motorcycle pants

Although some of us may enjoy the cool breeze against our skin that comes with the absence of pants, when it comes to riding, pants are not only a safe choice but a comfortable one as well. The thought of being flung from your bike, having your flesh and bone being scrapped away from gliding across the road in a crash situation, is horrific enough to send some riders rushing to their nearest bike shop to buy the latest in textile and armor protective pants. However, pants not only protect you in the event of an accident but also from the elements such as debris and gravel being whipped at your legs skin, wind and rain, and for those that forget which side to dismount towards (left side)- the exhaust pipe.

When purchasing pants there a few general rules that always apply:

fit

A comfortable fit is very important because discomfort will distract you and take your attention away from riding. Ensure the fit will be comfortable in all types of conditions you can foresee yourself riding in. If you are purchasing leather or textile pants make sure you have enough room for jeans to wear underneath.

construction

Look at the seams and stitching. The most important areas to look at are impact points. Another trick is to look at smaller details such as pockets, zippers. If these areas are designed well, then most likely the rest of the pants shares the same level of quality. You also want to check the thickness of the material - the thicker the better. Thicker material has a greater puncture proof resistence and will last longer in a crash where there is friction between your gear and the ground.

armor

If the pants have armor, ensure that is fitting over what it is designed to protect. For example, knee pads are over your knees.

reflective strips / material

When you shine a light at most street signs you will notice that they 'shimmer' or have a brightness quality to them. This is because there is reflective material painted on them to make them appear brighter. This same material is used in riding gear and your pants should have as much of this stuff on it as possible so that other drivers can see you at night and other poor visibilty conditions.

color

Remember, as with all riding equipement, pants of bright color (all colored flourescents, orange, red, gold, yellow, bright green, etc) are more visible to other drivers so that they can see you better. Flourescent orange is the best, solid white is a good middle ground, and black is the worst in terms of visiblity.

Below we list the different types of pants

Denim aka 'Jean' Pants:

As with riding jackets denim is also a popular material for pants and is generally the most durable street clothing material it terms of riding protection. Denim pants are comfortable, stylish, and light. They are also very convenient to ride in - jeans are a more appropriate attire when going out for dinner with a friend, whereas armored textiled pants may not be so fashionable (or comfortable). Denim is not wind or waterproof. The material will tear and fray within 4-6 of sliding.

Positives:

• Convenient and light weight
• Stylish

Negatives:

• Offers little protection against abrasion
• Offers little or no protection against impact
• Offers little or no protection against punctures
• Not water-resistant
• Not wind resistant

Chaps:

Chaps are not pants themselves but are worn over top of pants. They cover the legs only. Chaps fit in with the cowboy, or cruiser look. This is because they were originally designed to be worn when riding horses through thick brush or areas where vegetation and branches would scrape against the skin. They have now been adopted for use when riding a 'steed' that has a combustible engine. They are available in both leather and textile. They will offer wind and water protection and will aid in reducing abrasion in a crash situation. However, because they only cover the leg area, they do not offer protection for the hip, groin, and butt.

Positives:

• Water resistant
• Wind resistant
• Abrasive protection

Negatives:

• Does not protect the hip, groin, and butt.
• Cannot be worn without pants

Leather Pants:

Leather pants offer greater protection compared to denim and denim / chap combinations as they are a more durable material and also cover the entire lower torso (legs, groin, hip, butt). Leather pants can be worn over top of denim pants to offer greater protection. Leather pants are expensive and can get extremely hot because they do not 'breath' and allow air to pass through them. Leather pants are also not waterproof and can shrink when wet.

Positives:

• Wind resistant
• Abrasive protection
• Puncture protection

Negatives:

• Not water resistant
• Poor ventilation

textile pants:

Textile pants were invented in the early 1990's. Textile pants are usually designed to be worn over top of denim pants. Textile can refer to any Man-made material such as Kevlar, Ballistic Nylon, and other materials. The dawn of textile materials in pants offered riders with new features that are not possible with traditional materials such as leather. These include:

armor

Hard armor and foam pieces can be easily woven into the pants to offer greater protection in areas that are of high impact probability (such as elbows, shoulders, back, and forearms.

vents

Vents allow the wearer to open areas, to allow air to flow through the pants to both cool off the rider and allow hot (and stinky) air to escape through a mesh like material. When temperatures drop and the rider wants to keep these areas warm he/she simply closes the vents with a zipper.

wind / water proof designs

Due to their enclosed design, wind is unable to penetrate beneath a well made pair textile pants. Because of their water-proof material, this design also protects the wearer from getting wet in rainy conditions.

Positives:

• Excellent abrasion and high puncture resistance
• Allows for other types of armor protection to be sewn in, like Kevlar
• Can be designed in more colors, patters, styles
• Nearly completely rain and wind proof
• Will not shrink or color bleed when wet
• Vents
• Lighter weight material

Negatives:

• Bulky
• Harder to patch up any holes or damage in the material
• Not 100% waterproof over a long (hours) time in the rain because the stitching puts minute holes in the material