Women’s Motorcycle Pants for Spring or Summer
Here are some recommendations for protective pants that will keep you cool and safe in the warmest of riding conditions. I highly recommend wearing a good wicking/moisture managing base layer to make your riding pants more comfortable when going on a long ride, especially on a particularly sweaty day. It’ll also help your pants fit better, making them easier for on and off (bathroom breaks!) as well.
If you’re looking for a pant that has a strong abrasion resistant outer shell, breathability and fit, I hope one of these will work for you.
1. Dainese New Drake Air
$259.00
If there’s something that Dainese is known for, it’s Fit and Function. These will fit you like your favorite pair of jeans. With venting on the front of the thighs, it should keep you cool on a warm summer day. I would recommend these for the most petite fits, as it features a smaller starting size of a European 40 (US 0-2) and a narrow, straight leg.
2. REV’IT Tornado
$259.00 (New for 2011)
The Tornado (with a matching jacket) is the ultimate touring pant for women. These have 2 removable liners, one thermal and one waterproof/windproof. The outer shell offers a little more ventilation than the Turbine but offers only Knox Armor and constructed of 86% polyamide, 14% polyester. It also has a slightly different polyester mesh weave. I would also recommend these for a petite fit, as the starting size is European 34 (US 0-2). But if you’re a plus size, and need something over a 10-12, I recommend the men’s version of these pants.
3. REV’IT Turbine
$329.00
With a slightly higher price point, you get better armor (ProLife CE), SuperFabric on the knees, and an outer shell constructed of 1000 Denier Cordura®. So you’re getting a more protective pant than it’s little sister, the Tornado above. For the hardcore dual sport / adventure / touring rider looking for a pant that’s going to protect you and keep you cool and dry. I would also recommend these for a petite fit, as the starting size is European 34 (US 0-2).
4. Olympia Airglide 3 Overpants
$219.99
These are the only summer mesh overpants with a full hip to toe zipper! What you’ll also find are velcro adjustments in the pocket where the knee armor fits so you can move it up and down as you need to (especially if you’re wearing these on different bikes which can have different seated positions). These are also a little long on purpose so those of us who are vertically challenged can hem them as needed. Just be careful not to hem them in front of the mirror. Make sure you sit on your bike to know how much length you really might need! I recommend these for the curviest/full figured/plus size girls who need more room in the hips/butt and thighs. They run up to a true US 18.
5.FirstGear HT Air Overpants
$229.95
With a mesh construction on the outer shell, these offer a removable, waterproof liner and 2/3 length zippers along the sides. I like how the 2 front pockets are in a much more useful place than other pants who place them a little too high for my use. It’s so much easier to reach for a pocket on your thigh than it is to reach for a pocket way up on your hip. I would recommend these as an ideal fit for the curviest/full figured/plus size women out there who need something with a wider leg fit. These also run up to a true US 18.
6. RS Taichi Crossover Mesh Riding Pants
$179.95, MotoLiberty, Scuderia West
These look like a great pant with mesh panels right where you need them. I’ve never seen these in person, so I’m not entirely sure of the fit. However, with RS Taichi being a Japanese company, the fits tend to be more petite and compact, you could say.
7. BMW AirFlow Pants
$399.99, BWM Motorcycles USA
(Gear & Web EPC/RidersApparel/Overview/MotorcycleSuits/TextileSuits/Airflow Suit)
Unfortunately their website navigation is a little arduous and I’m unable to copy the URLs so I wrote the submenu locations above. I’ve only tried on the matching Airflow jacket, but from what I’ve seen with the jacket, I think the pants would be great. The wonderful thing about BMW is they offer Long and Petite options in many (but not all) of their gear, depending on the model. These do not appear to come in anything but a standard 4-16. I couldn’t find a size chart, but you can view it electronically. You can only find these through BMW Dealers, and not all of them carry gear, so call your local dealer to check.
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Hey Joanne,
I’m interested in what you would suggest!
You mention wearing a good wicking/moisture managing base layer above. Do you have any suggestions regard brands or types. I have been wearing a silk long underwear liner which seems to work ok in cold but in warm it tends to be clammy…not a nice feeling.
Cheers and thanks in advance for any info!
donna
Hi Donna! Welcome!
I think anything designed for bicycling is a great option, any brands that are geared toward that sport, especially when it comes to bottoms. I found that my UnderArmour shorts have started to wear right on the vertical seam on my butt!
For ultimate comfort, I’d recommend LDComfort. Everything from the design, performance and construction screams Motorcyclist! They’ve really designed these products specifically for the motorcycle rider in mind (designed by one, too). Sitting for long periods of time requires a very different product, I think, than something like UnderArmor which is more for a generally active lifestyle (tops are however, I think work alright).
For tops, any shirts designed for running or working out seem to work well too. Especially running tank tops with sports bras built in or something like that. Synthetics have come so far! There’s so much out there, its ridiculous.
I think if I had any kind of budget right now, I’d definitely go with the LDComfort for top and bottom for ultimate comfort.
so i got those tornado pants…they looked ridiculous on me! like giant poofy snowboard pants. with my jacket being so tight, i looked like an ass. i wanted to love them, because i love rev’it. the short zip also was fishy. as soon as i tugged on it, it swiftly unzipped itself. not very safe!
so i went for another of your choices, the air drake. it’s awesome! i got them a little loose and guess what? i can fit them over my jeans and they become an awesome pair of overpants. score! they have a great straight/slim fit. no poof! and they fit over boots
only burn is, they don’t attach to my rev’it. but i’m in the market for a matching jacket soon;)
I love the Drakes, and all the Dainese textile pants fit like that. Very fitted, just a really nice jean type of fit.
Depending on what model jacket you have, it’s worth a shot to contact your dealer (or wherever you bought them from) to see if you can get a connecting zipper from REVIT.
Hey Joanne, great write-up! I’ve been sporting the Firstgear HT Overpant for a few weeks now and I can say they work well, even in that rain the other day. Way less poofy than their old overpant and decent armor. I recommend checking out the mens fit too as they have a straighter leg cut (more room for boots and jeans) and a better thigh pocket (bigger) for stuff.
Thanks for the tips here–very helpful for making a purchase of much needed summer riding pants. I went with the Olympia Airglide 3 Overpants. Took them out for a spin today and like them very much. They’re a perfect combination of Cordura and mesh as they feel solid for protection and yet porous enough for cool air flow in the heat. Thanks again!
You’re welcome!! I’m so glad you love them. They’re such a great pant. If you need a jacket, the matching Airglide jacket is freaking awesome as well.
I first wanted to say that my husband lost his bike on a bad speed wobble recently wearing full gear, with the exception of Levi’s. He has been in the hospital now 11 days and is scheduled for his final surgery and skin graft on his knee tomorrow. One day we were sitting in the hospital chatting and I was reading him the cyclenews.com updates on my phone and I saw the news update with a link to your site, clicked on it and THIS came up! We both knew that it was time to get PANTS and wear them ALL the time!! So THANK you for this post!! This is a great starting point for me. I’ve only every ridden in my everyday jeans on the road, but wearing my full race leathers to ride to work is sort of not practical, if you know what I mean.
Anyhow, secondly, I have a LOT of trouble finding gear that fits because I am tall and I’m wondering if there are any places you know of in the Southern California area where you can try gear on. My husband works for a Suzuki dealership and we STILL have a lot of trouble finding gear for women. Any advice, tips or help in any way is appreciated!
I’m sorry to hear about your husband’s accident. I hope he heals up as quickly as possible.
I definitely have a recommendation for you. Not sure if you’re close to Marina del Rey, but it’s worth a drive because of the selection of gear they have from a brand called REVIT. The store’s name is Beach Moto:
http://www.beachmoto.com
All he carries in the store is REVIT! The brand makes all their pants fairly long and you can also order them in long as well, depending on the size. They have everything from light textile pants to stronger textiles, to leathers for women. They’re one of the best brands out there for women riders, in my opinion. The fit is fantastic and they look so different from what you typically see out on the streets of SoCal (no pink, no blue, no glitter).
Another one of my favorite brands is Dainese. They have a great store in Costa Mesa:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/dainese-costa-mesa
http://www.dainese.com
You’re so lucky in that both shops should carry a full selection of women’s gear that each brand makes.
Tell both shops I sent you, and tell them I said that they would take really good care of you and your husband!
Good luck and let me know how things go.
Thank you so much for the tips!! I’m looking forward to checking out both stores. I didn’t know about the marina del Rey store so I’ll definitely need to make it down there. Thanks again!!