Gearheads

Yeah I've been hearing that about jeans often lately, and I always ride in jeans. The problem with riding in (motorcycle specific) pants, for me at least is most of them are always kind of tight fitting, uncomfortable and always ride up on my boots when sitting on a bike. What kind of pants do you ride in? Are they comfy?

Motorcycle specific textile pants can generally be tightened-up at the bottom, which stops them from riding up and over boots. This is done via Velcro flaps, snaps, or lacing. They also aren't particularly tight fitting, as they're geared more towards touring use. The ones I listed, along with my mesh jacket, also effectively have 4 layers; inner thermal layer, inner rain layer, the mesh pants themselves, and zip-out panels that can be used to cover the mesh on the outside.
 
Are you talking about tightening them with a strap, lace or whatever that goes under the boot? Is it something like this...
http://www.stoneystraps.com/

A few pants have stirrups, but it's not common. I'm talking about something that pulls the pant tight around the ankle of the boot, which is generally more narrow than the top of the boot. As a result, it doesn't slide up. It works best with something like an armoured boot, that has a more pronounced size increase towards the top, but should work reasonably well on a stovepipe boot too.
 
full face Shark helmet, gauntlet RST gloves, leather Velocity jacket with upgraded Knox armour, kevlar Velocity jeans, Knox OR Icon knee protectors and full Dainese Axial boots.

this year im guna make it a point to wear a back protector and leather pants more often when going on longer rides.
 
Yeah I've been hearing that about jeans often lately, and I always ride in jeans. The problem with riding in (motorcycle specific) pants, for me at least is most of them are always kind of tight fitting, uncomfortable and always ride up on my boots when sitting on a bike. What kind of pants do you ride in? Are they comfy?

i have a pair of Shift Havoc pants, they are a leather/textile mix. fit like a pair of boot cut jeans, not too loose, not too tight.
http://stores.sportbiketrackgear.com/images/InitialSet/shift_havoc_pants_400.jpg

that being said, i try to wear my gear all the time, if i do drop anything, its the pants. and i'll ride in regular jeans. but 90% of the time i am in full gear. dainese boots, shift jacket and pants, Five gloves, shoei lid, knox aegis back protector.
 
Do you wanna look cool or safe?

I decided to go with the Arai RX-Q, Dainese Newsan Perforated Leather jacket with Wave G back-protector, Nexo Cobra Plus gloves, Kevlar jeans with Dainese knee V guard, and Alpinestars SMX-Plus vented boots.
 
if you're going to be getting into boots, and are looking to spend some money, pick up each pair of boots before buying. try to bend it side to side... if it folds over under pressure, then i suggest another boot. thats my boot shopping advice. :)
 
if you're going to be getting into boots, and are looking to spend some money, pick up each pair of boots before buying. try to bend it side to side... if it folds over under pressure, then i suggest another boot. thats my boot shopping advice. :)

That is fantastic advice. I love my ankles. That's why budgeted for a pair of Sidi Sts.

On a separate note, is there anyone who endures the discomfort and wears leather thru the summer?
 
latex from head to toe

That I'd like to see.

I have several different bits of gear that I match to my needs.
  • Shoei and Shark FF helmets (usually wear an X-11)
  • Perforated leather or heavy textile jacket (Scorpion and Joe Rocket but Velocity has some very cool textile and leather I've looked at)
  • Leather or textile pants. If very hot and not going very far jeans with leg armour underneath. My experience with denim seems different from some, I've found it holds up well enough on get offs up to 60kph. I suppose it depends on the get off, how you fall and how you slide. I tend to be lucky in my falling abilities.
  • Sidi B2 or Puma GTX boots. Never ride without boots
  • Gloves - most variety is hear, either heavy or light gauntlets depending on temperature. When very hot I wear shorty vented gloves and worry that it is crap protection but slightly better than nothing.
No one rides the back of my bike without boots, jeans, leather jacket, gloves and FF helmet.
 
That is fantastic advice. I love my ankles. That's why budgeted for a pair of Sidi Sts.

On a separate note, is there anyone who endures the discomfort and wears leather thru the summer?

I wear leather in the summer. Only recently discovered perforated leather and that is cooling. My philosophy on weather and clothes seems different from most. I look at it this way: it's Canada - cold spring and fall, hot, short summers. When it's hot I'm gonna be hot or I'm gonna be inside in AC. I prefer being outside and hot. When I'm hot I sweat. I get over that and don't worry about it much. So, I wear leather in hot weather (most of the time) and I sweat. Oh well.

You don't see Beduins stripping down to surf shorts and crocs or wining about being hot while wearing a robe.
 
That is fantastic advice. I love my ankles. That's why budgeted for a pair of Sidi Sts.

On a separate note, is there anyone who endures the discomfort and wears leather thru the summer?

I've worn full leathers on a few occasions during the summer. It's not something that is done often, because you can't really carry much with you. With textile pants, at least there are pockets I can use, but with a full leather suit, there is absolutely none. I've done it for days where I've only gone out on rides and what not. Not feasible for riding to work or stuff like that.
 
I wear leather in the summer. When I'm hot I sweat. I get over that and don't worry about it much. So, I wear leather in hot weather (most of the time) and I sweat. Oh well...

Okay... I'm glad I'm not nuts.
Some may chalk it up to a newbie on overkill, but I've opted for full leather gear.... A perforated Icon leather jacket, and Fox Creek leather overpants. They're going to provide outstanding protection, and be hot as hell. I figure if it's too hot, I'll use the AC in my Mazda3.
 
That is fantastic advice. I love my ankles. That's why budgeted for a pair of Sidi Sts.

On a separate note, is there anyone who endures the discomfort and wears leather thru the summer?

I've been wearing full leathers for the last 3 summers, this year, near the end of the season is when I just got the perforated suit. I'd much rather sweat my butt off, then shred it off on the pavement.
 
Ill never **** talk about someone in full gear, but sometimes I wonder if they are wearing a track suit because they think it looks cool. The reason I say this is because there is fantastic protective street gear you can buy that not only looks nice, but can breath and aisle away your body heat. I'm all for protection but if you want to cook go right ahead.


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FWIW, I always knew jeans weren't the safest option and after my first season of riding in regular jeans, I think I've pushed my luck enough. Starting this year, I'm riding in either Kevlar jeans or some other type of protective pants with padding.

Otherwise, I'm always wearing gloves, full-face helmet, textile jacket, and boots that cover my ankles. Sweat >>> Road Rash
 
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FWIW, I always knew jeans weren't the safest option and after my first season of riding in regular jeans, I think I've pushed my luck enough. Starting this year, I'm riding in either Kevlar jeans or some other type of protective pants with padding.

Otherwise, I'm always wearing gloves, full-face helmet, textile jacket, and boots that cover my ankles. Sweat >>> Road Rash

That's how I'm going this season. Under armor with Kevlar jeans.

Sent from my Nexus One using Tapatalk
 
I've been wearing full leathers for the last 3 summers, this year, near the end of the season is when I just got the perforated suit. I'd much rather sweat my butt off, then shred it off on the pavement.

I used to ride in perforated racing leathers but ultimately decided that I was in more danger of passing out from heat exhaustion, than I was from being hit by another vehicle. These days I use quality textile gear.
 
Gravel's a ***** to clean out of open wounds. Gravel and denim are even harder.

Last time I wrecked was in jeans. Leather wouldn't have made a lick of difference. It's not like the denim is gonna infuse into your wounds... it just rips away.

Circumstances are of course always different, but to me, pants are at the bottom of the protective gear list. Helmet is a given, gloves and boots follow closely in second, and then a jacket in third.
 
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