Joe Rocket Pro Street Motorcycle Pants Test
At a certain point, you may consider leather riding pants vs. jeans or other textile options. It makes sense to give leather consideration simply because it is difficult to find a material that is as tough against abrasion and tearing as leather – not to mention its long-standing appeal on appearance alone.
Joe Rocket Pro Street pants are part of a top-to-bottom system that includes jacket and boots.
Product literature links the Pro Street system to competition on the drag strip, and indicates the product line was developed with input from AMA Prostar and NHRA professional motorcycle drag racers.
Fact is, most of us don’t drag race — at least not in formal competition — but all of us need top flight protection from mishaps and weather as well as comfort and utility when we ride. Leather pants like the Pro Street model are a good option.
Constructed of 1.0 to 1.2 mm leather, the pants include removable CE approved impact protectors in the knees, removable high density padding over the hips and lower back, and soft foam padding in the tailbone area.
To give full length protection with no gaps, the pants include a wrap-around zipper and 8” zipper to allow the pants to be zipped together with a jacket. The main zipper down the front, leg cuff zippers, interior lining waist zipper and pocket zipper are all YKK.
Waist adjustment is via twin hook and loop tabs that cinch up a leather strap with a molded nylon loop at each end. The perforated polyester interior lining of the pants zips out for laundering.
The legs are pre-curved, have boot-cut cuffs, and include stretch fabric in the crotch and all the way down the back of the legs. The JR Pro Street Pant also has flex panels above the knees. A reflective stripe is provided at the bottom of the legs.
One drawback of the competition oriented design is the provision of only one pocket on the left thigh. It is fairly large and deep, and does have a zipper closure. But for consumer use, a little more carrying capacity would be useful. Knee sliders can be added with and optional kit and some sewing.
Being on the short side, I usually have problems with too much length on riding pants, but for me the length on the Pro Street pants was only slightly long. Sizes run from 30 to 42, waist dimensions from 30” to 42”, inseam from 33” to 35½”.
Riding in temperatures in the 80s the pants were comfortable all day. And with the degree of stretch and adjustability for fit, there was no binding or shifting. Bending, sitting, crouching and moving around was nearly as easy as in a pair of jeans—only the impact protectors in the knees were noticeable in use, but not in an objectionable way.
Joe Rocket backs the Pro Street pants, which run $299.99 – $319.99, with a one year warranty. For additional information, visit Joe Rocket’s Website.