No matter what you ride, you’ve really got to wear something to cover your legs. Being a people watcher and fashion critic, I’ve noticed some very wild bottom wear. I’ve also noticed that Americans still love their blue jeans.
In May, you may have read a number of my columns as well as a cover story in the Weekender that talked about motorcycle safety. One of the main ways to protect yourself is by wearing proper riding gear. Like any fashion item, people are as individual with their tastes in trousers as they are in the bikes they choose. Some of these choices make a little more sense than others.
I did notice that the majority of people who wear shorts while riding are either riding crotch rockets or the really big Harley full dressers. And as apparel goes, they are usually also wearing sneakers, which do not provide full protection for your feet. It’s all fun until you drop the bike and skid on your naked calves down the asphalt. It’s not pretty, and it hurts. I realize that it’s hot in the summer, especially this summer with temperatures in the high 90s. But long pants aren’t just for winter riding. They can also keep you safe. The worst-case scenario is the habit of some to wear halter tops and short-shorts with heels or sandals. That’s just road rash waiting to happen.
There are motorcycle pants designed for whatever the weather or the type of riding you are going to undertake. There is also a price range to fit every wallet. While most riders do tend to wear everyday jeans, which is the American way after all, there are jeans that are made particularly for motorcycle riding. These jeans come with extra padding in the knees and sometimes the inner thighs.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the riders’ safety courses recommend that you wear denim, non-flare bottom pants or something similar. You don’t want the flared bottoms to catch in the shifter or any other moving part of the bike. And denim is a fairly strong material. If you are thinking that it’s still just too hot to wear jeans, you might want to look at some of the denim riding pants that come not only with the extra padding for protection but also air vents to help keep the temperature down. I have a pair of these, and they are quite comfortable even though they are a little heavier than my usual Gap jeans.
For those who like the blue-collar look, Carhartt makes a wonderful pair of double-layered pants that also double as motorcycle pants. These are called the Carhatt Double-Front Work Dungarees. These run about $50 and can be found at eBay and many other online spots. While these pants were designed for those who work in the outdoors, they do nicely for riding, and they come in women’s sizes as well. Adding a nice pair of chaps can add a bit of style and added protection to your jeans. Chaps come in many styles and colors to go with whatever your sense of fashion dictates. While they’re usually leather, chaps do come in denim, also.
One other garment that was getting rave reviews online was the Cortech DSX Denim pant. “Perforated Brazilian leather panels are used as lining in the impact areas to provide added protection, and removable knee armor,” according to tourmaster.com. This allows the pants to be worn when you’re not riding. These come in three colors including black. I mention this because black jeans are harder to come by, especially in the summer. These pants are listed at tourmaster.com for $99. A little pricier, but they are designed for riding.
Another very popular choice for riding britches is leather pants. These are all-weather wear but tend to get a bit warm when the temperature rises. Leather pants give you the best protection, hands down. These can run to the more expensive side. There is really nothing hotter than leathers. Both the denim and the leather pants can change looks depending on whether you are tour riding or street riding. Leather pants can run into the hundreds of dollars depending on make and material. There was even a place in New York that advertises on the Web that if you don’t see it, they will make it. No prices listed here. You can see many styles at www.leathercycle.com/index.htm.
Whatever your fashion sense dictates, ride safe and minimize the potential for injury by wearing full gear whenever you ride.
w
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