.95) and Oxford Montreal 4.0 ($79.90, often less on sale) scored 4 stars at MotoCAP. The Oxford Ontario, RJays Skid and DriRider Speed 2 Short Cuff scored 3 stars for $70 to $90.

Can I get good motorcycle gloves under $50? You can get a glove with a hard knuckle, a reinforced palm and full fingers, but few gloves at that price have been crash-tested. Choose on construction, and keep it for town riding.

Do department store or supermarket gloves work for motorcycles? Only if they're actually motorcycle gloves. Gardening, work and cycling gloves are made for grip, not for sliding on a road.

Are carbon fibre knuckle gloves better? Carbon fibre is light and rigid, which is what you want in a knuckle shell. A hard plastic shell does the same job. Either is better than padding alone.

Why do my motorcycle gloves hurt my knuckles? Usually they're too small, or the protector sits on a stiff backing. Try a size up, or a glove with the knuckle protector under a stretch panel.

Do I need special gloves for a scooter? No. A scooter is on the same road at the same speeds, so use a proper motorcycle glove. A short cuff is quickest on and off.

How long do motorcycle gloves last? It depends on how often you ride. Check the palm for thin spots and the finger seams for loose stitching. Replace them after any crash, even if they look fine.

Are cheap gloves legal for NSW learners? Only if they carry the EN 13594:2015 label, Level 1 or 2. Check the label on the glove, not the listing.

MotoCAP ratings belong to MotoCAP and were checked on its website on 10 November 2026; the gloves named were tested by MotoCAP, not by Motrox. Prices are typical Australian retail prices checked on 10 November 2026 and will change. Sources: MotoCAP gloves · MotoCAP: DriRider Air-Ride 2 Short · MotoCAP: Oxford Montreal 4 · MotoCAP: RJays Skid · MotoCAP testing process · de Rome et al., 2011 · NSW Government