Riding Jeans or Riding Pants?

 

I'm intrigued by riding jeans but concerned about their crash worthiness for non-city riding. My commuting distance is a combined 20 miles of backroads,mostly freeway and a tiny bit of downtown Portland. My other riding is highways and country roads.

My favorite warm weather option is Dainese New Drake Airs (fit is super!). Should I bother with denim or stick with these as my commuting pants?

Many thanks, Linda

For non-city riding, I wouldn't recommend riding jeans. Generally speaking, riding jeans are a better alternative to your casual, non resistant, gap/old navy type jeans. The only riding jeans I do recommend are ones with denim/Kevlar/technical, abrasion resistant fabrics such as Rokker or Rev'it. And I only recommend the ones with hip and knee protection. I tend to be a stickler for armor in riding jeans, but that's certainly a personal decision.

I think you are already wearing the best option for the commute that you're riding everyday. The Dainese Drake Airs are light, strong and comfortable. I have these too, but they're a size too big so I hate wearing them!

The only reason I would do riding jeans instead is if you really want something that's more casual looking for city riding only.  I was trying to buy the Rev'it Broadway jeans for ladies myself, but after I found the knee pockets to be an inch too low even in riding position, I knew they wouldn't work :(. I was thinking of finding a pair of jeans to wear just around town and on my 10 minute commute (non highway) to work. Personally, I wouldn't wear riding jeans on the freeway.

Sidenote: the Broadway jeans are very slender, and run a size up. I'm a 27" in most casual jeans and I had to go up to a 28" in these because they were so tight. They're also *really* long and all have 32" inseams, which you can hem but that doesn't change the position of the knee armor. I actually prefer the fit of the Madison, but they don't have any hip armor.  I may still give in to these if I can get hip pockets sewn in to add armor there.

Summer Women's Motorcycle Jacket for a Petite Frame

Hi Joanne,

I came across your blog doing research on motorcycle gear. I love how informative and thorough your writing is -- please continue sharing your insight and wisdom!

A friend of mine rides a Harley cruiser and we'll be taking a 2 hr road trip in a couple weeks. I'll be the passenger and I want to be properly geared up. I was thinking about getting the Rev'It Ignition 2 jacket, but am wondering if you had recommendations for other jackets, considering that I don't know how frequently I'll be on a motorcycle (this will be my first ride!) and I will most likely always be the passenger :)

My info is:

1/ 5'7" / 125ish

2/ bust -- 34 / waist -- 28 / hips -- 36

3/ I'll be Colorado in a couple weeks and it looks like that weekend is going to be in the low 90s, eek.

4/ What I'm concerned about is that the chest area will fit ok -- I'm pretty busty (32DD) but have a small back and narrow shoulders so ideally the jacket would need to fit my shoulders well and not be too big. I am also looking for a jacket that's not going to ride up too much when I sit.

Have you tried Ugly Bros denim? There's some versions that have kevlar woven in. I'd love to hear your thoughts on that brand if you're familiar?

I look forward to hearing from you!

best, amy

At your size, I don't think the Ignition 2 is a good option. It's *very* busty. I would actually recommend this jacket because it's longer, 3/4 length and without the waterproof/windproof liner (one liner keeps you warm and dry) and it's ventilated for hot weather. Comes in silver too. I'd go with a size 34. It's better for you than other mesh jackets due to the combination of fit/features that you need.

Rev'it Levante $299: http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/revit-womens-levante-jacket

If it's going to be 90, I recommend 2 things:

1. Wear a baselayer, something to moisture wick and help the gear breathe better: http://gearchic.com/2013/08/22/what-are-baselayers/
2. Wear  a sportsbra to compress the girls a bit if need be. The sports bra will also be more comfortable on a hot, long trip over a traditional bra. A running / workout bra is great. I wear a simple Gap Body one that's light and super comfy. I'm a 32D bordering 34C myself.

Rev'it and other companies make other mesh jackets, but this one hits all the points you need; bust fit, narrowness in shoulders/arms, length, coverage, etc.

The Maven will simply be too Hot. You need mesh and breathability. Keep in mind that the Levante is also a breathable mesh, not an open weave mesh like you see on other jackets. So it'll still breathe really well but not as direct as traditional mesh. Check out my cohost's review of the jacket here: http://gearchic.com/2013/07/10/revit-levante-jacket-review-by-advgoddess/

As far as denim jeans, haven't heard of that brand. My favorite is Rev'it because they offer Hip And Knee protection. It's very rare when someone offers us both! Body armor is as important as abrasion resistance, so hips and knees are a must. These offer both, as well as Coolmax lining which should help in the heat, and the denim is weaved with Cordura so it's not just regular denim with panels for reinforcement. Revit says that their lining is stronger than Kevlar, and more breathable. It's certainly softer, that's for sure. I'm very tempted to get these to commute to work with myself. I don't do riding jeans because none of them so far have offered hip and knee armor and I don't like riding without hip armor. The fit is fabulous and true to waist size. They fit like a nice bootcut jean. My only issue with them is that the legs are really long, I have a 28.5" inseam and the knee armor pockets are almost an inch too low in riding position. :(

Rev'it Broadway: http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/revit-womens-broadway-jeans

Summer Motorcycle Gloves for Men

Joanne,

I came across your GearChic blog & Moterrific podcast after listening to either the Wheelnerds or (more likely) The Pace Podcast.  I've caught up on all the podcasts & really appreciate all the great info & engaging interviews you & Christi have with people in the industry.  I listen quite a bit through my Sena while commuting to & from work & often on rides elsewhere (I'm a podcast addict, so I have something playing just about anytime).  

I have a gear question I've been trying to nail down for a while, since I ride mostly Kawasaki bikes - an '02 KLR650 (now 685) and an '09 Versys - both green.  I'm trying to find a comfortable summer-oriented glove for riding in the usual 80-100 degree summers we have here, and it would be a real bonus to find something in a Kawasaki green.  I currently wear a Sedici medium gauntlet style glove in the spring & fall, as well as some insulated Joe Rocket gauntlet gloves or Tourmaster heated gauntlets for winter.  During the summer, I will usually wear the Sedici gloves to work, but on the hot ride home, I will either wear some cheap dirt gloves or Mechanix gloves.  I know these won't give me the same protection as good street gloves in the event of a crash, so I'm hoping you can steer me in the right direction.

Thanks & I hope to boost your email count just a little :)

Cheers,

Aaron in Yuba City, CA

Hi Aaron!

Thanks for breaking my email record and making it 6 emails in the last week. I'm stoked to help you out. I'm going to warn you, these will all cost more than your budget gloves, but they are going to offer lots of protection, ventilation and comfort.

As far as Kawi Green, that's a tough one. As most of my recommendations aren't available in that color. Try not to think about that too much, you're not looking down at your hands while you're riding, right? :D But I found you one option below that is offered in green, just in case.

Here are my favorite men's summer gloves which also offer plenty of abrasion protection on the palms for street riding. They look like dual sport gloves, and they definitely work well for that but the protection on these are sweet for street riding.

1/ Rev'it Dirt 2 (my fave)

$109.99. These are extremely well ventilated and have a strong goatskin palm, reinforced palms and hard knuckle protection just in case. Like all Rev'it gloves, the fingers tend to run a tad longer.  A really neat feature about these gloves is that there is mesh above the thumbs, so if you have trouble with gloves that are too short over the thumb, these may work better. They're also touchscreen friendly, but please no texting and driving~!

Fitwise, they are a bit narrow at the wrist so if you have really wide hands/palms, go up a size. But they will stretch out in the palms after you break them in.

2/ Held Sambia

$108.00. The Sambias are very similar to the Rev'it, with different construction but the same general purpose/features. Lots of abrasion resistance in the palms for street protection, and ventilation for summer. They also have my favorite, kangaroo palms!

Fitwise, they're also a bit on the narrow side so if you have really wide hands then order a size up. Finger lengths are average, not too short, not too long.

3/ Alpinestars SMX-2 Air Carbon

$79.95 These were actually on my mind as I read through your email. What a coincidence they come in kawi green! These also have a nice leather/mesh construction with carbon fiber hard protections. Lots of air flow with lots of protection. They also happen to be touch screen friendly.

Fitwise, I have found that these will have slightly shorter fingers and accommodate a wide palm without going up a size.

My Favorite Women's Leather Motorcycle Jackets for Summer

 

A couple weeks ago I posted my favorite summer textiles, but here are some leather options if that's what you need this summer. All of these have perforation or breathability of some kind to get you through the heat. Of course, remember to always wear your favorite full sleeve hot weather baselayers with any of these recommendations!

Keep in mind that even perforated leather won't save you if it's 90-100 degrees, especially with humidity. These are probably more useful to those of you on the west, or southwest where summers are a bit more bearable. Or for mild temperatures, between 70-80 degrees. The summer leather jacket that I wear is also listed below, with a link to the review so you can see how well she did in 90-100 degree dry California heat.

I know there aren't very many options for us when it comes to leather, especially perforated/ventilated ones. Hopefully one of these will work well for you.

Laguna Evo Perforated

$499.95 MSRP, 4 colors, Euro sizes 40-54 (~US2 - 16)

First up, the white jacket above by Dainese. Don't worry, it's also available in black. Aside from all the lovely perforation you can see on the chest and the back of the jacket. The entire surface isn't perforated, but key panels on the chest will provide airflow. Fitment wise, it's your classic hourglass, with a length below the waist. The bust isn't that generous, so if you have a larger than average bust size for your height/weight, then you may want another one the options below. I would still wear a Euro 42 (US 4), but the chest space is definitely a bit snug for me, it doesn't fit anything like the now discontinued Cage.

GP Plus R

$399.95 MSRP, 2 colors, Euro sizes 38-50 (~US 0 - 12)

The GP Plus R also has a typical hourglass fit, but starts down at a full size smaller than the Laguna Evo.  I like how this one fits, not too slim, not too broad. If you have a fairly proportionate body type, then this should fit well. The length is nice, also sits right above the hip. I'd say it has a more generous bust fitment. If I needed another leather jacket, this would be one of my top choices. There is no removable liner with this one.

Galactic

$499.95 MSRP, 2 colors, Sizes Euro 34-46 (US 2-14)

The Galactic is my favorite and current summer leather jacket. Ventilated with a removeable waterproof liner. Read my full review here.

Ignition 2

$499.99 MSRP, 2 colors, Sizes Euro 34-46 (US 4-16)

The Ignition is a relaxed, touring / sport touring fit with a more generous and curvy fit. Read my full review here.

Xena

$449.99 MSRP, 3 colors, Sizes Euro 34-44

The Xena is the sportiest option for those of you looking for a full race cut leather jacket. This one has a smaller than average fit, I usually wear a 36 in Rev'it and I needed a 38 for this one to accommodate my bust (37").