Riding in Jeans? Think again...

[shamrocker]

I used to wear jeans (or slacks) everywhere, then I got some nice overpants for longer rides. Recently, I've been wearing the overpants more and more places now that I've seen how nasty a low speed fall can be without the right pants. Inconvenient? Hot? Sure, but worth it.

 

[Wh0M3]

I know I'm guilty of riding in jeans and with the way some of them are so thin it is understandable they don't hold up well. I bought a pair of riding jeans from Amazon and they are thicker and more comfortable than regular jeans for riding. I do have some Castle riding pants that are comfortable and breath really well that I use when I'm going for a long ride.

I've also been looking to upgrade some of my gear and get some actual leather stuff for track days.

 

[AngelFZ]

With all the talk here, today was actually the very first day I rode to work wearing a pair of "motoboss" riding over pants (I had purchased some time ago) over my jeans.

I do have in mind buying some motorcycle-jeans in the future.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[PPieter]

I had almost the same accident about half a year ago: a truck coming from the opposite direction decided to turn left without any warning, went down at about 65 kmh (that's about 40 mph). I was wearing all gear, except pants and boots.
Result: both knees smashed and half a year later I'm still wearing a knee brace for my left one.

I am also a fond believer of AGATT, but I get the guy's point: you won't wear full gear for a 5 minute ride to the store or a friend. My accident happened 2 km from home, and I was just going to get some stuff at a friend's place. Wear full gear when doing crazy/fast things, wear jeans for (very) short trips.
Like he said: it's our own choice. We choose to ride bikes, so injuries are an inevitable part of it.

 

[huy]

Just wanted to add in some more pictures and share my experience.

I just laid the bike down last week going about 50mph. I am extremely glad I was wearing all the gear. Got away with just a bruised ankle and ego.

I was wearing the RevIt! Airwave pants. They shredded at the knee and seat even though they were 500D fabric. They stayed intact long enough to not go through my underwear underneath. Knee guards also took the entire brunt of the impact and probably saved me a hospital trip.

 

[PosterFZ6]

Just wanted to add in some more pictures and share my experience.

I just laid the bike down last week going about 50mph. I am extremely glad I was wearing all the gear. Got away with just a bruised ankle and ego.

I was wearing the RevIt! Airwave pants. They shredded at the knee and seat even though they were 500D fabric. They stayed intact long enough to not go through my underwear underneath. Knee guards also took the entire brunt of the impact and probably saved me a hospital trip.

Wow I feel safer now because these are the same pants I have too.

Ia m glad you are okay and thanks for taking one for the team and testing these out, lol.

 

[PurpleZJ]

Pretty sure I'll be wearing my overpants 100% now after dropping my bike yesterday, I didn't exactly enjoy skidding across pavement at 40ish mph but I'm sure it would have sucked a whole lot more had I not been wearing all my gear. Gear FTW

 

[Yasko]

This trend has scared the f out of me. I just got the BMW City pants off Amazon. I now have a set of textile over pant, a nice cordra summer pant, and now these all after this trend.:thumbup:
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006JGGTS6/ref=noref?ie=UTF8&psc=1&s=automotive]BMW City Denim Pants : Amazon.com : Automotive[/ame]

I've seen reports of these pants going down at 30-40mph, and the pants come away with no damage.:rockon:

 

[texcollect]

I was at a BMW demo day earlier in the year and all the ride guides were wearing those. They looked pretty cool I especially liked the zippers on the lower legs that curved round to let you get your boots on better Unfortunately BMW only seems to cater for dwarfs and those of us with longer inseams are SOL.

According to BMW if you have a 40 inch waist your inseam should be 31.4 and if you go for the long you get 33.8, which is still 2.2 shorter than I need !!

 

[greg]

I was at a BMW demo day earlier in the year and all the ride guides were wearing those. They looked pretty cool I especially liked the zippers on the lower legs that curved round to let you get your boots on better Unfortunately BMW only seems to cater for dwarfs and those of us with longer inseams are SOL.

According to BMW if you have a 40 inch waist your inseam should be 31.4 and if you go for the long you get 33.8, which is still 2.2 shorter than I need !!

i'd imagine you don't need jeans to be quite as long if you wear boots though, if they are too long there's a chance they could interfere with the controls


do people tuck their (kevlar) jeans in to the boots, or wear them on top?

 

[sloring]

you just need to learn how to fall. I wear a motorcycle jacket, but regular pants when I ride. When I fall, I would try to slide on my back and lift up my legs. That's the plan anyway.

 

[texcollect]

i'd imagine you don't need jeans to be quite as long if you wear boots though, if they are too long there's a chance they could interfere with the controls


do people tuck their (kevlar) jeans in to the boots, or wear them on top?

When I ride to work I wear 38x36 draggin jeans and I wear them over my Dianese Fulcrm boots. I switch to a pair of sneakers, and remove my knee guards when I get to the office.

 

[bursonwork]

Looking the work pents for navy which are more comfort for me.

 

[bdevries]

What about doing little stuff around town like grabbing bread from the store or going to the bank? I have yet to ride, and plan on using my gear 95% of the time, but I cant imagine the heat and discomfort textile overpants would bring for a 10 minute trip under 30mph

 

[VEGASRIDER]

What about doing little stuff around town like grabbing bread from the store or going to the bank? I have yet to ride, and plan on using my gear 95% of the time, but I cant imagine the heat and discomfort textile overpants would bring for a 10 minute trip under 30mph

You are creating bad habits. You either ATGATT or not. statistcally, those are the rides that you will find yourself crashing. Just a short distance from where you live. Trust me, you get use to it. You do it often enough, you don't even think about it, it becomes so routine putting on all your gear under 30 seconds. Not wearing full gear will becomes very uncomfortabe. I feel naked without it. I've ridden in jeans around a parking lot and it gives me the heebie jeebies.

 

[bdevries]

You are creating bad habits. You either ATGATT or not. statistcally, those are the rides that you will find yourself crashing. Just a short distance from where you live. Trust me, you get use to it. You do it often enough, you don't even think about it, it becomes so routine putting on all your gear under 30 seconds. Not wearing full gear will becomes very uncomfortabe. I feel naked without it. I've ridden in jeans around a parking lot and it gives me the heebie jeebies.

Understood. But as I'm still new to all of this I'll keep prodding with noob questions and comments, as silly as they may seem

Isn't it a pain in the butt to walk through the market in black textile pants? I do some pretty intense mountain biking, easily close to 70 kmh downhill at some points and only knee and elbow pads.. I just feel like riding a motorcycle to the market at under 30mph won't do THAT much damage.. I don't even wear gear(except a helmet) on my road bicycle and certainly exceed 30mph.. Granted, I've never fallen, but I don't know if I'd actually tear myself up at that speed.. just playing the devils advocate here I guess.

 

[FinalImpact]

Understood. But as I'm still new to all of this I'll keep prodding with noob questions and comments, as silly as they may seem

Isn't it a pain in the butt to walk through the market in black textile pants? I do some pretty intense mountain biking, easily close to 70 kmh downhill at some points and only knee and elbow pads.. I just feel like riding a motorcycle to the market at under 30mph won't do THAT much damage.. I don't even wear gear(except a helmet) on my road bicycle and certainly exceed 30mph.. Granted, I've never fallen, but I don't know if I'd actually tear myself up at that speed.. just playing the devils advocate here I guess.

Long boarding has been a passion of mine for years and straight up - 10mph or 30 mph and it sucks when you go down as skin will be lost! 3rd degree burns don't need a 60 mph drop! Now, I've been lucky and not bit it with just pads, while others around me, not so lucky at all. I've seen it and it for me!

Step forward 3 years. Grabbed the bike, 6 months I rode in Jeans and thought nothing of it. Found a deal on a full set of zip together leathers and just like Vegas said, I feel naked and vulnerable in jeans now. Can't do it, won't do it. Its not worth it even when its 90F. Gear up! Your family will thank you!

 

[Ssky0078]

What about doing little stuff around town like grabbing bread from the store or going to the bank? I have yet to ride, and plan on using my gear 95% of the time, but I cant imagine the heat and discomfort textile overpants would bring for a 10 minute trip under 30mph

LOL, he said heat and discomfort in "Ontario, Canada".

If I go for any type of sport ride I have overpants, jacket, helmet, boots, gloves on. If I'm in town I will squid out and only wear helmet and gloves, in 110+ degree AZ summer heat. The overpants and jacket only get toasty after 80 degrees.

 

[Ssky0078]

Understood. But as I'm still new to all of this I'll keep prodding with noob questions and comments, as silly as they may seem

Isn't it a pain in the butt to walk through the market in black textile pants? I do some pretty intense mountain biking, easily close to 70 kmh downhill at some points and only knee and elbow pads.. I just feel like riding a motorcycle to the market at under 30mph won't do THAT much damage.. I don't even wear gear(except a helmet) on my road bicycle and certainly exceed 30mph.. Granted, I've never fallen, but I don't know if I'd actually tear myself up at that speed.. just playing the devils advocate here I guess.

Falling in the dirt is way different than falling on concrete. I've been down in the dirt twice so far at 20ish mph and once on the concrete at less than 10mph. The concrete was much worse and if I didn't have on my jacket with shoulder armor I would have probably had a broken collarbone.

 

[Motogiro]

What about doing little stuff around town like grabbing bread from the store or going to the bank? I have yet to ride, and plan on using my gear 95% of the time, but I cant imagine the heat and discomfort textile overpants would bring for a 10 minute trip under 30mph

At least get some serious lined quality Kevlar jeans.

Be wary of the claims of Kevlar. I've see material that is called Kevlar and it may have Kevlar woven with other non Kevlar material but in my mind it does not qualify to be called Kevlar and I feel it is misrepresentation under the guise of marketing.

I have real Kevlar pants. They are made by the only place here in the US that makes them Motoport. I always plug for this small company here in San Diego area for good reason. The guy who runs it with his family is so helpful and has integrity. He makes a great product and makes the most effort to give you a great product. His product saves your hide. I usually don my Kevlar in the really hot weather because it breathes so well compared to my leather. I love my leather track pants but I know that the front of my Kevlars have 10 times the abrasion resistance to my leather. The stretchier back material of my Kevlar pants has at least 4 times the abrasion resistance. I can wash my Kevlar pants! I can't wash my leathers and if they get wet they loose their properties.
You can get Kevler over pants that are quick on and off so if you're a commuter you owe it to yourself and your family to wear them.
They're not cheap but they'll outlast any leather and they're washable so maybe they are cheaper than leather?

VEGASRIDER (Kenny) had some Kevlar gloves that he just plain wore out because he is such a road warrior and I believe Wayne Boyer at Motorport just exchanged them for new ones! Lol!

By the way,Wayne isn't just some guy making motorcycle gear. He used to race. He knows our passion.