Idea Could be big

[the Ferret]

Much as I like leather riding gear, it is simply too hot and humid for summer riding where I live. Even the best vented textile can be miserably hot when temps get into the upper 90's and humidity at 70% or more. More to the point, leather is probably superior to the alternatives or the racing governing bodies and riders would demand something else. New technology textiles might one day displace leather. Who knows?

Now if PETA were in charge......

Can you imagine a MOTOGP star posing naked behind his bike with the caption

"I'd rather race naked than wear leather"

[Lord Popgun]

I really don't want to imagine that!

And PETA is here (in Norfolk) and just embarrasses us all.

[the Ferret]

Maybe MotoGP rider Randy de Puniet's wife Lauren Vickers (feel free to google her but please don't post provocative pictures of her here.)

[Henrik_imp]

Yeah, there's eye candy for both sides. My wife used love seeing Randy on the grid as he would open the top of his leathers. Me, I had my eyes on his brolly girl/wife....

[the Ferret]

for those that don't know what a brolly is, his wife used to be the Umbrella girl who shaded the racers while wearing the Playboy bunny outfit on the starting grid, complete with ears and cotton tail.

[rboe]

Some jean maker (I forget the brand) did a hybrid Kevlar/Cotton/ who knows what because Kevlar by its' self had very poor abrasion resistance.

Then on Aerostich's web site you read where they have dragged a sand bag made from various materials and some of their nylon canvas (could be a different thread material - I really don't recall) did a wee bit better than leather.

But your synthetics can heat up and melt (mesh jackets came under particular fire in the jean companies website mentioned above because the mesh melts into your skin giving you and your doctors fits getting back out). Leather does not have this problem.

So in a get off, there is a lot of physics going on and what you choose to protect yourself may do well with some parts of the crash; may not do as well in other parts. It pays to step back a bit and look at all the problems one faces; especially in racing where flammable fluids can complicate your crash, and see just how the material you are interested in performs with all the insults tossed at it (with you inside it). I think you'll find that leather, so far, is the best bet.

But each material is a compromise between what you think you'll face in a crash and what your wallet can handle.

[dUh!_imp]

http://www.dragginjeans.com/

I've never had a pair, but friends have mentioned that they are rather uncomfortable.

[DGShannon_imp]

Cordura, if thick enough, has nearly the same abrasion resistance as premium motorcycle leather. The key difference is that it melts and renders the material useless after even a fairly modest slide. One crash=new jacket. I would imagine the same is true for Kevlar, but I haven't looked into it. Frankly, though, as long as it works the first time I go off, I'll be grateful for the opportunity to go purchase replacement pants/jacket/gloves/helmet.
Ohhhh..and to the OP's point... I would also love a pair of casual pants which were Kevlar-lined. Especially if they looked like the blue chino-style uniform pants I used to wear in my gas station pump-jockey days. I'll check out The Ferret's links (so to speak)

You are correct in that the majority of the textile stuff sold to motorcycle riders will melt. The scary part is the statistics regarding it melting and sticking to your skin, causing even worse problems. But, to you wondering, Kevlar won't melt.

Take a look at the info here: [url=http://www.motoport.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10:save-your-hide-guide&catid=1:articles&Itemid=22]http://www.motoport.com/index.php?option...&Itemid=22

[redbirds_imp]

http://www.dragginjeans.com/

I've never had a pair, but friends have mentioned that they are rather uncomfortable.

I've had a pair of these jeans for 6 years and have found them quite comfortable but they are heavy and a bit too warm for me on hot days. They are well designed and have held up to years of use.

[DGShannon_imp]

Understood, although I'm not sure I've made myself clear.

If DGShannon is right that Kevlar is 10 times stronger than leather, and it also holds that this extra strength gives extra protection in the event of an accident, one can be forgiven for wondering why the governing body doesn't mandate a change in the requirement for protective gear.

The only reasonable conclusion is that the real difference between the relative protective properties of kevlar and leather means the change isn't worth it.

It would be interesting to know the governing bodies insight since woven Kevlar is the ONLY alternative to leather approved for road racing. It is stated to be 10 times the abrasion resistance of leather, but I imagine that there are many other considerations, for the racers. As stated by someone else, the woven Kevlar is tough to work with, doesn't fit as tight, and breaths (cools you) so much better than leather, that in a racing situation it can't be as aerodynamic as leather. As also stated by someone else, these guys are always getting new leathers (presumably for free). The fact that they are always new takes care of one of the other issues (leather breaks down with time, sweat, sun, etc.) that differentiates Kevlar from leather, for us mortals wearing our gear for years, on the street. If you look at the big dog leather companies passing out free gear to racers, they are also typically big on other safety aspects like shock sensors and electronics, the airbag suits, etc. Only a guess, but if you look at Motoport (one of the main woven Kevlar gear companies) they are small potatoes. If you ever had a Kevlar gear manufacturer with enough bucks in their pocket to fund the R&D, racing programs, etc. such that they could run around giving out free gear, then you would likely see more on the track.

Speaking of "on the track" it is a lot of fun to show up in Kevlar gear and have them balk about it, telling you that you must wear leather, only to call their hand and direct their attention to the AMA rulebook. (Page 48, section 3.26, paragraph D)
http://amaproracing.cdn.racersites.com/a...lebook.pdf