Most riding pants are designed around a different bike. Sport-bike pants assume you're tucked behind a fairing, and adventure pants assume mud and standing on the pegs. A cruiser puts you upright with your legs out front, no fairing and a stop at every place worth stopping. That is why motorcycle pants for cruisers have to solve a different set of problems, and this guide takes them in the order you'll notice them.
How Cruiser Riding Changes What Pants Need to Do
Sit on a cruiser and your body tells you what's different. Your feet reach forward to floorboards or forward controls, your back stays upright, and there's usually no fairing or windshield between you and the weather. On many bikes a big V-twin sits right between your knees, so on a warm day in traffic the engine heats your legs.
Three things follow. Fit while seated matters more than fit standing. Exposure matters, because your legs take the wind, the heat and the rain. And looks matter, because a cruiser ride is a string of stops, and you'll be walking around in whatever you wore to get there.
Motorcycle Pants for Cruisers: What to Check Before You Buy
Judge a pair on the bike, not in the fitting room. Here's the checklist.
- Sit-down fit. Sit with your legs out front, the way you ride. Nothing should pull across the knee or dig in at the waist. RoadVault has 4-way stretch, and if you're between sizes its size guide says to size up. On a low seat, our guide to riding pants for short riders covers the rest.
- Ankles that go over your boots. Cruiser riders wear everything from short boots to tall harness-style ones. RoadVault's adjustable ankle openings go over most riding boots and cinch down for a clean line.
- Airflow. A breathable shell and ventilation zippers at the thigh let you open the pants up when the engine and the afternoon both run hot.
- Pockets that close. Six functional pockets carry a phone, wallet and keys, which matters on a bike with little or no luggage.
- A look that works off the bike. RoadVault is cut like everyday cargo pants, in black, army green and camo, so you can walk into a diner or a bar without looking like you came off a racetrack. That's the idea behind RIDE UNMARKED: gear that doesn't look like gear.
RoadVault covers all five, so here's a closer look.
Weather Without a Fairing
With nothing in front of you, the weather lands on your legs, so the fabric has to handle both ends of the thermometer. For heat, breathable fabric and open vents do the work. For rain, RoadVault is water-resistant, not waterproof: the shell sheds light rain and splashes, but a real downpour needs a rain layer over the top. Our guide to waterproof motorcycle riding pants explains what actually keeps you dry.
Two-Up, Rallies and Long Days in the Saddle
Cruisers are built for company and for distance, and the pants should keep up. If you ride two-up, your passenger sits on a smaller, firmer seat, and the Gel Passenger Cushion is sized for a standard rear seat. RoadVault comes in the same XXS to 4XL range in men's and women's cuts, so you can both wear the same model.
Rally weekends pack a lot of miles and a lot of walking into a few days. Our guide to what to wear to a motorcycle rally covers the full kit, from boots you can walk in to a belt that adjusts as the day goes on.
Common Questions
Are motorcycle pants too hot for a cruiser in summer?
They don't have to be. RoadVault has a breathable shell and ventilation zippers at the thigh. Open them early, before the heat builds, and zip them shut when it cools off.
Do cruiser pants go over the boots or inside them?
Either way works. The adjustable ankle openings go over most riding boots and cinch down for a clean line, or you can tuck the leg into a tall boot. Try the pants on with the boots you actually ride in.
Can my passenger wear the same pants?
Yes. Men's and women's cuts share the same sizes, from XXS to 4XL, and both come in black, army green and camo. If the back seat is small and firm, the Gel Passenger Cushion adds a layer of gel to it.
From the range
Two More Pieces for Long Days on a Cruiser
Tactical Belt
A 38 mm nylon strap with a friction buckle that adjusts without holes, so you can fine-tune the waist as the day goes on.
See the belt →
100% Gel Rider Cushion
A honeycomb gel pad that straps over the seat you already have, no tools needed. Made for cruiser, touring, adventure, sport and custom seats.
See the cushion →