Introduction
The Royal Enfield Levis 511 motorcycle jeans have been my go-to riding denims for the last three months. I have used it for shoots and also for my office commutes. In fact, I also used it extensively during my ride to Mangalore on the Meteor 350. With all that and more, I did a little over 5000kms in this pair of jeans and these are my observations.
The style
Firstly, let’s talk about its style. These are slim fit jeans, so they look pretty cool on someone who likes to wear such design. I for that matter enjoy this style of jeans for one simple reason – it makes me look lean. The Levis 511 with its tight fit did enhance my overall look – be it during my video reviews or office visits. In fact, I have attended a few meetings in café and also attended a friend’s wedding reception wearing the 511s and not a single time was I questioned about these jeans. So it’s clear that these motorcycle jeans blend pretty well.
The use
I have to tell you this, I tend to over abuse my denims and it was the same story with the RE Levis 511. I used it almost every day. I also just washed it once a month because I’m a firm believer of the fact that the dirtier the jeans get, the better it looks. So the Levis 511 has seen the inside of my washing machine only thrice. There have been days where I even slept wearing it – blame the hectic shoot and testing schedule.
The comfort
From the above paragraphs, it’s clear that the 511 jeans are quite comfortable. Otherwise I definitely wouldn’t be sleeping wearing these. The fit is nice at the waist and also at the hip. I enjoyed this material because even with its slim fit nature, the material doesn’t stick to the body. The knee armours, which need to be purchased separately by the way, fits in well in its area. But the combination of a slim fit and wide knee armours did make the experience little annoying.
Not-so-good things
Like mentioned in the comfort section, the slim fit and the knee armours didn’t entirely provide me a good experience. As you sit on the motorcycle, the angle of the legs makes the knee area a bit tight, resulting into lots of creases. This makes the skin in that area hurt slightly which does hamper the overall comfort.
The area near the knee armour has also started to fade away due to daily use. That is one of the areas that is in constant touch with the bike. I like to hold on to the motorcycle’s fuel tank every time I ride. So this behavior was expected.
During winter, I couldn’t test the RE Levis 511 denims for heat and humidity. I’m hoping to test this out in the next few months and bring out the experience in our 10,000kms review.
Photography by Kaustubh Gandhi
Gallery
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