In addition to precaution, there are other indispensable safety measures that you should take into account before starting your bike, such as wearing motorcycle accesories
Surely, before a motorcycle trip, whether for urban or interurban travel, you have asked yourself what motorcycle equipment is mandatory for riding a motorcycle?
In this blog, we tell you which are the mandatory motorcycle accessories, at least most currently, in Europe.
According to the European Commision, a helmet is required to ride a motorcycle in all EU countries. However, specific EU countries are exploring further requirements, such as in Spain, where gloves may also be required by the end of 2021.
"All drivers and passengers of motorcycles and mopeds must use an approved helmet on any type of road. They will be exempt from using it when they have a self-protection structure, safety belts and this is stated on their vehicle registration card.”
The helmet must:
- Be approved for use in the EU.
- Be the right size.
- Always be fastened. Many head injuries are caused by the helmet being thrown off on impact.
- Have a ventilation system that allows for adequate airing in hot weather and prevents fogging of the visor in winter.
- The visor should be clear (not tinted). With an interior coating that prevents fogging, or with a double screen.
- Be in perfect condition. If you have suffered a strong blow or have fallen from a height of more than 1.50 meters, it should be changed".
There are several different types of helmets on the market: modular helmets, motorcycle helmets with bluetooth... the helmet plays a leading role in the equipment of bikers, so there is a wide range and with helmets for different riding occasions.
The world of motorcycle accessories is very wide and includes many more pieces such as: motorcycle thermal gloves, biker jackets, riding boots, motorcycle pants, neckwear, leg covers...
Motorcycle riding gear should not be optional, but rather mandatory out of common sense and protective instinct.
The selection of motorcycle clothing and the importance on self-protection (beyond the minimal regulations) is growing more and more every day. Both in the city and on the roads, we here at Racered care for equipping you well, without sacrificing your comfort.
To do this, the team at Racered has put together a collection of handcrafted motorcycle pants using only the best fabrics, such as patented mixes of premium cotton denim and polyester lining. The combination of said fibers, complements the properties of each and favors movement and comfort on the motorcycle.
The areas at higher risk for impact and abrasion are reinforced DuPont™ Kevlar®. This includes the knee and seat areas.
Our men’s and women’s motorcycle jeans are all tested and certified to offer you the best protection in the event of an unfortunate fall.
All our motorcycle pants include removable hip and knee protectors (SAS-TEC Class 2) that will give you the safety you need.
Motorcycle PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) is essential to avoid as much damage as possible in the event an accident should occur, especially because you are not always responsible for what occurs on the road.
Lastly, we would like to remind you how important it is to choose good quality accessories, because as the old saying goes, sometimes "cheap is expensive".
Not sure what pants you should buy? Check out our guide on buying motorcycle jeans here.
Or feel free to reach out to our riding gear experts! Contact us
]]>Así como la precaución, la seguridad es un factor primordial e indispensable para tener en cuenta antes de arrancar tu moto.
Seguramente, antes de un viaje en moto, tanto para un desplazamiento urbano como interurbano, te habrás preguntado cuales son los accesorios obligatorios para ir en moto.
Según la Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT) en España el casco es el único elemento obligatorio para montar en moto. Aunque es posible que pronto los guantes también sean obligatorios.
“Todos los conductores y pasajeros de motocicletas y ciclomotores tienen que utilizar en cualquier tipo de vía un casco homologado. Estarán exentos de utilizarlo cuando tengan estructura de autoprotección, cinturones de seguridad y así conste en su tarjeta ITV.
El casco debe:
Existen distintas tipologías de casco en el mercado: cascos modulares, cascos motos con bluetooth… el casco tiene un rol de protagonista en la indumentaria de los moteros, por lo que hay una amplia oferta.
El mundo de los accesorios de moto es muy amplio e incluye muchas más piezas como, por ejemplo: los guantes térmicos, chaquetas, botas, pantalones, braga para el cuello, cubre piernas…
La en moto no debería ser opcional, sino más bien obligatoria por sentido común e instinto de protección.
Crece cada día más la oferta en ropa de moto y la necesidad de protegerse, más allá de la normativa. Tanto en la ciudad, como en carreteras es importarte equiparte bien sin renunciar a la comodidad.
Para ello en Racered te ofrecemos pantalones de alta calidad y con los mejores tejidos. Hilados de poli algodón y forro en poliéster. Este último, mezclado con otras fibras, refuerza sus propiedades y favorece el movimiento y la comodidad encima de la moto.
Además, añadimos Fibra DuPont™ Kevlar® en la zona del trasero.
Pantalones vaqueros para la moto para hombre y para mujer, también están disponibles en tejido felpa, todo testado para ofrecerte la mejor protección en caso de desafortunadas caídas.
Todos nuestros pantalones de moto incluyen protecciones extraíbles de cadera y de rodillas (SAS-TEC clase 2) que te proporcionarán la seguridad que necesitas.
La seguridad en la moto es indispensable para evitar al máximo posible el daño que puede suponer cualquier accidente, ya que en la carretera no siempre uno mismo es el responsable.
Para finalizar, os queremos recordar lo importante que es elegir accesorios de buena calidad, ya que, en ocasiones “lo barato, sale caro”.
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That's the question we are all asking ourselves, why is your motorcycle safety gear so important...?
The most obvious reason why motorcycle your riding gear is important to your wellbeing, is that it prevents injury.
The less time you spend recovering from injury, the more time you have toenjoy the things you like most in life (ex. Going for a ride).
Recently, a member of our #racered community experienced a crash while riding. Fortunately, he was wearing our Nevada jeans for men and other protective gear so he did not experience any serious injury.
We thought we would take a moment to share this story with you because although we enjoy motorcycle pants, jeans, etc. that are comfy and stylish, the #1 most important factor is safety.
Humberto’s Story
Humberto like many of us, lives for riding. Long rides and trips to nearby towns on his bike are the highlights of his weeks and months.
Unfortunately, during one of these rides Humberto had an accident while going 70 km/h. Studies have shown that crashes above 50 km/h tend to result in more serious injuries. So, Humberto’s crash is not to be taken lightly.
Motorcycle crash injury occurs most frequently to the areas of the body most vulnerable to impacts and abrasions. This includes the buttocks, hips, elbows, knees, hands, head, and feet, amongst others.
We received post-crash images of Humberto’s Nevada jeans. If we take a closer look we can see the significant impact taken to the knee of the jeans:
In fact today, CE certified pants like Racered, undergo special abrasion tests. You can learn more about these tests in our blog on motorcycle protection equipment and “CE” certification.
To end we leave you with words of Humberto himself. No doubt he was glad to be wearing Racered! (so were we). We are thrilled to protect riders like Humberto, but provide style and comfort at the same time.
“ I'm leaving you my comments on how satisfied I am with the design of this garment and the protection for riding that I have been able to test in all its aspects. From comfort to design they are a 10, the same for its protection. I had the misfortune to try them out when I slid going 70km/h and left out without any injury to my legs buttocks or knees - the pants did their job to perfection. Congratulations to this great brand for making quality garments at the level that is required of them. Thank you!”
Since the first implementation of the regulations on personal protection equipment, any item that was to be labeled “PPE” had to pass specific testing and certification. Proof of that certification is accompanied by a CE mark.
They are both related, as one influences or is related to the other. The takeaway here is that any motorcycle helmet, clothing, or whatever that your purchase, which has the objective to protect is called PPE. This PPE, by law, must be CE certified.
Most simply put, regulations and standards are what we refer to when talking about all the testing, laws, etc., surrounding PPE.
The regulation sets the overall direction and goal, whereas technical details, such as testing requirements, are laid out by different standards.
Standards are set by the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN).
From 1989, the regulation EU Directive 89/686/EEC provided a very broad, general regulation to all types of PPE.
Due to its vagueness, many PPE producers were able to avoid testing their products fully or interpret its meaning to their liking.
To improve this, the standard EN 13595 was developed. A standard is a set of requirements that aimed to harmonize the requirements for certifying PPE.
However, this new standard EN 13595 only described PPE for “professional” use.
This meant delivery drivers, emergency personnel, police officers, etc. It did not include anything about leisure use, which was and is the majority of the industry.
This allowed for many companies to continue bypassing safety regulations and standards.
In many cases, selling products that were called “PPE”, but really didn’t offer the protection they promised.
In 2016, the EU gave birth to Regulation (EU) 2016/425. This held producers accountable for PPE for leisure and non-professional use.
This new modern regulation, addressed the proper design, manufacture and marketing of personal protective equipment.
It defined legal obligations to ensure PPE in the EU market provided the highest level of protection against risks, according to the Federation of European Motorcyclists’ Association (FEMA).
The new standard of testing PPE is called EN 17092 (under regulation 2016/425), and is broken down into 6 sub-standards. Let’s take a closer look:
Under the EN 17092 standard, there are 6 parts that specify the different testing requirements for different “classes” of PPE:
Following the requirements above, each garment must be tested. This includes testing products for:
Although these are all important characteristics, the two most important are resistance to abrasion and impacts. Let’s take a closer look at each.
This is done by testing the amount of time the garment resists abrasion against a surface (to mimic the experience of sliding across the concrete in the case of a crash).
There are two different types of widely used abrasion tests.
The first is called the Cambridge abrasion test, which is widely used under the EN 13595 standard.
The second test is called the Darmstadt abrasion test.
At Racered, we use the Darmstadt abrasion test, because it more accurately represents the conditions riders face in crashes.
You can see a video demonstration of the two different tests below, performed by our Italian CE testing firm, Ricotest:
The protectors included in jeans, jackets, etc., undergo a separate testing process as they are protecting against impacts (not abrasion).
There are two levels of motorcycle PPE protectors. Level 1 and Level 2 (the highest). Basically the higher the level, the less impact energy that is transferred to the body in a crash.
Racered only uses the best materials to ensure your safety. That’s why all of our jeans include Level 2, German made SAS-TEC armor.
You can see how SAS-TEC tests for impacts below:
There are 5 main classes of protection for motorcycle PPE, although the 3 that you see most often are: AAA, AA, A.
AAA – maximum protection, knee and hip armor required.
AA – medium protection, knee and hip armor required.
A - lesser protection (more comfort), knee armor required but not hip.
How do I know a garment is CE certified?
The labeling information for protectors is a bit different, let’s take a look at our SAS-TEC knee protectors:
So what? Does CE certified really matter?
Absolutely. Your safety on the bike is not only our main concern, but should be yours too!
When shopping make sure to check the quality of the product, research the company, their website, read the tags, markings, ask if necessary for the “I” information on the CE testing.
And of course double check that both the pants, and the protectors are CE certified.
Purchasing “PPE” without CE certification puts you at much higher risk, as the product has not been proven safe. There is no way of knowing whether the product will actually function the way it is supposed to.
It’s like riding an airplane.
Would you rather fly with a pilot that only studied the exam?
Or fly with the pilot that passed?
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You love motorcycles, therefore what better way to stay informed on everything motorcycle, as well as understand how our history affects who we are today?
That’s enough. Let’s take a look at 4 of the most fascinating trends in the history of motorcycle culture.
The United Kingdom motorcycle scene has always been at the frontline of our imaginations.
It is the birthplace of Triumph and Royal Enfield, and the world of café racer. It was key to shape the commercial motorcycle industry as we know it.
An often overlooked trend throughout the world of motorcycles, is the influence of women had on it. During the 1920’s, English marketers embarked on a massive campaign focused at increasing motorcycle sales amongst women. It was yet to be viewed as such a masculine hobby.
These marketers began a wildfire of initiatives inciting motorcycle use, sales and competition amongst women all over the UK.
Some of the most renowned woman pilots rose to fame during the era; Theresa Wallach, The Debenham sisters and Marjorie Cottle to name a few. In addition, lots of innovative product designs, literature, and promotions aimed towards women made their ways to the market.
Ever heard of the Ner-A-Car?
Image from 1920s motorcycle catalog featuring women riders and their Ner-A-Cars. Image source: https://thevintagent.com/2018/01/30/road-test-1923-ner-a-car/
Marjorie Cottle fixing her engine in the summer of 1926. Image source: https://cybermotorcycle.com/gallery/women/Marjorie-Cottle-1926-August.htm
However, the buzz around women riders in the 20’s and 30’s was short lived. Nearly ten years after the beginning of the campaign, motorcycle manufacturers announced that the campaign had been a failure.
Despite their best efforts, and a seemingly strong response from women riders across the UK, sales were depressingly low.
Historians later prescribed the lack of purchases among women, to increasingly volatile ideas about gender roles during the time. Men and other counterparts challenged woman’s changing role in society during the 1930’s. Women riding motorcycles was seen as anti-establishment.
Manufacturers for the next few centuries cut marketing efforts and design towards women almost entirely. Ironically, this played an adamant role during the infamous decline of the British motorcycle market in the 1970’s, due to the inability to compete with the new competitors entering the market.
Swedish Leather Lads posing for a picture. Image source: https://web.archive.org/web/20180424175724/http://ijms.nova.edu/March2007/Lagergren_Figure_6%20copy.jpg
Let's travel back in time. Imagine you are in Sweden, post WWII. Your country remains relatively unharmed by the horrors of the war. Your generous government also persists, that all citizens, including a young motorcycle lover like yourself, should be making a liveable wage. Therefore you have money in your pockets. And you want a motorcycle.
What could possibly happen next?
Well as, you might have imagined, a massive increase in motorcycle sales. The increase in income amongst the Swedish youth, came the same time of a booming demand for affordable motorcycles. These young riders used their money to purchase bikes instead of more expensive cars.
However, these young Swedish speed-lovers had an identity crisis. While, America had its “hot-rodders”, Britain its “Rockers and Mods”, and Germany and Austria their “Halb-starke”, Sweden had nothing to label this massive group of young riders.
Soon enough, a Swedish newspaper answered the call, dubbing this new group the skinnknutte, or in English, “Leather Lads”.
Thus, an identity was born.
You may see a striking resemblance to the rebel riders of the 1950s classic, The Wild One featuring Marlon Brando. But what was most interesting about the Leather Lad movement, was the difference in public opinion they had compared to other “rebel” biker movements.
Marlon Brando as Johnny Strabler in the 1953 classic, The Wild One. Image source: https://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/wild-one-marlon-brando/
According to the International Journal of Motorcycle Studies, “Instead of being branded as a moral and criminal problem for society, as for instance Raggare and Rockers were, the Leather Lad became a rebel of another kind: noisy and careless, but not a menace to society.”
They were more known for their passion for speed, and love for riding, rather than violence or crime common with others.
This idea of “motorcycle freaky” lasted for nearly a decade.
The Bōsōzoku were founded by a group of post post-WWII kamikaze pilots who struggled to reincorporate into society. While this theme of post war rebelliousness is a common idea in the typical post-war biker image, the Bōsōzoku were quite different.
The below video gives you a good luck into the life and ideals of an Bōsōzoku; told by the legenday ex-Bōsōzoku riders, “Tigerman”.
"MOTORCYCLE BOY" The Legendary Tigerman from James F. Coton on Vimeo.
The Bōsōzoku were known for their lavish, highly modified bikes, and fighter pilot inspired uniforms. The most common modifications were heightened seats, elaborate paint jobs, shifted handlebars, and oversized fairings. The most typical however, was a shugo, a modified muffler with a single exhaust tube.
They would also participate in “runs”. In other words, drive through the streets in large groups, showing off their bikes and loud mufflers. “Getting loud”, was a common way to compete within the groups over the quality and sound of their bikes. What does it mean to get loud? Check out the video below (warning: check your volume).
Often the violence and illegal activity of the different biker groups overshadow the lessons to be learned from them. Perhaps one of the most fascinating observations of these different motorcycle sub-cultures, is how the motorcycle is used not just as a means of travel, but for expressing oneself as well.
If we stop and ask ourselves why these groups exist in the first place, the answers we find can be extremely interesting.
Did you know that in São Paulo alone, more than 200,000 people use their motorcycles for work everyday?
This is the reality that has brought us what we know today, as the MOTOBOYS. The Motoboy phenomenon in Brazil, refers to the thousands of people that work as couriers, delivering goods throughout the city via motorycle. Many of which are self-employed.
As Brazil left military dictatorship behind, the return to democracy during the 1980’s led to massive economic growth. With outdated road systems, the cities were not prepared for the massive increase in movement and population that was brought to cities like São Paulo, leading to mass congestion and traffic. Motorcycles were able to weave in and out of traffic, though.
The video below might give you a better idea of what it's like driving on São Paulo's streets.
The dangers of being a Motoboy are very high. Every day, 2 Motoboys die in Sau Paulo. Until recently, the story of the Motoboys went untold. The book, Coletivo canal*MOTOBOY, by Antoni Abad, explains the creation of a culture. He aims to show the people behind the often stereotyped couriers of the São Paulo streets.
Antoni Abad shares individual stories regarding the dangers and joys experienced while riding/working. It shows how the Motoboys have even developed their language and slang regarding their experiences.
Again we see the motorcycle, not just as a vehicle for transportation, but as a means of expressing oneself. In this case, it is a reflection of a common suffering, and broader appreciation for the motorcycle world.
Antoni Abad puts it well, “In watching the motoboys riding the streets one can see crime, violence or disrespect for the laws. But it is also possible to see a new breath of workers’ independence, brotherhood, the freedom to make one’s own strategies and a love for motorcycles. The eventual vision of this very new profession will be governed by the way it grows. Projects like canal*MOTOBOY are trying to make it grow in a positive direction.”
The motorcycle world is filled with trends. Moments, that will fade away, change, or maybe carry on forever. These stories offer a chance to learn and talk about the motorcyle passion we share with one another.
If there are any common themes amongst any of the above trends, there are 2 things that stand out most:
So if this is true, we leave with you with one final thought. What do you think will be the next big motorcycle trend of the future?
Sources:
Hello biker guys and gals! Let us introduce ourselves: We are Racered. Made in our beloved factory in the heart of Italy, in the city of Mosciano Sant'Angelo (Abruzzo). There, artisan hands create premium motorcycle clothing for daily use, using the most current manufacturing technology. We love biker fashion, and like others similar to us, love to feel comfortable on and off the bike!
The quality of the used in Racered fabrics and the different washing processes have allowed us to create a unique product in both beauty and comfort, for purebred bikers.
We are ecstatic to open this blog and begin sharing with you our knowledge of the motorcycle world, as well as provide you with your fix for interesting industry news, info, and more!
If so, you are in the right place. To answer the needs of our passionate bikers, we wanted to make versatile motorcycle pants, which could be used all year round, in summer and winter. We also wanted them to be timeless in terms of fabrics and colors, since jeans are garments that we wear all year round and for all occasions. Whether riding your bike or not, you may not ever want to take them off!
Not to mention motorcycle safety. We include two easily removable hip protectors and two soft and flexible knee protectors that lock on impact and quickly return to their original position. Materials such as Kevlar, SAS-TEC and Viscofoam ensure superior safety and quality. We offer the below products for your riding needs:
We have multiple styles of men's motorcycle jeans, consisting of up to 60 pieces. 100% handmade in Italy.
Specially designed for women, you can check out our diferent women's motorcycle pants here. These are exclusive models that favor women but are comfortable yet safe, and come included with our fashionable touch.
We also manufacture urban-style biker T-shirts , ideal to complete your look and combine them with other accessories such as motorcycle helmets and jackets.
Stay tuned because we are always updating our shop with motorcycle clothing for men and women in line with the latest fashion trends.
We have created this blog to share our passion for the motorcycle world with you. We will talk about biker culture, the latest news from the motorcycle industry, fashion trends, giveaways, promotions and much more.
Don't forget to follow us and subscribe to our Newsletter!
Subscribe to our newsletter so you don't miss anything: new blog articles, news in the shop, raffles, promotions and the latest on motorcycle clothing for daily use.
You can also follow us on Instagram and Facebook, where we share our favourite pictures of our Riders wearing Racered!
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This story may sound familiar to you. If not, hopefully it is a situation that you will never become familiar with. In the following paragraphs, we will provide you with our straight-forward guide on how to pick the right pair of jeans for you, so that you can always ride protected.
4,666 two-wheeler riders were killed in traffic accidents in 2015. Although motorcycle injuries and fatalities rates have steadily improved, every year there are thousands more accidents and injuries. Protective clothing reduces the probability of minor injury in an accident by 33-50%, according to the European Commission.
The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (EAMM) together with the EU have laid out their safety strategy for the future which will undoubtedly push the industry further towards safety-related policies, technologies, training, and of course motorcycle PPE (personal protection equipment). We will discuss the regulations on motorcycle equipment more in depth in our article on CE certification.
They are a part of a broader category of riding gear often referred to as PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) in the industry, unlike normal denim jeans like Levi’s or Wranglers,. The primary difference are the safety requirements and certifications required by motorcycle jeans. These safety features require motorcycle jeans manufacturers to use specific resistant materials to protect riders from impacts and abrasions in the event of a crash. We will get into specific materials and safety ratings later on in this guide
That being said, let us explore the main questions that surround motorcycle jeans and how they fit your different riding needs.
As you heard earlier motorcycle jeans are a part of the broader PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) universe, which includes pants, helmets, eye protection, gloves, jackets, boots, suits, etc. Within this vast PPE universe you have motorcycle pants, which are divided into two distinct types: leather and textile. Let’s briefly take a look at the differences to give you a better idea of each.
Pros: offer the highest abrasion resistance, popular for racing, low wind resistance
Pros: high breathibility, usually waterproof, wearable on top of street clothes
Pros: very high protection, multiple weather features
Cons: less stylish, not as suitable for racing as leather pants
Pros: jeans are included in the textile category and are the most casual, stylish option for day-to-day use (unless you prefer the look of leather pants or non-denim textile pants).
Motorcycle jeans offer a versatile mix of the features of both leather and multi-layered textile pants. They offer similar levels of protection as textile pants and are more stylish (ok we admit we're a little biased here). And depending on the fit and if the jeans include elastic fibers, comfort is practically the same as well.
Cons: Jeans can be hot in summer. But in general, most pants, unless perforated or made of mesh will trap heat.
As is the case for most riders, the motorcycle is a part of their daily lives. That’s why we created a brand of jeans that works well with all your daily riding needs. Whether trekking to the office or conquering country roads, we believe you can have safety in harmony with style and comfort.
There’s a lot of talk about safety in the riding gear industry, in particular about CE certification. We dive into more depth on this in our CE certification article, but you will need to know a few general terms:
Conformité Européenne. Meaning 'European conformity'. It Is the symbol/term given to products sold within the EEA (European Economic Area) that conform to specific health, safety, and environmental protection standards. All motorcycle PPE that has the CE certified tag, has undergone industry tests to certify its safety.
Insider tip: You should check the tags to see that the whole garment is CE certified, not just the protectors. Also, make sure that it reads CE certified which means it was tested in certified testing center. CE approved or CE tested garments do not insure they were tested in certify testing centers.
While the protection level depends on your riding needs (touring, city commute, etc.) we recommend searching for at least an A level garment, as this will provide you protection against lower to mid-speed crashes. A, AA, and AAA garments all are resistant to impacts via protective armor.
Are you looking for jeans to ride cross-country in all types of weather? Are you looking for pants to take out on the race track? Or are you looking for jeans that will protect you on your daily commutes to work, and then later to the bar?
This is an obvious limiting factor, as some options can cost over €400. All we can say is you get what you pay for. When it comes to your safety, this is not an area you want to cut corners on. Many brands that have lower price tags use lower quality materials, outsource manufacturing to countries with low production costs or are not CE certified. Would rather buy a motorcycle made of plastic or of carbon-fiber?
Racered jeans are an example of lined jeans. There is a layer of premium denim that is lined with abrasion resistant aramid fibers, such as DuPont™ Kevlar®. Single layer jeans use abrasion resistant denim fabrics like Dyneema® and CORDURA®.
Some reviews say lined jeans are less breathable, but in our experience, this depends on the quality of the fabrics used (higher quality denim and elastane fabrics allow for improved breathability as they expand and contract during wear). Another common argument of single layered jeans is that they weigh less than layered jeans.
Again, pay attention to the product description where the weight should be listed., Often times single layered jeans and layered jeans have the same weight (between 10-13 oz depending on safety level).
This has a bit to do with previous question on lining. Coverage refers to the total internal area of the jeans that is lined with Kevlar. Some riders feel safer with a fully lined riding jean (e.g. lined from the butt to the shins), while some riders prefer lining in only high-risk areas (e.g. knee and butt). Fully lined jeans tend to weigh more and may be less breathable compared to partly lined pants.
If you’re looking for an A, AA, or AAA certified riding jean, it should have specially designed pockets for insertable protective armor. But not all jeans come with protectors included in the price. So keep an eye out for this when choosing your jeans as this can result in an unexpected costs later on. There are a variety of generic and brand name protectors on the market, but two of the most reliable are SAS-TEC and D30®. These protectors have their own CE certification standards, and vary between Level 1 and Level 2 (highest level).
Many times this something you will have to figure out by simply trying the jeans on. Do the jeans have enough stretch in the crouth and thigh areas? Do you have to remove the jeans to be able to take out the protectors? Racered jeans for example have been designed with external protector pockets to allow for easy removal and storage.
Our recommendation is to try on the pants to make sure they are comfortable. Use the zippers, take a walk (just don’t ride with them as you may not be able to return them if they aren’t a good fit!). Do not settle for less. Safety, comfort, and style is possible in one pair of pants! Speaking of fitting, let’s take a closer look out how to size your motorcycle jeans.
Your jeans should fit snug to the body and allow for a comfortable range of motion. Jeans and other PPE equipment that is too loose, may move during a crash and not protect you like it should.
When standing, knee protectors should rest slightly below or directly on the knee (when you sit on the bike they will rise a bit).
When seated on the bike, the jeans should cover your ankles. If you decide to roll the bottoms of the jeans up for style, you may consider purchasing a pair of boots to cover any exposed areas.
Fresh, new denim Jeans may fit a bit tighter at first, but keep in mind that premium denim adapts to the body overtime and molds to the rider’s body. The same logic applies when buying new shoes, you have to break them in a bit first.
It is important to check the size guide provided by the manufacturers. Although two jeans may have the same size on paper, subtle differences in the design, cut country of origin may result in the pants fitting bigger or smaller. Below you can see an example of our size guide for our men’s Falcon jeans
Waist measurement: starting from the belly button and going around the body.
Hips measurement: starting at the widest part of the bottom of your hips and going around the body. Racered, like many other manufacturers take this measurement into account when designing our jeans
Inseam: the vertical measurement from the inside of crouch to the inside ankle bone:
Insider tip: you may want to add an extra inch (2.5cm) to the bottom of the inseam measurement as the jeans typically rise up a bit when sitting on your bike. With the above measurements, you can compare them to the manufacturers size guide and make sure you get the right fit!
When selecting the fit and size of your jeans, be sure to check whether they include elastic, stretchy fabrics and fibers (e.g. elastane). A size 32 jean, will not fit the same as a size 32 with lots of stretchy fabric. Furthermore, “slim fit” jeans may be tighter fitting, but often use stretchy elastane fibers for maximum comfort, like our men’s and women’s Falcon AA riding jeans.
Racered Jeans for example, should be machine washed and hanged to dry. Never wash with the protectors inside as this can damage or ruin them.
Of the many different topics covered in this guide, here are a few take-aways for you to keep in mind when purchasing your motorcycle jeans:
Before buying a pair of riding pants, identify your riding needs. Are you competing in the Dakar rally or are you driving to the bar around the corner?
Safety is always the most important factor in choosing which jeans to purchase. To help decide you might ask yourself: would I be comfortable with my kids riding with these jeans?
The best way to see if a pant is a good fit for you is to order it and try it on! See if the company offers free shipping and returns before ordering, though.
Check for CE certification (A, AA, AAA) and quality materials (Kevlar, SAS-TEC, premium denim, YKK zippers, etc.)
Don’t hesitate to reach out to your local motorcycle store or the manufacturer of the jeans to get answers to your questions! Often the organization behind the brand reflects the quality and seriousness of the company as a whole.
Lastly, safety does not have to come at the expense of comfort and style.
As the famous Teresa Wallach so accurately put in her 1970 book, Easy Motorcycle Riding,
"You are on your own. You are not protected by two tons of steel, rubber, foam padding and safety glass. Neither are you steering two tons of guided missile toward other cars, people and property. If you are prepared to accept the responsibility of your own actions, then motorcycling can be both safe and thrilling. Riding is an art as well as a craft and no amount of explanation can take the place of experience."
References:
European Commission, Power Two Wheelers, European Commission, Directorate General for Transport, February 2018. 3.1 PTW fatalities in Europe.
European Commission, Power Two Wheelers, European Commission, Directorate General for Transport, February 2018. 7.2 Protective Clothing.
Greaser, Andy. “How to Size and Buy Motorcycle Pants.” RevZilla, 24 Aug. 2019, www.revzilla.com/common-tread/how-to-size-and-buy-motorcycle-pants.
Wallach, Theresa, and Maggie MacGowan. Easy Motorcycle Riding. Sterling Pub. Co., 1983.
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