Spidi Roar Leather Motorcycle Jacket in Black/Ice
Bias alert: I’m a sucker for classic leather motorcycle jackets that recall the styles of my youth in the 1980s, especially when the retro appearance is married with modern safety features. For guys and gals like us, the Spidi Roar fits the bill perfectly.
The design aesthetic of the Roar’s 1.0-1.1mm polished Italian cowhide exterior shell is a clear homage to the racing suits of the Reagan era, replete with dual color schemes and racing stripes on the left front shoulder, right front bicep, and left rear bottom panel. Two handwarmer pockets and a diagonally cut pocket on the right upper chest provide reasonable storage. Waist tabs on the rear allow the rider to cinch up the already slim-fitting Roar even farther. All zippers are beefy YKK units, and a single-button clip provides connection to riding pants.
The interior consists of a fixed cotton mesh lining, and one interior zippered pocket on the left side is big enough to hold to my iPhone 16 Pro Max with plenty of room to spare. There are also attachment loops and velcro panels throughout to fit Spidi’s large selection of “Step-In Wear” liners. As I write this, there are six different liners available, which can be mixed and matched. These base layers are available in both thermal and waterproof flavors, in varying weights and materials. With the use of these layers and liners, the rider can easily customize the Roar for use in cold weather or wet weather applications.
The optional Thermolite liner adds warmth to the Spidi Roar jacket.
From a safety perspective, the Roar is a serious piece of riding gear. It comes standard with removable Level 2 Warrior Lite CE-rated armor in the shoulders and elbows. There is a dedicated pocket on the rear to accept Spidi’s optional CE-rated Level 1 or Level 2 Warrior back protector pads, and Spidi also offers optional chest or thorax Warrior protection pads as well. The jacket as a whole is certified under EN 17092-3:2020 for abrasion and impact resistance.
Out on the road, the Spidi Roar is an absolute pleasure to wear. The leather shell looks and feels fantastic. It’s also quite fragrant – in a good way! – even after months of testing. Nobody does leather like the Italians! The fitment runs true to size, and being European, it’s definitely better suited to riders with athletic body shapes. My test Roar arrived with Spidi’s Thermolite liner, which, as the name implies, provides additional windproof insultation for colder weather applications. I found the basic Roar without the liner a perfect weight for mid-season use, and the Thermolite liner extended its versatility deep into east coast fall – low 60s and even high 50s riding was possible, and the liner thoughtfully had elastic cuffs on the sleeves to keep wind out. Think of this combo as what a motorcyclist could don in spring, early summer, and early fall, or around 60-85 degrees realistically for long rides.
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Overall, I found the Spidi Roar a supremely attractive, surprisingly functional leather motorcycle jacket that can be adapted to many riding applications thanks to its large selection of available liners. This Ukrainian-made garment retails for $649.90 and is available in Euro sizes 46-60. The optional L2 Warrior back pad is $89.90, and the Thermolite liner is $139.90.
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