Recomendation/Review for Motorcycle JAcket

[karl]

Have never waterproofed any of my mesh gear so can't say. I have a few mesh jackets now and one pair of mesh pants that I wear commando or over shorts. They seem to work well for me in the hot and humid we get sometimes in the Northeast. What seems to work best for me are the 3/4 coat style the newest is safety yellow. Thermal liners and layers and electric gear make them good from the coldest right to the really hot. A coat with good venting can get set to blow up like a balloon and keep you cooler. A onesie that I bought was nice and had great protection (no jacket ride up in an off) but is better suited to a thinner person than I am today.

Other than a pair of boots from the Iron Pony most of my gear came from the discount rack. My suggestion is to go for protection first and worry about the look second. Enjoy your ride.

 

[Sunny]

Finally got my riding jacket @ $225+tax
https://www.cyclegear.com/gear/sedici-avventura-jacket

also bought an installed icon CE level 2 Back Protector @$45

Icon D3O Viper 2 Back Protector - Cycle Gear

The Icon D3O Viper 2 Back Protector is the next generation of molecular impact protection, giving Icon jackets a bump in impact protection with CE Lev…

www.cyclegear.com

Thanks everyone for the inputs

 

[Coyote Chris]

You can do alot worse than Cycle Gear. And as you found out, they sell out of house brands. I still have two of their Bilt coats/Jackets in my collection.
When you buy from Cycle Gear, you reciept is in their data base. No worrying about in and out of warrenty.
For others considering buying gear...
Revzilla has great video (no BS) reviews on riding gear. Period.
For a summer mesh, I really like my Tourmaster Air Intake 4.
If I could only have one coat, it would be my First Gear Kilamanjaro. I like it so much that when they went on sale, I got another and put it away. I have no clients so I now only buy Hi Viz. I think it helps being seen....
One thing I would tell people is if you expect all those liners/internal external rain covers to be helpful, think again...they are usually god aweful to get in and out....real Pitas.

I am scared to count the number of riding jackets I now have. Its all Frosty's fault...for 40 years I used field jackets and leather....

 

[mikesim]

The latest gear from Cycle Gear/Sedici looks to be good quality stuff. Realistically, even with the multitude of gear brands available to the consumer, there are probably only a handful of Asian companies who actually manufacture the stuff for them so the quality of assembly is probably pretty uniform across the brands. The primary difference in gear then are 1.) Quality of materials; 2.) Design features and 3.) Implementation of design features. A final invisible difference is that of the brands reputation in handling warranty/customer service issues.

The quality of materials are usually determined by the brands desire to meet a specific price point in the market. Thus while GoreTex is the gold standard of waterproof material a compromise using Hipora is often used to provide water protection at a lesser cost. Genuine Cordura versus another ballistic material is another area where pennies are saved as are zippers, genuine YKK or a lesser brand.

Design features show the brands expertise (or lack thereof) in designing gear that is useful to motorcyclists. A close examination of these features will usually reveal that this piece of gear was actually designed by a motorcyclist who uses the stuff.

Design implementation is how the features actually work. As an example, any brand can specify that zippered apertures be placed on the garment as "ventilation" but do they actually work? Will they seal tightly in the event of rain? When you use the garment are you pleased with how every thing works in harmony or are you struck with the thought, "what were they thinking?"

Mike

 

[Coyote Chris]

The latest gear from Cycle Gear/Sedici looks to be good quality stuff. Realistically, even with the multitude of gear brands available to the consumer, there are probably only a handful of Asian companies who actually manufacture the stuff for them so the quality of assembly is probably pretty uniform across the brands. The primary difference in gear then are 1.) Quality of materials; 2.) Design features and 3.) Implementation of design features. A final invisible difference is that of the brands reputation in handling warranty/customer service issues.

The quality of materials are usually determined by the brands desire to meet a specific price point in the market. Thus while GoreTex is the gold standard of waterproof material a compromise using Hipora is often used to provide water protection at a lesser cost. Genuine Cordura versus another ballistic material is another area where pennies are saved as are zippers, genuine YKK or a lesser brand.

Design features show the brands expertise (or lack thereof) in designing gear that is useful to motorcyclists. A close examination of these features will usually reveal that this piece of gear was actually designed by a motorcyclist who uses the stuff.

Design implementation is how the features actually work. As an example, any brand can specify that zippered apertures be placed on the garment as "ventilation" but do they actually work? Will they seal tightly in the event of rain? When you use the garment are you pleased with how every thing works in harmony or are you struck with the thought, "what were they thinking?"

Mike

How does one clean a textile coat? Mine is getting a bit grundgy....

 

[mikesim]

I use the washing machine method as well except I take the jacket to a laundromat that has the large commercial size washers since the jacket is so bulky. By all means, remove the armor prior to washing. I hit the really dirty spots with spray n wash first and then use a detergent designed for athletic gear (synthetic fibers). Hang up to dry. The name of the detergent escapes me but I can look on the bottle if you would like. It has no perfume added. I also use the stuff when cleaning my helmet liners, but I do those by hand.

Mike

 

[RedLdr1]

How does one clean a textile coat? Mine is getting a bit grundgy....

After one or two rounds in the washing machine I've found the the option that works best for me is to pull out my AMEX and order a new jacket. Around here they get "sun bleached out" in around three to four years anyway...I don't need to find out the hard way they lost their strength as well as color! The Kilimanjaro's washing instructions are usually on a tag sewn in to the jacket by the way...

 

[Sunny]

One Tip I read soemwhere was, to write on the Armour with a bright permananet marker where you and which jacket you took it out of , like right shoulder red jacket .... helps when putting back ..

 

[Coyote Chris]

I've done it two different ways. Both seem to work just as well.

1. Soaked it in the laundry tub with a strong solution of laundry soap, dish washing soap and Simple Green. Scrub by hand. Rinse about 6 times to get the soap* out.
2. Take the armour out of the elbows, shoulders and back pads and run through the washing machine.
3. In each case, hang up to dry.
4. When dry, spray the outside with a waterproofing spray and allow to dry. Fred Meyer has some for about $8 a can in the camping section. Buy it on the first Tuesday of the month to get the old-fogey discount.

* Soap works by getting dirt to cling to it instead of the material. If you don't rinse it out thoroughly, it'll keep doing that. Except instead of making it look clean, it'll make hi-vis look black.

Chris

Thanks! I will try just that when the weather gets warmer...I get armor mixed up so I have to mark it or draw pics about which end of the armor is up.

 

[Coyote Chris]

After one or two rounds in the washing machine I've found the the option that works best for me is to pull out my AMEX and order a new jacket. Around here they get "sun bleached out" in around three to four years anyway...I don't need to find out the hard way they lost their strength as well as color! The Kilimanjaro's washing instructions are usually on a tag sewn in to the jacket by the way...

Yea, mine says it was made in 2015 and to hand wash in cold water, no detergent with bleach allowed. 73 percent polyester, 26 percent nylon, 1 present spandex. Drip dry.

 

[Macka]

I take the easy way out and take it to the professionals at the Dry Cleaner.
They wash by hand, it comes up like brand new and only costs $14.

Macka

 

[mikesim]

I take the easy way out and take it to the professionals at the Dry Cleaner.
They wash by hand, it comes up like brand new and only costs $14.

Macka

I would be afraid that the dry cleaning solvents might be harmful to the synthetic fabrics. I have never read the care label on my gear to see if this is so.

Mike

 

[Phil Tarman]

Mike, most dry cleaners can clean your jacket without using "dry cleaning" as their method. I'd be afraid of the solvents too, but most dry cleaners will do washing.

 

[mikesim]

Mike, most dry cleaners can clean your jacket without using "dry cleaning" as their method. I'd be afraid of the solvents too, but most dry cleaners will do washing.

Then why don't they call themselves "wet and dry cleaners"? Enquiring minds want to know..... Seriously, I haven't been to a dry cleaning establishment in 20-30 years to know that.

Mike

 

[Coyote Chris]

You could take a picture of the armor laying in the proper position next to the jacket.

Shoulder armor is small, about hand sized. Elbow armor is longer, and if you feel with a jacket on, you'll remember it goes down your forearm. So that long portion has to go in first. The back armor is simple. There's only one of them. On mine, it doesn't matter which direction goes in first. Just put the smooth portion next to the spine so it allows you to bend over to pick up your glove that you just dropped.

Knee armor is much the same. You get some adjustability for up and down, so be prepared for that. Remember where it was before. It's a pain in the rear to get past all the velcro, but worth it.

Oxi-clean works well too with your laundry detergent. Just make sure you rinse everything really well.

Your hi-vis gear won't get perfect. It just isn't going to happen. But even "dirty" looking, it is still much brighter than you think it is. You'll be seen.

Chris

My armor looks like a trilobite.....I like the pic idea....at my age, I get confused alot....

 

[RedNigel]

Any Olympia product will serve you well. I recommend an Adventure length Olympia

 

[Bear]

I have had great service from Tourmaster products. The Raven Jacket I bought in 2005 is still my most versatile and favorite jacket.

 

[mikesim]

My armor looks like a trilobite.....I like the pic idea....at my age, I get confused alot....

At your age, you probably get confused WITH a trilobite..... I'm just sayin.....

Mike

:devilish:

 

[Macka]

I would be afraid that the dry cleaning solvents might be harmful to the synthetic fabrics. I have never read the care label on my gear to see if this is so.

Mike

No Mike. They don't Dry Clean
It. It is hand washed with detergent. It has been done twice about 18 months apart and still looks new from 6 feet away. In fact, I have been asked by a couple of friends if I have a new jacket of the same style as the "old" one (I actually do have a brand new one of a very similar style from the same manufacturer but it has never been worn. I got it very cheaply in a closing down sale). It is now about 4 years old and has covered about 50,ooo km including more than 20 camping type Rallies, perhaps 30. I could send a picture except that I am in Japan and the jacket is in Australia.

Macka

 

[Brillot2000]

My armor looks like a trilobite.....I like the pic idea....at my age, I get confused alot....

So, it is fossiled then?