Riding Pants Styles
What Motorcycle Leather Pants Look Like Inside: Linings and Construction
Inside motorcycle leather pants: mesh or satin lining, knee and hip armor pockets, seams and zips. What each part does and how to check a pair.
Turn a pair of motorcycle leather pants inside out and you'll mostly see the lining: a polyester mesh on Leather Collection pants, a satin lining on MotoSpeeds' classic pair. On armored touring styles you'll also find pockets holding removable knee and hip armor. Seams, zips and closures make up the rest.
This page is part of our guide to motorcycle pants types and styles.
What you'll find inside, at a glance
| Inside part | What it looks like | What it's for | Example from the stores |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lining | Mesh or smooth satin fabric over the leather | Air movement and comfort against the leg | LC polyester mesh; MotoSpeeds satin |
| Armor pockets | Pockets at the knees and hips | Hold removable armor | LC white touring pants |
| Seams | Rows of thread joining the panels | Hold the pants together when you sit and ride | Heavy polyester thread; triple-stitched seams |
| Closures | Zipper tapes, button or snap, hook-and-loop | Fly, ankles, fit | YKK coil zips and Velcro |
| Leather back side | Visible only where there's no lining | It's the underside of the hide | See below |
The lining: mesh or satin
A lining sits between the leather and your legs. Leather Collection says the polyester mesh in its pants lets air move, so they feel less hot on warm days. Its five-pocket men's pair and its low-rise women's jeans use the same mesh. MotoSpeeds' Classic Leather pants use a satin lining instead.
Textile riding pants add more layers: MCN notes that textile pants can carry waterproof membranes and removable thermal linings. None of the leather pants pages we read lists a removable thermal liner, so ask before you buy if you need one.
The back side of the leather
Where there is no lining, you see the leather's underside. The outside of a hide is the grain, with fine, tightly packed fibers; the layer below is the more fibrous corium. On grain-out pants, any unlined patch shows this underside, not the grain.
Finish changes the outside, not the structure. Milled cowhide is softened in a drum, which gives a softer feel and a small grain. Riding pants use protective leather, which is thicker and stiffer than fashion leather. In Leather Collection's men's range, hides run 0.9 to 1.3 mm (about 0.04 to 0.05 in) and the thicker ones are the riding choice.
Armor pockets
On armored touring pants, the armor sits inside, in pockets at the knees and hips. It is removable, and the store says to take it out before you clean the pants. Replaceable TPU knee sliders sit on the outside.
A pocket only helps if it holds the armor over the joint when you're seated on the bike. Leather jeans may have none: the store's five-pocket men's pair is a jeans-style pant, not a race pant with sliders. Armor types and ratings are covered in riding pants protection, armor and ratings.
Seams and thread
Seams are where the leather panels are joined. Leather Collection's touring pants use heavy polyester thread. MotoSpeeds triple-stitches every seam on its classic pants, with three rows of thread per seam and extra layers where the leather rubs most.
The store also says the seams at the crotch and waistband work the hardest, so check them now and then. In the EN 17092 garment standard, every seam type, zip and armor-pocket seam is strength-tested. That describes the test, not any pants here: no store product on this page is claimed to meet it.
Zips, closures and panels
Inside the fly and ankles you'll see zipper tapes. Leather Collection's touring pants close with YKK coil zips and hook-and-loop; some pants add a zip at the waist to join a matching jacket. The store says a single-panel front gives a clean, smooth line.
What a lining doesn't count for
A lining is for comfort. In the EN 17092 abrasion test, removable waterproof or thermal liners are taken out and the weakest material combination is tested. So judge protection by the outer leather, the seams and the armor, not by the lining.
How to check a pair from the inside
- Turn the pants inside out and look for armor pockets at both knees and hips.
- Check that the pockets sit where your knees and hips are when you're seated.
- Look at the seams at the crotch and waistband for even, tight stitching.
- Feel the lining: mesh for warm riding, smooth satin for an easy pull-on.
- Check the zip at the ankle and, if you want one, a jacket connection zip.
Where to see the inside details
Product pages for the Leather Collection leather motorcycle pants list the lining, thread, zips and armor for each pair. Every pair can be made in a custom size.
FAQ
What are leather pants called?
For riding, leather pants are often called "leathers", the name for leather riding suits and two-piece jackets and trousers. In British English they're trousers, not pants. More names are in what motorcycle riding pants are called.
What is the purpose of leather pants?
On a motorcycle, mainly protection in a crash: protective leather is thicker and stronger than fashion leather. Off the bike they're also worn as everyday pants, which is the question in can men wear leather trousers.
Motorcycle Leather Pant Editorial Team
Motorcycle Leather Pant articles are researched from published sources, cited in the text, and reviewed before publication.