Riding pants fit right when, in the riding position, the knee armor covers each kneecap, the cuffs still reach past the boot tops, the waistband stays up at the back, and nothing pulls tight across the thighs or seat. Five checks on the bike, with your boots on, confirm it.
Sitting pulls the cuffs up your shins, so riding pants look a little long when you stand, as D3O, the armor maker, advises. Knee armor sits over the kneecap without sliding, and height-adjustable pockets let you move it. A back rise cut higher than on street jeans keeps the lower back covered as you lean, and sport, cruiser and touring positions each move where the armor and waistband land.
How should motorcycle pants fit when you sit on the bike?
Motorcycle pants fit right on the bike when they pass five seated checks covering the knee armor, leg length, waist, rise and room through the thighs and seat. Run them on your own bike on its stand, or on a chair with your feet where the pegs would be, in the boots and base layer you ride in.
Run the five seated checks in this order.
- Sit in your normal riding position in the pants, with your hands on the bars and your feet on the pegs or at peg height.
- Check that the pants' knee armor covers each kneecap and stays there when you grip the tank with your knees.
- Check that the pants' cuffs still reach past the top of each boot with your knees bent.
- Lean toward the bars and check that the pants' waistband stays up at your lower back without digging into your stomach.
- Stand on the pegs, sit back down, and check that the pants don't pull tight across the thighs or seat.
A pair that fails one check needs an adjustment, a different leg length or a different size.
How long should motorcycle pants be?
Motorcycle pants are long enough when the cuffs still cover your boot tops with your knees bent, which makes them look a little long when you stand. Bent knees pull the fabric up your shins, and D3O tells riders to expect pants that look slightly long standing.
The boot changes the target. Riding gear maker ViaTerra says pants worn over the boot end at the ankle bone when you stand, while pants cut to go inside the boot are slightly shorter. Motoport, which builds riding pants to measure, starts its leg measurements with the rider seated and the knees bent at 90 degrees, because that's the position the pants have to fit.
Inseam is the number behind leg length, taken from the crotch to the ankle bone, and the measuring method sits in how to take body measurements for motorcycle gear. Measure it at home, then judge the length on the bike.
Where should knee armor sit when seated?
Knee armor sits centered over the kneecap when you're seated, covering the whole joint and staying put as you move. ViaTerra places the top edge just above the knee with the pad running slightly down the shin, and D3O says the protector shouldn't slip or slide up or down.
Armor that lines up while you stand isn't guaranteed to line up on the bike, because the knee bends by a different amount in each riding position. Height-adjustable pockets solve that. REV'IT's Sand 4 H2O pants carry height-adjustable knee protectors, and its Factor 4 pants use protector pockets with several positions, according to retailer listings.
A pad that slides to the outside of the knee when you grip the tank points to pants that are loose at the knee. Tighten any knee or calf adjusters first, then try the next size down.
How should the waist and rise fit?
The waist of riding pants fits snug at your natural waist without a belt cinching it, and the rise, the distance from the crotch seam to the top of the waistband, runs higher at the back than on street jeans so your lower back stays covered as you lean forward. Motoport's sizing guide notes that most riders add 1.5 in (3.8 cm) to the back rise of their riding jeans, and it tells customers not to send low-rise jeans as a fit pattern.
The front needs room too. D3O warns sport riders to choose pants that don't dig into the stomach as they lean toward the bars.
Check the back rise with your riding jacket on, since that's where a gap between the jacket hem and the waistband shows. The rise also sets where the hip pads land, so check them in the same seated position.
What are the signs riding pants don't fit?
Riding pants that don't fit show it on the bike: cuffs above the boots, knee armor off the kneecap, a waistband that drops or digs in, or seams that pull across the thighs. The table matches each sign to its likely cause and fix.
| Sign on the bike | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Cuffs ride above the boot tops | Leg too short for bent knees | Choose a longer leg length or an over-the-boot cut |
| Hem bunches over the boot and catches your heel when you walk | Leg too long | Choose a shorter leg length |
| Knee armor sits on the lower thigh | Armor pocket set too high for your position | Move the armor down an adjustable pocket position |
| Knee armor slides to the side of the knee | Pants too loose at the knee | Tighten knee or calf adjusters, or go down a size |
| Lower back shows when you lean forward | Back rise too low or waist too big | Choose a higher-back cut and zip the pants to your jacket |
| Waistband digs into your stomach | Front too tight for a forward lean | Go up a waist size |
| Seams pull across the thighs or seat | Pants too small | Go up a size |
| Hip pads press on the hip bone | Pads sitting too high, too low or too large for you | Reposition the pads or try another size |
How does riding style change pants fit?
Riding style changes pants fit because each riding position bends the knees and hips by a different amount. Sport riders sit with their feet back and their knees sharply bent, so the knee armor has to land lower on the leg, and D3O notes that sportbike leathers fit much closer than casual riding jeans. Cruiser riders sit with their feet forward and their legs straighter, and D3O says an everyday waist size may work for them. Touring pants may be looser and lighter, in D3O's words.
Motoport asks riders to set their feet where their own pegs sit before it measures, and asks riders who split time between two bikes to put their feet halfway between the two positions. Leather, textile, mesh and denim pants also sit differently on the bike, and each is compared in motorcycle pants types.
Do riding pants shrink or stretch?
Riding pants hold their size with normal care, but heat shrinks leather. Leather pants dried next to a heater or radiator shrink and crack, which is why our leather motorcycle gear care guide says to let soaked leather dry at room temperature. Size for what you wear underneath too, since AtomBiker's Sizing Guide says to measure over the base layer you ride in.
Should boots go over or under the pants?
Pants go over the boots for most street riding, and inside them only when the pants are cut for it. ViaTerra cuts pants meant to sit inside the boot slightly shorter than pants that go over it. Rain is the other reason to wear them outside, so water running down the leg drips past the boot instead of into it.
Where can you find riding pants in multiple fits?
AtomBiker, a US online store for motorcycle helmets, jackets, gloves, boots and pants, sells riding pants in multiple fits, with men's and women's cuts across riding jeans and Kevlar-reinforced, cargo, winter and summer styles. Most of its pants come in letter sizes, and the Maverick Motorcycle Protective Pant comes in waist sizes 30-42 with a 30, 32 or 34 in inseam. Pick the waist size first, then confirm the leg length seated.
Frequently asked questions
Should you size up in motorcycle pants?
No, not unless your waist falls between two sizes, which is when AtomBiker's Sizing Guide says to size up. Size motorcycle pants by your natural waist, then confirm the size with the seated checks. The guide maps a size 34 to a 34-35 in (86-89 cm) waist, for example. A pair that fails the seated checks at your waist size needs a different cut or leg length, not just a bigger number.
Why do motorcycle pants ride up when you sit?
Motorcycle pants ride up when you sit because the leg is cut too short for bent knees or nothing holds the cuff at the boot. Choose a longer leg length, and use calf or ankle adjusters to snug the cuff around the boot shaft.
Do you need a belt or suspenders with riding pants?
No, riding pants that fit at the waist don't need either. D3O suggests a belt or braces (suspenders) for one case: sport riders who size up the waist so it doesn't dig in on a forward lean.
What if your waist and leg length fit different sizes?
Pick the size that fits your waist, then look for that size in a short or long leg. Klim sells short and tall versions of its Badlands Pro A3 pants, and REV'IT lists short, regular and long legs for its Factor 4 pants, according to retailer listings.
How should riding pants fit with a thermal liner?
Riding pants with a thermal liner should pass the seated checks with the liner zipped in, because the liner adds bulk at the knees and seat. REV'IT fits adjustment straps at the hips of its Sand 4 H2O pants so they fit with or without the liners, according to a retailer listing. Try the pants both ways before your first cold ride.
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