Some of the most practical ideas in motorcycling come from hard lessons. After a crash in 2012 shook his confidence as a rider, SignalWear co-founder Troy De Baca began thinking less about performance and more about visibility — specifically, how often motorcyclists rely on outdated hand signals that drivers barely notice anymore.
The result was SignalWear’s LED-equipped motorcycle gloves, a deceptively simple idea aimed at solving a very old problem: being seen. Built into the back of each glove are bright chevron-style LEDs that illuminate to indicate left or right turns, adding a modern layer of visibility to traditional hand signaling.
Riders can activate the LEDs manually via a small thumb-mounted switch, through a tilt-based gesture, or — in the most seamless setup — by wiring the gloves directly into the bike’s existing turn signal system. In that mode, the gloves mirror the motorcycle’s blinkers automatically, requiring no extra input once connected.
It’s the kind of solution that feels obvious in hindsight. Motorcycle gloves with integrated turn signals don’t promise to replace riding skill or awareness, but they do acknowledge a reality most riders already know: visibility is often the weakest link between motorcyclists and everyone else on the road. Whether smart gloves are the future or simply a clever stopgap, SignalWear’s approach highlights how small design changes can have meaningful safety implications.
