Jeans or Leathers?

[rac3r]

Similar to the 'Kevlar jeans' thread but a little different and I didn't want to hijack his thread

At the moment I wear helmet, gloves, textile jacket, normal jeans and boots. My commute (If I use the bike) is very short, about 10/15 mins and 3/4 days a week and all 30 zones, because of traffic I hardly even reach 30 (sometimes I use the bus/walk - London) And a couple of times a month I do longer journeys on dual carriageways. When I say longer it's still only about 30ish Miles.

I'm not sure what to do kit wise. I'm upgrading my jacket to leather and want some protection for my legs for the longer journeys. Leather jeans are a bit £££ so i'm thinking weather it's worth going for kevlar jeans instead. What do you think?
____________________
Bikes : 2006 CBR125R - 2004 Monster 620ie - 2004 ZX-6R B1H - 2005 Monster S2R 800 - 2011 Street Triple - 2009 Streetfighter 1098 - 2014 ZX-6R 636

[t121anf]

i'd go with Kevlar jeans if you are commuting to work, saves getting changed.

if out on a blast then leather all the way, possibly textiles.

TBH textiles are the best middle ground but i'm not keen on mine as they are a bad fit.

if i was commuting though, i'd ride in normal jeans as i wouldn't get up to a great deal of speed and i fear kevlar ones would be warmer and since our office is like an oven i don't want to be any warmer than i already am.

it comes down to money and how much you like your skin etc.

[rac3r]

As said before my commute is VERY short and at low speeds so I'll be wearing normal jeans. I want the Kevlar/leather jeans for my slightly longer journeys and when out for a random ride
____________________
Bikes : 2006 CBR125R - 2004 Monster 620ie - 2004 ZX-6R B1H - 2005 Monster S2R 800 - 2011 Street Triple - 2009 Streetfighter 1098 - 2014 ZX-6R 636

[t121anf]

leather imo then. pretty sure the likes of draggin jeans are £60+, i'm sure if you timed it right you could get textiles or leather jeans from HG for not much more.

(my textiles, jeans and jackets, only cost £80, but as said the fitting is poor)

[Louise]

If I get this job next month I will be traveling around 15 mins each way.
I will just wear jeans. Its such hassle getting leathers on/off on short trips.
Or kevlar - Mine are camo and stand out so will be looking for blue ones - but they come in around £90+

[TheDonUK]

I am currently commuting every day to uni, a round trip of around 30 miles, 30 min trip each way, Residential roads, Dual carriage ways and one junction on the motorway

Shockingly from a safety point of view, Apart from lid, gloves and boots, i am wearing my normal clothes, not even my leather jacket.

I justify it to myself as im sitting in the library for nearly 10 hours a day im not gonna do that in leathers, but then as i know im going to be sitting in the library i try to get my fun for the day in the ride there and back. I question my own sanity when you look down for a sec see 140 and then realise you are in a hoody and jeans
____________________
[Current Bikes - GSXR-750 K5 & C90-97 ] [Previous Bikes: Runner 125, YBR 125, GS500, Bandit 600, Hornet 600, ZX6R-99, C90-99, R1-99, XT600E-04, GSXR-750 K4, CRF250L '16]

[Doovy]

Rac3r, if you want some cheap but good quality gear, talk to me.

im not sure of your exact location in london, but im in Woodford (top right of tube map) and know a market very close to me (in dagenham) every sunday where i know the guy that has a whole motorbike clothes shop there, gives me good discounts.

i got leather jacket, trousers (with knee sliders), nitro race boots all for £140.

good gear
____________________
Yamaha RXS 100 > Honda CD 250 > Honda Hornet 600 > Honda CBR 600RR > Yamaha RXS 100 > Kawasaki ZX6R J2 > Yamaha FZ1

[rac3r]

[deanoet]

You may find the jeans a bit "flappy" on faster roads
I have the Draggin Jeans and on a motorway they flap around a hell of a lot, and dont really inspire confidence.

I have got:
Draggin jeans for work - like you, just 30mph zones, a 60mph zone if i go the slightly longer way but only for a mile or so

Textile trousers for normal use, days out, all day things, cold weather riding

1 piece leather suit for trackdays / summer / when i can be arsed contorting into it.


If i could only buy one I would get the Textiles, as they are warm, waterproof, more padded and thicker. Plus trousers can fit under them for work if needed.
____________________
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CBT Passed 18th July 2007 : Previous Bikes> CG125 : Current Bike> Hornet 600 : PASSED DAS 30th Oct 2007
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[The Disapproving Brit]

If it's totally dry and sunny i'll wear jeans. If there's any suggestion that it might get moist later, I chuck leather jeans over my normal clothes. Get to work, strip them off and I appear normal again.

Out riding for fun, leather all the way.
____________________
Current Bikes: 1983 Honda VF400FD / 2003 Honda VT750 Shadow
Bike Test Passed 18/03/09, Car Test Passed 14/05/13

[mooserx]

i only wear leathers, winter, summer rain or shine, i find it inspires a bit more confidence. but each to their own.
____________________
TL1000r-handful.

[colin1]

[TheFoxyDuke]

I picked up a pair of Kevlar lined jeans on saturday for £50.00.
Very comfy as well. Nicely cut (slimmer than I thought they would be) and come with pockets in the knees for knox armour.

A decent alternative to jeans and textiles for a quick run out.

Not as good as Draggin or Hood etc but can't grumble for the price.

Try www.riderwear.net. Got mine from westgate road in Newcastle but am sure they'd dekiver if you asked them nicely

FoxyD

[adam1985]

whenever i go out on my bike i always put on my full leathers, whether its few mins away or a day out. My work is around 5 miles away and i always take the time to put on my leathers. I would rather spend around 5 mins putting my kit on than spending couple of weeks in hospital having skin graphs!!!

[Flip]

Trouble with Kevlar jeans is they make everyone look like wiggas 'cause they're so baggy. I wore normal jeans for about 4 years before I bought any sort of protective leg wear.

[doggone]

There's a lot of difference between types ordinary denim jeans too - I have some wranglers and they are twice as thick as cheap pairs.
Still would much rather have leather on though - even the slowest incident could make a hell of a mess of your backside

[c_dug]

I think theres a bit of a mis-conception about wearing denim over other types of trousers, while denim isnt exactly bad at protecting against abrasions a pair of jeans are still going to rip to shreds in anything semi-fast. People recommend denim because while its ripping apart its not going to melt and cover you in melted plastic like a pair of tracksuit bottoms would.

At least this is what im told and it does make sence.

c_dug
____________________
I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[Pie-Roe]

These threads confuse me.

I got told by bike and car instructors that most accidents happen within 10 minutes of your house, therefore a 15 minute journey means that you just as likely to crash.

Personally unless I'm specifically going anywhere I'll just wear whatever I'm wearing at the time, I rode 8 miles today in 3/4s a vest top gloves lid and trainers.

You could say anything like 'I don't go above 60mph so I don't have to wear gear' but then you could drop the bike at 0mph in a high street and get run over by a bus where leathers won't hurt you.


Anyway, I have bike jeans, but when they are being washed I wear normal jeans, never wear my leather trousers unless out for a fun ride. For me bike gear takes practicality out of it sometimes, what good is saving 10 minutes on traffic if you then have to fart around for 5 getting changed and another 5 finding a secure place to store gear + change of clothes etc.

Pyro
____________________
Previous: GSF600, FZR600 x2, ZXR750, XT600 Tenere, CB125, CZ125, ETZ 250, ER5, CCM R30, DRZ400, RF600x4, RF900x2, GS500, VTR1000F, 640 SMC, CB250 NIGHTHAWK, GT550x3, GPX750 TE610, CB500, X11x2, SV650, ZING 125, TL1000R,CB250 Superdream, CBR1100XX

[chris-red]

Thats a useles statistic.


You spend most of your time 10 minutes from home my comute is about 25mins each way therefore nearly half my comute is 10 minutes away from home.
____________________
Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
WANTED:- Fujinon (Fuji) M42 (Screw on) lenses, let me know if you have anything.

[metalangel]

Always wear your ferkin' leathers. You don't want to come off a block from home and lose your skin, do you?
____________________
Previous: 2002 Honda CB500 (sold), 2007 Suzuki SV650SK6 (crashed), 2005 Yamaha FZ6 Fazer (sold). Currently bikeless
"A faired bike will get you 10x more clunge than a unfaired one." -Marlboro Matt

[rac3r]

Wearing full leathers at uni is a bit uncomfortable But you still need some protection that's why I still wear all of my gear apart from the trousers (mostly because I don't have any at the moment ) I just wear normal jeans. I want lower protection BUT it will be for other journey's not for when I'm going to uni.

Probably impossible but does anyone know where you can get out of season Alpinestars? Next weekend I'll go into the shop to try some stuff out
____________________
Bikes : 2006 CBR125R - 2004 Monster 620ie - 2004 ZX-6R B1H - 2005 Monster S2R 800 - 2011 Street Triple - 2009 Streetfighter 1098 - 2014 ZX-6R 636

[Doovy]

[tribal_tiger]

[whoosh]

Always ride (including my 80 mile round trip commute) in either leather or textile. I get changed at work into suit trousers and work shoes ( kept at work) and take a clean shirt with me every day.

I had an off on my way back home 2 yrs ago, and walked away. I know I wouldn't have done so in jeans.

Bermuda shorts and flip flops have similar protective properties to standard denim.

Why anyone would take a risk with their skin to that extent is beyond me.

[Doovy]

lol my bad.

stall*

although you go there and you probably wouldnt notice a difference.......
____________________
Yamaha RXS 100 > Honda CD 250 > Honda Hornet 600 > Honda CBR 600RR > Yamaha RXS 100 > Kawasaki ZX6R J2 > Yamaha FZ1