Pants vs oil

[bajakirch]

I currently don't own a pair of riding pants. I've seen some good deals online, but they're still above my threshold price. So I keep trolling CL in the hopes for another sweet deal.

The other day I noticed that one of my pairs of pants had what appeared to be oil-spotting on it. As I looked closer, I saw that much of the front of the legs below the knees was peppered with oil spots.

My bike does weep a bit of oil out of the top end; enough to show on the engine, but not so much to cause drips. So I'm wondering if the spots are primarily the result of that, or if I'm mostly picking up stuff from the roadway.

I'm also wondering if, when I do get a pair of riding pants, there's something I should do to keep them cleaned off. Obviously, stopping the slight leak at the head cover gasket would be a good starter (hopefully this winter). Any other ideas?

[Burgi]

I don't know about the roads where you are at but unless they are particularly oil coated  I'd say it is your bike. I used to get some oil on my pants from my knee area rubbing on my NH. I have none from the scooter or the Bonnie.
If you're getting black riding pants you really aren't going to see oil. You could scotch guard them to help release dirt better when you wash them.
I wash my gear pretty regular. I use shampoo to pre-spot (works well on grease) wash cold and hang dry. The fabrics used to make riding gear release oil pretty well, not like cotton jeans.

[ariwhiteboy]

I don't notice any oil spots...then again I don't think my bike is leaking oil.    My riding pants are black just in case though.

[Bumblebee]

Little spots on your pants are typical engine oil leak with a turbulent airflow. A little wet exposed oil is all it takes. Oil is a lot like blood. It doesn't take a lot to look like a mess.

[ariwhiteboy]

Oil is a lot like blood. It doesn't take a lot to look like a mess.

I'm not even gonna ask...




 

[bajakirch]

Well then hopefully I'll be able to get to replacing that gasket this winter. Otherwise Mrs. Bajakirch is going to have me doing my own laundry.

[Option13]

I thought this thread was going to be about Hppants having oil change troubles...

Ari, I'm guessing that smiley didn't come from NHF.  


In regards to the actual problem, Bee is dead on. Airflow will pick up that little drip of oil and fling it all over the place. Heck, they use this to visualize airflow on racecars. Even F1 cars use this trick. Look at all the fluid spray around the radiator intakes.