Elsewhere, they still look as good as the day they arrived and there’s been no fraying, or discolouration. They don’t feel heavy on your legs like some other riding jeans either, but I’ve managed to continue to wear them on single-digit winter days with the addition of a thin set of base layers. In terms of protection, the Onyx jeans come equipped with CE level 2 hip and knee armour as standard. These protective elements can be easily adjusted or removed when transitioning from riding to off-bike activities.

Draggin Holeshot | We haven’t reviewed the Draggin Holeshots, but testing by MotoCAP showed them to have outstanding abrasion resistance. These are the thcikest jeans the Australian company makes, but there are plenty of others in the range to choose from. There’s little reason for a good-quality pair of single-layer or lined motorcycle jeans – with knee and hip armour – to not be rated as AAA, so make that your first filter. You might hear some excuses for products not having the top rating, but the only way to know for sure is through testing, so be wary of bluster.

Kids

RST X Kevlar Tech Pro | These part-lined jeans are styled to look a lot more like bike kit than the other, more casual-looking kit in our recommendations, but the accordion panels help to keep the Level 2 armour in exactly the right place. The RSTs have also been tested by Motocap , where they received impressive results.

How many times have you ridden down your favourite road to find it covered in loose chippings? That’s recently-applied surface dressing. Most of the time I wear Level 1 armour, and in jeans I do like the D3O Ghost protectors as they’re extremely slim, flexible and breathable, but they’re best for me in tighter-fitting trousers. Look out also for pants that have ankle fasteners. These help keep the spray and dirt from rising up your legs. Hood SK11 and Hood K7 | Having used Hood’s lined jeans for many, many thousands of miles in all climates from the UK to Spain and the USA, we can say with all honesty that they are NOT too heavy or hot to wear. The SK11s are the slimmer fit (though still with plenty of stretch), and both are available with a range of armour options. Extremely well made in a huge range of sizes and with outstanding customer support, Hood jeans come highly recommended. Generally, motorcycle riding jeans can either be single layer, where the abrasion-resistant material is woven directly into the outer layer; or they can be formed in a regular cotton denim outer with a separate inner lining formed in the abrasion-resistant material, usually aramid fibres or material like Kevlar, for example.The knees and hips of the jeans protection is of D3O armor. In terms of protection, it’s the best, and it’s the most comfortable. After absorption of body heat, it becomes softer and more malleable until you no longer notice it’s there. Because it complies with the CE standard, there is no compromise on the product’s safety or protection. On the plus side, you can still achieve peace of mind and remain stylish with many choices to suit all preferences and budgets.

These jeans don’t need to be cleaning. Dark indigo is their color. In reality, they have a “ raw” appearance. If you’re a fan of denim, you’ll understand what I mean. For the most part, you’ll have to take care of them and wash them just when necessary.

I choose to only wear single-layer jeans with an AAA-rating and a thin comfort liner, but they’re available at a range of prices, so spend what you can afford on the kit you like the look and feel of.