Introducing the armoured Austin motorcycle vest, brand new for summer 2025

The Austin motorcycle vest is the latest addition to Roadskin's selection of stylish and protective motorcycle wear. Everyone loves our Munro bike shirt, so it got us thinking about creating a sleeveless version - a classic piece of biker clothing known as a cut. Cuts are generally made from leather, but our version is cotton with a bit of stretch, so it looks and feels completely fresh. It also comes with armour as standard.

Roadskin's in-house designer, Sue-Mee, explains the Austin motorcycle vest's style and safety features:

'This is our contemporary take on the cut, a staple of motorcycle clothing that we've all seen in the classic bike movies. It originated at the end of the Second World War, when veterans cut the sleeves off their leather jackets to be more comfortable while riding. Traditionally associated with membership of motorcycle clubs, cuts will often be personalised with patches, chains, embroidery and studs. A lot of it is about the look, because it's cool and very distinctive, but cuts don't generally feature any added protection.'

So, we took the spirit of the iconic cut and mixed it up with the Munro jacket to create our new motorcycle vest. To reflect its heritage roots, we've called it the Austin, after Austin Butler, the effortlessly cool star of Jeff Nichols's 2023 film The Bikeriders. In this movie, a gritty look at 1960s Chicago motorcycle culture co-starring Jodie Comer and Tom Hardy, Austin sports this look as a member of the fictional Vandals Motorcycle Club, which is loosely based on the real Outlaws Motorcycle Club.

We wanted the Austin to be both functional and fashionable, offering safety as well as style. It's double-stitched on all main seams, lined with a 60% Kevlar/40% polyester mix fabric, and comes with the customary Roadskin light mesh underneath to keep you cool and protect against skin tearing in an accident. The Austin features lightweight, breathable RHEON™ back armour as standard, and chest protector pockets at the front if you opt for chest armour. It's the first product we've developed that offers specific chest protection, and there's nothing else like it on the market at present.

How to wear Roadskin's armoured motorcycle vest

The Austin motorcycle vest is versatile and easy to wear, giving you options for updating and mixing up your motorcycling style. It's useful for throwing on over a casual hoodie, so you've got some protection for short hops on the bike when you don't want the faff of a heavy coat or jacket, especially in the hotter months. Equally, the Austin will sit happily over the Maximite hoodie, giving you all the peace of mind that comes with a double helping of protective bike clothing. It looks good with bike jeans as well as cargo trousers.

Fit-wise, size up for a more generous fit, especially if you'll be layering over thicker garments like a jacket, or size down if you’d like a snugger fit. There's a tab adjuster on the hem so it won't gape or ride up.

Is there anything else I need to know about the Austin armoured motorcycle vest?

It's very like the bestselling Munro armoured shirt and comes in the same colours: black and stone. Our customers often request front pockets, so we've added two more of those, along with outer chest pockets featuring poppers and an inside pocket for your phone and wallet. It's a convenient thing to have in your biker wardrobe, and we are looking forward to hearing what our customers think of it.'

You can find out more about the Austin Motorcycle Vest and read all the product spec here.