The resurgence of the custom cafe racer led to a proliferation of vintage-styled motorcycle models from manufacturers. Consequently, there’s been an increase in brands creating urban and retro motorcycle gear to match the style of these machines.
Discerning riders of café racers, classic, custom and modern classic motorcycles can now expect a choice of vintage-inspired helmets, riding gear, accessories and casual wear that conform to modern safety standards.
Here, we’ve rounded up all of our favourite online retailers where you can buy this type of gear. This article features stores based in the UK, Europe and North America.
Jump straight to lists: US & Canada, UK or Europe OR get insight into the criteria used to compile the lists below.
The Rise of Retro Motorcycle Gear
Retro Motorcycle Gear Overview
In the last decade, there’s been a significant surge in the number of brands that produce urban, retro and vintage-inspired motorcycle gear.
Note: Retro motorcycle gear is aimed at riders of customs, café racers, scramblers, bobbers and other retro-styled two-wheelers. It’s mostly indistinguishable from everyday clothing. Yet, it combines functionality and safety with style, inspired by mid 20th century motorcycle gear. It means you can match your gear with the looks of your motorcycle if you ride a classic, custom or retro bike.
In practical terms, it means abrasion and impact resistance without the need to wear bulky items of gear.
It’s been good news, for riders of classically styled or custom machines who don’t want to look like cyborgs or rejects from futuristic sci-fi flicks… at least while riding.
Naturally, with the increase in brands and artisans creating this type of gear, there’s also been a rise in the number of retailers selling it, hence this guide.
Store Selection Criteria
Many online stores sell lifestyle products based on custom culture and an appreciation of heritage/classic motorcycle clothing. However, all of the stores featured on this list primarily sell protective moto gear that is styled in this way (i.e. nostalgia-inspired motorcycle PPE) — alongside casual moto lifestyle wear.
All the stores featured have a strong history of trading and good online reputations for customer service. You’ll find they’re transparent about what to expect when you purchase riding gear from them.
Pricing, discounts, shipping costs, returns and general terms and conditions across the stores vary in favourability. Nonetheless, again all stores have good levels of transparency and clearly outline their terms.
Defining Retro Moto Gear + Specialists & Generalists
Definition
Firstly, I’ve used the terms retro, urban, heritage, vintage-inspired and their derivatives as catch-all phrases for modern protective gear that:
- Echoes styles of the past, particularly the type worn by riders during the original café racer era of the ‘50s, ’60s and early ‘70s – therefore could be classed as cafe racer gear.
- Is mostly indistinguishable from everyday wear despite its protective qualities.
- Is more difficult to categorise but is neither sports bike gear nor retro. (Think Knox’s Urbane Pro shirt.)
Initially, when I set out to create this resource, the UK was the sole focus. However, I realise that many visitors to Renchlist come from the US, Canada and mainland Europe. As such, I’ve created lists for your regions too.
Specialist & Generalists
Several of the stores in this guide focus exclusively on retro, heritage or urban motorcycle gear and I’ve listed them first in each region.
Suppliers of modern motorcycle gear are now supplementing their regular sports and adventure bike gear with retro motorcycle gear… due to its popularity of course. As such, I’ve also included the top, mainstream moto gear retailers in each region.
Honourable Mentions:
Among the specialists, there exists a group of custom culture lifestyle brands that present themselves in many forms including purveyors of fine retro riding gear.
However, they don’t necessarily hold a great deal of stock nor do they sell many brands. It’s not their main business. Nonetheless, I felt they were worthy of inclusion for the quality of the brands they carry alone.
Below and without further ado you’ll find the regional lists of retro and urban moto gear retailers and outfitters in the US & Canada, the UK and Europe. As always, it’s no particular order but with editor’s bias.
Retro Motorcycle Gear Stores: US & Canada
Admittedly, the US list is shorter than the UK and Europe as I’m not as familiar with the retro gear retailers on that side of the pond. (The list will be expanded as I learn more. Feel free to let me know if any other retailers should be included.)
Specialist Retro Motorcycle Gear Suppliers and Outfitters US & Canada
The two suppliers included on this list as specialists couldn’t be more different. RevZilla is a mega moto store; Union Garage on the other hand, although a prominent retro and urban gear specialist is a boutique in comparison.
RevZilla
As a moto gear brand, RevZilla likely needs no introduction. However, if you’re not familiar with the company, it was founded in 2007 by a group of riding buddies. Since then it’s established itself as one of the top e-commerce platforms, catering for all motorcyclists, including retro, classic and custom riders.
It has all the big-name heritage brands you’d expect, including Belstaff, Bell, TCX Boots, Stylmartin, Halcyon, RSD and too many more to list.
Despite not being a specialist in retro gear, its depth of vintage-inspired product lines means you’re likely to find precisely the kind of equipment that suits your style. Price matching, rewards, discounts and a solid loyalty scheme make buying your gear through RevZilla highly attractive.
| Payment Methods | Major credit/debit cards, Amex, Mastercard, plus Discover PayPal |
| Price Match? | Yes – on products above $50 sold by authorised US dealers |
| Shipping US | Free standard shipping on orders above $69.99 for the US incl. Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico (orders below are charged at $7.99) Expedited shipping available from $20.99 |
| International Shipping | Allow 7 to 10 business days for your order to be processed – |
| Returns /Exchange Policy? | US – Return new, unused and unaltered items within 90 days of delivery |
| Gift Cards / Vouchers? | Yes |
| Loyalty Scheme | Yes – ZillaCash – Earn cash back on purchases to spend online + discounts |
| Physical Store? | Yes – four newly opened showrooms with more coming soon. |
| Customer Rating? | 4.14/5 from 113,964 Reseller Ratings reviews |
| Special Offers / Promotions | Refer a friend and you both get 10% off. Coupons and various closeout sales. Discounts for active duty/retired Police, EMS Fire and Military |
Union Garage
Launched in 2012, Union Garage is one of the established new breed of destination moto gear shops aimed at riders of customs, modern-classics and vintage bikes. Online and from its sprawling showroom located on the third floor of a loft conversion (now in Bridgeport, CT) it offers a wide range of the finest vintage-styled and urban moto products.
You’ll find all the premier brands for helmets, jackets, gloves, pants/trousers/jeans and accessories stocked. Union Garage is also an authorised US supplier of Belstaff.
Its showroom offers an experience beyond shopping for gear, with a display of custom and classic bikes, plus free espresso, magazines and plush sofas.
| Payment Methods | Major credit/checking cards – PayPal and Affirm finance |
| Price Match? | Yes – Price match on products supplied by other authorised US online resellers + against Union Garage items that go on sale within 30 days of your purchase |
| Shipping USA | Free shipping on orders above $40 |
| International Shipping | – Allow 1 to 2 working days for order processing – You will be responsible for import duty |
| Returns /Exchange Policy? | Up to 30 days to return policy new, unused products with all the original tags and packaging |
| Gift Cards / Vouchers? | Yes |
| Loyalty Scheme | Yes – 5% store credit kickback on all purchases to redeem on future purchases |
| Physical Store? | Yes – Bridgeport, CT |
| Customer Rating? | 4.9 / 5 stars from 185 Google reviews |
| Special Offers / Promotions | Regular sales promotions and special collaborations with brands for one-off products |
Honourable Mentions: US & Canada
Revival Cycles – Best known for its custom builds and The Handbuilt Show, Revival Cycles sells its own-branded apparel and gear. Although, it also stocks brands like Tobacco, Atwyld, Bell, Hedon, Fuel and more.
Strath Moto – I’m including Strath Moto based in Edmonton, Alberta, as an honourable mention as I don’t know much about them. Yet, a quick browse of its clean-looking and smooth website shows a solid selection of retro/urban gear that custom and modern-classic riders will appreciate.
Retro Motorcycle Gear Stores: UK
Specialist Retro Motorcycle Gear Suppliers and Outfitters UK
There are a healthy number of specialist retro and urban moto gear suppliers in the UK. All have an approach to product curation that favours functionality and protection fused with style and high quality.
Urban Rider
From its New Kings Road store in Fulham, London Urban Rider began life in 2007 as a retailer of urban riding gear. Initially, it focused on commuters. Now its store is one of the largest retailers of retro and high-design motorcycle gear for riders of custom, classic and retro machines.
Urban Rider bills itself as a purveyor of “the world’s finest motorcycle gear”. It certainly has the largest inventory of retro gear specialists in the UK.
Staying close to the new wave custom scene and its buying clout means frequent collaborations with prominent brands for limited edition or exclusive products.
| Payment Methods | All major credit/debit cards, including American Express, VISA, Mastercard, Maestro, PayPal and Klarna |
| Price Match? | Yes – Must match the exact item and must be in stock at the competitor. UK-approved retailers only. |
| Shipping UK | Mainland UK – free delivery for Orders over £50 (under 2 kg) and £3.50 for those under. Highlands, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man free for orders above £50 [ under 2 kg] – orders under £50 from £11.95 |
| International Shipping | US/Canada – from £13.99 for small packages [Import fees are payable by the customer] – EU – Customs/Duty and Local VAT now apply – RoW – starts from £18.99 for small packages [local VAT and taxes apply] |
| Refunds, Returns & Exchange Policies | 60-day returns for most items in the UK – 28 days for international orders Free returns for UK mainland orders over £50 (Exclusions apply) – £5.95 for orders below Goods must be unused with original labels and package |
| Gift Cards / Vouchers? | Yes |
| Loyalty Scheme | Yes – 51 Club offers points for every £1 spent on the site. Points can be redeemed for discount vouchers. |
| Physical Store? | Yes – Urban Rider, 51 New Kings Road, SW6 4SE London with a concussion at the Bike Shed, Shoreditch |
| Customer Rating? | 3.9/5 Stars based on 82 Trustpilot reviews. 4.8/5 based on 2,492 Google shop reviews |
| Special Offers / Promotions | Various: Refer friends, write reviews for loyalty points + sales |
Salt Flats Clothing
Salt Flats Clothing is another specialist retro motorcycle gear retailer with a physical store (located in Wokingham). Like some of the other stores on this list, its focus is on vintage-inspired and urban bike gear with an emphasis placed on looking stylish on and off the bike.
As a relative newcomer to the segment, it doesn’t carry as many brands as some of the more established shops. Nonetheless, like other stockists, its focus is on high-quality and high standards of protection in the gear it sells.
With stock in European warehouses and 48-hour shipping to Europe, Salts Flats seems intent on kitting out UK riders and those further afield with functional, yet stylish safety gear.
| Payment Methods | All major credit/debit cards, including AMEX, VISA, Mastercard, Discover Maestro, PayPal and Klarna |
| Price Match? | No |
| Shipping UK | Mainland UK – Free standard delivery on orders above £30 (3 to 5-day service) — £6.50 for orders below – Expedited next-day delivery available for £6.50 |
| International Shipping | – Europe 2 to 11 days – from £7.50 to £19.95 based on location and order value. (Brexit customs and duties taxes apply) – USA & RoW – 3 to 17 days – from £19.99 to £89 dependent on location and order value |
| Refunds, Returns & Exchange Policies | Free UK returns by Royal Mail for orders over £50 – with 28 calendar days International customers are responsible for returns costs |
| Gift Cards / Vouchers? | Yes |
| Loyalty Scheme | No |
| Physical Store? | Yes -Wokingham, Berkshire UK |
| Customer Rating? | 5 Stars based on 747 curated reviews via Stamped |
| Special Offers / Promotions | Check the website for sales and offers |
Legacy85
Legacy85 is another heritage moto gear specialist that sprung up over the last few years. Online and from its Wimborne, Dorset store it offers riders retro classic and vintage-inspired motorcycle clothing with modern safety features.
The collection of gear stocked is predominantly British-designed and manufactured but also includes international brands with strong motorcycle heritage.
Legacy welcomes pre-orders for out-of-stock items and has a goal of shipping within 48-72 hours. It already has a relatively broad range of brands. Although, it stresses its product range will continue to grow with new offerings.
You’ll find the store’s style suggestions section particularly useful if you’re looking for tips to achieve a certain look or have a hard time figuring out which gear matches.
| Payment Methods | All major credit/debit cards, including VISA, Mastercard Google Pay, Apple Pay, PayPal, Klarna |
| Price Match? | Yes – On an item-by-item basis |
| Shipping UK | Free UK delivery for orders over £50. Orders less than £50 are charged at checkout. All are sent by Royal Mail 2nd Class or DHL |
| International Shipping | EU & Rest of World start at £18 for packages up to 2 kg (Customs/Duties fees are payable) |
| Refunds, Returns & Exchange Policies | Refund- Return within 14 days of receipt, unused for a refund. Contact by phone/email before returning to ensure acceptance |
| Gift Cards / Vouchers? | Yes |
| Loyalty Scheme | No |
| Physical Store? | Yes – Wimborne, Dorset |
| Customer Rating? | 5 stars [Based on 166 curated reviews via Stamped] |
| Special Offers / Promotions | Check the website for the latest sales and offers |
Motolegends
One of the oldest moto stores on this list, Motolegends started as a mail-order business back in 1994. The brand stills see itself as that, despite the physical store in Guildford and a website. Customers still receive a catalogue with each order.
It caters to a slightly broader base of riders who favour naked roadsters, modern-classic motorcycles, cruisers, sports tourers and adventure bikes. That makes it more of a generalist moto gear supplier. But it somewhat straddles the line between the two worlds of riding gear – so, it’s been included as a specialist.
It carries the vast majority of retro/heritage brands you would expect to see. That includes Belstaff, Rokker, Racer and Helstons with the retro helmet lines from Arai, Shoei and Bell.
Motolegends differentiates itself by focusing on fine protective technical wear rather than affordable moto gear. Despite that, it has a pretty healthy approach to price matching.
| Payment Methods | All major credit/debit cards and payments, including, VISA, Mastercard, Solo, Maestro, PayPal and Klarna. 12 -Months 0% finance offered through DEKO |
| Price Match? | Motolegends offer a further 10% discount guarantee, against items that are £5 less than the same Motolegends price, sold by authorised UK resellers/dealers |
| Shipping UK | Free UK delivery for PPE – Non-PPE charged at £4.99 [3-day Service – Next working day service on items ordered before 3:00 PM charged at £9.99 |
| International Shipping | EU Customers pay a flat rate of £10 for delivery however Brexit fees now apply. RoW Customers pay £20 for delivery |
| Refunds, Returns & Exchange Policies | Faulty and on-sale PPE items must be returned within14 days all other items benefit from a full 12 months provided they are returned in the original packaging One free return for the UK (See website for international returns) |
| Gift Cards / Vouchers? | No |
| Loyalty Scheme | No |
| Physical Store? | Yes – Guildford Surrey |
| Customer Rating? | 5 Star Trustpilot Rating from 3,809 |
| Special Offers / Promotions | • Check the website for sales and offers • Free delivery and 12-month returns on PPE |
Honourable Mentions: UK
Bike Shed Moto Co. – As a mecca for new-wave custom riders both in the UK and the US, BSMC needs little if any introduction. This destination moto-culture café, event and website sells a selection of moto apparel items and its own branded gear in-store and online. It frequently collaborates with specialist moto PPE brands to produce BMSC-branded, old-school-inspired gear. Furthermore, it’s now got a line of CE Certified motorcycle jeans.
Baffle Culture / Baffle Haus – This moto-culture brand (based in South Wales) garnered a strong following in a few short years. You’ll find decent coffee and moto lifestyle products in-store. Online, there’s a limited selection of protective equipment with house-branded casual wear alongside a good selection of popular moto lifestyle brands for off-the-bike.
Koti Autotalli – Like the other honourable mentions, Koti Autoalli is another moto culture brand and destination — based in the Cotswolds this time. Alongside a functioning workshop, with classic, custom and retro bikes for sale, its café offers riders a homely welcome. Online you can purchase mostly custom lifestyle products, art and Koti-branded lifestyle wear, in addition to limited PPE including jackets and jeans from Saint.
Idle Torque – Founded by Leicester native Jack Gutteridge in 2016 to provide local access to stylish urban and old-school-inspired motorcycle gear (that was previously only available in London). The store offers a carefully selected range of premium moto brands and its own line of clothing and leather goods – produced in collaboration with local manufacturers. It also serves as a community hub, attracting riders from far and wide.
Generalist Motorcycle Gear Suppliers that Supply Retro Moto Gear in the UK
Now on to the generalists. These retailers supply a broad range of motorcycle gear. However, they’ve been included in this list as you’ll find plenty of retro gear in their lines of stock. Equally, they tend to each offer good value on a few specific types of urban/vintage-leaning moto PPE products.
GetGeared
GetGeared prides itself on being a family-run business free from the shackles of private equity funding.
The brand celebrates that its establishment came before the inception of broadband and before a single iPhone was ever sold.
Despite that, it’s a progressive moto store brand with a clean website that works well on mobile. It has a strong online reputation and a long-established loyalty programme.
The vast majority of its lines of stock will appeal to mainstream sports bike riders, making GetGeared a generalist moto gear supplier.
However, like many of the general moto stores, it has begun to dip its toe in the waters of heritage and urban moto gear. Brands like Merlin, Rev It! and Richa feature prominently (particularly for riding jeans). Retro helmets from Shoei also feature.
| Payment Methods | All major credit/debit cards, PayPal, plus Klarna, Clear Pay and Snap Finance |
| Price Match? | No |
| Shipping UK | FREE delivery for orders over £30 within the UK Mainland |
| International Shipping | n/a |
| Refunds, Returns & Exchange Policies | Free returns for orders over £30 within 30 days otherwise return orders with 90 days at your own cost. |
| Gift Cards / Vouchers? | Yes |
| Loyalty Scheme | Yes – G-Cash rewards |
| Physical Store? | Leatherhead, Surrey UK |
| Customer Rating? | 4.8/5 from 3,778 Trustpilot Reviews |
| Special Offers / Promotions | Regular clearance/end-of-line sales 20-60% off |
Ghostbikes
When it comes to motorcycle apparel and accessories Ghostbikes is quite long in the tooth. The brand has been around since 2004 and offers a wide range of products from top-name brands. It also sells Ghostbikes branded gear.
In recent years it’s begun to offer urban and retro bike gear from brands including Merlin, Knox, and Bull-it Jeans, alongside some heritage lines from brands like Spada and Richa.
For retro gear, it’s strongest in the footwear department with Rev It! boots strongly represented.
You’ll have to dig around the site to find retro gear however it should be worth it as there are usually sales promotions.
| Payment Methods | Major credit/debit cards and payment methods including VISA, Mastercard, Maestro, PayPal, Amazon Payments, bank transfers and postal orders & registered cash |
| Price Match? | Yes – for UK Retailers – up to 7 days after purchase. An extra 25% of the difference in price. |
| Shipping UK | Free delivery for orders over £25 – Standard delivery is 2 – 3 working days with expedited delivery available. |
| International Shipping | International orders 3-10 working day service – charged at checkout. Custom and or import duties plus local VAT may apply. |
| Returns /Exchange Policy? | 30 days return policy – Free UK on orders over £25 (Collect+) International customers are offered local returns service (costs still apply) |
| Gift Cards / Vouchers? | No |
| Loyalty Scheme | No |
| Physical Store? | Preston, Lancs |
| Customer Rating? | 4.73/5 stars Trusted Shops rating from 2,592 reviews + 4.8/5 FeeFoo Rating from 23,013 reviews |
| Special Offers / Promotions | Monthly prize draws if you register for the newsletter |
Demon Tweeks
Demon Tweeks is a large specialist motorsports parts and tuning service provider that’s been around since 1971. While it may be a performance parts specialist, it also supplies protective motorcycle riding gear and clothing, from its Wrexham store and online.
Within the sphere of moto apparel and equipment, it’s begun selling vintage-influenced lines from brands like RST, Oxford and Merlin.
Demon Tweeks’ retro and vintage stock isn’t as expansive as some of the other online retailers on this list. Nevertheless, it’s worth a visit, especially for urban riding jeans and footwear.
| Payment Methods | Major credit/debit card payment methods accepted including VISA Mastercard, Maestro, plus PayPal and Klarna. Cash and gift vouchers are accepted in-store |
| Price Match? | No |
| Shipping UK | • UK Shipping ranges from Standard at £1.33 (2 -3 working days to Special Shipping from £12.54 (next working day) • Click & Collect is also available |
| International Shipping | • EU – Shipping Duties Paid service offered • USA – $8.48 to $31.58 depending on delivery service • RoW – £6.33 to £10.24 – based on the speed of delivery and service |
| Returns /Exchange Policy? | Items should be returned for a refund/credit within 14 days in their original packaging |
| Gift Cards / Vouchers? | Yes |
| Loyalty Scheme | No |
| Physical Store? | Yes – Wrexham, North Wales |
| Customer Rating? | Rated 4.7/5 stars – Excellent on Trustpilot from 43,647 Reviews |
| Special Offers / Promotions | Various brand-led offers and clearance sales |
Sports Bike Shop
Its name might suggest moto gear that’s the antithesis of heritage and urban bike wear i.e. sports bike gear. And for the most part that’s true. Nonetheless, the Sports Bike Shop has begun to cater for the growing collective of riders who prefer protective moto gear that can be worn comfortably on and off the bike.
It’s handily organised lines of retro and urban gear under one tag so you can easily find what you need. Regardless, it’s probably strongest within the vintage-influenced moto helmets section. There, you’ll find a decent selection of the Bell Bullitt and AGV X3000 helmets.
If you delve deeper you’ll find some real gems from brands like Merlin, Knox, Helstons, Resurgence, Belstaff and even Roland Sands Design, hidden amongst the stormtrooper garb.
| Payment Methods | Major credit/debit cards and payment methods accepted including VISA, Mastercard, Maestro, AMEX, PayPal Credit and Klarna |
| Price Match? | Yes – See product pages for details |
| Shipping UK | Free UK Mainland delivery on orders over £25 – Free next-day delivery for in-store collection |
| International Shipping | International Deliveries are managed by Global-e (charges are based on location) – Local taxes and customs duties apply |
| Returns /Exchange Policy? | Mainland UK – Return goods up to 365 days later for an exchange or full refund. – Free returns for orders over £25 International customers are responsible for return costs |
| Gift Cards? | Yes |
| Loyalty Scheme | No |
| Physical Store? | Multiple Locations |
| Customer Rating? | Rated 4.9/5 stars – Excellent by 110,834 Trustpilot reviews |
| Special Offers / Promotions | Check the website for limited promotions and clearance sales |
Retro Motorcycle Gear Stores: Europe
Specialist Retro Motorcycle Gear Suppliers and Outfitters Europe
As an outsider looking in, there are a few prominent suppliers of retro motorcycle gear in Europe. Larger generalists however seem to dominate the segment. Nonetheless, the specialist retro gear suppliers hold stock of prominent brands synonymous with such gear.
Vintage Motors
Vintage Motors has been trading since before the turn of the century. Through its two street shops in Paris and the website, the brand offers riders a range of vintage and classic motorcycle jackets from brands including Barbour International, Belstaff, Segura and Bracaucta, among others.
The shop says its emphasis is on supplying items that combine quality and protection with style. To that end, it stocks a full selection of CE-approved motorcycle PPE including gloves, helmets and jeans from the most popular brands.
The shop also offers a motorcycle pants/trouser tailoring service.
| Payment Methods | Major payment cards: Mastercard, VISA, American Express and Groupement des Cartes Bancaires – plus, PayPal, Bank Transfer, Cheque and Pay in instalments |
| Price Match? | n/a |
| Shipping France & EU | Free delivery from €69 Standard Shipping 2 to 4 business days for delivery |
| International Shipping | Chronopost for Europe and FedEx (Rest of the World) |
| Returns /Exchange Policy? | Return items within 30-days new and unused for a refund or exchange |
| Gift Cards / Vouchers? | Yes |
| Loyalty Scheme | Yes – €0.20 discount for every €10 spent |
| Physical Store? | Yes – Bastille and Etoile, Paris |
| Customer Rating? | • 4.3 / 5 stars from 158 Google reviews for Etoile, Paris shop and 4.5 / 5 stars from 160 Google reviews for the Bastille shop |
| Special Offers / Promotions | €10 credit for referring friends who spend €50 (they get a €10 discount) €5 Euro for subscribing to the newsletter Various sales and promotions |
Honourable Mentions: Europe
Based in the picturesque, medieval city of Bruges in West Flanders, Hermanus Motorshop is a destination moto lifestyle store and coffee shop. It’s built an international reputation with riders of customs and neo-retro bikes – many of whom place it on their Euro bike trip stop list.
You’ll find plenty of the most influential urban and heritage brands stocked in-store and online
Rusty Gold Motorshop – Amsterdam
Custom, retro and classic riders rave about the Rusty Gold Motorshop in Amsterdam. The brand originated from a vintage- and custom motorcycle swap meet which then evolved into Amsterdam’s first moto lifestyle and coffee shop.
It sees itself as a curator of carefully selected motorcycle riding gear, vintage parts and casualwear. You’ll find brands like Roeg Biltwell, El Solitario, Edwin, RSD and more stocked in-store and online.
Generalist Motorcycle Gear Suppliers that Supply Retro Moto Gear in Europe
Now on to the moto gear generalists in Europe. You’ll notice that there are several megastores on this list. Their buying clout means they are difficult to ignore. While they may not have all of the brands that retro and urban riders expect they stock enough of them (and at reasonable prices) that a visit to their stores is worthwhile.
Louis Moto
Louis traces its origins back to a small motorcycle repair workshop in Hamburg in 1938. Since then it’s evolved into one of Europe’s largest sellers of motorcycle equipment and apparel. There are now more than 85 Louis stores dotted across the Netherlands and DACH region.
Louis has always been an advocate for custom bikes and is a regular attendee of Glemseck 101. Furthermore, it’s commissioned several custom builds in recent years including an Indian Motorcycle café racer. Therefore, it’s not surprising that it began stocking urban and retro riding gear alongside mainstream moto gear several years ago.
For riders of customs and modern-classics, it has an expansive inventory of fine motorcycle PPE available at reasonable prices
| Payment Methods | Advance Payment /Credit (MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Diners) and PayPal |
| Price Match? | No |
| Shipping EU | – Free delivery for named European stores when you spend between €70 to €199 (depending on your country) |
| International Shipping | • Worldwide delivery to • Various – Rates for non-EU countries start at €22 |
| Returns /Exchange Policy? | • Right to return unused goods within 2 years • Free returns for selected country online stores |
| Gift Cards / Vouchers? | Yes |
| Loyalty Scheme | Yes – Louiscard – discounts, special offers, vouchers and a 3-year guarantee |
| Physical Store? | Yes – Several Locations |
| Customer Rating? | Generally 4+ Stars on eTrusted Shops from over 554,893 reviews in Germany alone. (Visit the local store to see reviews in your region) |
| Special Offers / Promotions | Various sales |
FC Moto
FC-Moto, is another Germany-based motorcycle equipment and apparel retailer, with an online shop and humble beginnings.
It was founded with a small retail shop in Aachen, Germany in 1996. Since then, it too has grown into one of the largest businesses in the motorcycle sector, serving a global customer base.
FC-Moto is also a generalist moto gear supplier but it holds retro helmet stock for Bell, Arai, Shoei and AGV along with some lesser-known brands.
You may have to dig around the site to find items. However, there are numerous products if you search using terms like ‘vintage’ and ‘retro’ plus e.g. {jacket/jeans etc.}.
Better still if you have a product in mind, FC-Moto is worth checking out, as there always seems to be some form of sales promotion running.
| Payment Methods | Advance payment, Cash on delivery – Major credit/debit cards, PayPal and Sofort Banking |
| Price Match? | No |
| Shipping DE & EU | • The price for shipping is given at checkout • Express delivery not offered |
| International Shipping | DHL / UPS Rates vary by country |
| Returns /Exchange Policy? | Up to 100 days to return unused items with a refund guarantee |
| Gift Cards / Vouchers? | Yes |
| Loyalty Scheme | No |
| Physical Store? | Würselen near Aachen, Germany |
| Customer Rating? | 3.4 / 5.0 stars from 4,614 Idealo reviews |
| Special Offers / Promotions | Regular sales and coupon codes. Sign up for the newsletter for additional discounts |
Motoin
Motoin was launched back in 2007 by a couple of ardent riders. It’s another generalist but offers riders of classically styled and custom machines matching protective motorcycle equipment and apparel.
You’ll find urban and heritage-inspired riding gear from prevalent brands like Rev It! and Pando Moto. Also, established brands like Held and Halvarssons can be found alongside newer brands like ByCity. Equally, there’s a strong selection of old-school lids from Nexx, Bell, Shoei, Premier and Arai.
There are over 200,000 products on the site however the search function throws up relevant products when you use meaningful search terms – so there should be no problem finding the right retro gear.
| Payment Methods | Major credit cards, PayPal, Prepayment, Cash on |
| Price Match? | No |
| Shipping Germany & EU | €5.90 inside Germany EU Countries pay an extra €2.00 – Express shipping and click and collect service available |
| International Shipping | International shipping costs vary by country through DHL and UPS Customers outside the EU are responsible for duty, taxes and other service fees |
| Returns /Exchange Policy? | 100-day return and money-back guarantee for products returned in their original sale condition. |
| Gift Cards / Vouchers? | Yes |
| Loyalty Scheme | No |
| Physical Store? | Yes – Aachen, Germany |
| Customer Rating? | 4.6 / 5 stars from 3,285 eTrustedShops reviews and 3.1 / 5.0 from 626 Idealo reviews |
| Special Offers / Promotions | €10 discount when you register for the newsletter, coupled with regular sales promotions and discount codes, plus free gifts. |
Summary
If you’re an aficionado of custom, classic or retro motorcycles, you no longer need to compromise your safety for style or vice versa.
I hope you now know there are plenty of suppliers of urban and retro motorcycle gear out there. All these stores sell high-quality gear that protects you on the bike in style and comfort.
So whether you’re on the hunt for a robust new retro helmet, a quintessential biker leather jacket, a pair of rugged riding boots, or even an abrasion-defying, single-layer moto jean, these retailers have you covered.
Happy shopping and riding; keep the shiny side up!
