To put it simply, normal jeans will not hold up if you have an accident.
• Single-stitch seams will explode
• Workwear pants are not the same as riding pants
• The knees are not reinforced
• Workwear pants are not the same as riding pants
• They do nothing to stop the elements – wind, rain, heat; you will feel everything
• Workwear pants are not the same as riding pants
You may have noticed one point is repeated a few times; this is because workwear pants are not the same as riding pants.
There are two main options for safe, protective motorcycle riding pants – Kevlar or Covec.
Kevlar is the yellow stuff you see when you turn the pants inside out – the worst you’re going to get from this is similar to a carpet burn (most people will prefer this to a game of Ultimate Gravel Rash and picking things out of their skin for the next 3 months) and it was originally developed to replace steel in racing tyres. Kevlar now has a whole heap of uses, most famously in ballistic body armour. Don’t you feel safer already?
Covec is “Technical Textiles” – synthetic fibres mixed with natural fibres or engineered specifically for a purpose (like riding motorcycles). These fibres are woven into the jean to reinforce the pants in their entirety, as opposed to Kevlar, where reinforcement is found in stitching and impact zones (upper legs including hips and bum, and around the knees; usually down to mid-calf).
At Western Motorcycles we strongly advise all riders of all skill level to “always suit up” and ride with all the correct gear.
The thing is, when you’re in a car you have a protective shell around you, designed with crush panels and airbags and space – when you’re on a bike the only protection you have is what you’re wearing, top and bottom.
As a learner, you are going to come off and that’s okay – but even a low-speed spill learning how to U-turn really hurts! So after you’ve bought your jeans and had a tumble, imagine how much more it would have hurt in workwear pants.
Want to know more? Have more questions? Contact us through our website, give us a call or drop into the shop; we’d love to have a chat. Ride safe!