Pando Moto Kusari Cor 01 Review: Really Tricky Fit
Recommendations First
4 out of 5 stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Why Buy the Pando Moto Kusari Cor 01 Women’s Motorcycle Jeans:
These turned out to be the most comfortable, breathable summer riding jeans I own — stretchy, cool, and easy to wear straight into the office. The catch is the fit. If you are petite and not curvy, they do not fit like the product photos, and that mismatch was a big disappointment before I came to accept them as a looser, cargo-style pair.
- Design: ★★★☆☆
- Practicality and comfort: ★★★★★
- Build and quality: ★★★★☆
- Riding and protection: ★★★★☆
Buy if: the cut fits your expectations (curvy → tight fit, petite → roomy fit), and you are looking for a pair of summer pants that keeps you cool.
Skip if: you are looking for solid protection for aggressive riding.
I bought the Pando Moto Kusari Cor 01 in Size W27-L30 from the official Pando Moto website for $252 (before a discount code). For your reference, my waist is 26 inches and my inseam is 29 inches, so this pair fits on paper as it “fits small.” I normally wear Size 6 from Nike Air. In Japanese sizing I am Size 225. Read more about my size measurements at About Me.
I bought this pair of Pando Moto Kusari Cor 01 pants from the official Pando Moto website (official product link here). Honestly, it was a tough purchase for me because it was so pricy relative to normal jeans, and it was difficult for me to know whether it fitted or not per my expectations. When I finally decided to commit, as you could have guessed, I was very, very disappointed.
It turned out to be completely different from what I thought I would be getting. I almost wanted to return the product but decided not to because of the high shipping fee. All the more, this made me want to make hanamibike.com and the gear sizing guide tool. I precisely want to avoid this kind of disappointment.
However, after much trial and acceptance, I decided to keep my Pando Moto Kusari Cor 01 pants. The reason? I have come to accept it as a totally different style of pants, and I could also wear it “that way.” It did not solve my original need but I could make do with it, and it still looks nice, don’t get me wrong. Let’s get into it.
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Pros
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Cons
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Who and What is the Pando Moto Kusari Cor 01 Best For?
It is a pair of comfortable and stylish-looking, casual summer riding pants. It definitely looks super good on Instagram, especially for the right body types and the “look” you are going for. That was what got me to buying it in the first place.
Final verdict: 4.0/5.0
The Pando Moto Kusari Cor 01 is the most comfortable and breathable pair of summer riding jeans I own — but the fit is body-type dependent, so it is a selective recommendation.
If you have the body type these are cut for, or you are happy to wear them as a relaxed, cargo-style pair, there is a lot to like here.
- If you want cool, stretchy, comfortable summer riding jeans you can wear straight into the office, this is a strong option.
- If you are petite and not very gifted in the glutes or thighs, beware — these do not fit like the product photos.
- If you are looking for solid protection for aggressive riding, I would look elsewhere; the summer fabric is thin.
- Once I accepted them as a looser, cargo-style pair, I slowly grew to genuinely like them.
What Size Fits Me?
I bought the Kusari Cor 01 in W27-L30. For reference, my waist is 26 inches and my inseam is 29 inches, I normally wear Size 6 from Nike Air, and in Japanese sizing I am around 225. Length-wise and around the waist, the sizing was spot on — true to size, right down to the ankles. The looseness I ran into was not a sizing error but a body-type issue: the waist sat snug while the hips, thighs, and calves had a lot of extra room (as you can see from the picture).
How Does the Pando Moto Kusari Cor 01 Look? What Outfit or Style Does It Go With? (3/5)
I wanted a pair of pants good for casual and business casual workdays, relatively tight-fitting, and comfortable both on the bike and in the office. And I think I found one that ticked all the boxes, except the looks department.
It was slightly pricy, but I was convinced by Instagram models and reviews that this was the right pair for me. But, unfortunately, it was a big no.
The hips area is way too loose. Despite having a snugly fitted waist of 27 inches (fits small — I usually wear 26-inch for jeans/pants), the hip area just has so much loose fabric. I had to insert the hip pads to just make up for extra space, which I typically do not wear if I’m just taking a short route to the office, and on a summer day hip pads can become hot. There was significant extra thigh room and calf room too, but suddenly very tight around the ankles. So without the hip pads and knee pads, I feel like I am wearing something two sizes too big (for “skinny-fit”). I did see another user posted on FC-Moto that it was “definitely not skinny fit” but totally ignored that comment because I was so fixated on getting a pair of black, skinny-fit pants. But reality hit.
To avoid having fit issues like mine, be sure to really read the measurements chart closely, or try out the HanamiBike Sizing Guide to go through enough reviews before you press “buy”.
The design though is nothing to complain about. I like how subtle it is, without any obvious “biker” stitches or patches that come with some other brands of bike gear. If it were not so baggy, it could pass off as a pair of office jeans or tight pants, but it still has the reflectors around the back of the ankles for some degree of visibility while riding. The design is versatile enough for both riding and non-riding.
If you are relatively on the thinner side (164cm / 45+kg) and not very well gifted in the glutes or thighs, beware — these do NOT fit like the product photos shown on the Pando Moto website.
However, you can cross reference FC-Moto’s product site, where there are some additional fit signals:
Finally, a truly skinny fit from top to bottom! It’s perfect, very comfortable. You forget you’re even wearing it! I can fit my Alpinestars knee protectors. I wear a size 36 (FR) in dress pants and I ordered these in a size 27 and a 30 inseam (I’m 1.65m tall). Be aware, they are very high-waisted. Maybe a little too high. I’m very happy with this product.
Finally, they have jeans in a 30-inch inseam, so they actually fit me! I’m 162cm and 54kg, and the 27/30 size fits perfectly. The material is very pleasantly soft, not scratchy like many other jeans. I’m definitely keeping these trousers and waiting until they’re available in other colors.
However, since it is a hassle and costs extra to return these pants, and it honestly does not objectively look bad (it just was not matched with my expectations), I have come to accept that they are a pair of loose pants that I will wear like cargo jeans, and I have slowly grown to like them and dress for them.
Is the Pando Moto Kusari Cor 01 Practical and Comfortable? (5/5)
I have ridden once with these jeans and it was a fairly long day of riding. What stood out the most was comfort. The pants are breathable, and the fabric is very soft. Not extremely stretchy like the performance-wear kind, but soft like a light towel almost. The back of my knees were not all bunched up and did not eat into my skin even in the most aggressive riding position. I have another pair of jeans that would cut off the blood flow behind my knee, but the Kusari Cor 01 had none of those issues.
It was also able to ventilate well with the wind, and did not become sweaty, sticky, or anything at around 26 degrees. Off the bike, it fits well too — I feel like I can wear this on a casual work day. For comfort alone, I would give it 5/5.
Is the Pando Moto Kusari Cor 01 Good Quality? (4/5)
The armour feels great. Although I know I complained about putting them on all the time for fit reasons, the armour itself does not bother me usually. The pieces are very soft and maneuverable, and do not interfere too much with daily non-riding positions. This is consistent across all the Pando Moto products that I have so far, and it really made riding gear more comfortable. The Cordura® shell feels well put together for what it is.
The only reason I am not giving full marks is the fabric. As a dedicated summer pair, it is objectively thin — more on what that means for protection below.
How Does the Pando Moto Kusari Cor 01 Ride and Protect? (4/5)
On the bike, the Kusari Cor 01 takes removable hip and knee armour, and once it is in, the protective pieces stay put and out of the way through a long ride. It feels comfortable and unrestrictive where it matters.
However, as a pair of summer pants, it is objectively thin fabric here. Given the cloth is so thin, I am not fully confident it will survive a slide, but I am fortunate enough to not have experienced one yet. I would consult with people who have crash tested these pants to give a proper rating on the safety aspect. So if you are looking for solid protection for aggressive riding, this probably is not the pair for you.
Ending words
All in all, I have come to like this pair of jeans even though it was massively different from my original idea of what I was getting. It is comfortable, breathable, stylish, and versatile. I can see myself reaching for them any day.
If you’re not sure what size to go for on your next gear purchase, check out my Women’s Gear Size Guide and read more Gear Reviews for more considerations before hitting that purchase button.
See you on the road!