Textile Jackets

[turo]

I'm looking for a lighter summer jacket than my leather.

All the textile jackets seem to either make me look like I'm in a space suit,

a billboard advertizement or look like I'm on an acid trip of color. I'm also velco shy.

Any way, found this Dainese jacket at my local dealer. Seems not garish, the only velcro holds in the armour and is on the collar. The rest is zippers and rubber coated buttons. I'm not to sure about the comfort/armour part. I've seen the areostich gear, it seems popular, but the is nowhere for me to see one in person and it looks velco rich. I don't know why the velco bothers me so much, it's some tactile/noise thing... Anyway, any feedback or suggetions or experience sharing?

Thanks,

 

-john

 

 

 

http://www.dainese.it/eng/articolo.asp?cat...rticolo=1593899

[wheelsucker]

I have a Joe Rocket textile jacket as well as another textile jacket by First Gear or Road Gear. I love them both, they are comfortable and warm with the liner in, and cool enough to ride the bike in 100 degree heat without the liner and all zippers opened. The only downside to textile jackets is that they are pretty much one crash jackets, luckily I've avoided the oppurtunity to test it.

[jrt]

I have a Joe Rocket mesh jacket. There's nary a bit of velco on it- it zips up the front with...a zipper. It's also very plain and just black- "devoid of weird fluorishes" is an apt description.

[dhansen]

 

All the textile jackets seem to either make me look like I'm in a space suit,

a billboard advertizement or look like I'm on an acid trip of color.

 

Anyway, any feedback or suggetions or experience sharing?

Thanks,

 

-john

http://www.dainese.it/eng/articolo.asp?cat...rticolo=1593899

 

I spent about 4 hours one day in Vanson's shop trying to find a leather jacket that fit me and didn't make me look foolish. Never did find the right combination. Ended up with a Firstgear Killamengaro or however you spell it. Comfortable here in Maine on all but a few of the hottest days of the year. On the really hot days it is still better than any leather that isn't perforated. That said, next year I think I'll look into something a little lighter for those hot days.

[waspp]

John,

 

Didn't see you at the damn yankees rally in Heath Mass! Only a few sports there, a nice Rosso Mandello and mine was the only RC. It was a great time with some good Guzzi folk. As for the textile stuff I have 2 Joe rocket textile jackets one is mesh and is very comfy in the hot weather, the downside is the velcro sleave closures real crappy the other jacket is a ballistic series with a full insul liner that coat is really nice , very warm. The jacket I wear the most however is the Joe rocket sonic leather with zip out panels under the arms and side of the torso, works very well. BTW what pipes are running on your RC and have you changed your ECU, I'm starting to go down that road and am trying to get some info.

 

waspp

[Frenchbob]

Yep, bought one this summer. STT [French made], about 130€ and excellent value. My French mate Claude has a Furygan one that looks identical. Mine is light, comfortable, armoured and I shall wear it until I shiver enough to want to dig my ancient leather out again. I don't know why I sweated all through last summer!

[orangeokie]

Joe Rocket Repsol Textile. Very comfortable and held up well in my aprilia get off (hot header pipe resting on my shoulder.)

 

 

 

Yeah, I'm a Clydesdale, but I'm working on it . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Must reading for old farts like me . . . (click the pic)

 

 

[Murray]

I have a jacket from these guys Tiger Angel its over five years old and its the first serious water proof jaket I have ever owned and it doens't ned the thermal liner like the BMW stuff ethier to be water proof. Highly recommended they also run a very good repair and modifcation service should you ever need it. Athough it may be a little impractical from where you are. There are a couple bits of velcro the bottom outer flap of the jacket (so there are no studs to scratch the tank) and on the neck flap but my jacket is a bit older now. Products, all weather , element series jacket.

 

[richard100t]

I have a Dainese Gore tex jacket & its I must say its a very nice jacket. Lots of pockets, removable liner, comfortable. Its supposed to be waterproof but I never ride in the rain so I cant say about that. Its much more comfortable than my Dainese th1 leather jacket but of course if you were to crash I'd think you'd rather have the leather than the gore tex fabric. Life is usually about compromise though, you give & get.

 

I got such a good deal on the jacket that I was just going to resell it on ebay until I wore it a few times. Now its mine until its junk. Thats how good it is.

[Tom M]

If you're looking for decent protection get something with CE approved armor. I have a Belstaff textile jacket with CE armor that I really like, and I recently got a Cortech mech jacket for 85+ degree weather that doesn't have CE armor and probably won't be much good in a crash.

 

The cortech came from newenough.com. If you want to try stuff on and buy locally (the smart way to do it) try moto market in Acton (http://www.motomkt.com). Brockton Cycles might be worth the drive if they have as much in the shop as they do on their website: http://www.brocktoncycle.com/

[Steve G.]

Riding wear is as personal a decision as tires or oil. Me or anyone else telling you that one or another jacket is best, or a favourite, should not be the basis for buying a jacket.

Be aware that there are two different "families" of textile jackets. 1: non-polyurathane coated material, and 2: polyurethane coated material. If in a crash where you find yourself sliding along a road, even a short distance, polyurethane coated material will instantly melt to you. Non-poly coated will most definitely not.

The number of non-poly coated jacket making companies is very small, and can be listed easily:

1] Rukka

2] Motoport

3] BMW

 

The use of Poly coating makes the outer layer of the jacket more water resistant. Also, most poly coated jackets do not use Cordura 'Dupont' Gortex, but widely and easily found stitch nylon.

Joe Rocket is among the very best in price. Most all in this price range however are "one crash jackets", that will disassemble themselves if you go down. The others will not. I crashed bad last month in my Motoport jacket and BMW pants. No scratches, burns or a abrasions. The things were put in the wash [another no-no with poly coated jackets, hand soap and a garden hose only], and hung to dry, ready to go again.

Ciao, Steve G.

[Alex-Corsa]

I have ALPINESTARS both leather and textile and would suggest as well.All of them have inner pockets as well as inner side pocket, and extra removable inner cloth, that is quite practical and gets quite vented when the inner is removed.

here you can find some of them (and not only ) in nice prices, the monochrome ones are really unique.

Thar seller in in ebay ,I have got over $1600 mtorcycle stuff from, so he is reliable and recomended.

If you intend to get better prices ask per email his offer.

 

[joe camarda]

BMW's Airflow jacket is pricey, but nice in that BMW-ish understated sorta way.

[Steve G.]

Riding wear is as personal a decision as tires or oil. Me or anyone else telling you that one or another jacket is best, or a favourite, should not be the basis for buying a jacket.

Be aware that there are two different "families" of textile jackets. 1: non-polyurathane coated material, and 2: polyurethane coated material. If in a crash where you find yourself sliding along a road, even a short distance, polyurethane coated material will instantly melt to you. Non-poly coated will most definitely not.

The number of non-poly coated jacket making companies is very small, and can be listed easily:

1] Rukka

2] Motoport

3] BMW

 

The use of Poly coating makes the outer layer of the jacket more water resistant. Also, most poly coated jackets do not use Cordura 'Dupont' Gortex, but widely and easily found stitch nylon.

Joe Rocket is among the very best in price. Most all in this price range however are "one crash jackets", that will disassemble themselves if you go down. The others will not. I crashed bad last month in my Motoport jacket and BMW pants. No scratches, burns or a abrasions. The things were put in the wash [another no-no with poly coated jackets, hand soap and a garden hose only], and hung to dry, ready to go again.

Ciao, Steve G.

Actually, there is one more I could put to the list above: Aerostitch.

Ciao, Steve G.

[dlaing]

Riding wear is as personal a decision as tires or oil. Me or anyone else telling you that one or another jacket is best, or a favourite, should not be the basis for buying a jacket.

Be aware that there are two different "families" of textile jackets. 1: non-polyurathane coated material, and 2: polyurethane coated material. If in a crash where you find yourself sliding along a road, even a short distance, polyurethane coated material will instantly melt to you. Non-poly coated will most definitely not.

The number of non-poly coated jacket making companies is very small, and can be listed easily:

1] Rukka

2] Motoport

3] BMW

 

The use of Poly coating makes the outer layer of the jacket more water resistant. Also, most poly coated jackets do not use Cordura 'Dupont' Gortex, but widely and easily found stitch nylon.

Joe Rocket is among the very best in price. Most all in this price range however are "one crash jackets", that will disassemble themselves if you go down. The others will not. I crashed bad last month in my Motoport jacket and BMW pants. No scratches, burns or a abrasions. The things were put in the wash [another no-no with poly coated jackets, hand soap and a garden hose only], and hung to dry, ready to go again.

Ciao, Steve G.

Several years ago, I crash tested a polyurethane coated TourMaster Dupont Cordura (500 I think???) suit at over 50MPH and I remember nothing of it melting to me.

I got only a hint of road rash, really just a rug burn.

I was wearing sweat pants and polartec underneath.

Some of the polartec on the inside got holes where the outer cordura did not.

Broke shoulder blade and some ribs, bruised knee.

I suppose if I the cordura did not hold up and I got road rash, the polyurethane would be melting into my wounds, but if the cordura holds up and you don't have bare flesh against the polyurethane, you will probably be fine. For the first couple years the suit was VERY waterproof.

After the accident and years of weathering and laundering once it is NOT very waterproof.

I am worried that five and a half years of riding in the the sun has reduced its abrasion resistance...time for a new suit.

The polyurethane is probably the most water resistant thing on the market, but I'll avoid it next time.

MotoPort aka CyclePort may in fact have the best mesh jackets and pants in the Universe. As far as I know, they are the only mesh outfits made with Kevlar, so they hold up much better in a crash than Nylon Mesh.

Maybe there is some other Kevlar Mesh, but I have not seen it.

Not sure about MotoPort's use of velcro...I think they use it on just about everything

Tourmaster uses velcro.

Velcro sucks after a few hundred rips.