Summary
The Olympia Motoquest pants are a versatile and protective piece of riding gear. They have enough protection for street riding and a fit that is also compatible with adventure and dual sport riding. They are a perfect complement to the Motoquest Jacket.
Intro
Olympia Motosports is a family owned business based in Hendersonville, NC. If you call or email them there is a good chance you will speak directly to one of the owners. Kevin and Karilea Rhea got their start in the apparel industry, and as riders, they saw a need for great design and protection in the motorcycle industry. Their products are among the best and their prices are set to give the customer a great bang for their buck.
Feel and Sizing
I am 5’10” and about 195 pounds and my waist measures in about 37 inches. I went by the size chart and ordered a 38. The pants fit great in the waist with just enough room for base and thermal layers. The length was very long, but this was expected. Olympia makes all of their pants long, but they are built so they can be hemmed easily. I took my pants and the included rain liner to a local alteration shop. It cost me $58 to have both items hemmed. The shop I chose did a great job, but your mileage may vary depending on who you choose.
The rain liner is made of breathable ripstop nylon and it is comfortable to wear inside or outside of the pants, but I will wear the liner on the outside when I need it.
The armor in the knees is height adjustable so you can fine tune where it sits on your knee to get it just right. One of the best things about the knee armor is the thin fabric backing. The fabric catches the velcro in the armor pockets and it helps keep the knee armor from shifting around. I don’t know if that was done on purpose, but I like it. The armor itself is nice and flexible and it was comfortable right out of the box.
When I ride dual sport I remove the armor from the pants and I use armored shorts and knee guards. The Motoquest pants do accommodate my armor and they are still loose enough to let me move easily. They are more fitted than my other “in-the-boot” dual sort pants, but that is to be expected in an adventure styled pant.
I have several types of boots I wear depending on where I am riding. For street touring I have some Aeromoto Waterproof boots and they fit perfect with these pants. For dual sport I wear some Sidi Crossfire SRS boots. These boots are a full motocross boot and they just barely fit inside the Motoquest pants. I had to pull the pant legs up a little above the ankle of the boot to make them fit. The tight fit worked out well for offroad riding. It was almost like having an “in-the-boot” pant.
Construction and Comfort
Large Vent Panels
The Motoquest pants come in three different colors and they are built tough with genuine Cordura. The pants use the same type of venting as the Motoquest jacket does. There are large mesh panels on front of the legs that have zip down panels. You can adjust airflow by changing the amount you unzip the panels.
One simple detail that is often overlooked in riding pants is belt loops. My previous pants did not have belt loops and I have to say, I love having them on these pants.
There is a stretchable section in the hip area. These pants fit like regular pants so the stretch section helps when you are trying to get them over armored shorts or an ample backside.
I was glad to see that Olympia put full length zippers down the legs in the pants and the rain liner. It is a lot easier to get your riding pants on and off with a full zipper. For extra visibility you will find Scotchlite piping down the side of the legs as well. There are leather panels at the bottom inside of the legs. For adventure or dual sport riding that leather helps grip on the bike. You won't find that feature in too many street worthy pants.
At the cuff, the pants and the rain liner both have velcro adjusters so you can prevent your pant legs from flapping in the wind. Make sure you work with your alteration shop to maintain this functionality if you get them hemmed.
When it comes to thermal comfort you have the mesh vents that work great when it’s hot, but there is no insulating liner with these pants. I wear some nylon Adidas jogging pants and a pair of long johns underneath when it’s getting close to freezing temperatures and I am completely comfortable.
These pants are meant to be overpants, but they have a nice mesh lining so when its hot I just wear a my boxers or a pair of athletic shorts underneath and I am comfortable.
Motoquest Rain Gear
Protection
The Motoquest pants have removable CE approved armor in the knees and EVA foam in the hips. The knee armor has three levels of adjustment so you can get them in the proper place. These pants have 2000D Cordura in the impact areas and 500D in the rest of the shell.
There is a zipper that can attach the pants to any Olympia jacket, but they also include the other half of the zipper if you need to attach them to a different jacket.
The rain liner is made of breathable rip-stop nylon and a nice Hi-Viz yellow and black color to increase your visibility while keeping you dry. The rain gear that is included with the Motoquest jacket and pants is some of the nicest rain gear I have ever used. The breathable nylon is a big upgrade to the cheaper rain suits I am used to.
Pockets
There are two zippered front pockets and two pockets with flaps in the back.
What Could Be Improved
I honestly don't have much to improve on the Motoquest pants. The fit and features are great in these pants. I could only think of two things:
I might add about an inch more width at the bottom of the pants to accommodate my motocross boots better. However, they do work fine as it is, just snug against the boot.
It is good that Olympia makes their pants easy to hem, but it would be even better if they offered long, regular, and short sizes so I didn't need to get them hemmed. The down side, is that would probably drive prices up and you wouldn't have a custom fit when you were done.
Final Opinion
The Motoquest pants retail for $349.99 and they are the perfect match for the Motoquest jacket. They are a true 4-season pant and some of the best fitting motorcycle pants I have ever worn. I have used them for multiple day camping trips and I never found them uncomfortable or even noticed them. That is how I know they are great pants. Factor in the breathable rain gear and you have a value packed pair of motorcycle pants.
I wanted a single pair of pants that I could wear on the street and offroad in all conditions and all year long. That is a tall order, but these pants have delivered for me.
Thanks for reading. If you have any questions or would like to know anything I may have forgotten to mention please feel free to leave a comment and I will respond as quickly as possible. The opinions in this review are my own. If you found this review helpful, please consider supporting our sponsors with future purchases.