Street/ADV Pants

[DaveInDenver]

What do we like? Trying to figure out what to look for and what I don't need.

Overpants? Seem to me to be a poor choice for protection and probably pretty uncomfortable in the end. Probably looking for regular fitting pants, right?

Waterproof or not? I have an Alpinestars jacket that has a zip-in rain liner. It seemed like a good idea but I'm not sure it is. It's hot and clammy what you don't need it (at least above about 80F) and not all that great in heavy rain when you do. But it does the job for now.

Any recommendations? It's tough finding anyone with much selection to really compare. Especially ADV gear. MX and street leather, not too tough, but something that is truly dual sport isn't common.

 

[rover67]

get a used aero stitch suit or pants and jackets.

I use leather for street but it sucks in rain. For dirt I use MX type stuff. The aerostitch stuff I have used is great protection wise, water proof enough, and works in dirty environments. Also if you get a suit its easy on/off over your street clothes for commuting.

 

[DaveInDenver]

An Areostitch suit would be nice but not in the cards for the foreseeable future. One may come up used or I win the lottery and get a new one, but for now I need pants. I already have an Alpinestars touring jacket. It's a Capetown that I got on clearance. Of course there's better stuff but a reasonable all-around with a membrane liner for under $200 was easy to take. Even figuring in the $75 in better back and chest armor inserts it was still significantly under $300.

So it sounds like oversuit (or in this case overpants maybe) are OK? I would have thought the loose-ish fit would reduce the effectiveness of the armor. Not to mention pretty uncomfortable. OTOH maybe we're talking shells so normally you break out the Capilene under? Still seems getting a fit that is also comfortable over jeans would make them too baggy normally.

 

[rover67]

they come up occasionally:

http://denver.craigslist.org/mpo/4633261045.html

I kinda missed that you were just looking for pants, sorry about that..

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Aerostich-C...parel_Merchandise&hash=item27ea3e17ba&vxp=mtr

I don't mind overpants for riding around on the street but in the heat it's gonna be hot and over jeans or something things do kinda get bunched up a bit.. Also, I don't wear much armor on the street but that's just me, more just road rash protection. The aerostich suits pants and jackets I have worn seemed to hold the armor (foam stuff) in the right places. I too can't justify buying aerostich now as I don't ride on the street enough anymore so I rock my old school leathers when I do. The areostich stuff I did use for a while while commuting and riding every day was great though.

Anyways, now when it rains I use rain pants/jacket over my leathers, and when it's hot I sweat my ass off. They always end up soggy from either. When it's cold I layer under and it gets tight.... I do love my electric vest though and it helps a TON and negates the need for some bulk. Finding the balance is tough but I always like to be able to put stuff on under my riding gear for when it gets cold. As far as leather goes, I have crashed in mine on pavement probably three times and always been OK. Probably not an ideal solution, I think synthetic is the way to go.

Now that I think about it maybe I actually have the same questions about pants you do.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Yeah, I ride a KLR and there's no scenario I can imagine that leather would be right. Rice racer speed suit, definitely not. Cruiser chaps, not quite. Dirt roads, can't think of a worse material for that except in the boots.

I rather like my Alpinestars jacket, it sorta feels like a campaign jacket you might have seen on a British army leftenant in India. Except with ballistic cloth and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle back armor. But somehow I think Carhartts are probably not the right choice even though I do run the double front pants, so I got that gonna for me.

 

[Bighead]

Do you have a specific price range in mind?

They are expensive but I use the BMW Summer 2 pants. I found a great deal a couple of years ago (~$100 each) so scooped up several sets before they came to their senses.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Do you have a specific price range in mind?

They are expensive but I use the BMW Summer 2 pants. I found a great deal a couple of years ago (~$100 each) so scooped up several sets before they came to their senses.

Thinking about $200, maybe a bit more for something highly rated but probably a fairly hard cap at $300.

I like the look of those BMW pants. Maybe they make them with the proper logo?

 

[Bighead]

Thinking about $200, maybe a bit more for something highly rated but probably a fairly hard cap at $300.

I like the look of those BMW pants. Maybe they make them with the proper logo?

Nice! Good thing is the Summer 2s don't have the typical giant BMW logo on it. I like my Rallye 3 jacket but am not a fan of being a BMW billboard when wearing it.

From what I understand the Summer 2s have been discontinued and replaced with the Summer 3s. Different material, sizing (apparently run smaller) and smaller knee pads have been the "complaints" I have seen. If you are interested, BMW of Denver had some on the rack last time I was there.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Not being able to really see the Summer 2 pants in person and the Summer 3 getting lukewarm reviews I ended up with Klim Dakar pants. We'll see but the local Kawasaki dealer had them so I could get a good look and I thought they fit the bill.

http://www.klim.com/Dakar-Pant-3142-002.html#56779

I had the choice of black or grey since they don't make all the cool colors in the tall variant.

 

[rover67]

I like my klim dakar pants except for the fact that they are not waterproof/resistant. They held up to a bullet going off in a pocket.

 

[DaveInDenver]

They claim to have a DWR coating but, yeah, they do not have a membrane or specifically waterproof layer. I knew that going in. My jacket isn't waterproof either but has a zip-in waterproof liner that is not super useful. It does keep water off of you but the jacket gets soaked just the same and you eventually get wet (like when it stops raining and you have to put back on a wet jacket, duh). I figure on getting a rain suit that remains stowed until needed and goes away when it stops.

 

[rover67]

Yeah I have just been wearing rain pants with them.... anyways, other than that I like them a lot.

 

[Jenny Cruiser]

I'm really happy with all my Revit gear. You might like the Sand II pants. My Olympia pants are great too. I have the X-moto that are tough and can flow a lot of air when needed. My Airglide pants flow even more air and aren't as heavy. I usually buy from Revzilla. They have tons of vids of whatever you're looking for.