All leather clothes suitable enough to ride a bike?
Or do you need leather clothes that are specifically made as motorcycle gear?
i.e. I have a leather jacket, and I can get leather pants. Will these give me enough protection incase I get into an accident on my motorcycle? Or do I need to go buy gear specifically built to be used on a motorcycle?
TIm D and Tinky Winky are right. I have leather pants for wearing as fashion items, but I also ride a bike [gotta love my Ducati :)]. There is a world of difference between the two types of leather. My riding leathers are not uncomfortable, but certainly not something I’d wear lounging around the house, whereas my "fashion" leather is nicer than silk for comfort.
I will mention that if you have deep pockets and can afford clothes from Chrome Hearts, Bill Wall or Ari Soffer, you can get close to a riding level of protection from leather that is fantastic to wear and looks great as both riding wear and casual wear. I have one pair of Ari Soffer pants, and while they’re strong enough for riding, I hate the thought of bugs getting squashed into something that expensive 
Expect to pay from 2- 7 thousand [yes, thousand] for a pair of leather pants from any of those places.
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It all depends on how much protection you want. My leather gear weights 20 lbs. But I know that even at highway speeds if I go down i can slide across the pavement till I stop and won’t get road rash. My jacket will be toast but that’s what it’s there for.
If it were me I’d get heavy gear for the colder rides, and stay with the light stuff for warmer summer days. Just remember the little saying that goes ATGATT All The Gear All The Time. So don’t forget decent boots, leather gloves and especially a helmet.
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Leather is a good place to start for protection while riding a motorcycle. However, nothing will fully protect you from a spill at higher speeds. Safety gear like helmets, gloves, boots, long sleeves, and others, will greatly reduce the amount of damage taken during a spill. There are all sorts of different safety gear out there. It is all up to you on how far you are wanting to go. Keep in mind cost, comfort, and practicality of what you intend to wear. Remember, its not IF your going to have a spill but WHEN.
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The simple answer is NO.
Fashion leather is extremely thin compared to the leather used in motorcycle clothing. The fasion leather isn’t even as good as quality denim as it tears easily. Not good when you are sliding down your the road on yer bum!
If you want further proof, wear your jacket when you go and have a look at some motorcycle jackets. You will find the motorcycle jackets leather is much much thicker.
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Well you can wear whatever you feel comfortable wearing, but your fashion leather won’t protect you from road rash like the heavier motorcycle gear will. I’ve also found that leather jackets and gloves not designed for riding allow too much cold air in.
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It depends on the type of jacket you have. Motorcycle jackets should fit tighter around the waist for one thing. A loose fitting jacket will balloon up with air as you go down the road. As far as protection, its up to you if you just want leather, or leather jacket with armor padding in the jacket for elbow,shoulder and back protection too.
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You should look for leather that is 1.2–1.5mm thick, where any panels meet there should be two seams with an interval between stitches of over 2mm. Leathers made from cowhide and kangaroo are the most hard-wearing and protective. Absolutely not recommended is nappa or anything made from sheep leather.
The next step up is CE-approved armour on shoulders, elbows, hips, knees and, most importantly, spine. Or a separate spine protector.
References :
TIm D and Tinky Winky are right. I have leather pants for wearing as fashion items, but I also ride a bike [gotta love my Ducati :)]. There is a world of difference between the two types of leather. My riding leathers are not uncomfortable, but certainly not something I’d wear lounging around the house, whereas my "fashion" leather is nicer than silk for comfort.
I will mention that if you have deep pockets and can afford clothes from Chrome Hearts, Bill Wall or Ari Soffer, you can get close to a riding level of protection from leather that is fantastic to wear and looks great as both riding wear and casual wear. I have one pair of Ari Soffer pants, and while they’re strong enough for riding, I hate the thought of bugs getting squashed into something that expensive
Expect to pay from 2- 7 thousand [yes, thousand] for a pair of leather pants from any of those places.
References :
All of the above is 100% based on direct experience.
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