Total Motorcycle Community Forums

I have been looking at some of the protective jeans that are available. Several companies make varying items; Icon, Alpinstars and so on, but none of them offer armor, and I'm not certain how the denim actually holds up in a skid. Draggin Jeans can be ordered with an armor kit for the knees, but not the hips. Does anyone use any of the riding jeans that are available?
What part of the body is most likely to be damaged in a skid?

I found another company that custom makes jeans with Kevlar and armor. The jeans are patterened after a favorite pair of jeams that you provide, but they are expenseive.[http://www.motoport.com/Pants/index.asp] It seems like a great idea if I could find the dough.

I have Joe Rocket overpants that I wear now but would like to wear
something I don't have to take off and carry around ll day.

Any other ideas?

Also I am curious about the fit. I hear that the jeans should be ordered a size larger thatn normal, especially the Dragin' jeans. Anybody wear them? Verm-X?

Thanks

i wore joe rocket armor jeans and draggin jeans, i like em and are both very careful




JWF

I've got a pair of the Joe Rocket steel jeans. I got them in my normal size and they fit great. Most of what I have seen with the kevlar reinforced jeans says they hold up pretty well when tested. I cant attest to the abrasion resistance of mine as I have not crash tested them (and would rather not crash test them).

If you want impact protection under those jeans look at some of that Bohn body armor, they have knee and hip protection that can be worn under clothes. Could even get something as simple as a set of motocross knee pads.

the joe rocket jeans are reasonably loose and there would be little problem fitting armor under them, they also easily fit over boots

i like the draggin jeans. i wear them all the time i ride unless i wear my 1pc suit.

one member from the gixxer forums posted that a bunch of his friends crashed and one of them was wearing plain draggin jeans.

the guy wearing the jeans wasn't badly injured on his legs but i assume this is from sliding. draggin jeans aren't good for impact protection but good for abrasion protections since you'll probably be sliding w/ either your kness or your butt which is where the kevlar is located on the jeans.

the kevlar jeans will give you better protection than chaps too. About the only thing chaps are good for is keeping your legs warm and keeping your knees from getting rashed, your butt is still wide open.

just remember to wash your new jeans before riding with them or you will slide all over the seat.

just something to consider...

"One of the biggest surprises comes when you look at the likely performance of your favorite jeans in a road test-- as in, a 50 MPH slide on an asphalt surface. According to abrasion tests cited in Motorcycle Magazine, denim wears through in a mere FOUR FEET. Not good. Kevlar does a little better, lasting eighteen feet... but it's standard motorcycle quality leather that clearly emerges as the winner, lasting EIGHTY-SIX FEET under the same 50 MPH slide conditions."

from: http://stampedemrc.com/gear2.htm


i've come to the conclusion that draggin jeans and the like provide more psychological reassurance that "i'm wearing proper leg gear!" than actual protection in a crash of any significance. i'll probably still pick up a couple pairs though.

That test your referencing is ancient. textile gear has come a LONG way since that test.

A friend of mine has a first hand account of how well textile gear works.

He slid for about 50 feet after a highside wearing his joe rocket textile jacket. the jacket was barely even scuffed up and he had no road rash where the jacket was covering

i noticed the page dates from 99 but it's still illustrative