| Author | Message | ||
     Xb12mel |
Ok... So I got my bike last year (first bike) love to ride, ran through my early service points rather quickly... (means extra unexpected cost of ownership) So...my first safety purchase was a decent helmet. Then a good Leather Jacket. My next acquisition will be a good pair of Leather riding pants... but it's getting hard to swing an extra $300.00 right now. I work in an office with a dress code and I don't think I can get my pleated and pressed slacks under my riding leathers. (so I've been wearing a pair of HUGE over jeans.) For my birthday, mom got me a pair of Leather Chaps. I didn't have the heart to tell her that we don't wear them on Sports Bikes. But I figured what do I have to loose? It's been a week now and I think I'm really starting to like the Chaps, especially for the ride to and from work. (everyday) So... Does anyone else wear chaps? They look good with my Jacket and the girls at work seem to like the way they look. But I still get a little queasy at the light when a fellow sports biker pulls up next to me. The first time I fell off the bike was in Jeans: Asphalt 1, Jeans 0 The second time I fell was in Slacks: Asphalt 2, Slacks 0 So I know that Chaps are better then either or both together.... It's just always seemed more for the cruiser crowd. | ||
| Badlionsfan |
why not look at textile riding pants? check out new enough dot com, they've got some for under 150 bucks. | ||
| Xbrfirebolt |
It's your skin, wear what you want to protect it! | ||
| Cowboy |
Chaps are better than nothing--------- When I was younger I rode with 2 peace suit but as I got older the pants no longer zip (2 big in the center). I some time ride with chaps they have lot of ajustment nearly all Harley guys are fat any way If some one gives me a disaproving look I shoot them the bird and ride on, after it is my ass any way. he he | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Why wouldn't you use them. Several here do. I've often felt they might be nice when I want a little more protection but would like to let the "boys" breathe. Not to mention, it cuts down on late summer swamp ass. I wouldn't worry about it. Ride what you got until you can buy something else. They don't have fringe do they?  | ||
| Djkaplan |
As long as you're wearing pants under them... I certainly don't have a problem with it. But let your freak flags fly, brothers and sisters... that's what I always say. | ||
| Nevrenuf |
chaps are the only thing i had for years until i finally got some pants last year. and i still use them if i'm on the superslab but use the pants when i'm up in the hills. although the a$$ ain't covered, it's better than nothing. don't be botherd by other opinions, their like butt holes, everyones got one and they all stink. | ||
| Aesquire |
Chaps, like half helmets, are better than skin. A LOT better. I usually mock 1/2 helmets. ( chaps.... depends, I mock a lot of stuff ) But, after being first responder at a motorcycle/car accident last summer, I'm not so mocking anymore. The half lid did keep the young lady from a head injury, ( lucky ) and the leg injuries were from impact not ( much ) rash. She had jeans on and chaps would have eliminated the minor ( but later painful ) road rash. Full race leathers would not have helped more with the femur injury. Wear what ya got, laugh at the sarcastic, ( swamp ass....  that's good. True too ) and have fun. | ||
| Thumper74 |
I thought about a set to keep the bugs off the front of my dress pants on the way to work... | ||
| Iamike |
When I had a Harley I wore chaps. Found a problem though when I got caught in the rain on the way to work. Everything was dry, except my crotch. Of course I wore kahkis that day. Boy did I ever catch grief until I dried out. | ||
| Cowboy |
Always put a trash bag in your pocket works well over your crotch. | ||
| Nevrenuf |
i usually try to catch the weather in the morning before i take off. although i always got in early, sooner or later you have to get up. | ||
| Diablobrian |
You're getting sound advice, but when you consider the leathers you need to look at it a little differently, $300 won't even cover the triage and ambulance ride after an accident at highway speed. Also consider the pain involved with skin grafts....the way I see it leathers are bargain priced! Also +1 on newenough.com despite the name it is all brand new gear, just last year's styles in most cases. Their return policy is great too. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
You could wear Depends inside out on the outside of your pants under your chaps.... On second thought that might be a little more work than is practical. | ||
| Ulynut |
Who cares what those chowderheads think?! You ride a BUELL, that makes you cooler than most. Wear the gear you have until you can afford better.  | ||
| Bigdaddy |
Chaps are great for winter riding and they take up such a small amount of space they're easy to carry along too. I've never put a pair down on the asphalt so I can't speak about the protection they offer. | ||
| Tramp |
I ride in jeans- always have since i was a wee lad. Most of my friends ride in jeans..many have taken hellacious spills, and none have suffered road rash to their legs. Jeans are great riding pants, I've worn 'em coast-to-coast w/no issues. In really foul weather, i wear my North face mountaineering pants over 'em, or snowboard pants if I'm going snowboarding. You'll be fine in a pair of jeans | ||
| Rainman |
I rode jeans and/or slacks for 20 years, sometimes wearing leather overpants in the cold. About a year ago I got paranoid about the slacks and the weird drivers around here and bought a pair of textile overpants for $100 from newenough or motorcyclecloseout. They're a little hot but I feel secure. OK, all that having been said, the bottom line is that you know the risk. You know how much you are willing to accept. Everyone's is different and it may change. It's still a free country, although I'm sure some insurance egghead will want us to wear kevlar panties with our steel exoskeleton in the next decade. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Denim is probably sufficient for any of the low speed dumb stuff you could do. High speed dumb stuff, is your own fault. I dress full protection for the unseen deer, mechanical calamity, or red pick up truck. Leather won't completely protect me, but it will provide a little more protection than just jeans (armor, shin guards, back protector, elbow armor, shoulder armor, hip pads, etc.). If you feel that you need the extra that jeans don't provide and you have that extra in the form of chaps, wear what you have. Opinions of others be damned! | ||
| M2statz |
ATGATT! No matter what the gear is. In my profession I see enough of the Darwin Award winners to realize that a little common sense over fashion goes a long way! Try a tank bag to hold your carefully folded dress pants (in zip lock) to change into at work if you want to wear jeans under the chaps instead of your pleats. FB have you tried the Monkey Butt powder for that "swamp a$$?" | ||
| Danger_dave |
This just in from the 'Too much information' department: FB have you tried the Monkey Butt powder for that "swamp a$$?" | ||
| Bill0351 |
"Jeans are great riding pants, I've worn 'em coast-to-coast w/no issues." My friend looped his bike at what must have been around 25-35mph. One leg of his jeans was shredded, and his skin looked like someone took a belt sander to it from hip to knee. Jeans are great riding pants. They are 100% s****y crashing pants. Anyone who tells you different is either trying to convince themselves or engaging in wishful thinking. I wear jeans about 90% of the time and have for my 20 years of riding, but I'm not under the illusion that I'm making a great choice. Bill | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Then I'd have swampy monkey ass! Who wants that? | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
 Read in you best Fat Bastard voice.... Chaps are sexy, Yeah baby, YEAH! | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
'Cause once you've worn chaps, you never go back.' | ||
| Brinnutz |
If you happen to be able to fit the sizes below I have a full leather set I can sell ya! Jacket and pants can zip fully, or just the back, or none at all. Pants fit about a 30-33 waist and probably about a 5'7"-5-10" person. | ||
| Supafast |
I wear chaps. Actually they arent even motorcycle chaps. They are my old horseback riding chaps! Rode horses for 20 years before I got a bike. Figured they would work just the same. They are actually thicker than the MC chaps that I have seen...... They are hot in the summer but I like the placement of my skin where it is. I would rather lose sweat than skin. | ||
| Jaimec |
It all depends on whether they're PLAIN chaps, or they're covered in conchos and fringe...  | ||
| Danger_dave |
The problem...one of the problems, with chaps, is the hip point and buttocks are common contact points. Right where they don't cover. They are better than nothing and not as good as leathers. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Cindy - just in case Smiley1eye is reading this thread, you do need to mention that you wear pants under your chaps. No sense in getting him all excited...again....lol. |
