Why Are Motorcycle Pants An Afterthought?

Speak with any biker and you’ll hear the same four words.

“Not if, but when.”

Look, we’ve all been there; the sun finally shows up, the weather starts warming up, and at long last it’s a picture perfect day to hit the road and head off yonder. You’re pumped for the adventure ahead, not worried about what could go wrong.

“Not if, but when.”

My work buddy Seth had heard his dad say those words many times in the two years since he’d gotten his first bike, a sweet Yamaha R6. Generally they went in one ear and out the other, but not that gorgeous morning when he decided to take the long way into work.

Maybe it was mom.

You know how insistent moms can be about “stay safe!” Seth’s mother was no different. And it’s a good thing she was, because that day Seth had decided to wear his Scorpion Covert Jeans.

So off to work he went… and maybe feeling like he needed to put a bit more pedal to the metal than need be, Seth rounded a corner a bit too “hot”… his rear end caught some gravel and started sliding out. Lacking the experience and skill to properly recover, he decided to bail. His hand and knee hit the pavement HARD. He started to roll… and slid on his arm, side, and back as he watched his bike slam into the median and flip over.

It was a bit gnarly. But he shook it off, collected himself, and assessed the situation. Other than some minor road-rash, the Scorpion Covert Jeans did their job. The impact had torn through the denim at the knee, but the Kevlar reinforcement held together.

Sadly, Seth’s bike was totaled but again, he came through pretty much in one piece… enough so that as he was no fan of hospitals, with a few bandages he was good to go.

Since then, Seth upgraded to the Scorpion Covert Ultra Jeans, which are lighter weight and offer full Kevlar protection all the way to the ankles.

I asked Seth about his accident, wondering why he’d changed his mind about motorcycle pants pretty much in the nick of time. He said, “yeah, I used to think they were just a hassle. After all, it’s easy to throw on a jacket. But when you think about it, it’s good to have that extra protection because you never know when you’ll need it.”

Totally understand, because after all…

“Not if, but when.”

If you own motorcycle pants, what type did you buy and why? If you don’t, what are your reasons for not? Do you own them but not wear them, why or why not? We would love to hear your thoughts, so comment below.

Also, if you are looking for pants that offer protection and a casual look, check out our Men’s Riding Casual Pants, or Ladies Protective Denim Pants.

Alternatively you can check out our Men’s Motorcycle Pants, or Ladies Motorcycle Pants if you prefer a different type of Motorcycle Pant.