Riding in hot, sweltering riding gear is one of the worst aspects for motorcyclists in summers. Nobody can tolerate unbearable hot pants while riding under the scorching sun. This is the reason, most bikers risk their safety over comfort.
They like to wear only a random pair of jeans with a t-shirt and flip-flops while riding. Some even like to expose their skin to feel the summer breeze (you may find them in Shorts), without emphasising the aftermath. But wait…
What if I told you that it is possible to get a pair of pants that provides massive airflow and life-saving protection, both at once?
The right pair of warm-weather armoured motorcycle pants will keep you cool in hot riding conditions with a great level of impact and abrasion resistance. They will surely save you from exhaustion in hot summers while providing you with ultimate protection, which is less than ideal.
Flexible and lightweight pants that breathe very well are the absolute best pick to beat the heat in warm weather. You would definitely need a pair of pants that provide good airflow, no matter whether you are a heavy-duty sports rider or an urban street rider.
In this article, we’ve decided to give you a detailed review of the best motorcycle pants for summer based on comfort level, protection, and price of each pair. An ultimate buying guide is also included which helps you choose the right pair of pants for yourself.
If you are interested in summer riding pants with style and protection, you need to see this.
The 8 Best Summer Motorcycle Pants
1. Alpinestars Missile V2 Airflow Motorcycle Riding Pants
Editor’s Choice – Best Impact Protection
If you want comfort with a stylish, slim-fit look, these Alpinestars Missile v2 Airflow Riding Pants are best for you. They are made up of premium feel genuine bovine leather with highly dense perforation panels on thighs and shin area.
There is no need to compromise on flexibility while riding in these pants because they offer accordion leather stretch zones above the knee, and textile stretch zones on the calf and crotch area for improved feel and fit.
They are the best go-to summer pants for the street and even for the track, as they provide ventilation with style and protection. Alpinestars knee armour comes with replaceable knee sliders and reinforced padding in impact zones for ultimate abrasion resistance.
With their strategically positioned zipper vents and waist adjustments, these pants also provide internal cooling and easy-to-wear function.
Our Take
Alpinestars is one of the most popular brands in the riding wear industry due to its quality standard products. Their V2 Airflow pants are a perfect combination of bovine leather and perforated stretch textile material which makes them flexible, breathable, and stylish. With its zippered vents, you can control the airflow through the pants. Alpinestars pants also have double-layer leather at the seating area to avoid any slip or slide.
2. Klim K Fifty 2 Summer Motorcycle Pants
Value Choice – Best for Daily Wear
Klim K Fifty 2 summer motorcycle pants are an ideal pick for urban riders as they provide solid protection with a casual look. They are built from flexible cotton and heavy-duty denim fabric which ensures comfortable wear in hot weather. They have D30 EVO knee protectors and tailbone padding with air vent mesh.
You can also adjust its CE-approved Knee protectors according to your height.
Our Take
Klim K Fifty 2 jeans with denim and cotton lining are a good-quality pair of riding jeans for riders looking for style, comfort, and protection all at once. They are available in various sizes but still, you need to be careful while choosing the right one for you. Its flexible fabric body makes it comfortable to wear for long hours as well. Its attachable knee protectors allow you to wear these riding pants as your regular jeans as well. Make sure to check the sizing chart before buying.
3. Alpinestars Copper 2 Denim Motorcycle Pants
Stylish Choice – Best for Street Riders
Here come another Alpinestars smart-looking urban riding pants for you. With its adjustable CE-certified knee protection, they offer a high level of protection with comfortable movements. Its removable hip pad protectors come with Velcro attachments for extra fit and safety. Bio flex knee armour’s slim design makes them discreet off the bike too.
Due to their special, pre-shaped leg construction and customised design detailing they are quite popular among street riders.
Our Take
The quality denim used in Alpinestars copper 2 denim pants provides regular fit and protection against resistance. They have Triple stitched seams to ensure durability. They also provide extra safety at night with their reflective turn-up hem which makes the rider more visible to other road users. Thanks to its casual look, you can use these riding jeans off the bike too.
4. Andes V3 Drystar Pants
All-Rounder Choice – Best Versatility
These Andes V3 DRYSTAR pants offer a versatile look with a high level of breathability and abrasion protection. The key feature of Andes V3 pants is their removable long thermal liner which makes these pants comfortable for all weather conditions.
Its advanced reinforced poly-fabric textile provides 100% waterproofing along with efficient direct ventilation on the thigh area especially.
They also have reflective graphic details and a reflective logo to improve safety at night.
Our Take
Alpinestars Andes V3 Drystar pants are a great option for riders who want to add some extra in their gear closet. Its removable thermal lining and waterproofing make it the best fit for all weather conditions. There is no need to worry about abrasion protection because it offers CE-certified knee and hip protection. Bio-armors knee protectors ensure extra flexibility while riding and they also have an internal waist connection zipper for additional safety.
5. REV’IT! Airwave 3 Mesh Pants
Economical Choice – Best Flexibility
REV’IT! offers summer motorcycle pants at the most competitive price with all demanded features. These mesh pants are built from highly durable 600D polyester with a complete mesh lining for abrasion resistance. They also have CE-certified knee and hip protector pads along with a waist and ankle adjustment design for flexibility which provides protection with comfort.
They offer a little moisture-wicking inner lining as well to protect you in the rainy season. You can also remove it to get maximum airflow.
Our Take
The High-tech polyester and mesh composite fabric of these REV’IT! Summer Motorcycle Pants provide extra durability. Its trendy casual look with a stretchy slim fit, allows you to wear it as your casual jeans as well. They also have free protective Knee & Hip pads. They are extremely suitable for urban riders as they provide style, protection, and comfort, all at a very reasonable price.
6. REAX AltaMotorcycle Mesh Pants
Optimal Choice – Best Ventilation
REAX Alta Mesh pants will become one of your favourite hot weather riding pants due to their massive airflow quality. The 600D Polyester Shell used in the construction of these pants is highly abrasion-resistant. Nylon-Polyester Mesh offers maximum ventilation and comfort.
These mesh pants come with CE-certified adjustable knee and hip armors and stretch panels on the thighs and knees which further provides a great fit for all sizes. The key feature of these pants is the subtle reflective piping on front and back areas with multi-position knee armour pockets which provides optimum protection during nighttime motorbike riding.
Our Take
Strategically designed mesh panels of REAX Alta Mesh pants make these pairs best for summer Motorcycle riding. They also have a jacket-to-pant zipper connection and a heat-resistant elasticated cuff for easy-to-wear function. Their mesh design works with even a minor breeze and extreme comfort. You can wear them over pants even on your long boots as well.
7. Joe Rocket ‘Atomic’ Motorcycle Pants
Premium Choice – Most Light Weight
Joe rocket atomic motorcycle pants are among the best vented riding pants. Constructed from 500D Hitena Nylon fabric, weighted light as air. It has detachable thigh vent panels for maximum airflow. They have adjustable CE-certified knee protectors and removable high-density hip padding to protect you in case of a spill.
They also have tail pads for extra protection, you can remove them if you want to feel more comfortable off riding.
Our Take
Joe Rocket Atomic textile pants are a great option for warm weather as they provide free air mesh panels with lightweight Nylon fabric. Besides good airflow, these pants also offer great protection with their CE-approved knee protectors and removable hip & tail protectors. You can adjust knee protectors according to your height. You can also wear them over pants but for that, we recommend buying a two-inch large size as these pants are sold in alpha sizes only.
8. Street and Steel Oakland Motorcycle Jeans
High-Quality Choice – Most Durable
Street and Steel Motorcycle jeans provide extra durability as they are made from heavy-duty stretchable Denim and reinforced with Aramid. They offer free knee and hip armors along with large and strong belt loops for extra stability in harsh environments.
With its reflective strip on the leg cuff, they assure extra visibility to make your nighttime riding experience ultra-safe. Heavy-duty Stitched construction, Luxury cuts, and High-quality zip, and button used in these pants proffer durability and comfort with style.
Our Take
Street and Steel Oakland Aramid-Reinforced Motorcycle Jeans look like normal fashion jeans that combine safety, comfort, and protection very well. Its heavy-duty fabric along with knee and hip armors offer great protection. You would surely impress with the quality these pants provide you under this price range.
How to Choose the Best Motorcycle Riding Pants for Hot Weather?
If you are not a regular buyer of motorcycle gear you may think that every gear is good for all weather conditions, but that’s not true. Although some gears work for every weather when it comes to motorcycle riding pants you must need a separate pair of motorcycle pants for hot weather conditions to get the best possible riding experience.
In this guide, we’ve put together a detailed explanation of all the important features you need to go through before doing your next investment.
- Main Fabric
Motorcycle pants are constructed from different types of materials such as Textiles, Leather, Kevlar, Aramid, Keprotec, Cordura, and Ballistic Nylon. They all are tough fabrics that offer different levels of strength & protection.
You can choose according to your needs and style. For hot weather, always go for highly breathable fabric.
- Mesh for Ventilation
One of the most important features of hot riding pants is Airflow. Most riding pants for hot weather conditions have mesh lining included which provides maximum Ventilation even at low speed for a comfortable ride in hot weather.
- Impact Zone Protection
Motorcycle riding pants provide extra protection at impact zones as they are at high risk in case of an accident. Always check for extra Strong Fabric at high impact areas such as knee hip and seat areas for increased impact & abrasion resistance.
- Armor with CE-Certification
The Knee & Hip Armor in Motorcycle riding pants should be CE-approved to ensure the certified level of protection at these impact areas. Along with strong fabric at these points, Armors play a crucial role to protect you in case of a slide.
We recommend you buy pants with CE-certified ratings for better protection.
- Flexibility
Flexibility is also an important feature because you need to move freely on your motorbike while riding.
The fabric used in the construction of motorcycle riding pants is mostly tough and not flexible at all. To add extra stretch, manufacturers use flexible stretch panels of a different material.
Always look for stretch panels above the knee and around the waist and lower back and lower area.
- Reflective Features
The biggest danger of motorcycle riding is not the riding itself but other road users especially those who are not paying attention.
For this case, most riding pants have reflective features to make you visible to other road users, especially in the dark. It provides extra safety, no matter whether it’s a pre-dawn ride or you are a regular midnight rider.
These features are present as big reflective logos or simply reflective piping along the length of Pants.
How to Choose Best Riding Pants for Yourself?
Width and Length
Motorcycle pants are measured differently than a normal pair of jeans. Every brand has its sizing chart available. For buying the right pair for yourself, first, check the waist size and then the available length of pants.
Most brand jeans are constructed with a regular leg length of the 34-inch inseam. Some even provide a 32-inch inseam for riders with shorter limbs. a 36-inch inseam is also available for longer than usual riders. Choose according to your height.
Type of Fit
There are different types of fit available in motorcycle pants. You can choose according to your type.
- Straight cut or regular fit pants
These are more like a regular pair of jeans. They provide a perfect fit without making you feel packed or uncomfortable.
- Slim-fit pants
These offer a stylish look with ease to wear on or off the bike. If you have a skinny or long figure, this style of pants is for you. They are also quite comfortable to wear all day long.
- Tapered-fit pants
These have more space in the upper area and become narrow as we move down below the knee. They provide a modern chic look with no discomfort.
- Loose-fit pants
These are wider all around making it a good pick for fat people. If you want some extra room, especially at your waist and thigh area, you must go for this style of Pants.
Style and Protection
The best Motorcycle pants offer protection in 2 ways; impact and abrasion resistance. But most of them compromise on Style to give better Protection, especially on sensitive areas such as Knee, Hip & Shin.
Some Brands provide a stylish look with not-so-high protection. Which feature do you prefer the most, Style or Protection?
If you’re an urban rider then we recommend you to go for pants that offer both Styles with Protection. But if you are an Off-road biker or a sports rider which is often exposed to the dangers of riding, then you must invest in highly Protective Motorcycle Pants which provide the best impact & abrasion protection.
Keep in mind that these aren’t meant to look good as your casual pair of jeans but they provide next-level protection against road rash.
Adjustability
Pants with adjustable features are the best pick when you’re buying a new pair of pants. Most motorcycle riding pants have adjustable Knee Armour so you can place them according to your height and comfort.
Zippers and Pockets
Other important features you should consider before buying motorcycle pants include side zippers and pockets.
Pockets add convenience to your life. Larger pockets in the lower leg area are used to store your belongings while pockets at the thighs can be used to warm your hands. Pockets also add style to your outfit.
Zippers on the other hand are used for ventilation and make your pants easy to wear. Vertical side zippers on the bottom of the pant legs allow you to easily put your pants ON even wearing your long boots.
Budget
When it comes to price, Motorcycle jeans can cost you from $50 to $500. You can choose according to your needs and budget.
If you’re an off-road rider then you must go for jeans that provide extra protection, it may cost you some extra bucks but if you are an urban rider then there’s no need to spend a lot on high-end brands.
You can easily get a good pair of riding pants with the style and protection at a low cost as well.
Leather OR Textile
Both textile and leather have their plus points as motorcycle riding pants.
Textile pants are breathable and present a casual look with tremendous comfort unmindful of weather conditions.
Other Key Features of textile pants include waterproof and windproof lining, plus thermal lining for cold protection. These pants further comprise synthetic fabric like nylon, polyester, and Kevlar for extra protection.
Textile pants offer good abrasion resistance too but they are not the best option on track when you are at risk of a high-speed fall.
Leather pants, in contrast, provide high-grade protection on & off the track but you can not wear them all day long, especially in hot weather. They often don’t provide good ventilation plus give a bulky appearance too.
Although there are some options available in leather pants which provide a good fit with a smart look, they are a bit heavy on the pocket.
Always look for CE-approved armors at impact areas. Your pants must have strong, reinforced stitching and tough, secure closures to keep them from splitting easily.
Textile pants serve as multipurpose clothing gear to give protection against wind, rain, and heat. In contrast, Leather jeans provide high-grade overall protection from a road crash on and off the track. No doubt, leather lasts much longer than textiles.
It’s up to you as a rider whether you prefer Textile pants or Leather pants
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do I Really Need Motorcycle Riding Jeans?
No. You can ride a bike without wearing motorcycle pants but this is simply putting yourself in danger. Nobody knows when things got critical and you’ll hit the ground. Aside from abrasion resistance, environmental factors can also cause a hazard to a rider such as strong winds, heat, and Rain. Motorcycle riding pants not only shield you in case of an accident but also provide protection from these factors during riding.
How to Choose the Right Size of Motorcycle Pants?
Motorcycle pants fit perfectly if you choose the right size. They’re not measured as regular jeans that you wear and each brand has its own size chart. Check your size from the brand’s size guide before buying and always verify the return and exchange policy as well. So, if your jeans don’t fit you perfectly you can exchange them easily.
Are motorcycle pants supposed to be tight?
No, motorcycle pants are not supposed to be tight. Even if they are made of skin-hugging leather, the riding pants should be snug at best. Most jeans have stretch panels that allow a bit of flexibility and help the fabric to conform to your personal size which ultimately means they will ‘break in’ after constant use.
How do I keep my motorcycle pants from riding up?
One of the best ways to keep your motorcycle pants from riding up is to wear bootstraps customised for motorcycles. They are specially made to hold the riding pants in place. Motorcycle bootstraps are quite inexpensive, commonly available, and easy to use. Not to mention, they last for ages and most of them are tear-resistant and weather-friendly.
Can I wash my riding jeans?
You can wash your riding jeans but not like your normal clothes, they require some extra care while cleaning. Most manufacturers advise hand washing then machine-washing because its spinning action may damage the material in your riding pants.
To avoid any damage, always read the manufacturer’s instructions on labels before washing.
Do you wear pants under motorcycle pants?
Yes, you can wear pants under motorcycle pants but only if it’s cold outside. Motorcycle pants are crafted out of thick materials which are bound to sweat during hot weather so adding layers in the summer is a definite no. However, there are summer riding pants that promote ventilation and maximise breathability while providing impact protection and abrasion resistance.
What should you not wear on a motorcycle?
You could essentially wear anything while riding on a motorcycle except for clothing that leaves the skin exposed. For instance, riding shorts or flip-flops. They do not provide any abrasion resistance or protection from the hot engine. Even if it’s summer, we encourage you to invest in summer motorcycle pants. They are breathable, tough, and long-lasting.
Final Thoughts
Riding a bike can become fun if you are wearing the right gear. When it comes to summer riding gear, comfort and breathability are of top priority, along with protection.
The key feature which makes the riding pants different from the regular ones is the protection and stability they provide.
We recommend checking all the necessary features mentioned in our buying guide to get the best pair of riding jeans for yourself.
Furthermore, always buy from a trustworthy retailer who fits the bills nicely, whether you are buying from a store or online.
We hope that you’ll get the finest Motorcycle Riding Experience this summer and always.
Brad Mitchell is a seasoned motorcycle enthusiast with over 16 years of riding experience. He’s spent countless hours on the open road, particularly favoring scenic routes aboard his trusted Harley-Davidson. Brad’s laid-back approach to life and riding gives him a unique perspective on motorcycle gear and safety, which he shares through his in-depth reviews and expert advice on ProtectiveGearz.