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How Long Should Motorcycle Pants Be When Seated on the Bike?
Seated with knees bent, riding pants should still meet your boots with no gap, so they look a bit long standing. Here is the seated test and how to order.
Seated on the bike with your knees bent, your motorcycle pants should still meet your boots with no gap and no bunching at the ankle. Bent knees pull the legs up, so pants that are right on the bike look a little long when you stand. Judge the length seated, in the boots you ride in.
This answer is part of our motorcycle pants sizing and fit guide.
Why riding pants look long standing
When you sit and reach for the bars, the leg rises to make room for the bent knee. One UK gear shop, Motolegends, puts that at an inch or two (2.5-5 cm). Riders often order leather pants a little longer for this reason, so the hem still covers the boot top on the bike.
Race-cut pants add to the effect. Their legs are shaped with a bend, so they can feel odd until you are in the riding crouch.
No store we checked gives a figure for how much longer riding pants should be than walking pants. Use the seated test below, in your riding position, rather than a fixed number.
The seated test
- Put on the pants and the boots you ride in.
- Sit on the bike, feet on the pegs, hands on the bars.
- Check the hem: it should cover the boot top with no gap.
- Check the knee: the knee armor should still cover the joint, as armor maker D3O advises.
- Lean forward and check the waistband and knees too.
If the hem is right but the leg climbs at the waist or knee, see how to stop pants riding up. If the jacket also lifts, check whether you can zip your jacket to your riding pants.
Inside or over the boot
| Leg style | What "right length" means seated |
|---|---|
| Over the boot | Hem covers the boot top with no gap; ankle zips help the leg open over the boot |
| Inside the boot | Leg stays tucked in and doesn't bunch at the ankle |
| Street length with tall boots | Can work, because the boot shaft covers the rise |
| Street length with short boots | A gap above the boot is likely |
Getting the length right when you order
Know which leg number a form asks for. On the Leather Collection size guide, inseam runs from the highest point of the crotch to just above the ankle bone. Men's chart inseams run 74.6-86.2 cm (about 29.4-33.9 in), measured standing, with no seated figure listed.
Custom orders can ask for different numbers. One touring-pants form asks for external leg length and crotch to ground. The custom pants page asks for inseam among other measurements, taken standing. Every pair in the range can be made in a custom size if your legs are long or short for the chart.
Some styles come with an unfinished hem you trim yourself:
- Try them on with your riding boots, mark the length, then cut a little at a time.
- Leather doesn't fray like cloth, so a clean cut edge stays neat.
- Don't overdo it: pants should reach your ankles without dragging on the ground.
To choose waist and leg sizes first, see how to find your motorcycle pants size. Then compare styles in the Leather Collection leather motorcycle pants range.
Motorcycle Leather Pant Editorial Team
Motorcycle Leather Pant articles are researched from published sources, cited in the text, and reviewed before publication.