I have been in the market for a pair of motorcycle jeans for as long as I have been riding but hadn’t decided what ones to get. I had heard the Shift Silhouette jeans were the most “stylish” pair and most like the regular fashion jeans I wear off the bike. So when I recently saw them go on sale I grabbed a pair and and very happy that I did.
Why motorcycle jeans?
No review of protective motorcycle pants would be complete without talking about safety gear in general. Motorcycle jeans are a compromise between wearing standard motorcycle pants which have knee and hip armor as well as tear proof textile materials and regular old Levi’s. The motorcycle jeans are safer than your standard jeans because they are a heavier weight denim and often lined with kevlar material. This means if you go sliding down the freeway it will take longer before they start to fall apart.
The Shift Silhouette Motorcycle Jeans are 12oz. denim and have kevlar sewn into the butt area, knees, and outer thighs. In the photos you can see where the stitching is for the kevlar. Unlike some brands of motorcycle jeans these do not come with and don’t have any pockets for armor.
Comfort and Style
I was very surprised by how comfortable these pants are to wear. Since they are kevlar lined I thought they might be scratchy. However the kevlar is very soft on the skin! These jeans are super comfortable and I can easily wear them all day.
The kevlar and heavy weight of the denim do make these jeans a bit warm. I wore them on an 85 degree day with a lot of humidity and found them a bit too warm. They don’t really let a breeze in like some lighter pants. In the hotter temperatures I prefer mesh pants.
The jeans are also very stylish and I have no problem wearing them at work. I have gotten compliments on them from the other ladies on the office who don’t even know they are motorbike specific jeans.
There are two colors available, light indigo and dark indigo. I have the dark indigo color and they look very nice and match many of the modern jeans you see on display at the mall.
I would consider the jeans to be “mid-rise.” I typically wear low rise jeans when I am off the bike, however I certainly don’t want my butt to hang out when I am on my bike so these are the perfect compromise. They come up higher on my stomach and butt than my fashion jeans but they are also not the type of jeans that come up to your belly button, I can’t wear pants like that.
Sizing
I am 5’5” and have a slender build. I normally buy Levi’s 524 jeans in a size 5 regular length. I tried the Shift Silhouette’s in both the size 4 and 6 and only kept the 6. I was surprised that there was a pretty big difference in the waist size between the 4 and 6. The four was too tight while the six was a loose fit.
The length is on the longer side. When I wear these jeans with just sneakers I have to cuff them so they don’t drag on the ground. When I am sitting on the motorcycle they are a good length.
Conclusion
I am very happy with my purchase of the Shfit Silhouette motorcycle jeans. They are great for commuting and running errands where I don’t want to change my pants or walk around in bulky overpants. Plus they are so comfortable and stylish I can confidently wear these pants on and off the motorcycle.
