BSMC Gear Guide #23
By Gareth Roberts - 25 Aug 14

In this week's Guide we've got made to measure leather, protection for your head protection; protection for your knees, ankles and toes, from Bell, Roland Sands, Draggin and MotoKouture.
PRODUCT REVIEW BY THE BIKE SHED’S VERY OWN ALI LATIMER - DRAGGIN TWISTA JEANS
Now I’m a firm believer in testing something before writing about it, but we all know that Draggin are one of the leaders in motorcycle jeans that are designed to properly protect you in a crash with their Kevlar lining… well I’m not going to force that side of the test, if it ever happens, I’ll be sure to let you know how they did!
I have however tested them for casual purposes and riding in without crashing; and I have to say, these are the comfiest pair of jeans I have ever worn; now I’m not just saying that, they really feel great both on and off the bike, the moment I first slid my sparrow like legs into these skinny fit jeans, I knew I had a bit of kit that I will live in. Unlike conventional Kevlar lined riding jeans, these have a seamless exterior, making them look just like a regular pair of jeans. Without the additional knee armour no one would know they are quite so purposeful, yet with the Knox knee armour inserted they still look good, only close inspection allows anyone to realise they are armoured, but best of all, they lose none of their comfort.
I have ridden the Bonneville and the Ducati Café Racer in these, two very different riding positions and they felt great in any position, they have a high enough back rise to stop unwanted drafts but not so high that they remind you of your granddads army issue slacks. They don’t gather behind the knee nor in the crotch, they’re airy for a warm summers day and yet are thick enough for Spring and Autumn riding too, I doubt they’ll be warm enough in the winter, but I have over trousers for the coldest of days which I can peel off when I get to my destination and have these on underneath.
On the Café I wore my work books under them and they hugged the boots at my ankle well with no rising, on the Bonnie I wore my MX style boots over them and they were close enough not to need folding within the boot, something I’ve always found annoying with other pairs of jeans.
They are made from 98% Cotton and 2% Elastane, but the level of flex they have makes it feel like more, they really move well without any restriction, the lining is 100% Kevlar and they are machine washable on a cold cycle.
So to summarise, if you like a skinny jean; which clearly I do… I don’t see another option for your next pair of jeans, I can’t praise them enough… and I have to admit, I was never a huge fan of Draggin Jeans in the past… consider me well and truly converted!
https://www.dragginjeans.net/
MOTOKOUTURE MK HAND MADE BESPOKE LEATHERS
So the Bike Shed crew have just got back from Belgium having attended the Cosmic Nozem custom bike show put on by Steven and the MotoKouture team. There was a fine display of cycles, but also some pretty cool gear too.
MotoKouture have a reputation for producing very high quality and innovative builds, examples of which were on display at the Bike Shed III in May. Not only do they build bikes, but they build leathers too. They offer a completely bespoke service for leather jackets, trousers and one-pieces.