Leather Parka

Is it really necessary to wear leather pants and boots for a motorcycle?

I know that I will wear a helmet and a leather jacket with protection. However, I do not know if I should but a leather pants and boots for motorcycle gear. If you think it is essential please try to convince me.

Public Comments

1. NO.. not essential.. strong jeans & good shoes are OK.. helmet ,Jacket & gloves are essential..
2. The leather is only essential for protection in the event of an accident but likewise, a strong pair of jeans and regular shoes will do. The helmet and leather jacket are a must though.
3. Not essential, the full leathers sort of developed from professional racers and others who pushed the envelope far enough to expect trouble. Nothing like a nice thick layer of cow hide between you and the road to prevent what else but a nasty case of road rash. At the minimum a full face helmet and stout pair of boots should be worn. No need to explain the need for the helmet but you never know when good ankle support or heavy duty footwear might come in handy. I'm not talking steel toed engineer boots but you want to wear something on you feet that won't fly off or easily abrade through in the event of trouble.
4. Some leathers for your legs do more than just protect you in a wreck. They protect you from all of the crap that you get hit with. I just returned from a 1200 mile trip on my bike and I'm plenty glad I was wearing my chaps. They got hammered with grasshoppers, but I didn't feel a thing. Leather chaps are going to run you less than your leather jacket if you shop around, and it's money well spent.
5. No notnecessary as in ...Its'the law...But smart as in...increased protection for you in the event of an accident, even a minr one. Road rash is not pretty/not comfortable and completley avoidbale if you have proper attire. Head on crashes at 70 miles an hour sort of eliminates any worth to any protective clothiing/gear on the market , but an occurrence where you put the scoot down due to taking a corner too hot or slippery road conditions or anything of that sort, a good pair of leathers will make the world of idfference between pain and abrasion.....
6. No, a pair of pants made of a strong durable material such as jeans. As for shoes, I personally just wear ankle high shoes that I find comfortable because I find boots bothersome when changing gears. You have to find a way to compromise Safety and Comfort. Because if you aren't comfortable it could potentially lead to an accident if you aren't focus on whats happening around you.
7. Sorry, must call BS on the "strong pair of jeans" remarks. Denim vs. pavement? NO contest. Won't last three feet. Necessary? No. Smart? Yes. Leather is best. I ride in Louisiana...all year, so I wear textiles which aren't as good, but are better than denim. But part of the joy in riding is being free. So weigh your options. Riding style, experience, weather. Choose for yourself. But the safest thing? ATGATT -all the gear, all the time
8. Not essential, I wear Cordura as it's waterproof to a certain degree, comfortable and with padding and armour I get some protection. At the end of the day leather,Cordura, gortex etc won't save you if a vehicle hits you, they simply save your skin should you slide on floor.
9. If you like the jeans look, get Draggin' jeans or a similar brand. These are lined with kevlar and will protect you if you go down. link below or just google kevlar jeans.
10. Very few people do wear leather pants. The more protection the better, but wearing leather isn't very practical. Maybe check out some of the Kevlar lined jeans.
11. Wear boots. You'll know their worth the first time you catch a rock or a hard bug between your knee and ankle at 70 mph, or if you low-side and slide on your ankle and foot.