i generally wear jeans all year round. however, i realize that although comfy, they won't save my skin should i go down. do i really need full race leathers or will a decent pair of over-pants offer just as good protection?

I think it depends on the riding you do.  I mainly commute, so I wear a pair of Tourmaster Flex pants, in the winter, I use the covers & liner, in the summer, I wear just the mesh.  It won't protect as well as leathers, especially thick race leathers, but they are comfortable & offer more protection than jeans.  They have armor over the important parts, like your knees.  I'm sure there are people on both sides of this issue, there are the 1/4" leathers all the time folks & the shorts are good enough people.  I think it comes down to your ride style, propensity for falling, and personal risk tolerance.  I don't ride agressively, so the overpants fit my bill fine.

John.

i'm getting icon leg armor which goes under your pants and provides lots of protection for your calf, shin and knee

i was recently thinking the same thing. i like to wear shorts frequently in the summer, but there's no way i'm getting on my gs in shorts so i bought a pair of mesh overpants for the job. i found a good pair on motorcycle closeouts for $80 and i figured if i were ever to fall off and tear up my legs, i'd be kicking myself for being too cheap to buy real abrasion resistant pants.

jeans tear so easily, so i really can't see them protecting the knees. the pockets reinforce the ass, so your hyde might be ok.

i agree that body parts that can't be replaced are price-less yet at the same time, i have the "best bang for my buck" mentality. i hate, hate, hate over-paying for items. no matter the importance of the item.

i know what you mean. i'm a big-time value shopper, but i want to make sure i have equipment that won't fall apart if i go down. anyway, i got these: http://www.motorcyclecloseouts.com/sport/mesh+motorcycle+jackets/fieldsheer_titanium+air-3+mesh+pants+with+liner

they're a good price compared to most pants and they feel pretty sturdy.  obviously with the leathers you're going to pay a lot more, but you do get better protection. i'm not an agressive rider, so i thought full leathers was a bit overboard for myself...plus way too hot in the atlanta summers.

Just bought some real nice Fieldsheer air mesh pants on closeout also, and they fit the bill quite nicely.  I think they'll do just fine with shorts underneath, and the armor is pretty substantial.  Just get what you think looks and fits the best.

I know Icon makes some looser fitting overpants, like the ARC pants, and Superduty, but I kinda wanted something I can tuck into my boots.  So go try some on, and see if you think any of the mesh will hold up in a crash.

Overpants are nice. I wouldn't ride without some form of leg protection more substantial than jeans. My knees wear through jeans, why would I think they'd protect me from asphalt. You might also consider a textile one piece suit. They can be expensive, but they are super fast and easy to get in and out of. I have a Rev'IT Infinity suit which I really like and have actually crashed in. It held up really well and prevented me from receiving major injury. It was expensive, but totally worth it. I just toss it on over normal street clothes and go. When I get to where I'm going, I take it off and look totally normal...

thanks for the replys guys.

A tradeoff to consider is a textile riding suit with armor.  The Aerostich Roadcrafter made its name in these; other options are the Olympia Phantom, the Rev'It Infinity, and the Alpinestars 360R Drystar.

It won't be as good as leather, and is generally only good for one crash, but for a lot of people, it's 'good enough,' and it's certainly more practical.  I am tentatively trying one such suit, and it's sure easier to step into the thing and whip up the zips than it is to change into two-piece gear.

The only suit I know of someone personally crash-testing is the Roadcrafter.  It's certainly one-use, but it worked.

Quote from: Roadstergal on May 12, 2009, 05:58:02 PM
A tradeoff to consider is a textile riding suit with armor.  The Aerostich Roadcrafter made its name in these; other options are the Olympia Phantom, the Rev'It Infinity, and the Alpinestars 360R Drystar.

It won't be as good as leather, and is generally only good for one crash, but for a lot of people, it's 'good enough,' and it's certainly more practical.  I am tentatively trying one such suit, and it's sure easier to step into the thing and whip up the zips than it is to change into two-piece gear.

The only suit I know of someone personally crash-testing is the Roadcrafter.  It's certainly one-use, but it worked.

I crashed the Rev'IT Infinity suit at 35 and did not rip it at all. Multi use and quite protective. I landed right on the left shoulder pad, bounced and flipped over landed on the right shoulder pad, then slid to a stop. That was like 3 weeks ago. The suit is totally fine and I was saved from major injury.