Inexpensive Gear Guide: Motorcycle Protective Gear You Can Afford

Affordable Motorcycle Protective Gear

A lot of people when buying their first motorcycle spend every cent on the bike itself, but leave barely any left to buy some decent motorcycle gear. This article will show you that you can get some good gear for only a few hundred bucks.

In this motorcycle guide we cover the following:
Affordable Motorcycle Helmets
Affordable Motorcycle Jackets
Affordable Motorcycle Gloves
Affordable Motorcycle Pants & Guards
Affordable Motorcycle Boots

affordable motorcycle helmets for beginners

Affordable Motorcycle Helmets

Most people if they have any gear will at least get a helmet. I recommend getting a full face helmet because I personally wouldn’t want half my face tore off, I’m too damn handsome! Plus full face helmet when combined with a dark face shield just make you look cool. The good thing about starting off with an inexpensive lid is after you wear it for a few months you will know what feels right and what features you are looking for in your next helmet, so when you get it you will now have a spare that you can use for passengers!

Affordable Motorcycle Helmets Avg Customer Review Specs & Prices
1. HJC CS-R1 Solid Helmet 4.0 out of 5.0 Stars Buy on Amazon | Buy on Revzilla
2. Scorpion EXO-500 Full Face Helmet 4.3 out of 5.0 Stars Buy on Amazon | Buy on Revzilla
3. Bell Qualifier Unisex Full Face Helmet 4.3 out of 5.0 Stars Buy on Amazon | Buy on Revzilla
4. LS2 Helmets Vector Full Face Helmet 3.8 out of 5.0 Stars Buy on Amazon | Buy on Revzilla
5. Duke Helmets DK-120 Full 4.2 out of 5.0 Stars Buy on Amazon | Buy on Revzilla
LS2 Helmets Vector Solid Full Face Motorcycle Helmet
LS2 Helmets Vector Solid
Bell Qualifier Unisex-Adult Full Face Street Helmet
Bell Qualifier Unisex
Scorpion EXO-500 Solid White Full Face Helmet
Scorpion EXO-500 Full Face
Affordable Helmet - HJC CS-R1 Solid Helmet
HJC CS-R1 Solid Helmet
Duke Helmets DK-120 Full Face
Duke Helmets DK-120 Full Face

Top 5 Affordable Motorcycle Helmets

Affordable Helmet - HJC CS-R1 Solid Helmet
HJC CS-R1 Solid Helmet

1. HJC CS-R3 Solid Helmet

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HJC makes some decent quality helmets for really cheap.

The CS-R3 Helmet from HJC features advanced polycarbonate composite shell construction and I have found it has a great fit and is very comfortable. It is also nice ventilated which is a big deal if you ride a lot during the warmer months.

A great deal and very affordable, you won’t find a lower priced motorcycle helmet that is solid quality like this. A good starter helmet.

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Scorpion EXO-500 Solid White Full Face Helmet
Scorpion EXO-500 Solid White Full Face Helmet

2. Scorpion EXO-500 Solid White Full Face Helmet

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Another option for cheap helmets is the Scorpion brand. When I first went helmet shopping lots of people said to try out scorpion because they were really inexpensive compared to the quality you received, in fact they were regularly considered on par with Shoei brand helmets.

Scorpion offers lots of features and lots of cool designs for not very much dough, so if your head shape fits it (which mine didn’t! boo!) then I would highly recommend them.

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Bell Qualifier Unisex-Adult Full Face Street Helmet
Bell Qualifier Unisex-Adult Full Face Street Helmet

3. Bell Qualifier Unisex-Adult Full Face Street Helmet

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We weren’t sure about this helmet at first but the reviews coming in from customers were very positive so we decided to try it out. First thing we noticed is that the helmet is surprisingly light and fits really well considering the sub-$100 price point. The sizing was fairly good but I could see it being somewhat tight on some people. Fit and finish is excellent for such a bargain priced helmet.

On our initial ride we found that the vision outward was great and we had no real buffeting even at 80 mph. There is a small annoying space by my chin that meant I could feel a lot of air over my face which was quite annoying in late-fall in New York. Might be annoying for riders in colder climates.

The other issue is a squeaky noise that is not uncommon with polycarbonate helmets at this price point.

Both of these issues have been mentioned by other owners too so it seems they are real concerns.

For the price, this is a solid helmet for the beginner. Great bang for your buck with solid construction and not much downside given the cost. Not perfect, but nothing is at this entry level motorcycle helmet price.

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LS2 Helmets Vector Solid Full Face Motorcycle Helmet
LS2 Helmets Vector Solid Full Face Helmet

4. LS2 Helmets Vector Solid Full Face Motorcycle Helmet with Sunshield

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The LS2 Vector motorcycle helmet is a great deal. It has some of the advanced features of helmets that go for three to four times the price at a very reasonable price point of just under $200. It is the most expensive helmet here, but is still relatively cheap in terms of what you can spend on a helmet these days.

The LS2 Vector has a fiberglass composite construction that makes is really light yet still quite strong. The shield is made from Class “A” polycarbonate which is expected at this price point. The helmet fit really well. We loved the Sena 3s Bluetooth set up and found it worked really well. The visor latch system was nice and tight and performed the best out of all the helmets on this list.

We did find a few small problems with the helmet. The first was the noise level was higher than was comfortable. Earplugs helped but ultimately we expected more from the helmet in this regard.

We also didn’t find the ventilation system worked all that well. We tested the helmet in NY in late summer and suffocated (a little) when we just couldn’t get enough airflow no matter where we moved the vents. We’ve read of similar vent-related issues in colder weather with fogging up being a common complaint.

Overall this is a solid helmet that is worth the money if you can swing a few hundred bucks.

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Duke Helmets DK-120 Full Face
Duke Helmets DK-120 Full Face

5. Duke Helmets DK-120 Full

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We love the Duke helmet (it has made a few of our recommended lists). It is a high-quality helmet for the beginner motorcycle rider. Fits well, great build quality and looks awesome. A no brainer choice if you’re looking for an entry level helmet that will protect your head.

Very good helmet. Fits tight and measurements worked (not as obvious a statement as it seems). It has a cool look and is nice and light. We love the cool black out shield that works both in the daytime and nighttime. Looks aggressive and is pretty unique. A head turner for sure.

This is one quiet helmet too. It is quietest helmet on this list and frankly it outperforms helmets 5x the price. Duke hit it out of the park with this because it makes a huge different. At 80 mph we felt no back drag and air circulation vents worked perfectly.

Overall an outstanding product for the price.

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Affordable Motorcycle Jackets for beginners

Affordable Motorcycle Jackets

A solid motorcycle jacket is the first line of defense when you crash since when you are sliding on the pavement you may be tumbling on your elbows, forearms, shoulders and back. Not only is a jacket good for protection but generally they look cool and it lets people know you are a motorcycle rider even when you are off the bike. This might sound kind of egocentric, but most people want to ride motorcycles not only because of the experience of riding, but also because of the image associated with it.

I know wanting to ‘look cool’, was one of the main factors that got me interested in riding. Nothing is cooler than a badass motorcycle jacket, just ask the Fonz! When you first start looking at jackets you will notice that the ones made out of textile and mesh materials are significantly cheaper than the ones made out of leather. A good textile jacket will hold up almost as well as a leather one in a crash, but unlike a leather jacket you won’t be able to use it after that crash. Pretty much the rule for textile is after one pretty bad crash it will be too torn up to use anymore.

We focused our list on everyday jackets. Normally racing jackets aren’t super comfortable for everyday use and that’s a pretty specialized use case where frankly you need to spend a lot of money to ensure you get the best (in order to protect yourself completely). Why don’t we recommend racing jackets for everyday use? They’re uncomfortable off the bike (which matters when you run out to get groceries or want to jump into the bank for a minute). On the bike they feel much more natural, this is because of the way the leather is cut and sewn together and where they place the shoulder and elbow pads in the jacket.

When shopping for a reasonably priced motorcycle jacket, don’t trade-off comfort. You can find jackets are snug and have high levels of protection without getting something so tight and rigid that it is uncomfortable. It definitely shouldn’t be too loose or else when you crash it will move around on your body and it won’t protect as well. Generally textile stuff is slightly looser than leather stuff, but it should still feel secure on your body.

Affordable Motorcycle Jackets Avg Customer Review Specs & Prices
1. Cortech GX Sport 3  Jacket 4.0 out of 5.0 Stars Buy on Amazon | Buy on Revzilla
2. Speed and Strength Battle Rattle 4.3 out of 5.0 Stars Buy on Amazon | Buy on Revzilla
3. Joe Rocket Phoenix 5.0 Men’s Mesh 4.6 out of 5.0 Stars Buy on Amazon | Buy on Revzilla
4. TourMaster Sonora Air Motorcycle 4.6 out of 5.0 Stars Buy on Amazon | Buy on Revzilla
5. Speed and Strength Stars and Stripes 5.0 out of 5.0 Stars Buy on Amazon | Buy on Revzilla
Cortech GX Sport 3 Motorcycle Jacket Review
Cortech GX Sport 3 Motorcycle Jacket Review
Speed and Strength Full Battle Rattle Men's Leather Street Racing Motorcycle Jacket
Full Battle Rattle Men’s Leather Jacket
Joe Rocket Phoenix 5.0 Men's Mesh Jacket
Joe Rocket Phoenix 5.0 Men’s Mesh
TourMaster Sonora Air Men's Textile Motorcycle Jacket
TourMaster Sonora Air Textile
Speed and Strength Stars and Stripes Men's Motorcycle Textile Jacket
Speed and Strength Stars and Stripes

 

 


Top 5 Affordable Motorcycle Jackets

Cortech GX Sport 3 Men's Textile Armored Motorcycle Jacket
Cortech GX Sport 3 Motorcycle Jacket

1. Cortech GX Sport 3 Men’s Textile Armored Motorcycle Jacket

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When it comes to affordable motorcycle jackets the folks at Cortech know how to do it right. Most of their jackets are a nice balance of sporty design with solid protection and waterproofing. The Cortech GX Sport 3 is a textile jacket that is perfect for a beginner. Pricing is just under $150 which isn’t cheap but is exceptional value for such a great jacket. The Cortech has some cool technology that balances materials that breath well, keep you dry and protect you in a fall. We love the removable thermal layer (it simply unzips in a few seconds). Our initial take is that quality is really nice with lightweight weave mesh material and nice stitching and zippers. We didn’t test the jacket for long so we reserve judgement on whether it will hold over time.

On a ride in 75 degree weather we found that the airflow was good and up there with much more expensive jackets. We found vents all over the jacket (nice) and the ones around arms and back definitely helped make riding more comfortable on our day out. The jacket has plastic over foam shoulder and elbow armor which seemed more than adequate and the back pad seems like it could take a beating too. We love the heavy duty textile overlays on the shoulders and elbows which was a nice touch that could make a big difference. The jacket also has practicality in mind with lots of little pockets for things like phones, wallets and other things.

This jacket is an overall solid proposition for a newbie riding in mild to warm climates. The overall combination of practicality, quality and protection makes it a great jacket for the money.

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Speed and Strength Full Battle Rattle Men's Leather Street Racing Motorcycle Jacket
Full Battle Rattle Men’s Leather Motorcycle Jacket

2. Speed and Strength Full Battle Rattle Men’s Leather Street Racing Motorcycle Jacket

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A relatively new company in the scheme of things, Speed and Strength knows how to make a splash. These guys call themselves “designers and hardcore motor heads” and that is obvious in the gear they make. Their Full Battle Rattle Street Racing Motorcycle Jacket looks awesome, is rated highly by customers and ticks all the boxes in terms of expectations from a quality motorcycle jacket, all for less than $200. Not hard to see why this is one of the  fastest growing street motorcycle brand in the country.

This is an awesome jacket. With it’s classic motorcycle jacket look it also packs a lot of tech. It’s made of 1.4mm cowhide material and has full armor (shoulder and elbow), including back protector (did we mention it was under $200). What does this mean if you’re a new rider? It means that you get amazing impact protection and are best-protected from falls and likely abrasions. You will also look cool too, which like we mentioned earlier we know is a consideration.

Any downsides? This is definitely a warm/mild weather jacket so expect to wear a few warm layers underneath if you expect to ride in colder climates and it probably isn’t perfect if you live in Florida. The problem with that of course is that this is a more fitted jacket so know that you either need to buy a bigger size or also have a more winter-focused jacket (which probably doesn’t make sense given this is a post about not spending much money on motorcycle gear).

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Joe Rocket Phoenix 5.0 Men's Mesh Motorcycle Riding Jacket
Joe Rocket Phoenix 5.0 Men’s Mesh (Come in 17 Colors)

3. Joe Rocket Phoenix 5.0 Men’s Mesh Motorcycle Riding Jacket

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Out of any manufacturer Joe Rocket definitely has the largest choice of bargain motorcycle jackets that we would consider to be solid quality. We didn’t want to stack the whole list with Joe Rocket bike jackets though so we picked the one we think has the best balance of price, value and features).

The Phoenix 5.0 Men’s Mesh Motorcycle Riding Jacket is made of Joe Rockets proprietary “FreeAir poly/mesh shell” that is reinforced with RockTex at the shoulders, elbows, and ribs. It also has nice hard-plastic (C.E. approved) armor at the shoulders and elbows and back pad (you can also replace the pad with armor if you want). This jacket has a waterproof liner which we found works really well. Pockets galore too for all your little things. We took this Jacket on a ride on hot summer’s day and boy we just love the Joe Rocket mesh. Even at 80 degrees we were not uncomfortable at all.

One thing we haven’t mentioned is the sheer number of color choices. The Phoenix 5.0 comes in over 17 color combinations so you can really choose something that is your style. We’re all-black fans personally but there are plenty of other color-combos too.

Overall, this is a really versatile motorcycle jacket for everyday use that won’t break the bank.

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TourMaster Sonora Air Men's Textile Motorcycle Jacket
TourMaster Sonora Air Textile Motorcycle Jacket

4. TourMaster Sonora Air Men’s Textile Motorcycle Jacket

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If you are looking for a reasonably priced three quarter length motorcycle jacket the TourMaster Sonora Air Men’s Textile Motorcycle Jacket might be the one for you. This jacket comes in at under $150 and is made of “Armor-Link mesh material and 600 denier Carbolex combine with 1680 denier ballistic polyester in the impact areas” and has “ballistic polyester in the impact areas”. That means this jacket has solid protection credentials and should be nice and comfortable too (as well as relatively light-weight).

Most riders who own this jacket that we spoke to said that is stays relatively cool in summer but isn’t suited to really cold weather. The jacket is very practical with pockets on the inside and outside for every conceivable thing you need to carry and quickly access.

The jacket comes in four colors and more than enough sizes to find the right fit.

Overall, I highly recommend this jacket. The quality is top notch, the visibility is unbeatable, great adjust-ability and a great price on top of it all.

If you’re looking for a practical three quarter jacket with solid quality materials and finish with great adjustability and protection, this is a great value option.

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Speed and Strength Stars and Stripes Men's Motorcycle Textile Jacket
Speed and Strength Stars and Stripes

5. Speed and Strength Stars and Stripes Men’s Motorcycle Textile Jacket

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We first fell for the Speed and Strength Stars and Stripes Men’s Motorcycle Textile Jacket when we laid eyes on it. This bargain motorcycle jacket looks the business. Simple and purposeful you know that this jacket is practical and durable (and worth every penny). Damn it looks good.

We love the black water resistant textile material and found the detachable hood to be very practical.

The jacket ticks the safety boxes too, coming with elbow, shoulder and back protection.

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Affordable Motorcycle Gloves for beginners

Affordable Motorcycle Gloves

I don’t know about you but I love my hands. They let me play guitar, violin, massage my girlfriend, give thumbs up, give the finger, and they let me ride my motorcycle. It would suck not having hands. I once read about a motorcycle rider who went down without gloves and he basically ground his hands down to a couple of stumps while trying to slow down.

Once again, I love my hands and I feel like keeping them. For that reason I wear gloves every time I ride, plus most gloves now come with knuckle protectors that look like they could dominate if I ever got in a fight with them 🙂 I normally recommend full gauntlet style gloves, but sometimes when you are lacking in money it is ok to sacrifice a little and just get gloves that protect the hand and not necessarily the wrist.

These Joe Rocket stage one gloves are about the price of a large pizza and they could save you a lot of pain and hospital time if you crash.

Affordable Motorcycle Gloves Avg Customer Review Specs & Prices
1. Joe Rocket Speedway Riding Gloves 4.0 out of 5.0 Stars Buy on Amazon  | Buy on Revzilla
2. Alpinestars SMX2 AC Street Racing 5.0 out of 5.0 Stars Buy on Amazon  | Buy on Revzilla
3. EVS Sports Wrister 2.0 Gloves 4.8 out of 5.0 Stars Buy on Amazon  | Buy on Revzilla
4. Joe Rocket Men’s Cyntek Gloves 4.7 out of 5.0 Stars Buy on Amazon  | Buy on Revzilla
5. Tcbunny Pro-biker Carbon Fiber 3.7 out of 5.0 Stars Buy on Amazon  | Buy on Revzilla
Joe Rocket Speedway Men's Motorcycle Riding Gloves
Joe Rocket Speedway
Alpinestars SMX-2 AC Men's Leather Street
Alpinestars SMX-2 AC Men’s Leather Street
EVS Sports Wrister 2.0 Gloves
EVS Sports Wrister 2.0 Gloves
Joe Rocket Men's Cyntek Motorcycle Gloves
Joe Rocket Cyntek Motorcycle Gloves
Tcbunny Pro-biker Motorbike Carbon Fiber Powersports Gloves
Tcbunny Carbon Fiber Gloves


Top 5 Affordable Motorcycle Gloves

Joe Rocket Speedway Men's Motorcycle Riding Gloves
Joe Rocket Speedway Men’s Gloves

1. Joe Rocket Speedway Men’s Motorcycle Riding Gloves

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Joe Rocket is the king of affordable motorcycle protective gear and their Speedway Men’s Motorcycle Riding Gloves are no exception. The team added carbon fiber knuckle protection into their sub-$40 gloves which is great. We ran a small “fall test” on these gloves and they stood up really well after repeated “falls”, no visible scrapes and scratches were evident.

Overall these are good gloves for the money. They have a riveted palm and are genuine leather with molden carbon knuckles.

One small let-down was that we had a nice black stain on our hands that basically rubbed off from the gloves, but that was on a small incident. The gloves stood up well to multiple rides and kept our hands cool and snug for over three months without a problem.

The gloves fit well initially and while they softened a little over time were still snug and comfortable at the end of the our testing period. A solid entry level glove for a new motorcycle rider for sure.

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Alpinestars SMX-2 AC Men's Leather Street
Alpinestars SMX-2 AC Men’s Leather Street

2. Alpinestars SMX-2 AC Men’s Leather Street Racing

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First of all, let’s acknowledge that ~$80 for gloves isn’t “a bargain” per se. This is the most expensive set of gloves in our recommended motorcycle gear list but are also by far and away the best. They look great and are made of kevlar textile material that make it perfect for the rider who wants a seamless blend of style and protection over a long period of time.

The leather used for the palm and knuckle construction is high quality and we find it to be very durable over a period of 6 months of testing. We loved the touch screen fingertip on index finger and thumb which meant we could easily deal with urgent Facebook messages in a pinch without having to de-glove (yes, the Facebook part is a joke, sort of). Like many of the other bargain motorcycle gloves on this list the carbon fiber knuckle provides exceptional impact and abrasion protection and the glove also has additional protection too.

One nice feature was the ventilated finger and backs sections that really did work. It kept our hands cool when we were riding in temperatures that would normally have our hands sweating profusely. These really are great gloves and well-worth the additional cost if you can swing it.

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EVS Sports Wrister 2.0 Gloves
EVS Sports Wrister 2.0 Gloves

3. EVS Sports Wrister 2.0 Gloves

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These ~$40 gloves are awesome gloves that give you some extra confidence in your wrists. They are on the larger side compared to the other gloves on the list and we liked that because it meant cold-weather riding was just a little more comfortable (probably more annoying in the summer however).

The company quotes having “integrated shock absorption system that provides protection from hyperextension and compression related injuries”. Not sure we could tell what that was, but it didn’t take away from the experience so we’ll chalk it up to something that will save you when you need it.

Great gloves for mild-moderate support for reasonable money. Solid choice for somebody starting out as a motorcycle rider who lives in a colder climate.

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Joe Rocket Men's Cyntek Motorcycle Gloves
Joe Rocket Men’s Cyntek Motorcycle Gloves

4. Joe Rocket Men’s Cyntek Motorcycle Gloves

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Another solid bargain from the folks at Joe Rocket. This entry level motorcycle glove is made of a nice leather and an impressively heavy duty textile top (given the price point). The injection molded split knuckle design makes this glove nice and flexible and the leather padded palm looks like it will hold up for a decently long time.

The one downside we found with these gloves was that they weren’t great in the cold weather. That was surprising especially given they look and feel like they’d do a better job of keeping hands warm.

A good glove for a newbie. Balanced performance and quality at a reasonable price point.

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Tcbunny Pro-biker Motorbike Carbon Fiber Powersports Gloves
Tcbunny Carbon Fiber Gloves

5. Tcbunny Pro-biker Motorbike Carbon Fiber Powersports Gloves

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$10 folks. $10. While the customer reviews for the Tcbunny Pro-biker Motorbike Carbon Fiber Powersports Gloves hover around 3 stars, we included it in our list because some protection is better than no protection. If you are considering not wearing gloves because any money is an issue, this is your motorcycle glove. For $10 you get a carbon fiber hard shell protection and genuine leather.

We found the gloves to be very comfortable. The protection was also quite good in repeated drop and scrape tests we ran. Downsides are probably obvious. Quality is “just ok” which means you can expect to replace the gloves after three months. Stitching and leather will age pretty fast. Fit and comfort are also “just ok” but lets remember this is a set of $10 motorbike gloves.

If the choice is no-gloves vs these we’d recommend the gloves. If you can shell out another $30 or so we’d suggest you choose another set of gloves on our bargain motorcycle gloves list above.

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Affordable Motorcycle Pants & Guards

Affordable Motorcycle Pants & Guards

Riding pants are one thing that most weekend warriors ignore, while the pro’s would never ride without. If you crash your motorcycle you will most likely hit your knees and if you are lucky then you will slide onto your back and your butt.

If you are wearing a jacket that can help with limiting the damage done to your skin, but if you are just wearing jeans then you are going to find it very tough to sit down for a few weeks at least! If you are dirt poor and you aren’t doing too much aggressive riding, and you feel like you can take the risk in jeans, then at the very least you should get some knee pads to protect against road rash and broken knee caps.

Affordable Pants & Guards Avg Customer Review Specs & Prices
1. Alpinestars Paragon Knee Protector 4.5 out of 5.0 Stars Buy on Amazon  |  Buy on Revzilla
2. Icon Field Armor Leg One Size 3.5 out of 5.0 Stars Buy on Amazon  |  Buy on Revzilla
3. Firstgear Mesh Tex Pants 3.6 out of 5.0 Stars Buy on Amazon  |  Buy on Revzilla
4. BILT Blaze Mesh Pants 4.0 out of 5.0 Stars Buy on Amazon  |  Buy on Revzilla
5. Motorcycle Cordura Waterproof 4.0 out of 5.0 Stars Buy on Amazon  |  Buy on Revzilla

Top 5 Affordable Motorcycle Pants & Guards

Alpinestars Men's Paragon Knee Protector
Alpinestars Paragon Knee Protector

1. Alpinestars Men’s Paragon Knee Protector

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Alpinestars offers some pretty cheap knee pads that you could put on over or under your jeans, the only problem with them is they are a little bulky.

 

 

 

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Icon Field Armor Leg One Size2. Icon Field Armor Leg One Size

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If you wanted some more expensive knee pads that are slimmer and would fit under the jeans better then I would suggest going with these Icon Field Armor Knee and Shin Guards.

They come in at under 50 bucks, so if you are going to get them then you might as well through in a little bit more money to get some decent riding pants.

 

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Firstgear Mesh Tex Pants
Firstgear Mesh Tex Pants

3. Firstgear Mesh Tex Pants

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Firstgear offers some really great riding pants, in fact I have a pair of firstgear overpants that I ride in every day.

The over pants are a bit more pricey coming in at nearly $170, too much money for this list, but these Mesh-Tex pants would be a great substitute.

 

 

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BILT Blaze Mesh Motorcycle Pants
BILT Blaze Mesh Motorcycle Pants

4. BILT Blaze Mesh Motorcycle Pants

Quick Links: Find on Amazon | Find on Revzilla

Ultra-tough, yet superbly priced. Provides excellent protection and ventilation, yet is functional enough for everyday use.

 

 

 

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Motorcycle Cordura Waterproof Riding Pants
Motorcycle Cordura Waterproof Riding Pants

5. Motorcycle Cordura Waterproof Riding Pants

Quick Links: Find on Amazon | Find on Revzilla

These polyester textile pants are a solid buy if you are looking for great design, lots of mobility and higher impact absorption that the other pants we’ve recommended above.  These are overpants which basically means that are larger than you would expect (remember that when you are sizing them).

We liked the removable inner thermal liner especially in summer riding. It came out easily and obviously. The manufacturer claims these motorcycle pants are totally waterproof, a claim we found fully supported in our repeated wet-weather testing.

They held up really well and we were bone dry. These are great pants.

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Affordable Motorcycle Boots

Affordable Motorcycle Boots

When riding a motorcycle you should definitely avoid sneakers or tennis shoes. I have seem multiple crashes on youtube where the rider was wearing some Vans or Nike’s and as soon as he crashed his shoes flew off his feet like they had a plane to catch. At the very least I would recommend getting some decent work boots that go over the ankle.

Ankle support is very important because that will often be the only thing keeping your ankle from snapping. Also keep in mind that when you crash the bike might be land on you making your foot the meat in a Motorcycle / Pavement sandwich traveling at 45 mph. That definitely wouldn’t feel good, so try and get some leather boots that go over the ankle.

If you don’t already have some boots, here are some good boots that would work well on or off the bike.

Affordable Motorcycle Boots Avg Cust. Review Specs & Prices
1. Joe Rocket Ballistic Touring 4.0 out of 5.0 Stars Buy on Amazon  |  Buy on Revzilla
2. ONeal Rider Mens Black Boots 4.5 out of 5.0 Stars Buy on Amazon  |  Buy on Revzilla
3. Rothco 8” GI Type Jungle Boot 3.3 out of 5.0 Stars Buy on Amazon  |   Buy on Revzilla
4. Joe Rocket Big Bang 2.0 Black 4.0 out of 5.0 Stars Buy on Amazon  |  Buy on Revzilla
5. Milwaukee Motorcycle Boots 3.9 out of 5.0 Stars Buy on Amazon  |  Buy on Revzilla

Top 5 Affordable Motorcycle Boots

Joe Rocket Ballistic Touring Men's Boots
Joe Rocket Ballistic Touring Men’s Boots

1. Joe Rocket Ballistic Touring Men’s Boots

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By now you would have noticed a lot of Joe Rocket on this page. The company makes great quality motorcycle gear at reasonable prices. Most of their stuff is a bargain.

The Joe Rocket Ballistic Touring Men’s Boots are a great starter boot that is solid in quality and will last a decently long time. We have run them before and saw no issues with construction or design and they lasted a couple of years of heavy riding for us.

For the money they are the best and we highly recommend them.

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ONeal Rider Mens Black Boots2. ONeal Rider Mens Black Boots

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These are some serious looking boots for a reasonable price.

While some customers complain that the boots are a little stiff, we found them to be very supportive and snug and provided tons of support so that feels like the right trade off. We found they broke in quite well and after a few rides were perfect.

We purchased a pair of these boots towards the end of fall and took them on a few long road trips in the Poconos.

They stood up well to the beating and our feet felt fine and were totally comfortable even after hours of riding. For the price, these motorcycle boots are tremendous value.

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Rothco 8'' GI Type Jungle Boot3. Rothco 8” GI Type Jungle Boot

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These boots are pretty much exactly what you’d expect for the price.

That basically means they are great boots if you are rough and ride in bad conditions and you go through boots all the time.

They are made to be used and changed often. If you use them often you will basically wear them out in a matter of several months. In our minds that’s ok given they are less than $30 depending on the deals.

We won’t go into too many details on this boot given the goal of boots like this other than to say that things like stitching, canvas, laces and so on don’t hold up to contract abuse for very long.

As one customer review said it best: “If you just need a set of boots to get dirty, scuffed, torn up, and otherwise mistreated, there is no better deal on the planet”.

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Joe Rocket Big Bang 2.0 Black Boots4. Joe Rocket Big Bang 2.0 Black Boots

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We expected the Joe Rocket Big Bang 2.0 Black Boots to get a better customer rating given our experience, but it turns out that people experienced an issue over and over that became annoying (note, we did not cross this issue in our testing but it clearly has happened to a lot of customers).

Mechanical failures to things like the buckle, strap, outer sleeve of lace and rear pulls were all experienced by customers.

That tells us the company has some quality issues to deal with. So why did these boots make the list?

They look great. They normally hold up quite well to a beating. They are very comfortable. Finally, they are the right price at $90.

That’s not cheap, but overall great value if you can get a pair that is free of some defects.

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Milwaukee Afterburner Motorcycle Boots5. Milwaukee Afterburner Motorcycle Boots

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These Motorcycle Boots feature full-grain black leather uppers for outstanding comfort and durability.

Two side zippers make slipping into this pair quick and easy.

It also features non-marking rubber logger outsoles, which will give you reliable slip and oil resistant traction on a variety of terrains.

 

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Conclusion

So for $250-350 you can get suited up and be prepared for a crash that will most likely happen. There is a saying in the riding community that there are two types of riders: Those who have crashed, and those who haven’t crashed yet. Out of all the riders I have met every single one of them has laid their bike down (crashed) at some point.

For the lucky ones like myself it was a low speed crash only going 10-20mph, but I know a few that have gone down at 60-100mph! The ones that keep riding for years on end know the importance of the proper protection. Hell if you think about it, by spending a few hundred dollars now you will be saving yourself potentially thousands in surgery and rehabilitation !

Chicks may dig scars, but having huge chunks of scar tissue up and down your thighs as well as all over your hands and arms…That’s just not sexy, period.

The worse part about road rash is not actually the act of your skin being sanded off by the hot pavement, it actually happens when you get to the hospital. You see when you get road rash you will have bits and pieces of debris in your skin, and to prevent infection the nurses and doctors have to clean the wound…. with steel brushes.

And no I’m not joking!

Steel brushes scraping away on that nice fresh open wound. “Oh that’s ok Ben,” you say, “I’ll be so high on morphine it won’t matter!” No no my friend, one of the effects of painkillers is thinning of the blood, which the doctors don’t want while cleaning your road rash, so they won’t give it to you until AFTER it is all bandaged up.

Just think about that for a second.

Do you remember skinning your knee as a kid? That probably hurt pretty bad, now imagine if you skinned your whole forearm, and they have to rub steel brushes on it. That would suck! Maybe I’m a wuss, but I like my skin, so even if I am getting hot in my gear

I would always rather sweat than bleed.