How to Design Your Own Motorcycle Race Suit: Colours, Logos, Name and Number
Quick answer: To design your own motorcycle race suit, send the maker a sketch, a photo or a description of the colours and layout you want, add your name, number and any logos, choose the leather and options, then supply your measurements. A good maker agrees the full design with you before any leather is cut, and builds the graphics in stitched leather rather than print so they last as long as the suit.
Key takeaways
- You do not need design skills. A phone sketch, a screenshot of a bike or a written description is enough to start.
- Start with three colours at most and a clear main colour. Busy designs look messy from a distance.
- Leather patchwork graphics cannot crack, peel or fade. Printed graphics can.
- Your name, race number and logos are part of the design, not an extra.
- A custom design is only half the job. The suit must also be made to your measurements, with CE Level 2 armour at the shoulders, elbows, knees and back.
Why riders design their own suit
Most riders who order a custom suit want one of three things: a suit that matches their bike, a suit that carries their own name and number, or a suit nobody else on the grid is wearing. Off-the-shelf suits come in a handful of colourways. A custom suit can be any colour, in any panel, with any lettering. You can see real examples in our custom motorcycle racing suits collection, every one of which started as a customer's idea.
Step 1: Collect your references
Before you think about panels, gather what inspires you. Useful references include:
- A photo of your bike, so the suit can match its paint exactly.
- A MotoGP or WorldSBK livery you like the shape of, even if you want different colours.
- Your helmet design. A suit that picks up the helmet's colours and graphics looks finished.
- A rough sketch. Print a blank suit outline or draw over a photo of any suit on your phone.
You can send any of these. We reproduce the layout, colours and panels from whatever you provide, then send the design back for you to approve.
Step 2: Choose your colours
Good race suit designs follow a few simple rules:
- Pick a main colour. It should cover most of the torso and legs. White, black, red and blue are the most common, but any dyed leather colour is possible.
- Add one or two accent colours. Use them for stripes, the shoulders, the speed hump and the lower legs.
- Think about visibility. Bright colours on the shoulders and back help other riders and marshals see you.
- Think about heat. Black absorbs heat in summer. If you ride somewhere hot, a lighter main colour plus perforated panels makes a real difference.
- Match the bike, not the catalogue. Riders often send a photo of their fairing so the red or blue on the suit is the same shade.
Step 3: Place your graphics and logos
Graphics follow the lines of the body. The classic placements are:
- Chest: your main logo or sponsor.
- Shoulders and upper arms: stripes or secondary logos that read from the side.
- Back and speed hump: your name, number or team name, which is what other riders see.
- Thighs: a large logo or number visible in photos when you are leaning over.
- Lower legs and cuffs: accent colours that tie the suit to your boots.
Leather patchwork or print?
This is the most important design decision. There are two ways to put a graphic on a leather suit:
- Leather patchwork: each colour is a separate piece of dyed hide, cut to shape and stitched in. The colour is the material, so it cannot peel off and lasts the life of the suit.
- Printing: the design is printed onto the leather surface. It allows very fine detail such as small text, photos or gradients, but print can crack along the creases at the elbows and knees and fade in sunlight.
Most of our custom suits use patchwork for the main design and printing only for fine detail that cannot be cut in leather. We will tell you which method suits each part of your design.
Step 4: Add your name and race number
Personal lettering is what turns a custom suit into your suit. Common choices are:
- Race number on the speed hump, the chest or the thigh.
- Surname across the back or on the hump.
- First name or nickname on the sleeve or collar.
- Team, club or sponsor names on the shoulders and chest.
- A flag on the collar or forearm.
Tell us the exact spelling, the number and where you want them. They are placed in the design you approve, so there are no surprises.
Step 5: Choose the leather
The design sits on top of a race-specification suit, so choose the base material carefully:
- Full-grain cowhide, 1.3 to 1.4 mm: hard-wearing, the standard for track use, and the lower-cost option.
- Kangaroo leather, 0.8 to 0.9 mm: similar abrasion resistance at a noticeably lower weight. It is the choice for racers and riders who want the lightest suit.
Our kangaroo vs cowhide guide compares the two in detail.
Step 6: Pick the options
- One piece or two piece: one piece for track days and racing, or two piece with a full 360-degree connecting zip if you also ride on the road. See 1 piece vs 2 piece suits.
- Fit: race, regular or relaxed.
- Perforation: none, selected panels, partial or full, for airflow in hot weather.
- Stretch panels: standard Kevlar stretch or an upgrade to Schoeller-Keprotec.
- Speed hump: none, small, medium or large.
- Lining: fixed or removable mesh.
Step 7: Do not compromise on protection
A great design means nothing if the suit does not protect you. Every custom suit we make includes removable CE Level 2 armour at the shoulders, elbows and knees (EN 1621-1:2012) and a CE Level 2 back protector (EN 1621-2:2014). It also has triple safety stitching, YKK zips, reinforced leather at the impact zones and external knee sliders. Read CE Level 1 vs Level 2 to see why the level matters.
Step 8: Send your measurements
A custom design should come with a custom fit. We use ten figures: chest, waist, hips, neck, shoulder width, sleeve length, torso length, inseam and thigh, plus your height and weight. Our measuring guide shows how to take each one at home. Made-to-measure sizing costs no more than a standard size, because every suit is cut to order either way.
What happens after you order
- Design: you send your references, colours and lettering.
- Confirmation: we agree the design, fit and specification with you before any hide is cut.
- Production: the suit is cut, stitched and assembled to your measurements. Custom production takes about 14 to 21 business days.
- Delivery: shipped by DHL or FedEx, free to the US, Canada, the EU and Australia, typically 5 to 7 business days to the US and Canada.
Our guide to ordering a custom race suit covers delivery, customs and returns in full.
Design ideas to get you started
- Bike-matched: the suit in your bike's exact factory colours, with the model name on the thigh.
- Helmet-matched: lift the graphics from your helmet onto the shoulders and back.
- Classic stripe: a single colour with one bold stripe from shoulder to ankle. Simple, and it never dates.
- Grand Prix style: a team-inspired layout in your own colours, with your name and number. Browse our MotoGP-style leather suits for layouts you like.
- Artwork suit: a full illustration, such as a tiger, flames or a portrait, built from patchwork with fine detail printed.
Complete the set
Any of our racing gloves and racing boots can be made in the same colourway, so the whole kit matches.
Ready to start? Open the Design Your Own Custom Racing Suit page, or browse our custom motorcycle racing suits for inspiration.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be a designer to design my own race suit?
No. A sketch, a photo of your bike or a written description is enough. We turn it into a design and send it to you to approve before production.
Can you copy a design from a photo?
Yes. Send a reference image and we reproduce the layout, colours and panels in leather patchwork.
Does a custom design cost more than a standard suit?
Made-to-measure sizing costs nothing extra. Upgrades such as kangaroo leather or Schoeller-Keprotec stretch panels are priced as options.
Can I change the design after I order?
Yes, until you approve the final design. Once the leather is cut, changes are no longer possible, which is why we confirm everything first.
Can I design a women's race suit?
Yes. The suit is cut on your own measurements, so it is made on female proportions rather than adapted from a men's pattern. See our women's race suit fit guide.
Will the colours fade?
Patchwork colours are the leather itself and do not fade or peel. Keep the suit out of direct sun when stored, and follow our cleaning and conditioning guide.