Motorcycle Jeans Project

[epb]



I was excited and ready to order until I read halfway through your post

Good price though.

I took a ride in them today and was pretty pleased. Perched on my CBR600RR they were comfortable (and on that bike, that's a challenge) and the armor was in the right place, and a 20-something girl actually complimented me on them at lunch, which was a surprise. I'll concede that while I still think they're over-styled, they do look like a lot of jeans the younger set wears, so could just be me being a fuddy-duddy. I literally stood looking in the mirror after I got home saying "Seriously?"

I left the foam armor in to see how I'd like it, and it was a bit stiff when off the bike. As I said previously, I think I'll like my Forcefield armor more.

My only other riding jeans are BMW City 2s and I'd have to say I'd call it even. My City 2s have better armor, better design (like all the pockets up front and adjustable leg closure) but these fit better (except for length, but actual sizing rather than S, M, L, etc) and I could get almost 3 pair for what I paid for the BMW gear. I'd call it a draw.

 

[epb]

As another data point, I thought I'd include a shot of the armor. The leftmost is the D3O armor from my BMW City 2s, the middle is my Forcefield knee armor, the right is the foam armor from the BiLT jeans I got.

 

[BubblyMasquerade]

http://www.maplemoto.com/

 

[Ponyboy312]

epb: I'll concede that while I still think they're over-styled, they do look like a lot of jeans the younger set wears, so could just be me being a fuddy-duddy. I literally stood looking in the mirror after I got home saying "Seriously?"

--LOL. Great review too btw.

 

[otc]

Well...unfortunately they don't like like the jeans that anyone on SF would buy (hence the purpose of this thread).

edit: that's not to say that I would be unwilling to accept some level of stupid pre-distressing in exchange for kevlar, armor, and a good fit at a decent price.

 

[epb]

Cheap Kevlar Motorcycle Jeans II: The Reckoning!

Saw yet another deal on motorcycle jeans and succumbed to temptation. My last pair was BiLT's $70 "Iron Workers" from Cycle Gear This time, I ran across an ad for Sliders for $80 from Competition Accessories.

What Sliders tout is that their jeans are safe while being not much different than your Levis 501 jeans. Now, I know this is SF, so let me explain that this is seen as a positive attribute among normal people, who can't spot 14oz selvedge denim with vegetable-based dye at 30 paces. If you're wearing dept. store Lees and Levis, these look and feel a lot like them. (Ask a commoner about their jeans if you're unfamiliar with these.)

The first thing I noticed is that the denim used feels like a heavier weight than the BiLT, yet feels softer. (It's advertised is 13.5oz denim. Geeks.) Like the BiLTs and other motorcycle hjeans, they suffer from excess seams where the Kevlar liners are double-stitched in, so you've got two seams going across each leg (one above the knee, one below) and along the side from hip to knee, but this time the stitching is all one color so it doesn't stand out as much (I also went with black this time). The rear pockets have a two-line cross-over pattern that's pretty generic and a pocket tab that reads "Kevlar." The rear waistband has a leather Sliders label. The color is sort of a black pre-wash look, rather than deep black.

Pros:
- they look like Levis Relaxed Fit jeans, so they are very subtle about being motorcycle jeans.
- more comfortable than my Iron Workers, even with armor. Without, as comfortable as ordinary jeans. Part of this is that, like my BMW Citys that more than cost twice as much, they have a soft liner between you and the Kevlar. The BiLTs aren't uncomfortable, but they aren't as comfortable as ordinary denim - these are.
- much larger pockets for knee armor. These jeans can take both my Forcefield and D3O armor.
- armor placement is adjustable. This is fairly typical, but I note it because the BiLTs aren't.
- the fit on the legs is looser, so the armor doesn't press against me when off the bike.
- seem to breathe quite well on the bike.

Cons:
- they look like Levis Relaxed Fit jeans. The seller warned they run big so I sized down and they do fit at the waist properly, but they're loose everywhere else. Bear in mind that while I'm fit (6'1, 190#) I'm 50 years old. This isn't some skinny-jeans wearing hipster saying they're loose, meaning they've got a spare millimeter of material. They're loose even to old people like me, wearing boxers instead of thongs or bikinis or whatever you kids wear. Now, this is handy when off the bike with the armor still in as far as comfort, but in a dismount it makes me wonder if the armor will be covering the right areas. On the other hand, they take larger armor than the Iron Workers, so I've got more coverage. If they were an inch or so smaller in the leg, they'd be perfect (or I'd find something else to complain about). My BMW Citys win overall - same size armor, closer fit, meaning overall better placement. (And if I go to a disco in the 1980s, I'm all set thanks to all the zipper action, but I digress...)
- knee armor is not included. Not an issue for me since I have some, but worth mentioning as paying $12 for the optional foam knee armor ups the price
- hip armor is not an option, unlike the Iron Workers (but then, the IWs don't include that, just the foam knee armor).

In sum, these are much better motorcycle jeans than the Iron Workers, though I won't be garnering compliments in these (yes, there've been more compliments on the BiLTs. Yes, that's still weird).

As a special bonus. In addition to the above, I'd recommend the Sliders over the Iron Workers for two reasons: One, the Sliders Kevlar looks and feels much thicker than the Iron Workers. Two, the coverage area of the Kevlar is superior. I took pictures of them side-by-side to illustrate. The Iron Workers are on the left, the Sliders on the right:

As you can see, the Sliders have a mesh comfort liner over most of the leg and much larger pockets for the armor on the front; the Kevlar also covers the more around the knees . On the rear, you'll notice that the Kevlar covers more of the seat and goes farther down the side of the leg. (The canvas flaps on the Iron Workers are for the hip armor, not regular pockets.)

Hope this helps

 

[otc]

I like those much better...wish they came in a darker blue though. Maybe I could try overdyeing a pair (don't want black).

Looks like they also sell some kevlar khakis which might be a good option. Probably still pretty baggy, but they could probably be altered.

I think you will find that if they actually looked and fit like a 501, it would be a good thing--the 501 is a decent cut when sized appropriately. The problem is usually more with the fake distressing and ugly washes that a lot of jeans have. Lot of people on here have been through a pair or two of the classic levis 501 shrink-to-fit (which comes in the darkest blue and fades over time).

 

[epb]



I think you will find that if they actually looked and fit like a 501, it would be a good thing--the 501 is a decent cut when sized appropriately. The problem is usually more with the fake distressing and ugly washes that a lot of jeans have. Lot of people on here have been through a pair or two of the classic levis 501 shrink-to-fit (which comes in the darkest blue and fades over time).

Yep, I mis-quoted them in the first paragraph; the jeans are modeled on the 550 Relaxed Fit, not 501. I mention Relaxed Fit in the subsequent paragraphs but didn't include the model. I agree that fitting like 501s would probably be spot-on. Someone happy with the cut of the 550 would likely be very happy with these. Even with the extra room, I like their more low-key appearance.

 

[Ponyboy312]

Cheap Kevlar Motorcycle Jeans II: The Reckoning!

I have those exact same boots. Great minds...

 

[epb]



I have those exact same boots.  Great minds...

I like them for riding around town, but I do wish they'd come with a shift pad.

 

[epb]

Just as a follow-up: Motorcycle Consumer News says these jeans are pretty much identical to AGV Sport line with 13.5 oz denim compared to AGV using 12.5 oz denim; they're made in the same factory. However, AGV's Sport line offers a model called Corsica, which has the same features as these but is modeled on the Levi 505 Regular Fit rather than the 550 Relaxed Fit like the Sliders. They still come in at under $100 (by about a buck). If I find myself needing yet another pair or they turn up on close-out somewhere, I might try them as well, but just wanted to let folks know if there are interested parties.

Currently waiting on my armored hoodie...

 

[Ponyboy312]

Armored hoody? That sounds wicked (I'll be googling it later). Re: the TCX boots, they did come with a shift pad. In fact, I wasn't sure what it was for when I first saw it in the box. The shoes are deep black and I like a little scuffing, so I have never used it. I only keep it around for a day I decide to go out in one of my more delicate non-moto boots. You gotta post an update when you get the hoodie.

 

[rm20]

just came across these one...anyone heard of / tried them?:

http://leananglejeans.com/

 

[epb]



Armored hoody?  That sounds wicked (I'll be googling it later).  Re: the TCX boots, they did come with a shift pad.  In fact, I wasn't sure what it was for when I first saw it in the box.  The shoes are deep black and I like a little scuffing, so I have never used it.  I only keep it around for a day I decide to go out in one of my more delicate non-moto boots.  You gotta post an update when you get the hoodie.

I don't recall any sort of shift pad with mine, and the TCX web site makes no mention - weird.

The hoodie should be here tomorrow, so I'll post my impressions. As it's 90-degrees, I won't be riding in it for a bit.

just came across these one...anyone heard of / tried them?:

Never heard of them, but they look like good quality - full Kevlar lining rather than just the impact/abrasion zones, comfort liner, Forcefield armor (good stuff, I've got some), and apparently they're looking to get CE-rated, which is all to the good. The denim is a bit lighter than I'd like at 12.5 oz. My thing, and this applies to all of Kevlar denim, is the price. All the CE-rated denim seems to run $250+, and at that price point I'll forgo the compromises of jeans and get the full-on protection of a textile stuit or leathers.

 

[Ponyboy312]

I don't recall any sort of shift pad with mine, and the TCX web site makes no mention - weird.
The hoodie should be here tomorrow, so I'll post my impressions. As it's 90-degrees, I won't be riding in it for a bit.

Yeah, I was surprised to see them in the box b/c they weren't mentioned in the specs before I ordered them. Looking forward to the hoodie update.