QUESTION: Is denim sufficient protection?

[Paladin]

I am a new rider, so forgive me if this seems a little cannonfodder to you all.  I have friends who ride with helmet/jacket/boots religiously, but only ride with denim pants and say that it is good enough if they go down.  This seems VERY counter-intuitive to me.  Thoughts?
 

[jeffkisthename]

I rode like that until I could afford Mc pants. My thoughts, no, denim is not good enough. I'm becoming more ATGATT the more I ride though.

[jake]

I will never tell anyone what they should put on for gear its your choice. I know people who just wear jeans my Dad for one.
 
But in a fall ( and I've had a few ) you want pads for the impact and leather or something strong ( kevelar ) to save your skin.
 
No one ever plans to fall but it happens and I want to be able to get back on two wheels asap if I do take a spill.

[yamahazaki]

No. Not even close to protection.
 
In this day and age of the internet, it should be fairly easy for any motorcycle rider to learn why it isn't protection at all.
 
That said, wear whatever you want. Just be willing to accept any outcome based on your choices.

[rxSpeeD]

Denim offers no protection in a crash, even a low speed one. Having said that, I still occasionally wear jeans when I go for a quick errand or ride in the city but I understand the risk. 95% of the time, I wear my textile pants. Until recently, I didn't have any riding pants so I would just wear jeans, even in the canyons.
 
Although the one time I crashed, I highsided onto a rock and broke my leg, and I doubt any moto pants would've prevented that.

[AlbatrossCafe]

Definitely not if you crash. However, I have been wearing pretty much only jeans (except when it rains) while riding for 8 years. This includes commuting, off-road dual sport riding, and 150mph+ runs on my old sportbike. I would say it has been a combination of skill and luck that I haven't had anything major happen yet (esp with some of the things I do on a bike).
 
As long as you don't crash, jeans are 100% acceptable. Even being nude is acceptable.
 
 
FYI I voted "it depends on the type of fall". I low sided once in my first year going like 12mph on a left turn through an intersection. I was fine except for a gash on my ankle (where my boots would have normally covered). Legs were fine. Probably took most of the hit on my shoulder & back though.
 

[CapnKirk]

I voted NO but I do ride in jeans all the time. I wear really good helmet, jacket, gloves and boots, and kevlar liners under my jeans made by draggin jeans. No padding for impact, but at least the road wont rash the skin. You have to weigh the risk vs protection. 
 
http://www.dragginjeans.com/draggin-liners/
 

 

[Simbadc650]

Tuck and roll will only do so much.

[rossco]

also voted No. but i wear denim till I get armor pants in Dec

[norcal616]

No...good high quality thick jeans may hold up to a very minor rash spill like stunting in a parking lot...I forgot if someone posted a picture here or on fj-09 forum of a leather jacket after a spill yesterday I believe, you could see where the rider chest slid across the rear sprocket ?!! I highly recommend getting some riding boots, MC pants or at least pant liners and jacket, gloves and helmet... You will go thru a few sets of gear till you find your comfort zone with safety and remember you get what you pay for...

[mjh937]

I voted no, but I do admit that I have riden in jeans when it was hot. I always wear my jacket, gloves, boots and helmet though.

[pattonme]

pants are only $100-130 guys!
www.motorcyclegear.com and other sites.

[jeffkisthename]

Last year I rode in jeans and my Alpinestars Megaton Jacket with steel toe boots.
 
Now:
 
Cold Gear (Present)
-Alpinestars Megaton Drystar Jacket
-Alpinestars New Land Goretex Pants
-Alpinestars SMX Plus Goretex Boots
-Alpinestars Corozal Drystar Gloves
-Alpinestars Neck Warmer
-BiLT Freeze-Out base layers and Balaclava
 
Warm Gear (Canyon Gear)
-Scorpion Clutch Jacket
-Scorpion SP2 Pants
-Same Boots as Cold Gear
-Alpinestars GP Pro Gloves
-Dr.Skin Base layers (Like Under Armour)

[Guest ChicagoAJ]

I rode like that until I could afford Mc pants. My thoughts, no, denim is not good enough. I'm becoming more ATGATT the more I ride though.

I hate McPants. Love the pants from Wendy's though. 

[yamahazaki]

I rode like that until I could afford Mc pants. My thoughts, no, denim is not good enough. I'm becoming more ATGATT the more I ride though.

I hate McPants. Love the pants from Wendy's though. 

I'm all about the Jack in the Pants. 

[KamelReds]

Let's get serious, it's all about that whatapants.

[jeffkisthename]

Let's get serious, it's all about that whatapants.

No, it's about In and Pants Out.

[Beemer]

I voted for the obvious answer, it depends on the type of fall.

[fusbal]

Learning to ride I dropped my bike twice practicing low speed maneuvers - turning from a stop, u-turns, etc - around my neighborhood. The first time I was going about 3-5mph maximum and my left foot got planted under the bike and the bike rolled up my ankle and knee. I ended up on crutches for a few weeks with a severely sprained ankle and hyperextended knee. What hurt the worst, though, was the road rash all over my lower leg because I was only wearing jeans and not actual motorcycle pants.
 
The second time I dropped the bike (after I'd healed up) I had learned my lesson and was wearing textile motorcycle pants. Same type of spill, but no damage to me whatsoever. I got up, picked the bike back up, and kept on practicing.
 
The takeaway is denim provides absolutely zero protection if you fall, even at low speeds. Hell, if you're walking down the sidewalk and you trip and fall and land on your knee your jeans will tear open. At high speeds, if you're wearing just jeans the denim will melt into what's left of your skin and muscle that hasn't been ripped and burned away by the asphalt friction.
 
Buy some kevlar lined jeans or wear leather or textile motorcycle pants. Don't be stupid.

[yamahaha]

Jeans and jean jacket are still a step up from shorts and wife-beater.

[i28]

Some numbers from around the web.
 
 
"For the Drag Test, samples were stitched to a bag that held a 75-pound sandbag inside a milk crate, then dragged behind a pickup truck..."
New, 100% Cotton Denim Jeans about 3' 10"
Leather, Competition Weight, 3 oz/sq. ft. about 86' 0"
 
 
Also, while sliding, normal jeans last around half a second whereas leather will probably last at least 4-5 seconds.
- https://publications.qld.gov.au/dataset/84a7d078-9884-4153-b860-e5b7e5d16360/resource/962d0d97-bf4d-4c33-a56f-b83541e4a612/download/01073motorcycleprotectiveclothingbrochurelr1.pdf
 
So if you want jeans with abrasion protection then get something with Kevlar. It won't be as good as leather but it'll be much better than normal jeans. Also, jeans alone won't offer any impact protection so consider some kind of CE-rated protection.
 
Hope that helps.
 

[axemanblue]

I posted this in another forum on this topic. Short answer is "hell no." Explanation follows.
 
On Sunday I came across two recent crashes on Angeles Forrest not 2 miles from one another. The first time I saw a lady rider standing up, smiling and shrugging with emergency personnel and her bike, I think an R1, was a few feet away. I say "think" because it was pieces--the forks had broken off and god knows where her front wheel went and the bodywork had shattered. Her friends gave me a thumbs up at my "ok" sign, and I went on my way.
 
The second time I saw that the dust cloud hadn't even fully settled off the side of the road, so recent the crash. There's a guy standing there, hopping from one foot to the other, wincing in pain at his elbow, with his arm bloodied, his side bloodied, his leg bloodied. His bike is covered in dust, but otherwise looks fine and it starts right up after we get it upright.
 
The girl obliterates her bike and walks away smiling; the guy takes a minor spill and needs bandaging in three places. Guess who was wearing a Dainese 1-piece and guess who was wearing a t-shirt and jeans?
 
All the gear all the time for me.

[avanti]

Definitely not, but anything HAS to be better than the cutoffs and t-shirts I see so many kids riding in.

[gregjet]

A full suit ( nowdays a mix of leather and kevlar) is without question so superior to all other forms of motorcycle gear it just ain't funny. Like Usain Boltz relative to me sprinting, is a onepiece race suit to jeans ( I am 63).
HOWEVER:
Putting on a full suit to ride down to the shop or go to the beach is just plain impractical.
So what are the alternatives. Well straight cloth pants ( PARTICULARLY cotton) are just plain pointless ( aside from covering your bits from non crash harm).
Jeans is better than shorts. But will stop pretty much nothing.
Kevlar lined jeans ( like Draggin) are probably the easiest to get into. Will give you abrasion protection and don't look like you are about to hit the track ( tar or dirt).
Motocross nylons next. Usually some good abrasion resistance and often some point impact protection. Hard to get a pair that doesn't make you look like a billboard though. Fine for going to the shop but if you wear them to the beach you will look like a dick.
Adventure pants offer protection from abrasion , often have impact armour that isn't obvious and can have ventilation and waterproofness. Usually aren't covered in advertising either. But you are starting to get to the leather clothing lack of ease of putting them on.
2piece leather. DOES NOT HAVE TO BE BLACK. Leather jackets are very easy to put on and can look very stylish. Excellent abrasion resistance and can have well hidden impact resistance if made that way. BUT leather pants can be a pain to put on. CAN look great but the more protection and fitted for riding the less stylish they look ( your call). Unless zipped together they can expose your middle to abrasion damage.
The onepiece. Looks dorkie to non riders and cool to riders ( choose you audience). Best protection. VERY expensive. Will show your mistakes for a long time as they are too expensive to just chuck if they only get superficial damage. MOST comfortable at speed by far. usually not very water resistant ( wet leathers are NOT fun).
Oh yeah...because leather can't be washed it can get pretty smelly after a while. Needs airing after every use. You won't smell it but everyone else will.
Hope that helps.
 

[pattonme]

textile gear is cheap - $250-300 (can be much less on sale) and you've got perforated aka 'air' jacket and pants. I've crash tested.