Sweat is the enemy. So is heat stroke, oppressive humidity, sunburn, and monkey butt, for that matter, but all the above come with the territory when we ride in the summer.
The right pair of summer motorcycle pants won't fix all your problems, but they'll sure as hell make two-wheeled travel a lot more enjoyable. These breeze-friendly bottoms have got your back from the waist down, but the usual rules don't apply.
For example: "more expensive" doesn't equal "more better" when we're talking about summer motorcycle pants. In fact, some of the best pants we've tried over the years are actually the most affordable.
Below we'll dive into our favorite hot-weather riding pants we've tested this season, but before we do, let's take a moment to discuss what makes any good pair of summer motorcycle pants worth buying in the first place.
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Klim Baja S4 Pants |
Premium summer adventure pants with top-shelf materials and protection. | CHECK PRICE |
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Rev'it! Eclipse 2 Pants |
A budget-friendly general-use pant that flows air like nothing else. | CHECK PRICE |
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Klim Mojave Pants |
An ideal mix of ventilation and durability for aggressive hot weather riding. | CHECK PRICE |
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Fasthouse Off Road Pants |
A beefed-up off-road pant for dual sporters with the added convenience of cargo pockets. | CHECK PRICE |
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Alpinestars Andes Air Drystar Pants |
Hot weather comfort with a removable waterproof liner for all-weather touring. | CHECK PRICE |
Good summer motorcycle pants are all about ventilation. Sometimes the airflow comes from mesh panels, sometimes it's zippable vents, and sometimes it's both.
If you want to keep it simple, the more mesh you can get, the better. Textile-heavy options like four-season adventure and touring pants have worked well for us in the past, but the most effective ones are typically the most expensive.
Due to their seasonality and lack of weatherproofing, summer motorcycle pants are some of the most affordable on the market. There are plenty of good options out there for under $200, so don't be afraid to go with cheap pants from reputable brands.
Aside from ventilation, protection is your main concern. Because summer motorcycle pants are so budget-focused, brands often skimp on the quality and/or quantity of armor to keep prices competitive.
At minimum, summer pants should have CE-certified knee protection as well as abrasion-resistant materials at the knees and seat. Mesh brings the comfort, but it won't keep you safe on its own.
Last but not least, a word on weatherproofing...
Our advice here is to skip it entirely. If you're planning on doing multiday touring in the summer months, a removable waterproof liner may be worth the investment, but standalone raingear is both cheap and effective.
If you're gonna shell out for weather protection, stick with the proprietary membranes like Alpinestars' Drystar. You're only going to use these pants for a few months each year, so it's not worth shelling out for that Gore-Tex label.
We've done thousands upon thousands of miles of product testing on our summer tours through places like Vietnam and Tanzania. Trust us when we say this: you don't want to be stuck in the heat with pants that don't breathe.
These are our five favorite options we've tested this year for everything from commuting to off-road touring.
If you've got the money to spend, Klim's Baja S4 are the best summer motorcycle pants money can buy. The materials are top shelf, the airflow is flawless, and the protection is abundant.
Slide protection comes courtesy of ceramic-infused Superfabric in the knees and reinforced Cordura in the seat. Less slide-prone areas are covered by stretchy 1000D Karbonite Cordura, and everything else is breathable mesh for maximum airflow.
Flexible D3O armor comes standard in both the knees and hips, while perforated goat leather lines the inside of the knee for maximum grip on the bike. As an all-terrain summer adventure pant, we've found the Baja S4s to be utterly flawless.
The main drawback is price, as we alluded to above, coupled with the fact that despite the steep price, the only weather protection is a DWR treatment for light rain. Still, there's simply no better combination of protection and comfort out there.
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CHECK PRICE:
SHOP RIDE ADVENTURES
REVZILLA | AMAZON
Rev'it!'s Eclipse 2 pants are the ideal summer riding pant for the budget-minded. You can pick up a pair for well under $200 all day, yet they're made by one of the most premium brands on the market and work exceptionally well.
The secret here is simple: Damn near every inch of the Eclipse 2 is made from a rugged polyester mesh, which flows a ton of air but also holds up well to all manner of abuse. The only exceptions are reinforced panels at the knees and seat of the pants.
As a result, the Eclipse pants are impressively lightweight and all-day comfortable, but still nail the protection basics, including CE-certified armor in the knees. We also appreciate that Rev'it includes actual belt loops on these pants for a casual look.
As for drawbacks, our main gripe is actually kind of silly in that the all-polyester construction of the Eclipse gives them a distinctly "shiny" appearance. We'll also note that they don't have any adjustments at the ankles, so they're not ideal for ADV boots.
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Of all the summer motorcycle pants we've owned, we've probably logged the most miles on the Klim Mojave. We've worn these things through the deserts of Baja, the jungles of Vietnam, and the plains of Tanzania, and they're just downright impressive.
We've come to think of the Mojave as the budget-friendly alternative to Klim's flagship Baja S4 pant. For half the price, you're getting the same level of airflow, and about 90% of the protection as well.
Key reinforcements in the knees and seat have allowed these pants to survive years of hard off-road use and regular roadside repairs. We also appreciate that Klim makes both a traditional and in-the-boot cut for the Mojave, so there's a version for every rider.
As for drawbacks, our main complaint is that Klim doesn't include any armor in the Mojave to keep the price in check. There are pockets to fit knee and hip protection borrowed from your other gear, but basic CE-1 protection seems reasonable for the price.
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CHECK PRICE:
SHOP RIDE ADVENTURES
REVZILLA | AMAZON
If you're more of a dualsport/enduro rider who doesn't spend too much time on the pavement, we can't say enough good things about Fasthouse's Off Road pants. They're rugged, minimalist, and exceptionally comfortable in the summer.
These are basically your classic motocross/enduro pants, except they're built from tougher materials in the seat and legs. You're still getting a ton of stretchy mesh in the crotch, thigh, and calf, but everywhere else is abrasion-resistant 600D polyester.
Perhaps most important is the fact that Fasthouse includes a large cargo pocket on the right thigh, which gives you a convenient place to stash your wallet, keys, and phone. It's a simple feature, but one that's woefully lacking from the competition.
These summer motorcycle pants are designed to be ridden with off-road gear, so they don't include any armor of their own.
We'll also note that while the 600D polyester is "good enough" for light street use, there are much more protective fabrics out there.
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While there's plenty of touring and adventure gear out there claiming to be three or even four-season friendly, it all compromises to some degree when it comes to hot weather. Alpinestars' Andes Air Drystar pants are the polar opposite.
These summer motorcycle pants are hot weather first, everything else later. It's all made possible by their primarily mesh construction, which only employs solid panels of fabric in the knees, seat, and cargo pockets.
A removable proprietary DryStar liner keeps you dry when it's raining, but also stretches the pants' usefulness into the shoulder seasons by adding some wind protection. We've found the system works well down to around 55 degrees with the right base layers.
The Andes Air's mesh construction isn't nearly as well suited for fall riding, but that's the price you pay for hot-weather comfort. They're still much less expensive than most three-season pants though, and even include knee armor for the asking price.
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Hey Riders, thank you for visiting our blog. We hope you found some value in our experience with these summer motorcycle pants. If you have any pants you enjoy and think should be on this list, leave it in the comments below! We would love to hear from you.
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