With the development of so many different safety features and extras for many motorcycles, it was only a matter of time before something came along that claimed to work better to protect riders from road rash than traditional leather. In recent years there has been an increasing trend for motorcyclists to wear a lot of the specialty Kevlar riding apparel that was originally pioneered for motorcycle racers (although many of them still prefer leather). However, there are pros and cons to each side of the equation that you will need to consider before you make a firm decision.
For example, the Kevlar riding material is sturdy and durable, but it is not as comfortable as leather, and some riders do not think that it is as fluid with their movements as leather is. Another problem that riders have noticed with Kevlar is that it retains the heat. When you get into a wreck, Kevlar will work to help keep the road from coming into contact with your skin, but the Kevlar remains attached to you, and that means that the heat build-up stays, too, often resulting in a burn. However, with leather, the material strips away, and the heat is no longer there.
With leather there are other considerations to take into account as well. In order to get proper leather apparel, you will want to make sure that you look for a number of important factors, such as thickness, length, seals around the wrists and neck, etc. If you want to get good leather riding gear, you will need to spend a few hundred dollars to make sure you're getting a quality product.
