Review Summary
If you’re looking for the main takeaways from this review, here is my summary of Akin Moto’s Defender Motorcycle Hoodie:
- Ar the time of writing, the Defender Motorcycle Hoodie retails for $170 USD
- Simplistic, all-black pullover-styled hoodie with minimal branding made out of high quality materials
- The Defender is almost indistinguishable from streetwear clothes
- The entire hoodie is lined with a genuine DuPont Kevlar lining
- Armor is not included in your purchase, and the pockets don’t allow for universal armor insert use
- The hoodie sports a small hood without drawstrings
- Hidden water-resistant zip-up pocket within the front kangaroo pouch
- The hoodie is lined with a premium mesh which is highly breathable
- The Defender is extremely comfortable to wear in a wide range of temperatures
- Australian sizing is smaller than US sizing, with a limited number of sizes available
- Overall a great riding hoodie at a more than reasonable price
Akin Moto – Motorcycle Gear from Down Under
A little while back as I was searching for the latest and greatest motorcycle gear on the market, I stumbled across Akin Moto’s website. They’re a small, two-man operation out of Australia specializing in motorcycle gear designed for all types of riders.
One of the styles that specialize in is motorcycle gear disguised as streetwear. Well, unless you’re new here, you’ll know that is what I’m all about. I reached out to Max, the founder/owner of Akin Moto, and he hooked me up with some of their offerings.
Earlier in the summer, I covered their Wrench Motorcycle Pants. While baggier than I might’ve preferred, they really grew on me! I ended up loving the Wrench Pants and still wear them to this day.
Defender Motorcycle Hoodie
With the pants review complete, I set my focus on the Defender Motorcycle Hoodie. When I initially reached out to Max, it was in regard to the Defender specifically. The sleek, pullover design had really caught my eye and I was eager to try it.
Safety is always top of mind for me when I’m looking at gear I’d like to review. In the past, my fear was that a riding jacket disguised as a hoodie would make sacrifices in that regard, but with the Defender Motorcycle Hoodie, the entire inside is lined with DuPont Kevlar fabric. Pair that with the CE armor-compatible pockets and the Defender looked very promising.
It wasn’t long after I contacted Max that my Defender was on a plane from Brisbane and en route to my door. Like a child on Christmas, I wasted no time putting this hoodie to work the moment it arrived.
First Impressions
The first thing I noticed with the Defender was how light it felt in my hands. It felt comparable to the Scorpion EXO Covert Moto Flannel I had previously purchased as a lightweight summer riding jacket.
On my body, it was an entirely different story. The Defender is made out of thick material that felt like my favorite heavyweight pullovers I’d wear to lounge on the couch. Oddly enough, this gave me an intense sense of security. It’s almost like my brain immediately trusted this hoodie to do its job.
The hoodie fits tighter than I had expected, especially considering I sized up. If I didn’t, I’m afraid it wouldn’t have fit with or without armor. Upon trying it on I noticed tightness in the upper chest/front deltoids, as well as in the arms.
It may not look it from the outside, but underneath the exterior shell is insulation and lining that makes the hoodie fit tighter than it appears. Not by any means was this uncomfortable, but merely important to note should you order one for yourself.
A Simple Design That Doesn’t Disappoint
If I had to use one word to describe the Defender Motorcycle Hoodie, it would be Incognito.
But, this is webBikeWorld after all so you’re not going to get one word.
The Defender is available in one color and one color only; black. From what I’ve seen on the market, Akin Moto’s Defender Hoodie is top of the class when it comes to riding jackets/hoodies that look like streetwear. It achieves this through a minimalistic design and very discreet armor pockets.
Aside from a small upper left chest logo and tag on the lower right seam, the hoodie is free from designs, logos, and branding. The simplistic design and neutral colorway paired well with anything I could throw at it. I was a big fan of how effortlessly I could style the hoodie. The Defender Motorcycle Hoodie and Wrench Pants combo looked fantastic with my Spidi XPD Moto-1 shoes.
The hoodie was designed with a small hood without drawstrings – something that I’ll touch more on later. Flip the hoodie inside out and you’ll find pockets for armor on the shoulders, arms, and back. The entire sweater is lined with DuPont Kevlar fabric, as well as a breathable premium mesh lining.
I get it – hoodies aren’t for everybody! If your style leans towards a more traditional textile jacket, be sure to read our Best Textile Motorcycle Jackets of 2023 list.
Lasting Quality
Since you’re trusting your life with the gear you wear to ride, the least you can do is ensure you’re said gear is of high enough quality to garner that trust. With the Defender in my hands, I have the utmost confidence that it’s been made from strict manufacturing processes using high-end materials.
Inside and out, each seam and stitch is tight and free of frayed threads, rips, and other such defects. The material feels thick, and durable, and continues to instill the same sense of security that I felt when I had first taken it out of the box. Overall, the quality of this hoodie is excellent and dare say better than the majority of the gear I own. You’ll know what I mean once you get your hands on one.
How Safe is the Defender?
As you know, motorcycle gear is designed to protect your body against impact and abrasion in the event of an accident. A good motorcycle jacket will be capable of protecting your body against both, as opposed to one or the other. As far as the Defender Motorcycle Hoodie goes, it does a great job at resisting abrasion but won’t protect against impacts without an additional purchase.
Abrasion Resistance
I’ve tested a fair share of motorcycle gear that’s designed to look like streetwear. One thing they all have in common is the use of DuPont Kevlar fabric to combat abrasive forces. More often than not, the Kevlar is used sparingly and only in places of high impact.
Akin Moto, on the other hand, has lined the entire Defender Motorcycle Hoodie with genuine DuPont Kevlar. For me, this was a huge plus as I knew that my entire upper body was protected, and not just select areas.
While I understand that Kevlar fabric may be expensive, it’s also important to keep in mind that in a crash there’s no guarantee that you’ll only be making contact with the road in high-impact areas. With the Defender, you don’t need to settle for less.
If you’re looking for the best protection against abrasion that money can buy, check out our list of the Best Leather Motorcycle Jackets of 2023.
Impact Protection
The Defender is capable of protecting you against impacts, however, it’s going to cost you extra. As I previously mentioned, the inside of the hoodie has armor-compatible pockets on the shoulders, arms, and back. Unfortunately, armor is not included in your purchase.
I had a few different makes and sizes of armor at my disposal to put in the Defender. While the shoulder pads fit, the arm and back pads did not. The pockets for these areas are small and don’t provide a universal fit. The back pocket, in particular, was much smaller than any pad I owned.
As the pockets aren’t of generic size or universal fit, I would recommend purchasing armor directly from Akin Moto that is guaranteed to fit. Otherwise, you may be left exposed and without protection.
We’ve just released our top Motorcycle Armor Insert picks for 2023. If you’re looking for armor, be sure to give our list a read!
A Hoodie That Performs as Well as It Looks
It didn’t take long on the bike for me to fall in love with the Defender Motorcycle Hoodie. There were many thoughtful features that I didn’t pay any attention to until I was in the saddle, blistering down the freeway.
For example, I ended up appreciating the hood not having drawstrings far more than expected. I can’t count the number of times I’ve set out on a ride only to pull over a few minutes later because I’ve forgotten to tie up the drawstrings on my hoodie. The sound of the strings slapping against my helmet in the wind makes my teeth clench like no other.
Building off the above, another convenient design feature relates to the hood itself. The Defender sports a hood that’s much smaller than a conventional hoodie. Even though I thought it took away from the overall look of the sweater, I definitely preferred it while riding. Having a large, heavy hood can be hazardous at high speeds once the wind catches it.
A secret pocket on the inside of the kangaroo pouch made the perfect place to store my license and registration, and was even large enough to accommodate my phone and wallet! The pocket itself is difficult to access (and photograph for that matter), but once my belongings were inside I knew they were safe behind the water-resistant material and YKK zipper closure.
The entire inside of the hoodie is lined with a premium, surprisingly breathable mesh lining. It separates the heavy fabric of the hoodie construction from your base layer. I found this created a very enjoyable channel for cool air to flow through, effectively venting out trapped hot air.
Fit, Feel & Sizing
If you’ve read some of my previous reviews, you’ll know that I commonly talk about the need for riding gear to be comfortable. If not, it is more than likely to be returned, if not worse, left hung in a closet unworn. What a waste of money!
For brands like Akin Moto, producing a quality piece of gear that’s both protective and enjoyable to wear is a steep task. Pair that with the need to be accommodating to a wide variety of body shapes and sizes, and they’ve got their work cut out for them.
Yet, with the Defender, they’ve done a pretty spot-on job. While heavier than conventional streetwear, the Defender wears like any other hoodie in your closet. It has a loose, relaxed fit that is intended to be worn on the baggier side. If you’re looking for something with a slimmer fit, the LORICA by RAVEN Moto might be more your style.
No doubt you can tell from my pictures that I reviewed this hoodie in the fall. In Canada, fall includes sub-60-degree weather, as well as weather above 70. In either case, the Defender kept my body at a comfortable temperature. On cooler days, I didn’t feel the need to wear added layers, while on warmer days the breathability of the hoodie helped prevent excessive sweating at red lights and overheating.
The versatility of this hoodie really impressed me. How could the same article of clothing keep me warm on cooler days, while simultaneously working hard to cool me down in hotter temperatures? It beats me, but I loved it.
Be Sure to Read the Size Guide
My initial instinct was to order the same size hoodie that I always purchase, which is large. Every hoodie in my closet is a size large with subtle differences from brand to brand on the overall fit. Some are tighter than others, while some are overly big. The Defender is no different.
If I had asked for a large, I would’ve been in trouble. As it turns out, Australian sizes are measured the same as the UK, but not the same as American sizes. If I had asked for a size large, the hoodie would’ve fit somewhere between a US small and medium. Needless to say, it’s crucial you consult the size guide before ordering.
Detailed instructions are available on the Akin Moto website to help you find your best-fitting size. If all else fails, Max is more than happy to assist as he did with me. He took the time to walk me through step-by-step how to measure an existing hoodie and compared it against the Defender sizing. I appreciated the extra help, which likely prevented me from getting the wrong size!
With the XL, the hoodie was loose in the body but felt tight in the upper chest, shoulders, and part of the arms. I was still able to wear it comfortably, with or without armor, and had a free range of motion. Overall, I believe a large would’ve been too small, and a 2XL too big.
Scoring Breakdown
I’ve covered the positives of the Defender above, but how does it score? Dare I say that nothing is perfect, and there’s always room for improvement, with some having more so than others. Overall, I found the Defender to be a solid riding jacket with mostly trivial areas for improvement.
Design Rating – 85%
The Defender Motorcycle Hoodie is a riding jacket that is designed and styled like a regular streetwear pullover hoodie. It does the best job of disguising itself as streetwear when compared to the other hoodies I’ve seen in the market and personally tested.
While I truly appreciate the simplistic design, lack of branding, and minimalistic approach, I would’ve liked to see some additional color variety. Black is my personal favorite, but without any reflective elements incorporated into the design, the Defender makes for a poor choice for nighttime riding.
Hopefully, in the future, Akin Moto will build on the success of the Defender and release further color schemes!
Quality Rating – 90%
One of the Defender’s strongest selling points is its quality. Everything involved in the construction of this hoodie looks and feels high-end. Much like the Wrench Motorcycle Pants I reviewed, it’s clear that Akin Moto takes a lot of pride in the gear they produce.
Fit, Feel & Size Rating – 80%
First off, the Defender fits and feels great to wear. The hoodie is extremely comfortable, both on and off the bike, and with or without armor. The only area I see room for improvement with the Defender relates to sizing.
With the differences between Australian and US sizing in mind, I would love to see the Defender available in sizes bigger than a 3XL, otherwise, I fear it may not be inclusive to a number of you reading this.
For example, I’m 5’10” tall and weigh just under 180lbs. While the XL fit me just fine, another rider with a similar build as I, but slightly taller/heavier, may need to size up. That much is fine as Akin Moto has a 2XL available, but, once we start talking about riders well north of 6’ tall, and perhaps heavier than 250lbs, I don’t believe an Australian 3XL will suffice.
Protection Rating – 80%
I am a huge fan of the use of DuPont Kevlar throughout the entire hoodie for abrasion resistance. As I previously stated, it’s fairly common to see Kevlar used only in areas of high impact. Akin Moto has gone above and beyond the industry standard when it comes to protecting your skin!
Yet, on the other hand, I was disappointed that armor wasn’t included. I understand that Akin Moto sells armor separately and that the hoodie is priced accordingly, but with pockets tailored to a specific size, I would’ve preferred to have it included.
Unfortunately, I don’t think using what you’ve already got is going to fly with the Defender Motorcycle Hoodie unless you’ve taken the time to confirm the pocket dimensions with Akin Moto.
Features Rating – 85%
With a minimalistic design and approach, I wasn’t expecting a heap of features on the Defender. With that in mind, I was impressed by the ones that it had. First off, the smaller hood without drawstrings was a personal favorite. It’s difficult to express how much I hate listening to them slap against my helmet.
The hidden water-resistant pocket was another much-welcomed feature. It was unbelievably convenient being able to put my license and registration into this pocket and not having to worry about whether or not I’d grabbed it before leaving.
If I could make a suggestion for additional useful features, it would be to incorporate reflective elements, as well as additional safety features. For example, thumb loops on the sleeves that can be worn under your gloves would prevent them from sliding up in the event of a crash.
Value for Money Rating – 85%
At the time of writing, the Defender Motorcycle Hoodie retails for just under $170 USD. This amount will fluctuate slightly depending on the AUD to USD exchange rate. In my opinion, this is a very fair price for what you’re receiving.
The market is flooded with zip-up riding jackets/hoodies but is very limited when it comes to pullovers. From what I’ve seen, there isn’t anything comparable in price to the Defender. The closest I’ve seen is the LORICA, which retails at $249.99 USD, but includes armor. On the other end of the spectrum, REV’IT! Released their Cedar Hoody which retails for substantially more at $419.99.
As I’ve covered, the hoodie is lined entirely in DuPont Kevlar fabric which is a step above the industry norm. It doesn’t sport many features, but the ones that it does have are effective and well-thought-out. In any case, I believe the Defender offers great value for its price, and the only thing holding it back is having to buy armor separately.
Final Verdict
The Defender Motorcycle Hoodie is something that I’m going to be riding in for a long, long time. My experience with it has been extremely positive and left a lasting impression. Even though I’ve indicated a few areas the Defender could improve, this hoodie is an excellent riding jacket as is.
To highlight a few aspects that stood out most for me were the inconspicuous look of the Defender makes it difficult to tell you’re wearing motorcycle gear, the comfortable fit and feel, and the convenient design features woven throughout.
I thoroughly enjoyed being able to ride in the Defender through a number of different weather conditions without feeling like I was overheating, or frozen to the bone. The hoodie was very breathable which is an invaluable feature on hot summer days.
For future drops, I’d like to encourage Akin Moto to consider the size difference between the Australian and US markets. I’d also love to see some more color options for riders who may prefer something with a bit more pop.
On our list for Best Textile Jackets, the Defender would classify as an Entry-Level Jacket and I think it offers a hell of a lot of value for under $250. If you’re in the market for your next go-to riding jacket, the Defender should be your top contender.
Pros
- Simplistic design with minimal branding that is indistinguishable from streetwear
- Premium mesh lining that is extremely breathable
- The entire hoodie is lined with genuine DuPont Kevlar
- High-quality build with reinforced stitching and YKK hardware
- Hidden water-resistant zip-up pocket inside the front pocket
Cons
- Currently only available in Black
- Australian sizing is smaller than US sizing and may not be inclusive to larger riders
- Armor is not included in your purchase
- Armor pockets are not designed for universal fit, specific armor is required
Specs
- Manufacturer: Akin Moto
- Price (When Tested): $251 CAD / Approx. $170 USD
- Colors: Black
- Sizes: Small to 3XL
- Review Date: November 2023
Where to Buy