Best Summer Motorcycle Pants: Say Goodbye to Sweaty Legs

Here at The Drive, we want everyone to enjoy their motorcycles as much as we enjoy riding ours. This means taking pride in finding the best quality gear, motorcycle parts, and accessories. As someone who rides in a hot climate for most of the year, I focused on pants with the greatest breathability, moisture wicking, and fast drying ability. These are the pants that will keep you cool and dry, increasing your comfort. In addition, I focused on brands that have a strong history of research and development because these are the companies that make innovative gear designed for more extreme riding conditions. I also compared protective features and armor because these are the qualities that keep you safe and differentiate motorcycle pants from regular pants. 

My top pick for the best summer motorcycle pants is the Klim Baja S4 Pants because they are completely adjustable and constructed from the toughest textiles. 

The Scorpion EXO Drafter II Pants are a more affordable option that comes with some nice features you do not typically find on motorcycle pants at this price point. 

When we start shopping for tools and products, we never overlook the secondhand market. In fact, it’s usually the first place I look. Whether you’re scrolling through Amazon’s Renewed section, eBay for car parts or tools, or flipping through the pages of Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist, you have hundreds of thousands of used tools, parts, and gear ready to be shipped to your doorstep. Refurbished to like-new status, they’ll be willing to give you many more years of faithful service all while saving you money. 

If those options do not have what you need, your local salvage yard is great for car parts, while swap meets are a great resource you should tap. Just Google either and head on down.  

To make your secondhand search easier, here are two tips to finding the best deals and making sure your new-to-you stuff wasn’t destroyed by the previous owner. 

There are two basic categories for motorcycle pant fit: relaxed touring and sport. A relaxed touring fit is looser with a straight leg cut through the hips, thighs, and down to your feet. The wider leg opening at the bottom is designed to fit over your boots. A sport fit is slimmer, so the pants sit close to your body. The bottom of the pants are fitted to the ankle so that they fit inside your boots. 

Armor and crash protection are what sets motorcycle pants apart from regular fashion pants. For the most protection, look for CE-certified armor over the knees and hips. Some manufacturers cut costs by using a foam alternative or skipping the armor entirely and only adding the pockets for it. Additionally, the textiles should be reinforced and stitched at stress and impact points. This makes the pants more durable and abrasion resistant. Finally, consider the textile used for the pants’ construction. Kevlar and aramid are traditional reinforcement materials. However, both are not very breathable. Modern textiles have reinforced fibers like Karbonite, ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene, and Cordura. 

Leather is simply too hot for summer riding when there are other more breathable options. Consider riding jeans, mesh, and textile. While riding jeans are the least breathable, they are suitable for short in-town riding. Textiles are more breathable than riding jeans and offer more protective features. Finally, mesh pants are the most breathable and are ideal for riding in the hottest summer months. 

If you want to buy a quality pair of summer motorcycle pants from a reputable brand, expect to spend at least $200. While there are pants for under the $100 mark, they tend to lack features that make them worth purchasing. These low-cost pants cut corners when it comes to fitment comfort, armor construction quality, and breathability. Some summer motorcycle pants are in the $300 to $400 range, but these are best for those who rack up the miles or put their gear through abuse. They have a ton of features and use innovative technology that tends to be overkill for the casual occasional weekend rider. 

You’ve got questions. The Drive has answers.