Most riders ask this the first time they pull on a pair of riding pants: what to wear under motorcycle pants, if anything at all. The short answer is less than you think. What works depends on the temperature, and the wrong layer, usually cotton or something bulky, does more to spoil a ride than the pants ever will. Here is what works from summer heat to a cold morning, and what to leave in the drawer.
Do You Wear Anything Under Motorcycle Pants?
Usually just underwear, with a thin base layer added when it is cold. Riding pants like the RoadVault are meant to be your pants, not a shell you pull over another pair. Stacking jeans or sweats underneath adds bulk at the knee and seat, traps heat in summer, and makes it harder to swing a leg over the bike.
RoadVault is cut like an ordinary pair of cargo pants, with 4-way stretch, and it is sized to your natural waist. Whatever goes underneath should stay thin, stretchy and dry.
What to Wear Under Motorcycle Pants in Warm Weather
In heat, the job is to move sweat away from your skin and keep seams from rubbing. Choose thin, moisture-wicking underwear in a synthetic or merino blend, not cotton. Cotton soaks up sweat and stays wet, while synthetic fabrics dry quickly in the wind.
- Underwear only. On a hot day, a second layer on your legs just adds heat.
- Flat seams. You sit on your seams for hours, so thick or ridged ones show up fast.
- Open the vents. RoadVault has zippered vents lined with mesh, so air reaches your legs at speed. Close them when it cools off.
Vents only help if what is underneath does not trap sweat and heat, which is one more reason to skip cotton and denim. Our guide to hot weather riding covers the rest of a summer setup.
What to Wear Under Motorcycle Pants When It Is Cold
Cold changes the answer. At highway speed a 45-degree morning feels far colder, and your legs take the wind head on. Add one thin base layer under your riding pants: long thermal bottoms in a synthetic fabric or merino wool. Skip cotton here too, because wet cotton pulls heat out of you.
Keep it thin. Fleece or sweatpants bunch behind the knee and make the pants feel tight, and tight pants fight you every time you move on the bike. If you are between sizes, size up. RoadVault's size guide recommends it for a comfortable riding fit, and the extra room leaves space for a layer. For the full system from helmet to boots, read our cold weather guide.
What to Skip Under Riding Pants
- Cotton anything. It holds sweat, and damp cotton turns cold and clammy fast.
- Jeans, sweats and joggers. They add bulk at the knee and seat and stop the pants from moving with you.
- Loose boxers or long-leg underwear. They ride up and bunch under the thigh after the first hour.
- Thick waistbands. They fight the pants' own waistband and your belt.
Mind the waist, too. A base layer adds a little thickness there, so a belt that adjusts by any amount, not by notch, keeps things comfortable. The Tactical Belt uses a friction buckle with no holes, so you set it exactly where you need it.
Long days test the seat as much as the layers. Flat seams under you help, and so does a cushion on the bike: the Gel Rider Cushion for you and, for a passenger, the gel passenger cushion sized for a standard rear seat. Our seat cushion guide explains how to choose one.
Common Questions
Do you wear pants under motorcycle pants?
Not usually. Riding pants like the RoadVault are sized to your natural waist and meant to be worn as your pants, so a second pair adds bulk and heat. In cold weather, use thin thermal bottoms instead of regular pants.
Is cotton underwear okay under riding pants?
For a short, mild ride, yes. On longer or hotter rides, moisture-wicking underwear is more comfortable because cotton holds sweat against your skin. Whatever the fabric, look for flat seams.
Does my passenger need a base layer too?
In cold weather, yes. A passenger sits still and does not generate the body heat you do, so they tend to get cold sooner. A thin base layer under their pants, plus a gel passenger cushion on the rear seat, makes a long ride easier for both of you.
From the range
Two more pieces for the long ride
Tactical Belt
A 38 mm nylon strap with a friction buckle that adjusts without holes, so an extra layer at the waist does not throw off the fit.
See the belt →
100% Gel Rider Cushion
A honeycomb gel pad that straps over the seat you already have, in under a minute with no tools.
See the cushion →