Over the past decade, THE ROKKER COMPANY has developed a whole range of functional motorcycle jeans. They paid special attention to ensure that suitable motorcycle pants can be offered for every taste and every weather situation. But which type of motorcycle jeans suits you best? Which jeans are right for you? What do you have to consider when buying them? Following, ROKKER would like to give you some tips that might be helpful when choosing a new pair of motorcycle jeans. ROKKER - What motorcycle jeans suits me best?
ROKKER jeans - the base material
Kevlar®? Dynatec? UHMWPE? Various suppliers advertise with a wealth of technologies and fabrics that have been processed into their motorcycle jeans. As an end customer, it is hard to keep an overview. We bring light into the darkness and divide the motorcycle pants into the following categories.
1. Natural materials
Leather
The best-known material for motorcycle clothing. The tanned and thus permanently preserved animal skin consists of fine fibers that are tightly bonded together. Leather is breathable, durable, and abrasion-resistant and is therefore very popular amongst many motorcyclists. Of course, there are countless different variations from buffalo leather to ray leather, but the properties are usually the same.
2. Thermoplastic Synthetics
Polyamid (Nylon)
Aramid
Aromatic Polyamide. Trade name „Kevlar®” 5 x more tear-resistant than steel.
Dynatec
High Strength Polyamide. Highly tear-resistant and extremely resistant.
Polyethylen
UHWMPE
Polyethers with an ultra-high molar mass. It appears under different names in the field of motorcycle clothing, such as ROKKERTECH or Dyneema. UHMWPE is about 40% stronger than Kevlar®.
The most popular synthetics
Aramid/Kevlar®
Developed as early as 1965 by the US company DuPont™ and marketed mainly under the name Kevlar®. The fibers are characterized by their very high stability, high impact resistance, high ultimate elongation, good vibration damping, and resistance to acids and alkalis. They are also very heat and fire resistant. Aramid fibers do not melt at high temperatures. A disadvantage of aramid fibers is a possible moisture absorption, poor UV resistance, and limited wearing comfort. In the motorcycle sector, the fibers are mainly known as DuPont™ Kevlar®.
Dynatec (schoeller®-dynatec)
Composed of high-strength polyamides, further polyamides such as Cordura® and elastic monofilaments, it is specially developed for Schoeller. The special fabric construction with a high yarn density ensures the good durability of the material. schoeller®-dynatec creates an optimal combination of comfort, style, and durability for high demands.
UHMWPE
UHMWPE (ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene) is, as the name suggests, a polyethylene with a very high molecular weight. Polyethylene can be considered as the simplest synthetic material: a chain of carbon atoms with only hydrogen on the sides. If this chain is very long, the material is called UHMWPE. One of the most innovative fabrics, which was developed from the combination of UHMWPE and cotton, is called ROKKERTECH. The special fabric structure made it possible to produce motorcycle jeans with only one layer of fabric. This ensures unprecedented wearing comfort with the same level of safety. Further information about ROKKERTECH motorcycle pants can be found here.
And which material is safest?
On the Internet, you can find countless videos on the subject of abrasion resistance of the different materials. In an amusing way, courageous protagonists are dragged along by a motorcycle, and then the effects on the bike pants are compared extensively. These tests give the spectator a good indication of the forces acting on the material and the body during a fall. But at this point, it has to be said that these are in no way scientific tests. Since different factors such as speed, the weight of the driver, the angle of impact, weather and ground conditions play a major role in an accident, live tests should be carried out with a certain amount of caution. Basically, it can be said that all the materials mentioned above offer a similarly high abrasion resistance. The crucial difference lies in the details. In the next section, we will explain what you should pay attention to when buying motorcycle jeans.
A particularly creative test
What do I really have to pay attention to?
1. What type of rider are you?
There are no motorcycle jeans for every occasion. Each pair of trousers has its own strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, the first step is to evaluate what kind of driver you are. There are different products available for every season and weather situation. Of course, your geographic location also plays a decisive role in choosing the right jeans. Do you ride motorcycles all year round? Only during the summer? Only short distances in good weather? All these considerations should be taken into account when buying motorcycle jeans.
2. The structure of motorcycle jeans
There are generally two different types of motorcycle jeans.
The two-layer motorcycle jeans
In two-layer motorcycle jeans, the outer skin consists of denim and the inner skin of one of the safety materials mentioned above. It is important to ensure that the inner fabric covers the entire leg if possible. The risk of injury is much higher if it only covers extremities, such as the buttocks, hips, and knees.
- Good wind resistance
- Authentic jeans look thanks to the outer skin made of 100% denim
- Increased weight due to the double-layer
- Limited air conditioning at very high temperatures
The single-layer motorcycle jeans
Recent developments, such as the ROKKERTECH motorcycle jeans, combine the two layers into a single fabric. In this example, the core of the yarn is made of UHMWPE material and is then enmeshed with high-quality denim. This results in a high level of abrasion protection and increased wearing comfort.
- High wearing comfort thanks to single-layered material
- Good air conditioning at warm temperatures
- Limited wind resistance
- Limited heat retention at cold temperatures
3. The protectors
Protectors offer your motorcycle jeans an indispensable additional protection. The knee and hip areas are particularly subject to heavy strain in the event of a fall. As everywhere else, there are good and less good products. Proven protectors have a flexible and comfortable wearing comfort and are equipped with a shock absorption mechanism that allows the material of the protector to harden within milliseconds in the event of an impact. The perfect combination of comfort and safety.
The accuracy of fit is often underestimated. It is imperative to ensure that the protectors are in the right place. It is best to get on a motorcycle right away and check the positions.
4. The cut
Normally, you do not just spend a few minutes on your motorcycle, but you spend a lot more time on tour. Therefore, a comfortable cut of the jeans is indispensable. Therefore, when buying the pants, you should make sure from the very beginning that the trousers do not cut into your skin when sitting. This can have very unpleasant consequences, especially in the groin area. The length of the trousers should be taken into account as well. If the protectors are still in the right place, it is better to buy a size larger or longer. Proven brands have years of experience with size charts and therefore usually guarantee an optimal cut of the jeans. Below is a brief overview of the most common jeans cuts. Here, too, personal preferences should be taken into account.
Overview of jeans cuts
5. Quality
Most motorcyclists don’t buy new motorcycle pants every season. Therefore, it is all the more important to take a close look at the quality of the products. Ask your salesman where the jeans were produced and what control is done by the manufacturer of the motorcycle jeans to ensure optimal quality. The closer the manufacturer is to the production site, the greater the possibility of a proper quality control. The country of origin can also have a major influence on quality in other ways. Countries with a long textile tradition usually have more experience in the manufacturing process, which has a positive long-term effect on a product.
The difference here also lies in the details. High-quality brands are recognized by well-thought-out products, which for example have protector pockets made of abrasion-resistant material.
6. The durability
The quality and durability of motorcycle jeans are naturally closely related to each other. What increases the cost of motorcycle jeans? 1. high-quality raw materials, 2. excellent workmanship, 3. continuous quality control. Jeans made on the basis of these principles will bring joy to motorcyclists for a long time.