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	R.S. Sirius Leather Trousers rrp £259 Construction Protection Fit Looks Crash testing Wear and tear Summary I’ve been wearing these leathers for around 2 years, been through two crashes and I think these trousers are the dogs dangly bits. Construction These trousers are made from very heavy, yet surprisingly supple leather, don’t know what the actual thickness is, but without a doubt this is the heaviest leather I’ve seen on any garment. There’s the usual zip fly with a velcro strap and buckle waist fastening and zips at each calf. There are stretch panels at the calf and fabric inserts behind the knees. There are also concertina style leather stretch panels running down the side of the upper leg and above the knees with a small one at the back of the waistband (handy if you’ve scoffed that second pie at lunchtime). The trousers are fully lined with a mesh material. A short connecting zip at the back stops a jacket from riding up while on the bike and should keep it in place if you come off. However if you are planning to do track days I’m not sure the zip would be long enough to be acceptable. Protection The trousers came with Knox Advance armour in thighs and knees, from experience I can assure you this is very effective. The thigh armour is reasonably sized; effective but not so large as to make the trousers look like those Gestapo jodphur type thingys. The knee armour covers the joint well , extends down the shin but shouldn’t clash with most boots. The armour is largish but I don’t feel it’s overly obtrusive. It’s held in place by velcro so you can adjust the position and I’ve not had many problems with it ‘migrating’. Extra abrasion protection is provided for your bum by a generous sized second layer of leather. Fit The trousers are cut for the riding position this tends to make the upper leg and waist a bit loose when you’re walking around, I get round this with heavy duty braces (there are no belt loops), and I know others have had the same problem. There is a comprehensive range of sizes based on height; waist and inside leg so there should a suitable fit for everybody. Admittedly they were a bugger to break in but once moulded into Phil shape they became very comfortable. There are stirrup straps at the bottom of the legs, these are handy in the breaking in period but don’t serve much purpose after. All the stretchy bits and the knee cut outs help, especially when wearing for long periods, I’ve had them on for over twelve hours at a time with no complaints. I also like the strap waist fastening which I prefer to press studs, I’ve found these lose their ‘grip’ over time (it also gives a bit of latitude in the girth expansion department or when wearing shirts, jumpers etc.). Looks There’s not too much to say about these breeks appearance wise. As a utilitarian garment with no concessions to fashion - comfortable and protective - they’re black, leather and look fine to me, ‘nuff said. Crash testing I’ve put these trousers through the ultimate test twice, with what I believe are impressive results. Crash one. Hill tracks in the highlands, saw me parting company with a CCM 604 about fifteen feet in the air doing around 45 mph. I landed hard on my right hand and knee in a gravel patch and then slid some distance. While the right knee armour did split on impact I walked away (literally) with a sore knee for a few days, without the armour I believe I there would have been much more serious damage, the crash was serious enough to absolutely destroy the bike. The trousers survived well with some ‘skinning’ to the outer surface at the knee and thigh (no damage to the stitching at all). Crash two. A couple of weeks ago I lost the back end on a left hander doing about 55mph, went down on my left thigh with the bike on top and slid nearly 150 yards on my posterior. The result was (apart from a sore arse) again some light abrasion damage to the outer skin of the leather but all stitching still intact. Wear & Tear They only gripe I have with these trousers are two broken zip tabs, at the fly and one of the calfs, not too bad but still irritating. Otherwise there have been no other problems and like all good leather these are getting better with age. Summary On the downside are the broken zip tabs, and the need for braces to keep them up. I also feel it’s a shame that we should have to pay so much for good protection. However, the price is comparable with the competion and I’ve regrettably, proven just how good these trousers are. I almost feel like I owe these trousers a perfect rating but they’re aren’t so a four out of five spanner rating seems fair. If you have any specific questions you can email me at phils.hoose@ukgateway.net Phil Phils has done some in-depth product reviews of his riding gear. Check them out... FM F101Helmet | Swift Cabon-pro race gloves | CoolViZion visor inserts Sirius Jeans | Tattoos | GSB Zoom Boots | Sportex Storm Gloves Power Bronze Belly Pan