Riding pants have evolved greatly from the beginnings. With stiff competition from various motorcycle gear manufacturers, it’s no wonder that the technology and design that goes into each pair of pants helps create something that’s not only comfortable but something that can save your skin from an unexpected bump in the road. Motorcycle riding pants are an important part of a serious rider’s collection, and are no longer considered to be something that only racers wear out on the track. With all of the different levels of protection available, you may find yourself scratching your head on what you need.
Chaps
Leather chaps have been part of the motorcycle lifestyle since the old days of Harley-Davidson’s humble beginnings. Typically designed without a back (also referred to as “ass-less”), chaps are generally easy to slip on and don’t heat you up like a full pair of leather pants. They offer protection against burning your legs on the exhaust or heat from the engine. Because of their open back, they offer little protection in the event of a wreck, which sends you skidding across the highway on your backside though.
Leather
Leather riding pants are a standard for anyone going out to the track, and work great in the city. Depending on the brand, they are typically made from top grain leathers and will have padding in the knees and sometimes the hips. Because leather is an organic material, there are times where you will need to clean it and oil it to keep it flexible and resist color spotting or fading.
Textile
Cordura and Gore-Tex are popular fabrics used in textile riding pants. They are both strong and waterproof and are often used in combination with each other in a single pair. Unlike their leather counterparts, textile riding pants typically have reflective material sewn into strategic places and often have various zippered vents that can be opened to help cool the rider down during a ride. Textile pants also typically feature zippers on the sides of the legs that allow you to get in and out of them easier, without having to take off your boots or shoes. Some textile riding pants are also made to look like a regular pair of jeans, helping to keep a more casual look to the often sporty-looking protective counterparts.
Read all of our Motorcycle Pants reviews below:
My knowledge of women's clothing can be summed up in a simple sentence: "I like it." As to what brand, or its specific attributes that make it appealing, I have no clue. I've just learned at an early age that it's best just to say those three words ...
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Part of the reason why I tend to not want to wear protective riding pants is because of how bulky most of them can feel when you've got a big engine and gas tank in between your legs. I'm not comfortable if the fabric is too tight, and I ...
I know what you're thinking. As soon as you saw the picture of the model showing off this pair of Bohn Cool-Air Bodyguard Adventure Pants, you probably started laughing and said to yourself, "What the heck?!" I'm assuming that, because that's what I did, and I like to think ...
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In a world with unpredictable weather, there's never really a reason to ride without the gear that's designed to protect you. It shouldn't come to a matter of being "tough" to ride in a pair of 20-year-old jeans, instead of being perceived as a "sissy" to ride in ...
Picture being twelve again and waking up to snow on the ground. You'd turn on the news and wait with all fingers crossed in anticipation to see your school on the closed list. When it was, the next few minutes were spent trying desperately to find layers of clothing ...
I just got back from a 500-mile ride in the upper Baja of Mexico wearing the Alpinestars Rodeo Denim jeans. Are they the perfect casual armored riding pants? No. Are they good? Yes. I like them; and I believe they will become my primary ...
More and more riders are wearing textile pants for everyday motorcycling duty. Textile looks more casual than its leather counterpart. In many ways, it is also more comfortable. Dainese's new Drake Air textile pants are a nice addition to the choices in this motorcycle apparel ...
Comfort versus protection is a battle many of us in the motorcycling world fight. In reality, protective gear needs to be relatively tight for ultimate protection. All you need to do is watch a MotoGP or World Superbike race to see how tight the racers' suits are. ...
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