My experience with leather riding pants has been, well, let’s say mixed.
One of the biggest problem areas over the years has been all-day ride comfort; that slight binding, shifting or ill-fitting area that seems minor at first, becomes a nagging reminder that details really count after eight hours.
Joe Rocket Pro Street leather riding pants check all the boxes where comfort is concerned. Adjustability and flexibility are the secret—twin hook and loop tabs cinch up a leather strap with a molded nylon loop at each end to allow maximum adjustability for fit at the waist.
Stretch fabric in the crotch and down the back of the legs, with flex panels above the knees, fit the pre-curved legs to the rider and allows some cooling air to pass through.
The legs have boot-cut cuffs, YKK zippers up the back, and reflective stripes up the side of the lower leg. There is a zip-out perforated polyester interior lining for laundering, which is a big plus for riders in warm areas.
That adjustability and flexibility add up to excellent performance through entire days of riding, even in temperatures into the 80s.
The flexibility of the pants means that kneeling down, bending, and walk- ing around do not cause any problems with binding and rubbing, even at the impact protectors.
Quality materials are used through- out the Pro Street pants, including leather varying in thickness from 1mm to 1.2mm. CE-approved impact protectors are provided in the knees, high-density padding is located over the hips and lower back and soft foam padding is provided in the tailbone area.
I thought that tailbone pad might cause a pressure point on bikes with a scooped saddle, but that proved not to be the case. With an optional kit and a little sewing, knee sliders can be added.
The pants are part of a top-to-bottom system, integrating an eight-inch zipper in back to connect the Pro Street pant to a compatible jacket. The main zipper down the front, leg cuff zippers, interior lining waist zipper and pocket zipper are all high-quality YKK.
There is only one pocket provided; fortunately, it is fairly deep and large on the left thigh, and has a zipper closure. Still, a little extra carrying capacity might be a good addition.
Overcoming my skepticism of leather pants in the past, Joe Rocket Pro Street leather pants are the most comfortable I have ever worn, and have quality and styling to match.
For additional information, visit Joe Rocket.
Story from Ultimate MotorCycling magazine; for subscription services, click here.