Dominant jeans | Best motorcycle jeans to keep you casual and protected chosen and tested by MCN

The best motorcycle jeans are those which give the appearance of regular casual wear whilst providing an approved level of protection. Being trussed up in all-season textiles or poured into race leathers is all very well when you’re on the bike, but if you want to blend in when you reach your destination, a decent pair of motorcycle jeans can be a much more comfortable solution.

Motorcycle jeans differ from fashion denim in two key areas. Firstly, the material they are made from is resistant to abrasion, so that if you come off the bike and slide down the road, they won’t immediately wear through or split at the seams.

Secondly they contain some level of impact protection to reduce injury during initial contact with the ground, typically at vulnerable areas such as the knee and hip. The best motorcycle jeans will ideally have the highest level of CE-approved armour (level 2) and the maximum abrasion resistance (AAA).

Best Motorcycle Jeans at a Glance:

• Best everyday jeans: Richa Carter Jeans – view on Sportsbikeshop
• Best ladies’ jeans: Draggin Ladies Twista Aramid Jeans – view on Sportsbikeshop
• Best vintage look: Oxford Original Approved AA Dynamic Jeans Slim Fit – 3 Year – view on Sportsbikeshop

Best Deals at a Glance

The new year is a brilliant time to pick up a discounted pair of jeans, even if you’re not planning on riding until the spring. Sportsbikeshop currently has 60% off the 2023 range from Bull-it, and we’ve hand-picked some of the most tempting offers to save you time.

• 35% off RST Pro Series Paragon 6 CE Textile Trousers – was £199.99, now £129.99
• Over 60% off Bull-it Covec Pacific Slim SR6 Jeans – was £149.99, now £49.99
• 40% off Bull-it Bobber Skinny Covec Jeans – was £149.99, now £89.99
• 54% off Bull-it Covec Atlantic Easy SP120 SR6 Jeans – was £129.99, now £59.99
• 33% off Oxford Original Approved Denim Jeans – was £119.99, now £79.99
• 50% off Bull-it Zero Skinny Covec Jeans – Oni Limited Edition – was £179.99, now £89.99
• Over 50% off Bull-it Covec SR6 17 Ladies Vintage Slim Fit Jeans – Blue – was £149.99, now £69.99
• Over 50% off Bull-it Covert Evo Slim Covec Jeans – Blue – was £189.99, now £89.99
• Over 50% off Bull-it Covert Evo Straight Covec Jeans – Black – was £189.99, now £89.99

Other options to consider:

A quick rundown on the best motorcycle jeans

What does single layer mean?

Generally, motorcycle riding jeans can either be single layer, where the abrasion-resistant material is woven directly into the outer layer; or they can be formed in a regular cotton denim outer with a separate inner lining formed in the abrasion-resistant material, usually aramid fibres or material like Kevlar, for example.

How are motorcycle jeans tested?

Riding jeans classed as PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) earn certification by being subjected to a range of tests under the standard for motorcycle clothing of EN 17092. These tests include

Impact energy absorption

This covers the impact protectors fitted, which are mandatory in class AAA and AA garments for shoulder, elbow, knee and hip. Hip protectors are optional for class A. Protectors must cover the appropriate body part and be certified to EN 1621. There are two classes for protectors, level 1 and 2, with the latter offering greater performance.

Impact abrasion resistance

This test measures how well a garment performs when worn by an average rider (weighing 75kg and measuring 1.7m tall) in a slide. Three samples of the same garment are mounted in a rotating rig at different angles and impacted on an asphalt surface at a prescribed speed. They’re allowed to come to a natural stop before being measured. If the samples do not hole, they’re subjected to this twice more, and to pass there must be no hole bigger than 5mm.

Seam strength and structural closures

All seams, including those of the protector pockets, and zip fasteners are subjected to this test (EN 13594) to ensure that they have sufficient resistance to being torn apart.

Tear strength

A number samples are taken from the garment to measure their resistance to further tearing once they have been split.

Dimensional stability

To ensure that a garment is not affected by through washing, it is subjected to five separate controlled washing cycles. Any fixed armour must remain in place and the garment must not shrink any further than 5% during the process.

Innocuousness

In order to make sure that the garment is safe to wear against the skin in normal use, this test covers the chemicals and dyes used in the production process that remain in the fabric.

Fit and ergonomics

The garment is tested by an assessor to ensure that the necessary range of movements can be carried out for the application and that the fit tallies with the manufacturers size guide.

Classification

Assuming a garment achieves a pass in all tests, classification is awarded according to the performance level as follows

AAA (EN 17092-2:2020) The highest achievable for abrasion resistance.
AA (EN 17092-3:2020) A lower pass for abrasion resistance.
A (EN 17092-4:2020) The lowest classification for abrasion resistance.
B (EN 17092-5:2020) This is for garments which have no impact protection but do offer abrasion resistance.
C (EN 17092-6:2020) For garments offering solely impact protection without abrasion resistance, such as armoured shorts or vests designed to be worn as a base layer.

About the author: Justin Hayzelden is MCN’s Product Specialist and has been a regular contributor since 2009. He has built up a wealth of experience in putting the latest machinery through its paces, as well as subjecting every aspect of motorcycle kit to the rigours of real-world riding.

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