Drum Dyed vs Printed Leather

The Ultimate Guide: Drum Dyed vs. Printed Leather for Motorcycle Gear

Leather quality is a crucial factor for any motorcycle gear and at Bison, we understand the importance of durability and style. If you're looking to understand the differences between drum-dyed leather and printed leather, let’s dive into what makes each process unique and how they impact the look, feel, and longevity of your gear.

1. Drum Dyed Leather: Deep, Lasting Color

Drum dyeing is a full-depth coloring process where leather is soaked in a rotating drum filled with dye, allowing color to penetrate through every fiber of the hide. This technique is known for producing deep, rich hues that remain resilient over time and through wear. Another term used for dyed leather is “drum struck”, which essentially means the dye has been allowed to permeate all the way through the hide. 

• Color Longevity and Wear: Because the dye permeates the entire hide, color stays more consistent even with surface wear. This makes drum-dyed leather a smart choice for riders who want their gear to look great for the long haul—even after scrapes and scratches.
• Softness and Comfort: Drum-dyed leather is more flexible and maintains a natural feel, adding comfort to protective motorcycle gear.
• Premium Look and Feel: The dyeing process enhances the natural grain, giving a premium, authentic leather texture and a richness that synthetic prints can’t replicate.

Quick take: Our customers often rave about the durability and look of our leather suits and gloves, especially in custom designs. This natural depth of color in drum-dyed leather can highlight your “Bisonality” with style and grit, perfect for riders who value a long-lasting finish.

2. Printed Leather: Versatile Colors and Patterns

Printed leather, in contrast, involves adding color or pattern onto the leather’s surface after the tanning process. This method allows for a broader range of color options and unique designs, such as branded logos, textures, or high-definition prints. Bright colors in the Bison palette including fluorescent colors are typically printed over a white or “natural” hide. 

• Design Flexibility: Printed leather is ideal for custom looks that require high precision, such as logos or intricate patterns. It gives brands the ability to play with various colors and effects not achievable with drum-dyed leather.
• Lower Durability in High-Wear Areas: Since the color sits on top of the leather rather than saturating it, printed leather may show signs of wear faster in high-impact areas and especially crashes involving a slide or tumble.
• Unique Appearance, for Better or Worse: Printed finishes can have a more glossy look, which some riders prefer for its contemporary style.

Quick take: While printed leather adds versatility and style options, we recommend it for use in limited areas such as patches and accent panels. It’s important to keep in mind that printed areas will not match the longevity of drum-dyed leather for riders constantly pushing their gear to the limit​​. 

3. Which Leather Type is Right for You?

Choosing between drum-dyed and printed leather depends on your riding style and how you envision your gear evolving over time. Here’s a quick recap to help guide your decision:

Wear & Tear
Over time, all colored leather will show signs of wear—whether it's the natural patina from endless rides, scrapes from those close calls, or creasing from perfectly fitting around you like a second skin. Even drum-dyed colors can be prone to surface wear, and this can be accelerated by things like tank grips or certain types of foam racing seats. The good news is this type of wear is only cosmetic and can be touched up at home using things like dyes (for natural or black panels) and acrylic paints from your local crafts store. For more information on recoloring your leathers (or even changing the color), check out our blog HERE or video HERE!

Something to keep in mind; Printed colors and patterns are not recommended for large areas for the above reasons. Pro racers can get away with this because they go through new gear every few months - sometimes in one weekend! If you’re looking for a suit, jacket or gloves that’s going to have a durable finish and look good for years to come, you can’t go wrong with black leather or another dark color. And you can always add pops of color with printed patterns or fluorescent colors throughout the gear!

Which Bison Leather Colors are Printed?
Trying to choose your design palette and want to know which colors in our options book are printed? Here ya go! 

• B-06 Light Silver
• B-07 Light Gray
• B-19 Foil Gold
• B-41 Jet Blue
• B-25 Fluorescent Red
• B-26 Fluorescent Pink
• B-27 Fluorescent Orange
• B-28 Fluorescent Green
• B-29 Fluorescent Yellow
• B-30 Highlighter Yellow
• B-38 Turquoise
• B-39 Foil Silver
• B-40 Pastel Pink

Whether you’re part of “The Herd” looking for a unique expression of Bisonality or you’re all about function-first durability, your choice of leather can make a difference! Be sure to ask your Bison Gear Customization Specialist if you have questions about various colors or applications as you spec your gear.