Review | Vanucci ART XX leathers, RV6 boots and VSG-1 gloves

With the rise of increasingly stylish, clever and functional casual riding kit traditional one-piece leathers risk looking old hat for anyone but committed sports bike fans. After all, while they may look cool when riding they are less comfortable and practical, not to mention ostentatiously ‘motorcyclist’ in off-bike situations when you stop for a brew or comfort break.
But if you’re taking your bike to a track a full one-piece leather suit is at least recommended, and in some cases required. This one from Vanucci, the in-house brand of European kit giant Louis Moto, sits somewhere between the more budget options while costing around half as much as equivalents from glitzy brands like Alpinestars or Dainese. We tried it for our first go on track with its accompanying boots, gloves, knee sliders and back protector.

Constructed from a combination of reassuringly thick leather in areas that need protection and more comfortable stretchy synthetics where you need freedom of movement, the Vanucci ART XX impresses with its sturdiness and apparent quality straight out of the box. Fit is critical with a suit for both comfort and protection and we sized ourselves up as an XS from the Louis Moto guide, on the basis that for all the Italian name and branding it’s a German company and the sizing would hopefully be more northern European. While suits are meant to be tight and you should expect them to ‘give’ with a bit of use we’ll admit this was probably a little optimistic, the swap to a size small at least making it easier to get it over our shoulders and zip it up securely. Once on the ART XX was comfortable, the stretch panels meaning we could move around on the bike easily and not too excruciating when walking around off it.
In terms of protection you get hide between 1.2 and 1.4mm in thickness, double layered on the shoulders, elbows and backside and reinforced seams in potential impact areas. Perforations help avoid getting too sweaty, though you might want to wear windproof base layers on colder days. Impact protection comes with armour inserts to shoulders, elbows, hips and knees with a sleeve for a back protector sold separately. All well and good but we were slightly disappointed at the single A on the CE protection grading, and that the armour inserts were the lower Level 1 rather than the expected Level 2. Given most kit for track use is rated AAA for abrasion and Level 2 for the armour – and the suit is marketed for this – it’s somewhat surprising, Vanucci telling us the suit overdelivers on protection and it went for the lower grade with comfort in mind. We’ll have to take its word on that and buyers can make their own choices, but we take some reassurance from the sense of quality and generally sturdy construction of a suit that both looks and feels the part for the job at hand.

From the sportier end of Vanucci’s kit range, these gloves looked an excellent match with the ART XX suit for a first track outing and so it proved. Constructed from a mix of comfortable goat leather and cowhide, Kevlar-reinforced fabric, ‘Superfabric’ synthetics and with hardshell protection for the knuckles, the VSG-1s have a confidence-inspiring level of protection while the slim Velcro at the wrist and chunkier adjustors at the wrist mean you can get a suitably snug fit. Thin palms mean you can feel what the bike is doing through the bars – important when you’re pushing grip levels on the track – and we were impressed with the comfort and general sense of quality.

Again, chosen as a match to the suit, the RV6 Performance Racing Boots are a sportier option from the Vanucci range with synthetic uppers, a breathable polyester lining, replaceable metal toe sliders and a decent amount of hardshell protection for shins, heels and ankles all put together with a decent sense of quality. A smart looking pair of boots, the size 42s came up fine compared with our RSTs of the same size, albeit with a wider fit. Those with more normally shaped feet will probably be fine, though! A zip side and Velcro tab makes them easier to slip on and off, ratchet straps around the top included for a tighter fit and increased support even if the boots lack the sturdier external framing to prevent over-extension of the ankle that you get on some track-focused boots. Fine for a warm day and an excellent combination with the suit, we’d probably not be chancing them as an all-weather boot though.

The finishing touches to our track-ready ensemble, the knee sliders were perhaps an optimistic addition for a circuit rookie but help you look the part and are a quick attachment to the waiting Velcro panels on the legs of the suit. And if you’re not in any likelihood of actually getting your knee down for real you can always take to them with some sandpaper to make it look like you do! A back protector is, meanwhile, essential equipment for any track day and while you can buy slip-in armour for the suit we went with the VXP-3 standalone one secured by over-shoulder straps and a Velcro belt. Level 2 certified and with full coverage it was suitably confidence inspiring while also comfortable thanks to the soft fabric covering.

Track kit costs. But, considering the risks, you’d be fool to skimp given it’s all that’s there to protect you if anything does go wrong. This explains the prevalence of respected brands like Furygan, Alpinestars, Dainese at track days, RST meanwhile offering decent protection levels at a more affordable price. This Vanucci kit sits somewhere between the two and, while we were impressed with the quality and fit, we were a little disappointed at the protection grades. How much that matters to you is a personal choice, and we’ll accept Vanucci’s emphasis on comfort and sturdy construction. If you want leathers for the road and the odd outing on track it looks a well-priced option, but serious track heads may want the reassurance of a more familiar name and their typically higher safety ratings.