Noru Tori Riding Shoes Review: Old School Style For New School Riders
Just because it looks like it can roll from date night to the basketball court doesn't mean the Noru Tori Riding Shoes don't offer motorcycle riders a bit of protection. With its casual high top styling, these motorcycle boots deliver a mix of lightweight comfort, traditional shoe-like usability, and safety. A great option for sport bike, cruiser, and scooter riders, the Tori boots are outfitted for all-day comfort and maneuverability but feature several characteristics that make them a great motorcycle shoe. The real kicker that makes these motorcycle boots stand apart from their competition however is the price. Significantly easier of the wallet than some of their major competitors, the Tori Boots from Noru are a hard deal to pass up.
When you first look at the Noru Tori motorcycle boots you wouldn't really think they're motorcycle boots, but that's because they're an urban style that oozes a casual street appearance. It's not until you pick up the high tops and spin them around in your hand that you realize that they are a practical option for motorcyclists. The outer shell is made up of a mix polyester media around the main chassis. Then the collar and the shoelace area are covered in synthetic leather. A bright white molded rubber wrapping around the base of the shoes helps give them that old high top street style. A key piece that will catch rider's attention is that the top of the toe box features a grippy rubber with tightly spaced lines to help grab onto the underside of the shifter peg for positive engagement.
Unlike other boots that are over-padded and make them feel stuffy or uncomfortable, the tongue on the Tori riding shoes provide enough cushion to protect the top of the foot from tightened laces without being a burden. Inside the shoe is a comfort-feel padded lining while the bottom features a removable insole that a provides soft and supportive foot bed. Removing the insole give the user the ability for a 1/2 size adjustment. Sitting below the insole and hidden by fabric is a steel shank that adds impact protection while helping to provide support and balance to riders when standing on the motorcycle pegs.
Of course, with high top style motorcycle boots you'd expect some features catered towards the rider and you'll find that in several locations. There are round discs located on the outside of the ankles to help protect the bones from slides and impact. Tracing around the back of the heel and towards the middle of the foot bed is a 1/2" strip of reflective material that acts as a beacon to catch the attention of following motorists and motorcyclists when their headlights hit it during low light or nighttime riding. There is also the rubber portion covering the top of the toes which is vital for the left shoe to provide grip when shifting and protect the shoe from wear. However, the fact that this moto-centric feature is on both shoes give the looks of uniformity and helps the Tori boots pass as not only as motorcycle boots but also every day street shoes as well.
One feature that we didn't mention yet that will appeal to riders and general shoe enthusiasts is the zipper running down the side of the shoes. Spanning from the top of the collar down to the top of the foot bed, this zipper offers convenience and ease of use as it allows the wearer to tie the Tori boots like a traditional shoe, but then they can use the zipper to quickly slip the high tops on or take them off. This is a feature that can be found on some all-leather motorcycle boots and is extremely useful for those that don't like to constantly tie and untie their shoes to put them on or take them off.
When shopping for street or urban style motorcycle boots, you'll quickly find that the Noru Tori Motorcycle Riding Shoes are hard to pass up with their amazing price tag and features. With an MSRP of $79.99, or sometimes found on sale at just $39.99, the competition has a hard time stacking up. For example, the $119.95 Fly Racing Street M16 Riding Shoes don't have the grip or protection over the toe, nor do they have reflective material on the back. You could pay more than double for the Rev'it Jefferson Shoes ($169.99) and not get as many features as the Tori. The Jefferson shoes don't have side zipper, discs in the ankle, and there's no tacky material over the top of the toes on the left shoe to provide traction when up shifting. The only thing that really compares to the Tori boots price and feature-wise is the Bilt Dexter Shoes. Extremely similar in style with a lot of the same characteristics like the side zipper and synthetic toe material, the difference comes when the Tori boots are on sale at $39.99, as they are usually $10 less than the Dexter shoes at $49.99.
If you're a fan of the urban style or street style motorcycle shoe or just like high tops in general, with their exceptional pricing and numerous features, it's hard to say no to the Noru Tori Riding Shoes.
