The Falco Elite GP is the Italian brand’s first elite level racing boot, combining premium construction, protection and track comfort. We put them through 12 months of testing.

There is something reassuring about dealing with a family-owned Italian company that still has its hands firmly on the products it makes. I got a better appreciation of that when Mattia Foscarini from Falco visited BikeReview HQ at Umina Beach back in July 2023…

Mattia Foscarini from Falco Italy visited BikeReview HQ at Umina Beach in August 2023, catching up with Jeff and Heather Ware, the Two Wheel Addicts team and Jamie Lyons from Moto National Accessories.

Heather and I caught up with Mattia and Jamie Lyons from Falco distributor Moto National Accessories over lunch, talking boots, new products and the history behind the Falco name. It was a great opportunity to meet the man behind the brand and learn more about the company, which has been producing technical footwear for decades.

Falco’s story goes back further than its motorcycle boot range, the company has roots in the Italian footwear industry, with its founders moving into specialist outdoor and motorcycle footwear before establishing Gianni Falco Srl in 1990. Today it remains a family business, with the second generation involved in global sales, marketing, technical development and production.

The Australian market was among Falco’s first overseas markets, so there is a history between the brand and Australian riders that goes back a long way.

Its home is Cornuda, in the Veneto region of northern Italy, an area with a long tradition of footwear and sports equipment manufacturing. The Australian market was among Falco’s first overseas markets, so there is a history between the brand and Australian riders that goes back a long way.

Bryan Staring was a Falco wearer for the most part of his career. Here he is at Phillip Island on the Gresini MotoGP bike.

One thing that stood out during our meeting was the emphasis on developing products in-house and maintaining control over quality. Falco has built its reputation by specialising in motorcycle footwear rather than trying to be everything to everyone. It has also been an early adopter of technologies such as D3O impact protection in motorcycle boots and continues to develop its own articulation and construction systems. That technical background is important when you look at the Elite GP, because this is not simply a sporty road boot with a few extra plastic protectors attached. It is Falco’s first dedicated, serious racing boot, designed to take the brand into a more demanding part of the market.

The Elite GP
We were fortunate enough to receive a pair of Elite GP boots in mid August to test, but due to injury I could not wear them until January 2024 – but I’ve now put them through a full 12 months of use. That has included at least 10 track days and around 5,000 kilometres of road riding, so they’ve had a decent workout. My first impression was the quality. The construction, materials and finish are excellent, and they have the feel of a genuinely high-end racing boot. They look and feel like serious protective equipment, with a substantial structure around the lower leg, ankle and heel.

After a year of hard use, the Falco Elite GP has impressed with its construction quality, comfort, protection and durability.

The Elite GP uses a Micro-Synth upper with an Air-Tech ventilated lining, while the removable inner bootie incorporates Falco’s Eso-Motion 2.2 articulation system and D3O ankle cups. Outside, there is a moulded dual-compound polyurethane shin plate and heel cup, plus a calf protector secured by a micro-adjustable metal ratchet. The dual-density Vibram racing sole has an integrated, replaceable nylon toe slider. The front slider and sole components are replaceable, which is a welcome feature on a boot designed to see regular circuit use. The combination gives the Elite GP a reassuringly solid feel without making it impossible to move around on the bike.

There was a bit of a learning curve with sizing and getting them on, though. I’m normally a size 45, occasionally a 46, and initially I struggled to get the 45 on with the inner boot fitted and my race leathers in place. I tried a 46, but found it too long, which affected my ability to operate the brake and gear lever accurately. I went back to the 45 and persevered. I’m glad I did, because once the boots had been worn in properly, they fitted perfectly.

“I went back to the 45 and persevered. I’m glad I did, because once the boots had been worn in properly, they fitted perfectly.”

In fact, the first few months were quite a battle. I couldn’t always get the outer boot over the inner boot by myself and needed help getting them on and off. The lace-up inner bootie itself is easy to fit and comfortable, but the complete arrangement is quite snug. I suspect the design works best with race leathers that have a lower leg intended to sit outside the boot. Traditional leathers, with the leg pulled over the inner boot, can make closing the outer shell difficult. Leathers with stretch panels around the lower calf would be ideal.

My solution has been to pull the leather leg a little higher so it sits above the inner boot before fastening the outer section. That works well and remains comfortable. With jeans, there is no issue at all, as they can sit over the outside of the boot or tuck into the space between the two sections.

Once on, the Elite GP is seriously comfortable. The support is substantial where it needs to be, but I can still feel the rear brake, gear lever and footpegs properly. That feedback matters when you’re riding on track, particularly when moving around the bike, weighting the ‘pegs or feeling the edge of the footpeg through a corner. The small heel step also helps lock my foot onto the peg.

That feedback matters when you’re riding hard on track, particularly when moving around the bike…

The closure system is straightforward, with a side zip, a single ratchet calf strap and generous Velcro at the top. The zip has freed up with use, and after a year of hard riding there are no signs of wear or failure in the zip, ratchet, stitching or closures. That’s an excellent result given the amount of use they’ve had and also they have been soaked in the rain a few times.

Despite the substantial protective construction, the Elite GP offers excellent feedback through the footpegs…

Ventilation is good, although, as with most substantial two-piece race boots, your feet will get hot and sweaty during summer. One advantage of the removable inner bootie is that you can take the outer boot off between sessions and walk around in the inner sections. I’ve hand-washed the booties twice and allowed them to dry naturally, which freshened them up nicely. The outer boots have only needed a wipe-down, and I’ve been using good old-fashioned Mr Sheene to keep them looking tidy.

I’ve hand-washed the booties twice and allowed them to dry naturally, which freshened them up nicely…

On the road, the Elite GP is bulkier than a conventional sports boot, which is the compromise you make for the additional structure and protection. They are comfortable enough for road use, but I would recommend them primarily to riders who spend serious time on track. For that purpose, the rigid feel, ankle support and confidence they provide are exactly what I’m looking for.

Falco has a history of supporting racers, too. Its published racer roster includes Australian Bryan Staring, who competed in MotoGP, along with Mike Di Meglio, Roman Ramos, Leandro ‘Tati’ Mercado, Matteo Baiocco and Christophe Ponsson, all associated with the brand’s past racing programmes across MotoGP, WorldSBK and international competition. These are historical associations rather than a claim that every rider is currently wearing Falco, but they underline the company’s long-standing interest in developing footwear for competition.

After 12 months, I’m seriously impressed with the Elite GP. The quality is exceptional, the fit has become excellent and the boots have stood up to a lot of punishment without showing any meaningful deterioration. Falco developed the boot over two years with input from riders and technical specialists, and that attention to detail shows. I reckon there are several more years of use in this pair.

I chose the all-black version, but the Elite GP is also available in white and red, and black and fluorescent colour schemes. Falco is distributed in Australia by Moto National Accessories and is available through most top motorcycle retailers.

We have tested plenty of Falco boots and riding shoes over the years at BikeReview, and the range has consistently impressed us for comfort, protection, durability and value. The Elite GP takes that experience into proper racing territory, and it has proved itself to me over a full year of riding.

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