Motorcycle Pants

What we stock across leather, textile, Kevlar jeans and armoured denim

Four categories. Different use cases. The wrong category is wasted money in either direction.

Kevlar and aramid jeans ($199 to $399.95 RRP). Commuter gear that looks like regular denim. Shark Leathers own-brand covers the entire cut spectrum: the Shark Straight Leg and Shark Skinny run $199 RRP in sizes 26 to 50 with aramid knit lining at the backside, hips, outer thigh and knees. The Shark MOM Relaxed Fit ($199 RRP, sizes 4 to 26) is the high-waisted women's cut with 30% more coverage than a standard women's jean. The Shark Ladies Skinny Leg ($199 RRP, sizes 4 to 20) ships with knee armour inserts in the box. The Shark Tracer ($349.95 RRP) is the DuPont Kevlar super-slim flagship in sizes 30 to 42, AAA construction, Level 2 hip and knee armour pockets standard. The Shark AA Single Layer Mens ($269.95 RRP, sizes 28 to 50) and Ladies AA Single Layer ($269.95 RRP, sizes 6 to 20) bring tested AA construction with paperwork on request.

Armoured denim from Merlin, Oxford and Macna ($199 to $399.95 RRP). The certified step up. Oxford Super Stretch is CE AA certified (EN 17092-3:2020) with Level 2 knee and Level 1 hip in the box at $199 RRP. Merlin Blake runs 100% DuPont Kevlar Twill lining at $249.95 RRP. Merlin Mason WP at $299.95 RRP is the only waterproof jean in the range (Reissa membrane, DuPont Kevlar lining, Class A). Merlin Dunford D3O at $399.95 RRP is top-certified: Class AA, single-layer Cordura denim, D3O Ghost armour pre-fitted. Macna Individi at $329.95 RRP runs DuPont Kevlar full-woven construction. Macna Stone Pro at $369.95 RRP is the Class AA stocked alternative to the Dunford for $30 less.

Textile touring and mesh pants ($279.95 to $569.95 RRP). Built for riders doing more than 200km days. The Merlin Air Mesh Taos ($279.95 RRP) is the summer answer: brushed poly stretch outer with mesh panels, D3O LP1 tri-vented knee armour pre-fitted and D3O hip pocket, Class A rated. Merlin Condor Laminated D3O runs the full-tour end at $569.95 RRP with a laminated waterproof shell and D3O armour front to back. Macna textile pants sit in the $280 to $350 RRP band for commuter weather. Trade-off on textile: the waterproof membrane runs hot in Queensland summer and adds bulk. If you ride mostly dry, a Kevlar jean is cooler and lighter.

Leather pants ($299 to $699 RRP). Best abrasion resistance per dollar at the top tier. Most full-grain cowhide pants in our range carry EN 17092 Class AA. Premium cowhide or kangaroo leather from our own Shark Leathers range reaches Class AAA with CE Level 2 knee and hip armour standard, the spec that matches our race suits. Trade-off: leather in 35-degree Brisbane summer is genuinely uncomfortable, stiff until broken in (expect 200 to 500km of real saddle time before it moves with you), and expensive to replace after a crash. Which is somewhat the point of owning them.

Motocross and off-road pants live in a separate category and are not EN 17092 rated, because they are not designed for asphalt abrasion. Ripstop nylon construction, CE knee armour standard. Dirt only. On sealed roads they are not protective gear.

CE armour, EN 17092 class and why hip protection is the one riders skip

Most riders know CE ratings exist. Most do not know what the numbers mean for their legs.

EN 17092 is the European standard for protective motorcycle clothing. For pants, three tiers matter: Class A is baseline (impact zones covered, urban commuter spec, most entry aramid jeans), Class AA is mid-range (mandatory armour readiness at knees and hips, most stocked touring textile and single-layer denim), and Class AAA is maximum abrasion resistance (race leather and top-tier denim like the Shark Tracer).

CE armour is certified separately under EN 1621-1 for knees and hips. CE Level 1 limits transmitted impact force to under 18kN average. CE Level 2 limits it to under 9kN. Half the force at the same impact. At 80km/h, a knee-first impact onto bitumen generates several times the force Level 1 can absorb. That is the difference between a bruised knee and structural damage to the joint, on the same crash. Level 2 knee armour fits the standard pockets on most pants we stock and runs $30 to $60 if the pants ship without it.

Hip armour is the zone riders skip, and it is the wrong priority to skip. In a road slide, the hip contacts the asphalt within the first 100 milliseconds, typically before the knee. A pair of pants with CE Level 1 knee armour but no hip pocket is protecting the second joint to hit. The Oxford Super Stretch, Merlin Dunford D3O, Macna Stone Pro and Shark Tracer all carry hip protection as standard. Check the spec sheet before you checkout.

Our family started Shark Leathers after Matthew crashed in 2007, at 19, and was left a quadriplegic. Nearly twenty years on, every pair of pants we stock gets judged the same way. Would we put it on one of our own? Full story on our about page.

Fit, sizing, racing cut versus touring cut, and leather break-in

Pants only protect if they fit with the armour in place. Fit is not a comfort question on a bike, it is a function question.

Racing cut versus touring cut. Racing cut pants are built for a crouched riding position, pre-shaped at the knee, tighter through the thigh, longer at the back waist so they cover your spine when you tuck in. Kangaroo or cowhide leather, AAA construction where available, CE Level 2 armour. Touring cut sits the waist in a neutral position for an upright bike, roomier through the thigh for all-day comfort, stretch panels at the knee. Tracer DuPont Kevlar jeans and Merlin Dunford D3O sit closer to touring cut. Full race leather from our own Shark Leathers range is racing cut, which is why it feels odd standing still and correct at 60 degrees of lean.

Sizing with armour in place. Check the fit sitting on the bike, not standing in the shop. The knee armour should sit directly over your kneecap in riding position, not fall below it when you are seated. Most riders need to drop into a saddle or a chair at table height to verify this. If the knee pad slides below the kneecap when seated, the pants are too long or the armour needs to move up the internal sleeve. Loose armour moves in a crash and stops protecting the joint it is supposed to cover.

Leather break-in. Cowhide and kangaroo leather pants run stiff for the first 200 to 500km of real saddle time. Expect bunching at the ankle and hip crease before they mould to your position. Do not wash, do not oil until the factory finish is gone, and expect a full season before the pants feel worn in. This is normal. If your leather pants feel supple out of the box, the hide is thin and the abrasion rating will reflect it.

Women's AU sizing. Shark's own-brand women's range runs in AU dress sizing, not waist inches. The MOM Relaxed Fit goes 4 to 26, the Ladies Skinny goes 4 to 20, the Ladies AA Single Layer goes 6 to 20 with a contoured high-waist cut. The AA Single Layer fit runs specific (size to the chart, not to your usual jean size). Most women's textile and leather pants from Merlin and Macna are numeric sizing with a separate ladies-cut tag. If you are between sizes, the armour placement is the tiebreaker: pick the size where the knee pad sits correctly when seated.

Motorcycle pants compared, by riding type

Frequently asked questions

Kevlar jean or textile pant for a daily commute?

Kevlar jean if your commute is under 80km/h in the dry most days. Textile if you ride in rain, tour beyond 200km, or commute on highways. A Class AA Kevlar jean like the Oxford Super Stretch or Shark AA Single Layer handles city speeds and looks like regular denim at the office. Textile pants give you waterproof protection and higher abrasion coverage, at the cost of heat in summer and bulk under normal clothes.

Leather or textile for a first pair of motorcycle pants?

Textile. Leather protects better in a high-speed slide but runs hot, takes 200 to 500km to break in, and costs more to replace after a drop. A Class AA textile or single-layer denim pant with CE Level 1 knee and hip armour protects well in the crashes most riders have. Buy leather for your second pair once you know the riding you actually do.

CE Level 1 or Level 2 armour at the knees, does it matter?

It matters above tip-over speeds. Level 1 limits impact force to under 18kN, Level 2 to under 9kN. On a 60km/h crash, the difference is often a bruised knee versus structural damage to the joint. Level 2 upgrade armour fits most stocked pants and costs $30 to $60 a pair. Worth doing on day one.

Do I actually need hip armour?

Yes, on sealed roads. Hip contacts the asphalt within the first 100 milliseconds of a slide, typically before the knee. Pants with a CE-rated knee pocket but no hip pocket are protecting the wrong joint first. The Shark Tracer, Oxford Super Stretch, Merlin Dunford D3O and Macna Stone Pro all carry hip armour or a Level 1 hip pocket. Check the spec for both zones before buying.

How should motorcycle pants fit with armour in place?

Snug but not restrictive, checked sitting on the bike rather than standing in the shop. The knee pad should sit directly over your kneecap in riding position, not fall below it when you are seated. If it slides low when seated, the pants are too long or the armour sleeve needs adjustment. Loose armour moves in a crash and stops protecting the joint it is built to cover.

How do women's motorcycle pants sizes work at Shark?

Shark own-brand women's denim runs in AU dress sizing. MOM Relaxed Fit goes 4 to 26, Ladies Skinny 4 to 20, Ladies AA Single Layer 6 to 20 with a contoured high-waist cut that runs specific to the size chart. Merlin and Macna women's fits are numeric with a ladies-cut label. If you are between sizes, pick the size where the knee armour sits correctly when seated. Full size guidance on each product page.

Can I wear motorcycle pants with regular boots?

Physically yes, safely it depends. Regular boots do not provide ankle or shin protection and will not stay on your foot in a slide the way motorcycle boots will. The pant hem to boot top transition is where a lot of leg injuries happen. See our motorcycle boots range for options that close the gap.