The Best Motorcycle Pants For Beginners Under $500

Why We Picked It:

Some riders prefer the ‘casual jeans look’ to more traditional protective riding pants, and it’s easy to understand why. Some of us aren’t tracking our bikes or riding through thunderstorms on 1000 mile treks, so if you’re looking for an easy-going alternative that won’t break the bank, look no further.

The Klim K Fifty 2 Jeans are a straight cut heavy-duty riding jean constructed from a blend of Cordura denim and nylon cotton. They also come with adjustable D30 EVO hip and knee armor to keep you safe on your journeys.

The inside of the pant has reinforced DuPont Kevlar panels for added protection, along with a Poron XRDA tailbone pad.

Why We Picked It:

The Alpinestars AMT-10 Drystar XF pants are one of those enigmas of the gear world, where they work with literally any application. You could be commuting to work in the same pair of pants you'd then go out ADV riding with on the weekend. You could be doing a touring road trip, or riding your sport bike around town. No matter what you do, these pants are just that capable.

Most of this is down to the modular construction of the pants, with a mix of materials from Alpinestars' MATRYX airflow panel, to Flynet leather panels backed with aramid fibers for extra abrasion resistance. All of it is lined with Alpinestars' Drystar XF waterproof material, a new variation of the Drystar membrane that not only is waterproof, but also now features hydrophilic properties. This means that it absorbs sweat and water vapor within the pants, transfers it through the membrane, and evaporates it outside the waterproofing.

In a rare twist for a pair of pants, the AMT-10's also come fully armored, with Nucleon Flex Pro CE Level 2 armor at the knees, and Bio-Flex hip CE Level 2 armor at the hips. Because of this, it is also CE approved as an AA level pair of pants, one step below race grade. They aren't cheap, but they are also some of the most high tech pants you can ride in today.

Why We Picked It:

The Rev'It! Sand 4 H2O ADV pants are the fourth iteration of the now-legendary Sand series from the Dutch gear makers. Over the years, they have taken customer and professional rider feedback, and with each iteration of the series, just keep making it better and better.

For the Sand 4 pants, they have updated the material to their most durable ripstop fabric, PWRShell 1000D, with ripstop polyester panels in not critical areas and PWRShell stretch panels in high movement areas. Waterproofing comes via a detachable Hydratex liner, with a detachable thermal liner also included to make these true four-season riding pants.

On top of having some of the best, most abrasion resistant textile material possible, the Sand 4's also come with full Seeflex CE Level 2 knee armor and SeeSmart CE Level 1 hip armor, making these one of the few pieces of leg gear that come with full armor. They also have two large cargo pockets, as well as an internal waterproof pocket for important items.

If you also happen to own a Rev'It! Sand 4 H2O jacket, there is a 3/4 zipper to attach the two together to make a full ADV suit.

Why We Picked It:

The Alpinestars Andes V3 Drystar Pants are another great looking ADV/touring option for weatherproof comfort.

Alpinestars took the successful V2 Andes design and breathed new life (or air) into the third version by tweaking the design for added comfort and safety. The Andes V3 pants feature Alpinestars-exclusive Drystar poly-fabric textile construction for full waterproofing and a removable liner for warmer rides.

The hip protectors are sold separately, but the knee areas of these pants come equipped with CE-certified armor behind the reinforced polymer printed texture for added abrasion resistance. The entire garment carries a CE Cat II safety certification, so you can count on them to be as tough as they are stylish.

Why We Picked It:

Sometimes you just need something a little more protective than traditional jeans and don’t feel like spending half a month’s rent on a pair of shiny new motorcycle pants. I get it, and so do the folks at Scorpion EXO.

The Scorpion EXO Covert Jeans remedy that predicament by providing a 165GSM DuPont™ Kevlar-lined jean option. They also come with pockets ready for you to drop in your own knee and hip armor.

They look great and offer far more protection than regular jeans. At $130 and with over 250+ reviews on Revzilla, you really can’t lose with these.

Why We Picked It:

I’m topping this list off with a pair of purely performance-oriented race pants. Mainly because I can, but also because there are still many new riders who want the best-of-the-best when it comes to protection and safety features.

I started on a 900cc motorcycle myself, and I know more than a few riders who began on 1000cc race bikes. I’m not saying I recommend it (I did get into my first accident a week after passing my skills test)—but if you’re going down that road, you’re going to want the best leg protection you can get.

The Delta 3 pants are designed with agility in mind and constructed with the same S1 Bielastic fabric and Nanofeel Silver Iron liner you can find in Dainese’s MotoGP race suits. Overkill? I guess that depends on what you’re willing to do for safety.

The body of these pants features Tutu cowhide leather, and they come complete with CE-certified protectors in the knees and hips.

Once you get the hang of dragging the knee, you will begin to experience the full performance nature of these pants and their interchangeable knee sliding pucks. But that’s probably going to take a while, hotshot—so slow down and ride safe for now.

Why We Picked It:

The Rev’It! Axis H2O overpants are designed to be quickly donned and doffed over jeans, khakis, chinos, whatever you wear without muss or fuss. Rev’It even thought of engineering the pants so that if you have them in your backpack or pannier locker and it starts to thunder down, you don’t need to take off your boots, as they have added a long two way zipper to fully open the pants and quickly step into them to keep yourself dry.

The main body of the pants is made of Rev’It’s PWR | Shell 600D polyester, with included SeeSmart knee armor already installed, which are height adjustable so they sit perfectly. The pants can be adjusted at the cuffs, knees, and waist to fit perfectly to you, and once on, the built-in Hydratex liner keeps you dry. Lower leg and cuff reflectors give you low light visibility, and ventilation can be given via two thigh mounted zips.

While not “cheap,” the Axis H2O overpants priced to be competitive if you plan on using your motorcycle to commute often.

Why We Picked It:

If your stated interest in motorcycling is either adventure touring or ADV, give Firstgear’s Kathmandu 2.0 a very serious look. They are made to handle the roughest, toughest rides out there, no matter wet or dry. SAS-TEC CE Level 2 armor comes included at the knees and hips, and carries a penetration resistance rating as well to protect you from sharp rocks and nasty branches. The entire chassis of the pants is made of Sympatex water resistant material that breathes very well, with an inner membrane of Hydratex to be fully waterproof.

As you don’t want to scratch up your brand new bike, the inner thighs and knees are made of soft-touch stretch Sympatex, so you will remain dry but also protect the paint on your tank. Should you be in the heat of a desert, there are 11 inch long thigh vents that are sealed with both velcro and a zip with a storm flap beneath, so that you won’t get wet in the rain, but can also cool off your legs.

A nearly full-circumference zip mates with the Kathmandu 2.0 jacket to make an ADV suit, but if you don’t have that jacket, removable suspenders and webbing will hold the pants up and secure. Adjustable gators around the leg cuffs allow you to seal the pants tight to your boots, to prevent any water splashing up your legs.

Basically, if you are in any way interested in ADV riding or adventure touring, these pants should be on your list, if not topping it.

Why We Picked It:

Building upon the excellent reputation and safety record of the previous two iterations, the Alpinestars Missile v3 Airflow pants are perfect for the beginner that might also want to start early on learning how to ride on the track.

The main abrasion resistance is provided by premium 1.3 cowhide leather, with reinforced layers on high slide chance arrest such as the hips, thighs, and buttocks. An evolution of the v2, a new crotch stretch area offers nearly twice as much comfort as before, and as leather doesn’t stretch, this is welcomed. The v2’s were good, the v3’s are better. They have also nearly doubled the calf stretch area as well, allowing the pants to conform to every surface of your legs.

One of the major evolutions of the Missile v3’s is the extended high rear waist area has received more surface area, so that even in a racing tuck, the pants will stay under your jacket. Alpinestars’ own GP-R Lite armor is installed at the knee, with external, replaceable sport knee sliders adding extra protection. If you are seriously looking at moving up to supersports or track riding, it never hurts to invest in your gear early, as these pants should last you several seasons.