Kevlar motorcycle jeans are a great choice if you want decent levels of protection when out riding but you don’t want to look too biker when you’re off the bike.
For those who spend a majority of their time under 40mph; riding to work, heading into town or just out for a weekend ride, kevlar motorcycle jeans offer more abrasion resistance than a normal pair of denim jeans and they can also carry armour making them a far better bet in the event of a spill.
While they’re not as good as a pair of leather trousers or a leather suit when it comes to impact and abrasion protection, they’re far more comfortable – not to mention stylish – when you’re off the bike and walking around.
Let’s just clear up one thing around the term Kevlar. It’s used in motorcycle circles in the same way that Hoover is used to describe a vacuum cleaner.
Kevlar is actually a brand name trademarked by DuPont. Kevlar is ‘just’ another aramid fibre, which is great at resisting tearing and abrasion, making them great for motorcycle protective clothing. There are other similar brand names out there, including Kovec, K-Tech, Pekev and Dyneema. They’re all designed to do the same job as Kevlar.
The reason this review is titled ‘The Best Kevlar Motorcycle Jeans’ is that Kevlar is the term that us bikers are searching for but this review also covers jeans that use aramid fibres but aren’t Kevlar. There, I hope I cleared that one up.
CE Approval
There are some great protective motorcycle jeans out there but there's also a lot of rubbish. They need to carry CE approval in order to be a far better choice than just a thick pair of regular jeans.
For testing purposes, garments are divided into three zones: A, B and C. Each area is tested for seam strength and abrasion resistance. And, in each zone, certain parameters have to be met to attain a particular standard.
The EN17092 or the "Damstadt test" is the new standard set to replace the old CE test (EN 13595).
Essentially there are five different standards under the new rules. Class C is for off-road garments. Class B is for road garments where impact protectors are deemed not necessary. Level A is a standard for urban riding. Level AA is a standard deemed to provide sufficient protection for touring. The top level, AAA, provides the very highest level of protection.
The highest rating that kevlar jeans are likely to get is a AA standard. The AAA standard will pretty much be the preserve of leather motorcycle gear.
They have to be comfortable and easy to wear
You need your kevlar jeans to be a zero-hassle option; they need to be easy to put on, offer freedom of movement, not be too bulky nor too hot. If they don’t meet these needs, you’ll just never bother to use them.
We’ve created this review of the current range of kevlar motorcycle trousers that tick all of these boxes and are worth your money.
Lightweight Pekev construction
The Warrior jeans are our top pick but they’re not the most protective motorcycle jeans out there. So why are they our choice? They’re the lighter-weight jeans in Resurgence’s range but they’re still CE Level 1 approved and are 60% lined with Pekev with a claimed 5-second abrasion resistance, enough for most spills. There are pockets for Knox hip and knee armour should you wish to beef them up. For us, the Warrior offers a perfect blend of on-bike protection and off-bike comfort while not getting hot like other thicker motorcycle jeans. They’re the motorcycle jean for people who don’t wear them because they think they’re too thick, too hot or too geeky-looking.
Offering ultimate abrasion resistance
If you want a thicker pair of jeans with more abrasion resistance the Draggin Rebels are for you. Made from Draggin’s own Roomoto aramid fibre, they can withstand a 7.5-second slide which is higher than the time required to meet the CE Level 2 certification. There are pockets for optional knee and hip armour and they are rivet free so you don’t damage your paintwork.
The Cheapest Kevlar Motorcycle Jeans
Not everyone can justify £200 on a pair of motorcycle jeans. We went on the hunt to find the cheapest (decent-looking) set on the market. There are lots of dodgy-looking Chinese jeans out there but we found a couple of really good budget options.
The cheapest are these RKSports Kevlar Denim Trousers, at £35. They use Kevlar lining but only come with soft armour. They get really good user reviews and are a good option if your budget really is limited.
If you want to spend a bit more money but you’re still keeping an eye on the funds, then these Bull-it Covec SR6 straight-cut jeans are a great shout. Down from £130 to £65, they’re a quality motorcycle-specific jean with Covec lining, a waterproof coating, pickets for hip and knee armour, triple-stitched seams, and YKK zips.
Cheap isn’t always the best option when it comes to motorcycle jeans. With the cheapest motorcycle specific ones costing around £70, is it worth saving £30 to get a lesser quality set? If you crash, you’ll probably wish you’d spent the extra.
Women’s Motorcycle Jeans
Most motorcycle jeans are labelled at unisex but there are loads of options out there for the ladies.
In the pic above, Instagram biker, Candii Banks demonstrates Draggin Jeans women’s specific leggings. Proving that protective motorcycle jean can look stylish.
A women’s specific jean will fit better, look better and ultimately protect you better as the impact zones and abrasion-resistant fabrics are likely to be in the places you want them to be, rather than able to fold up as they might on an ill-fitting pair of jeans.
You can shop a great range of women’s motorcycle jeans here in all styles from vintage to skinny and leggings to regular fit.
A Focus on Roadskin
Another company worth checking out are Roadskin. This UK company designs and manufactures Kevlar-lined motorcycle jeans and they also produce a range of protective hoodies, gloves and casual clothing.
I've got a pair of the Taranis Elite jeans that have been certified to the highest class of protection. They get a SATRA a triple-A rating and they're also certified to EN 17092-2: 2020. They come with removable CE Level 2 approved knee and hip armour.
Unlike some other protective jeans, these Roadskins aren't overly bulky or cumbersome. They feel heavier than a regular pair of jeans but they're all-day comfortable, with a built-in mesh liner to keep you cool and stretch fabric for improved on-bike comfort. Mine are dark blue but you can also get them in black.
Roadskin also make jeans in other cuts with differing levels of protection and price points. They also make jeans with a women-specific fit. They're shortly introducing women's fit protective motorcycle leggings that come with an abrasion rating of AA.
Roadskin's quality jeans are backed-up with good old-fashioned customer service. Their 30-day return policy and excellent customer reviews should give you confidence in this company if you haven't heard of them before.
Check out Roadskin here.
Cheap vs Premium Motorcycle Jeans
This is a really good 5-minute video demonstrating the differences between a budget pair of kevlar motorcycle jeans and a premium pair.
The budget pair are made by Aldi and cost £30 while the premium pair are made by Hood and cost £120. Check out the video and scroll to the end to see the difference in the damage caused in the extended abrasion test.
Other great picks from our shortlist
There are over 500 different pairs of motorcycle jeans on the market. If our choices above don’t do it for you, then check out these other great picks below from our full review shortlist.
Resurgence Warrior Jeans / Our Top Pick From £180
The Warrior jeans are our top pick but they’re not the most protective motorcycle jeans out there. So why are they our choice? They’re the lighter-weight jeans in Resurgence’s range but they’re still CE Level 1 approved and are 60% lined with Pekev with a claimed 5-second abrasion resistance, enough for most spills.
Draggin Rebel Aramid Jeans / Recommended From £230
If you want a thicker pair of jeans with more abrasion resistance the Draggin Rebels are for you. Made from Draggin’s own Roomoto aramid fibre, they can withstand a 7.5-second slide which is higher than the time required to meet the CE Level 2 certification. They also won a RiDE magazine Best Buy award.
Bull-it Covec SR6 From £65
They’re a quality motorcycle-specific jean with Covec lining, a waterproof coating, pickets for hip and knee armour, triple-stitched seams, and YKK zips. They’re not as protective as other jeans in this review but they’re a far safer bet than regular casual jeans.
Hood K7 Infinity From £130
British brand Hood make quality motorcycle jeans that have won many RiDE magazine Recommended and Best Buy awards. The entry level K7s cost £130 and are certified to class B but come without any armour. We’d go for the AA-rated jeans that also come with D3O knee and hip armour for just £30 more.
Rev’it Vendome 2 Cordura Denim Jeans From £140
If you want more from your denim motorcycle jeans, then look no further at these Vendome 2 jeans from Rev’it. They use a 12.5oz Cordura denim outer construction with added stretch for comfort plus, the moisture-wicking Coolmax lining leaves you feeling dry. They also feature Seesmart CE certified armour in the knees with pockets for hip armour.
Motorcycle Jeans FAQs
Are motorcycle jeans waterproof?
Most of them, like Hood jeans, for example, will be water-resistant and some have been treated with waterproof materials such as Teflon coatings and other waterproofing measures to improve their ability to shed water before it soaks in.
You can buy products like Nikwax Fabric & Leather waterproofing which will hugely improve the waterproofing of your kit, from leathers to textile jackets or gloves but if you are caught out in a downpour and want to stay dry, you’ll need a pair of waterproof trousers.
Are kevlar motorcycle jeans any good?
Yes, if you want to look good when you’re off the bike but still have decent levels of protection when you’re on it then kevlar motorcycle jeans are a good option.
Are motorcycle jeans safe?
Broadly speaking yes but there are many different brands of jeans out there all with different levels of protection. Check before you buy that the jeans meet your needs.
Can you tailor motorcycle jeans?
Yes but not always. If your jeans feature a full kevlar lining then this will be harder to work with. Some motorcycle jeans are just thicker denim jeans with patches of kevlar material around the impact and abrasion zones. These types of kevlar jeans will be easier to adjust.
How tight should motorcycle jeans be?
Motorcycle jeans all have different cuts. You want to ensure that they fit in such a way that the additional kevlar protection and any armour can’t move so much that it doesn’t cover the major impact zones in the event of an accident.
Sources
Thanks to the following websites which helped us research and write this armoured motorcycle jeans guide:
https://www.motolegends.com/why-you-should-not-buy-a-pair-of-kevlar-motorcycle-jeans
Does this article have a date it was written.
The Bull-it Jeans now have an AAA rating. Are these new and considerably improved on this listed in this article?
Slides times are fantasies and are not actually based on anything. Bennets have already said that brands who quote slide times leave themselves open to potential litigation. The CE rating should be what you primarily look at.