Bilt Leather Pants vs Shift Torque Jeans

Murtasma · May 18th, 2011, 01:54 PM

Hey everyone I have a great Alpine Star Leather Jacket, Gloves and Sidi Boots. I'm looking to add some pants to the mix. Currently I use some textile motocross pants which really aren't much better than jeans when riding on the street.

I can't decide between going with the Bilt Leather pants or some Shift Jeans with additional knee armor. The price will be similar. I think the Bilt will probably offer more protection but the Jeans would have the added benefit of looking very normal so walking around the mall or store won't draw as many eyes.

Could I wear some jeans under the leather pants and just take the leather pants off when I reach my destination? The reason I ask is I plan on riding my bike to work more often this year so it would be nice to have something that didn't require me to bring a backpack along so I can carry a pair of jeans for work.

What do you guys think would offer the most protection between these two choice? Bilt appears to be very new so I'm not sure about their quality since the stuff is really cheep (most other leather pants cost several hundred which is out of my budget). The reviews on the Bilt pants on cycle gear however look good.

Bilt Trackstar Leather Pants
http://www.cyclegear.com/spgm.cfm?L1...BLL10-BZ-028_G

Shift Torque Jeans
http://stores.sportbiketrackgear.com/Detail.bok?no=9918
with
Knox Knee Guards
http://stores.sportbiketrackgear.com/Detail.bok?no=4152

Liber · May 18th, 2011, 01:59 PM

I don't like the Shift Torque jeans. I got them on sale, and they ARE comfortable. However, they are extremely baggy and not my style at all. I feel like I look like an idiot when I'm off the bike. More importantly, they are so loose on my Sidi ST Air boots, that my whole calf is flapping in the wind, which is causing me some stability discomfort at higher speeds.

Incidentally, I just created another thread inquiring about some slimmer fitting, boot-cut, jeans.

thurt88 · May 18th, 2011, 02:02 PM

I like the jeans but then again, I don't wear any type of riding pants. I just wear blue jeans and Doc Martin work boots as far as lower body is concerned. Im 1/2 squid.

kaiserz · May 18th, 2011, 02:45 PM

i don't know if the shift torque and the lowdown have different styles/fit, but i got the lowdown and I had to return them to get a bigger size. they are nice pair of jeans (they're like designer) I'm normally a size 30 i read from the reviews that they are size bigger so i got them a size bigger(32) and it fits really good they're not baggy at all and it looks nice over my dainese knee guards (I'm pretty sure they're bigger than the knox) but the thing is I also have a dainese hard shorts for more protection and i had to get the size 34. i'm still waiting for it but i'm in love with that jeans

tl;dr version. shift Lowdown is not baggy, get 1 size up. if you're gonna wear hardshorts get 2 size up.

Murtasma · May 19th, 2011, 06:32 AM

Any thoughts on the leather vs the jean/kevler for protection?

noobie · May 19th, 2011, 07:03 AM

leather is 100x better than jeans/kevlar for protection.

as far as aesthetics go, its personal preference.

Murtasma · May 19th, 2011, 07:04 AM

I'll probably go with the bilt leather pants. I'd much rather keep my skin. Has anyone out there worn jeans under leather pants?

Liber · May 19th, 2011, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noobie

leather is 100x better than jeans/kevlar for protection.

I disagree. Leather is obviously going to be more protective(definitely not 100x more, but i understand the figure of speech), but synthetic textile materials are incredibly tear/rip resistant. Sure, if I were to wreck in a pair, I probably wouldn't ride in that pair again. Combine reinforced jeans with proper boots, knee pads and hard shorts, and you essentially have textile pants.

As far as practicality goes, I think jeans far surpass leather for casual day-to-day riding. At the track and on long rides, I don't think you can beat leather. There is definitely a trade-off though.

Murtasma · May 19th, 2011, 08:06 AM

Why do other leather pants cost almost twice as much as the bilt? My understanding is that jeans offer little protection in a slide. How are these jeans any different? They don't seem that much thicker then designer jeans. Besides the Kevlar reenforcement (which is only in a few areas) i don't see how these jeans are that much better then a pair of standard jeans.

Liber · May 19th, 2011, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Murtasma

Why do other leather pants cost almost twice as much as the bilt? My understanding is that jeans offer little protection in a slide. How are these jeans any different? They don't seem that much thicker then designer jeans. Besides the Kevlar reenforcement (which is only in a few areas) i don't see how these jeans are that much better then a pair of standard jeans.

As far as leather goes, I'm pretty sure it's mostly a brand thing. However, my jacket and my leather pants are Dainese "D-Skin" which is a patented process they use on their leather to make it even more resistant. Plus, it's Dainese, which has more of a European fit, which fits me better.

First off, jeans made for riding are usually double or triple stitched at the seam. In particular, on these Shift Torque jeans, there is an extra seam that runs across the lower thigh, just above the knee, which also has extra stitching. Supposedly, this stitching will keep them from tearing.

The Shift Torque jeans have kevlar patches woven into the buttox/hips areas, and the knee areas. I Do Not recommend these jeans. With hard shorts, knee protection and good boots, your are essentially going to have all of the protection you have in non-denim textile pants.

reaubideux · May 19th, 2011, 09:23 AM

I think the price difference most likely has to do with BILT being CycleGear's house brand. The prices associated with the name brand gear includes marketing costs and (my own opinion here) I'd bet that there is some lower quality materials used, whether it be the stitching, zippers, etc. I have no idea about quality of leather but the BILT pants - according to Cycle Gear's site - states that it uses 1.1-1.3mm full grain leather which is comparable to 1.2-1.4mm that it appears to be common amongst the other name brands. I have no idea how much that .1mm of thickness translates to reduced abrasion resistance though. However, Cycle Gear's other house brand - Sedici - is more on-par w/the name brands in that there leather pants also have 1.2-1.4mm leather but you do pay a bit more compared to BILT but still cheaper than most of the other brands, but it comes with a lifetime warranty which may give you piece of mind in the quality if they're willing to give you a lifetime warranty on it.

When I am able to look at upgrading my riding gear to leather I am probably going to consider the BILT Spirit pants. They're $30 cheaper than the Trackstar pants and it looks like you're only really losing the knee sliders and some of the ventilation (which may be a consideration). I doubt I'll ever do any track days or really ever get a knee down going through curves so I'd rather avoid looking like a poser with track pants on with unblemished knee sliders.

Regarding BILT versus other name brands, gfloyd2002's post has some interesting info regarding manufacturing: http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showp...00&postcount=6

Murtasma · May 19th, 2011, 09:40 AM

Great information I think I'll go with the Bilt pants for sure now. I plan on going to the track probably not this year but next year for sure. Until then I may look like a poser with unblemished knee sliders but that's nothing a metal file can't fix.

Green Streak · May 19th, 2011, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noobie

leather is 100x better than jeans/kevlar for protection.

as far as aesthetics go, its personal preference.

You wear leather pants down in ATL? Aren't they too hot? It is bad enough for me with Textile pants with vents in the summer in SC, I can't imagine how hot leather is.

Murtasma · May 19th, 2011, 10:05 AM

He likes the jewels hot. He told me he could turn them to diamonds if he could generate enough heat and pressure. That's why he wears tight hot leathers.

reaubideux · May 19th, 2011, 10:07 AM

I hope they work out for you.

If it weren't for the fact that they just closed down our racetrack here last year I probably would've eventually looked into doing a track day but I really don't have the resources to consider traveling hours away to do a track day. So it looks like I'll be limited to the back roads of rural Missouri for the time being.

Murtasma · May 19th, 2011, 10:11 AM

The only track I've been able to find so far is about 2 hours away. Due to the distance I think I'll be investing in a small trailer to tow the bike. I don't think I could ride 2 hours, do a track day then ride 2 hours back home.

reaubideux · May 19th, 2011, 10:18 AM

Yeah, I'd say a trailer would be a requirement especially in the unfortunate event that you go down and the bike isn't running and you're then stranded 2 hours away and need to get back home for work the next day.

Murtasma · May 19th, 2011, 10:22 AM

In the event that happens can I take the SUV on the track with the bike on the trailer and pretend I'm riding it around the track?

VROOOOM VRRRRRROOOOM VRRRRROOM

noobie · May 19th, 2011, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Green Streak

You wear leather pants down in ATL? Aren't they too hot? It is bad enough for me with Textile pants with vents in the summer in SC, I can't imagine how hot leather is.

yup i wear leathers in the summer. it does get kinda hot, but I've been used to driving a car with no A/C wearing boots and jeans all the time.

Xoulrath · May 19th, 2011, 01:04 PM

The key to riding and staying cool in the Atlanta area is to avoid the traffic. I mean, we ride to ride, not sit in traffic. So long as I am moving, I feel perfectly fine in my leather/textile pants in the higher heat and humidity. Again, I stress the moving part of that statement. If you sit for even a minute in traffic in shorts, the heat and humidity will murder you.

@OP: Looks like you decided to go with the track pants. That is going to be your best bet for protection, even if the pants are of lesser quality than top brands. The jeans (with proper armor) will be fine for casual riding but will not offer as much protection, especially at higher speeds, and are going to be a one-use item.

Murtasma · May 19th, 2011, 01:17 PM

Swamp ass is no laughing matter.

TomServo · May 19th, 2011, 01:59 PM

I've got a pair of Shift Torque jeans that I use for commuting to and from work. I was actually happy to see that the bulk of the anti-abrasive panels are Cordura; I've been ejected from a racing kart at 60+ mph and slid down a track in a Cordura suit, dusted myself off, and walked away unharmed.

SBN has posts in their gear section showing these jeans holding up to a 45mph lowside, which is good enough for my commute. Like any textile piece, it's one and done, but that's OK with me.

I wouldn't wear them without armor, but that goes for any material. I like my legs to much too ride without armor. I've got some Icon Field Armor leg guards that fit under the jeans.

Mr.E · May 19th, 2011, 04:33 PM

I actually went for the torque shift jeans. I got them today in the mail. I went on youtube and watched reviews and when not. As for the denim tearing, yeah, it tore pretty easy. But the kevlar was a different story, it held up and did what it was supposed to. The only things I ever really heard was they got bruises, but no cuts or road rash because the kevlar is pretty tough.

From what I understand they even use kevlar in some police outfits to protect the cop from being stabbed. I am wearing knee armor under it, Im thinking about getting hardshorts but idk yet really.

But the kevlar is in the butt area and the front of the knee. In all honesty I wish it was also in the back of the knee as well just so I know I have 360 protection. So I think I may also order a pair of Draggin Jeans which has kevlar in the same places but it goes around the knee as in 360. T

hey also have Kevlar pant liners, meaning the whole thing is made of kevlar and you wear it under what ever you want knowing you have some tear resistant stuff. (Although im not sure how I feel about the knitting of it), I'll probably end up getting these so I can wear it under my work uniform pants. If a pair of pants doesnt have armor, always get some. I got some Icon knee armor. As stated before, thinking about the shorts.

I see you went with the leathers though, which Im sure is good if not a little better. But not 100x better. Kevlar and leather is pretty up there.

kaiserz · May 20th, 2011, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.E

I actually went for the torque shift jeans. I got them today in the mail. I went on youtube and watched reviews and when not. As for the denim tearing, yeah, it tore pretty easy. But the kevlar was a different story, it held up and did what it was supposed to. The only things I ever really heard was they got bruises, but no cuts or road rash because the kevlar is pretty tough.

From what I understand they even use kevlar in some police outfits to protect the cop from being stabbed. I am wearing knee armor under it, Im thinking about getting hardshorts but idk yet really.

But the kevlar is in the butt area and the front of the knee. In all honesty I wish it was also in the back of the knee as well just so I know I have 360 protection. So I think I may also order a pair of Draggin Jeans which has kevlar in the same places but it goes around the knee as in 360. T

hey also have Kevlar pant liners, meaning the whole thing is made of kevlar and you wear it under what ever you want knowing you have some tear resistant stuff. (Although im not sure how I feel about the knitting of it), I'll probably end up getting these so I can wear it under my work uniform pants. If a pair of pants doesnt have armor, always get some. I got some Icon knee armor. As stated before, thinking about the shorts.

I see you went with the leathers though, which Im sure is good if not a little better. But not 100x better. Kevlar and leather is pretty up there.

Is it baggy?

Murtasma · May 20th, 2011, 07:22 AM

I haven't purchased the pants yet. I never thought of getting an underlayer made of kevlar. How expensive are they?

Mr.E · May 20th, 2011, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaiserz

Is it baggy?

Not going to lie, they are a bit on the baggy side if you're the kind of guy that likes classic fit or tighter jeans. I personally like relaxed fit which is what I think I'd call them. But if you want a tighter fit, look into Draggin. They come with different fitting jeans that can be seen by clicking here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Murtasma

I haven't purchased the pants yet. I never thought of getting an underlayer made of kevlar. How expensive are they?

To be honest they are on the pricey side $149. Which is why I'm not sure on getting them or not. But they're certainly worth looking into. Seen by clicking here.

Murtasma · May 20th, 2011, 10:36 AM

Ouch that's kind of expensive.

Mr.E · May 20th, 2011, 10:43 AM

Yeah. Might just be better off getting over pants or the jeans. x-(

kaiserz · May 20th, 2011, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.E

Not going to lie, they are a bit on the baggy side if you're the kind of guy that likes classic fit or tighter jeans. I personally like relaxed fit which is what I think I'd call them. But if you want a tighter fit, look into Draggin. They come with different fitting jeans

Ohh okay, cause I got the shift lowdown and they're no way near baggy. They're more of a relaxed bootcut. I might get the torque jeans, I like my jeans to be a lil baggy since I wear kneeprotection and hardshorts underneath.

Mr.E · May 20th, 2011, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaiserz

Ohh okay, cause I got the shift lowdown and they're no way near baggy. They're more of a relaxed bootcut. I might get the torque jeans, I like my jeans to be a lil baggy since I wear kneeprotection and hardshorts underneath.

Yeah I dont think they're baggy honestly. They're my kind of style. They're not tight on your skin they're just right in my opinion. Plenty of room for knee armor and boots if you have them. x-) I love em.

kaiserz · May 20th, 2011, 06:17 PM

hahaha same here (: i look like a bad ass m@T!@#F!@#$# lol

rusninja · May 20th, 2011, 06:21 PM

http://youtu.be/t_8A8ZaH9sY nuff said kevlar will save your butt litteraly compared to regular jeans :P

Moldbuster · May 22nd, 2011, 05:36 PM

To give you an idea of the different levels of Protection and resistance to tearing and abrasion among different types of material, here is a chart. First column is the Material, second is the Pounds of force until the fabric tears, last are the Abrasion cycles until the fabric wears thru. This doesnt mean you can crash the material this many times until it fails...it is a standardized test of abrasion resistance which mounts the fabric on a weighted arm that moves it across a standardized abrasive surface, pavement in this case, until it wears thru. As you will see, jeans are...questionable and you will see why so many fail in the crash test reports. You will see why racing grade leather is definitely a better choice over jeans, why 1000 denier Cordura is so surprising, and why I chose Motoport Kevlar.

Cotton Jeans 4.5 pounds to tear. 50 cycles to failure
70 Denier Standard Nylon 4.5 pounds to tear 165 cycles to failure
500 Denier Polyester 8 pounds to tear. 180 cycles to failure
200 Denier Standard Nylon 7.5 pounds to tear 275 cycles to failure
500 Denier Cordura 22 pounds to tear 710 cycles to failure
620 Denier Cordura 35 pounds to tear 1200 cycles to failure
NEW Comp Grade Leather 80-110 pounds to tear 1200-1700 cycles
1000 Denier Cordura 110 pounds to tear 1780 cycles to failure
Motoport Air Mesh Kevlar. 1260 pounds to tear 1800 cycles to failure
Motoport Stretch Kevlar Blend 420 pounds to tear 1800 cycles to failure. 2 layers used in the stretch Kevlar suits.

Kevlar, in order to have the resistance to tearing/abrasion, needs to be woven with other materials. The problem with Kevlar jeans is that the Kevlar fabric is typically loosely sown in and it is sometimes pure Kevlar, which is honestly useless. If the denim fails due to the forces involved in a fall and impact (the Draggin' jeans thing is not how a crash happens!), the Kevlar fabric is held in place by...what? I want the outer layer to be as resistant to tearing and abrasion as possible and most "kevlar jeans" are standard weight denim. Best bang for the buck in my opinion are the Motoport 1000 Denier "jeans". Same strength/abrasion resistance as full race leather and they come with full coverage armor for $189. Not super cheap...but compared to the $2700 I spent on my two full Kevlar outfits...pretty affordable.

May 18th, 2011, 01:54 PM	#1
Murtasma 2 Wheels 4 Life Name: John Location: earth Join Date: May 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250R Posts: 45	Bilt Leather Pants vs Shift Torque Jeans Hey everyone I have a great Alpine Star Leather Jacket, Gloves and Sidi Boots. I'm looking to add some pants to the mix. Currently I use some textile motocross pants which really aren't much better than jeans when riding on the street. I can't decide between going with the Bilt Leather pants or some Shift Jeans with additional knee armor. The price will be similar. I think the Bilt will probably offer more protection but the Jeans would have the added benefit of looking very normal so walking around the mall or store won't draw as many eyes. Could I wear some jeans under the leather pants and just take the leather pants off when I reach my destination? The reason I ask is I plan on riding my bike to work more often this year so it would be nice to have something that didn't require me to bring a backpack along so I can carry a pair of jeans for work. What do you guys think would offer the most protection between these two choice? Bilt appears to be very new so I'm not sure about their quality since the stuff is really cheep (most other leather pants cost several hundred which is out of my budget). The reviews on the Bilt pants on cycle gear however look good. Bilt Trackstar Leather Pants http://www.cyclegear.com/spgm.cfm?L1...BLL10-BZ-028_G Shift Torque Jeans http://stores.sportbiketrackgear.com/Detail.bok?no=9918 with Knox Knee Guards http://stores.sportbiketrackgear.com/Detail.bok?no=4152

May 19th, 2011, 01:04 PM	#20
Xoulrath ninjette.org sage Name: T Location: U.S. Join Date: May 2010 Motorcycle(s): Current: '11 ZX-6R; Previous: '09 Ninjette; '08 ZX-6R (Ex-Wife '09 TU250X) Posts: 981	The key to riding and staying cool in the Atlanta area is to avoid the traffic. I mean, we ride to ride, not sit in traffic. So long as I am moving, I feel perfectly fine in my leather/textile pants in the higher heat and humidity. Again, I stress the moving part of that statement. If you sit for even a minute in traffic in shorts, the heat and humidity will murder you. @OP: Looks like you decided to go with the track pants. That is going to be your best bet for protection, even if the pants are of lesser quality than top brands. The jeans (with proper armor) will be fine for casual riding but will not offer as much protection, especially at higher speeds, and are going to be a one-use item. __________________________________________________ R.I.P EthioKnight (Alex)

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May 18th, 2011, 01:59 PM	#2
Liber ninjette.org sage Name: Chris Location: Arkansas Join Date: May 2011 Motorcycle(s): EX250J Posts: 511	I don't like the Shift Torque jeans. I got them on sale, and they ARE comfortable. However, they are extremely baggy and not my style at all. I feel like I look like an idiot when I'm off the bike. More importantly, they are so loose on my Sidi ST Air boots, that my whole calf is flapping in the wind, which is causing me some stability discomfort at higher speeds. Incidentally, I just created another thread inquiring about some slimmer fitting, boot-cut, jeans.

May 18th, 2011, 02:02 PM	#3
thurt88 ninjette.org guru Name: Tommy Location: Missouri Join Date: Jul 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2014 Honda CRF250L, 2010 ninja 250r Posts: 413	I like the jeans but then again, I don't wear any type of riding pants. I just wear blue jeans and Doc Martin work boots as far as lower body is concerned. Im 1/2 squid.

May 18th, 2011, 02:45 PM	#4
kaiserz There's a limit to s2pdty Name: A.D. Location: NoVa the burg Join Date: Apr 2011 Motorcycle(s): 250r ninja (sold) Posts: A lot.	i don't know if the shift torque and the lowdown have different styles/fit, but i got the lowdown and I had to return them to get a bigger size. they are nice pair of jeans (they're like designer) I'm normally a size 30 i read from the reviews that they are size bigger so i got them a size bigger(32) and it fits really good they're not baggy at all and it looks nice over my dainese knee guards (I'm pretty sure they're bigger than the knox) but the thing is I also have a dainese hard shorts for more protection and i had to get the size 34. i'm still waiting for it but i'm in love with that jeans tl;dr version. shift Lowdown is not baggy, get 1 size up. if you're gonna wear hardshorts get 2 size up.

May 19th, 2011, 06:32 AM	#5
Murtasma 2 Wheels 4 Life Name: John Location: earth Join Date: May 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250R Posts: 45	Any thoughts on the leather vs the jean/kevler for protection?

May 19th, 2011, 07:03 AM	#6
noobie ninjette.org member Name: me Location: atl Join Date: May 2011 Motorcycle(s): 250r Posts: 21	leather is 100x better than jeans/kevlar for protection. as far as aesthetics go, its personal preference.

May 19th, 2011, 07:04 AM	#7
Murtasma 2 Wheels 4 Life Name: John Location: earth Join Date: May 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250R Posts: 45	I'll probably go with the bilt leather pants. I'd much rather keep my skin. Has anyone out there worn jeans under leather pants?

May 19th, 2011, 08:06 AM	#9
Murtasma 2 Wheels 4 Life Name: John Location: earth Join Date: May 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250R Posts: 45	Why do other leather pants cost almost twice as much as the bilt? My understanding is that jeans offer little protection in a slide. How are these jeans any different? They don't seem that much thicker then designer jeans. Besides the Kevlar reenforcement (which is only in a few areas) i don't see how these jeans are that much better then a pair of standard jeans.

May 19th, 2011, 09:23 AM	#11
reaubideux Perpetual Newb Name: Jason Location: Imperial, MO Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2010 MIB Ninja 250R [sold]; 2006 CBR600RR [sold]; 2013 Triumph Street Triple R Posts: 782	I think the price difference most likely has to do with BILT being CycleGear's house brand. The prices associated with the name brand gear includes marketing costs and (my own opinion here) I'd bet that there is some lower quality materials used, whether it be the stitching, zippers, etc. I have no idea about quality of leather but the BILT pants - according to Cycle Gear's site - states that it uses 1.1-1.3mm full grain leather which is comparable to 1.2-1.4mm that it appears to be common amongst the other name brands. I have no idea how much that .1mm of thickness translates to reduced abrasion resistance though. However, Cycle Gear's other house brand - Sedici - is more on-par w/the name brands in that there leather pants also have 1.2-1.4mm leather but you do pay a bit more compared to BILT but still cheaper than most of the other brands, but it comes with a lifetime warranty which may give you piece of mind in the quality if they're willing to give you a lifetime warranty on it. When I am able to look at upgrading my riding gear to leather I am probably going to consider the BILT Spirit pants. They're $30 cheaper than the Trackstar pants and it looks like you're only really losing the knee sliders and some of the ventilation (which may be a consideration). I doubt I'll ever do any track days or really ever get a knee down going through curves so I'd rather avoid looking like a poser with track pants on with unblemished knee sliders. Regarding BILT versus other name brands, gfloyd2002's post has some interesting info regarding manufacturing: http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showp...00&postcount=6

May 19th, 2011, 09:40 AM	#12
Murtasma 2 Wheels 4 Life Name: John Location: earth Join Date: May 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250R Posts: 45	Great information I think I'll go with the Bilt pants for sure now. I plan on going to the track probably not this year but next year for sure. Until then I may look like a poser with unblemished knee sliders but that's nothing a metal file can't fix.

May 19th, 2011, 10:05 AM	#14
Murtasma 2 Wheels 4 Life Name: John Location: earth Join Date: May 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250R Posts: 45	He likes the jewels hot. He told me he could turn them to diamonds if he could generate enough heat and pressure. That's why he wears tight hot leathers.

May 19th, 2011, 10:07 AM	#15
reaubideux Perpetual Newb Name: Jason Location: Imperial, MO Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2010 MIB Ninja 250R [sold]; 2006 CBR600RR [sold]; 2013 Triumph Street Triple R Posts: 782	I hope they work out for you. If it weren't for the fact that they just closed down our racetrack here last year I probably would've eventually looked into doing a track day but I really don't have the resources to consider traveling hours away to do a track day. So it looks like I'll be limited to the back roads of rural Missouri for the time being.

May 19th, 2011, 10:11 AM	#16
Murtasma 2 Wheels 4 Life Name: John Location: earth Join Date: May 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250R Posts: 45	The only track I've been able to find so far is about 2 hours away. Due to the distance I think I'll be investing in a small trailer to tow the bike. I don't think I could ride 2 hours, do a track day then ride 2 hours back home.

May 19th, 2011, 10:18 AM	#17
reaubideux Perpetual Newb Name: Jason Location: Imperial, MO Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2010 MIB Ninja 250R [sold]; 2006 CBR600RR [sold]; 2013 Triumph Street Triple R Posts: 782	Yeah, I'd say a trailer would be a requirement especially in the unfortunate event that you go down and the bike isn't running and you're then stranded 2 hours away and need to get back home for work the next day.

May 19th, 2011, 10:22 AM	#18
Murtasma 2 Wheels 4 Life Name: John Location: earth Join Date: May 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250R Posts: 45	In the event that happens can I take the SUV on the track with the bike on the trailer and pretend I'm riding it around the track? VROOOOM VRRRRRROOOOM VRRRRROOM

May 19th, 2011, 01:17 PM	#21
Murtasma 2 Wheels 4 Life Name: John Location: earth Join Date: May 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250R Posts: 45	Swamp ass is no laughing matter.

May 19th, 2011, 01:59 PM	#22
TomServo ninjette.org member Name: Casey Location: Central Florida Join Date: Apr 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2011 Ninja 250R; 2003 SV650S Posts: 18	I've got a pair of Shift Torque jeans that I use for commuting to and from work. I was actually happy to see that the bulk of the anti-abrasive panels are Cordura; I've been ejected from a racing kart at 60+ mph and slid down a track in a Cordura suit, dusted myself off, and walked away unharmed. SBN has posts in their gear section showing these jeans holding up to a 45mph lowside, which is good enough for my commute. Like any textile piece, it's one and done, but that's OK with me. I wouldn't wear them without armor, but that goes for any material. I like my legs to much too ride without armor. I've got some Icon Field Armor leg guards that fit under the jeans.

May 19th, 2011, 04:33 PM	#23
Mr.E That rider dude. Name: Eric Location: Orlando, Fl. Join Date: Apr 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2011 White Ninja 250 SE. Posts: A lot.	I actually went for the torque shift jeans. I got them today in the mail. I went on youtube and watched reviews and when not. As for the denim tearing, yeah, it tore pretty easy. But the kevlar was a different story, it held up and did what it was supposed to. The only things I ever really heard was they got bruises, but no cuts or road rash because the kevlar is pretty tough. From what I understand they even use kevlar in some police outfits to protect the cop from being stabbed. I am wearing knee armor under it, Im thinking about getting hardshorts but idk yet really. But the kevlar is in the butt area and the front of the knee. In all honesty I wish it was also in the back of the knee as well just so I know I have 360 protection. So I think I may also order a pair of Draggin Jeans which has kevlar in the same places but it goes around the knee as in 360. T hey also have Kevlar pant liners, meaning the whole thing is made of kevlar and you wear it under what ever you want knowing you have some tear resistant stuff. (Although im not sure how I feel about the knitting of it), I'll probably end up getting these so I can wear it under my work uniform pants. If a pair of pants doesnt have armor, always get some. I got some Icon knee armor. As stated before, thinking about the shorts. I see you went with the leathers though, which Im sure is good if not a little better. But not 100x better. Kevlar and leather is pretty up there.

May 20th, 2011, 07:22 AM	#25
Murtasma 2 Wheels 4 Life Name: John Location: earth Join Date: May 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250R Posts: 45	I haven't purchased the pants yet. I never thought of getting an underlayer made of kevlar. How expensive are they?

May 20th, 2011, 10:36 AM	#27
Murtasma 2 Wheels 4 Life Name: John Location: earth Join Date: May 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250R Posts: 45	Ouch that's kind of expensive.

May 20th, 2011, 10:43 AM	#28
Mr.E That rider dude. Name: Eric Location: Orlando, Fl. Join Date: Apr 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2011 White Ninja 250 SE. Posts: A lot.	Yeah. Might just be better off getting over pants or the jeans. x-(

May 20th, 2011, 06:17 PM	#31
kaiserz There's a limit to s2pdty Name: A.D. Location: NoVa the burg Join Date: Apr 2011 Motorcycle(s): 250r ninja (sold) Posts: A lot.	hahaha same here (: i look like a bad ass m@T!@#F!@#$# lol

May 20th, 2011, 06:21 PM	#32
rusninja Ninjette wanabe :D Name: Ruslan Location: San Jose Join Date: Apr 2011 Motorcycle(s): white 300 :D Posts: A lot.	http://youtu.be/t_8A8ZaH9sY nuff said kevlar will save your butt litteraly compared to regular jeans :P

May 22nd, 2011, 05:36 PM	#33
Moldbuster ninjette.org member Name: Kevin Location: Bellingham, WA in the Nice COOL Pacific Northwest Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja 250R Limited Ed Posts: 103	To give you an idea of the different levels of Protection and resistance to tearing and abrasion among different types of material, here is a chart. First column is the Material, second is the Pounds of force until the fabric tears, last are the Abrasion cycles until the fabric wears thru. This doesnt mean you can crash the material this many times until it fails...it is a standardized test of abrasion resistance which mounts the fabric on a weighted arm that moves it across a standardized abrasive surface, pavement in this case, until it wears thru. As you will see, jeans are...questionable and you will see why so many fail in the crash test reports. You will see why racing grade leather is definitely a better choice over jeans, why 1000 denier Cordura is so surprising, and why I chose Motoport Kevlar. Cotton Jeans 4.5 pounds to tear. 50 cycles to failure 70 Denier Standard Nylon 4.5 pounds to tear 165 cycles to failure 500 Denier Polyester 8 pounds to tear. 180 cycles to failure 200 Denier Standard Nylon 7.5 pounds to tear 275 cycles to failure 500 Denier Cordura 22 pounds to tear 710 cycles to failure 620 Denier Cordura 35 pounds to tear 1200 cycles to failure NEW Comp Grade Leather 80-110 pounds to tear 1200-1700 cycles 1000 Denier Cordura 110 pounds to tear 1780 cycles to failure Motoport Air Mesh Kevlar. 1260 pounds to tear 1800 cycles to failure Motoport Stretch Kevlar Blend 420 pounds to tear 1800 cycles to failure. 2 layers used in the stretch Kevlar suits. Kevlar, in order to have the resistance to tearing/abrasion, needs to be woven with other materials. The problem with Kevlar jeans is that the Kevlar fabric is typically loosely sown in and it is sometimes pure Kevlar, which is honestly useless. If the denim fails due to the forces involved in a fall and impact (the Draggin' jeans thing is not how a crash happens!), the Kevlar fabric is held in place by...what? I want the outer layer to be as resistant to tearing and abrasion as possible and most "kevlar jeans" are standard weight denim. Best bang for the buck in my opinion are the Motoport 1000 Denier "jeans". Same strength/abrasion resistance as full race leather and they come with full coverage armor for $189. Not super cheap...but compared to the $2700 I spent on my two full Kevlar outfits...pretty affordable.