Jackets Best Jacket?

Merrill

Joined
Jun 5, 2009
Messages
5
Location
Lenexa, KS
Bike
2012 FJR
I may be unrealistic to think that one jacket will fit all ones needs, but I'm looking for a good all-around piece. Although I live in MN, I'm not as concerned with the extreme cold as the heat, humidity and rain. I do desire, thought, to feel secure while riding everyday and confident if ever in an accident.

I have read MANY reviews and can't seem to make a determination. So far, I have only tried on the Fieldsheer Quattro. It felt extremely durable and safe, but with minimal ventilation. I assume it would be too hot above 70˚, behind the fairing, with all vents open on the shell only.

So far on-line, I have favored the Tour Master Transition Series 2, Pivot Series 3 and Intake Air 2. I'm not as concerned about price as quality and versatility.

Please help with any real experiences with these and other jackets. Your responses are truly appreciated!

Thanks,
Merrill
 
First Gear Kilimanjaro. No you can't ride through golf-ball sized hail in it, but otherwise its a great all around jacket. Water tight zippers on the vents. Main zipper and pockets have large double overed flaps to keep the rain out. The removable liner can be worn as a windbreaker on its own.

I like mine.
 
I have a Motoport with the goretex liner. It works great in cold weather and rain. Last year I took the liner out and drove through Death Valley with no problems. Definitely not cheap.
 
First Gear TPG Ranier. NewEnough have them on sale now for $225. I just got back from a 3K road trip and mine worked good from near freezing to high 80's. It would be pretty hot above that I would think. One downside is that you should upgrade the back armor.
Rod
 
I use a Fox Creek Leather vented racing jacket.
http://www.foxcreekleather.com/1.html

Holy cow!! :eek: The price has gone up on those things! :|

Anyway, with either fleece or heated liner I've worn it down into the upper twenties. With all the vents open and maybe unzipped to the middle of my chest I've worn it up well over 100 degrees. For rain - slip on the Frog Toggs.

In all fairness, if it's going to be an "all hot" ride I do have a First Gear mesh for that. The leather jacket goes on all the anything-could-happen-and-probably-will rides though and has never let me down.
 
Merril,

We probably live in similar climates. My Tour Master Transition works well for me from mid 30 degree temps to upper 70s. The vents work pretty well on the ST, but even better on a naked bike. The windshield can block a lot of the air to the chest vents depending how high it's set, but the upper arm and shoulder vents let plenty of air in. The inner lining of the outer shell (not the insulated lining) is nice and comfortable in warm weather. It seems to let air circulate around the jacket and doesn't get sticky. My previous jacket was a Belstaff Trekker and that thing was like wearing a plastic bag when it got warm out. The Transition's insulated liner is nice and warm but the jacket offers little cover for your neck in cold weather. I use a balaclava when it's really chilly out. This is my third year with the Transition jacket and I'm pleased with the way it's holding up.

For 85 degrees and above, I prefer a mesh jacket. I think mine is a Teknic Aquavent but it doesn't get used much here in northern lower Michigan. I think it's cooler, and of course safer, than riding in a t-shirt. It keeps the sun off your skin and feels like air conditioning the moment I let the clutch out. It came with a waterproof windbreaker type liner that does work if the weather cools off, but feels like a plastic garbage bag.

Martin
 
Merrill said:
I may be unrealistic to think that one jacket will fit all ones needs, but I'm looking for a good all-around piece. Although I live in MN, I'm not as concerned with the extreme cold as the heat, humidity and rain. I do desire, thought, to feel secure while riding everyday and confident if ever in an accident.
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Although we don't get the cold you do in MN, down here along the Texas gulf coast it can and does get below freezing a few times a year. Our biggest problem of course is heat and humidity. I did a LOT of research to find a jacket that would serve me all year round and that had plenty of safety features. The jacket I settled on was the Aerostich Darien. The key to it's usefulness in the heat & humitity of the south is it's HUGE vents. Combine that with a cool (temperature wise! :D), light color (Hi-Viz) and you get about as comfortable a jacket as you can find without going to a mesh jacket. In the winter, just zip up all the vents and snap in the Polartec liner and you can ride down into the upper 30's with comfort. Below that I just use my Gerbing electrics and stay toasty warm.

The Darien is also fairly waterproof. The only time my current jacket has become damp on the inside was while riding for hours in a sustained downpour going across Wyoming and Montana. The wet spots occurred where the rain was slamming into me while tooling down the highway at 70 mph for what seemed like forever. On this same day, even my waterproof Sidi boots eventually developed damp areas around the toe after about 4 or 5 hours of non-stop rain.

As to safety features, the Darien comes with shoulder and elbow pads. You can get an Aerostich spine protector but I later discontinued using it in favor of a back pad that offers much more protection made by Bohn. This particular company sells a pad just for the Aerostich that velcroes right into the jacket.

There are lots of good jackets out there. I really like the looks of the Hi-Viz Olympia. The main thing that has kept me from getting it is that I could no longer velcro my back protector into it. I'm also pretty sure the venting, though good, is not quite as robust as that on the Darien.

Good luck on your search. I have "felt your pain" in the past as I searched for that perfect jacket. Be assured that it doesn't exist but the Darien is as close as I have been able to find.
 
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I picked up a First Gear "Tex Mesh" jacket last week. It has armor in the elbows, shoulders and down the spine. It vents really well. It comes with a zip-out liner that is wind and water proof, and extends all the way down to the cuffs, unlike my other jacket where the liner is only a vest. I purchased the "day glow" color which is trimmed in black and looks great on my '99 black ST1100. I picked it up for $139.

http://www.rockheadbikes.com/PhotoDetails.asp?ShowDESC=N&ProductCode=FRSTGRMSHTXJCKTDYGLSLVR

I made one alteration to it by removing a little tab located at the top of the main zipper. It has Velcro on it and is used to cover the zipper handle. I can't stand anything against the base of my neck so I never zip it all the way up. The tab was bothering me because the Velcro kept latching only the next strap of my helmet chinstrap. It took about five minutes with a seam ripper to remove it, and you can't tell it was ever there.
 
Hoosier said:
I have a Motoport with the goretex liner. It works great in cold weather and rain. Last year I took the liner out and drove through Death Valley with no problems. Definitely not cheap.
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+100 You're not going to find a better jacket for protection in a mesh jacket... PERIOD!!!! ;)

I've had mine for 5-6 years now... Motoport Kevlar Mesh II in hi-viz... ;) Do a search on the site for it... several on here have it ;)
 
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Rob__ said:
Not cheap is right. At first I didn't think it was too bad then saw it was in Pounds!
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I have a Rukka APR 3. It is a great jacket and has the most versatility of any jacket on the market with the highest levels of protection. It is expensive. The link below had the least expensive prices that I could find during my research.

http://www.biker-land.de/xtcommerce/index.php.
:CanFlag1::dr13:
 
STrep said:
I have a Rukka APR 3. It is a great jacket and has the most versatility of any jacket on the market with the highest levels of protection. It is expensive. The link below had the least expensive prices that I could find during my research.

http://www.biker-land.de/xtcommerce/index.php.
:CanFlag1::dr13:
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If you're going to drop that kind of change get Cycleport(Motoport) stuff.
 
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Another in the Motoport camp. In my case, I went with the stretch Kevlar and I've been pleased as punch with it so far. Fits great and comfortable.

John
 
Have to say I love my Olympia AST.Not a summer jacket by no means, but that jacket has seen a lot, and has never failed me.
 
John Anthony said:
Another in the Motoport camp. In my case, I went with the stretch Kevlar and I've been pleased as punch with it so far. Fits great and comfortable.

John
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John, how do you like the stretch kevlar in the heat. I have it in their street jeans and I think they are great pants. I only notice the heat when I'm off the bike and am wondering if the same holds true for the jacket. Wayne at Motoport steered me away from the mesh kevlar due to living in the north and I am glad he did. Also, it seems like this material will last forever, NO signs of wear after many thousands of miles.
 
1+ for the Tourmaster Transition 2. I have only had mine for about 2 months and got caught in a downpour recently and it performed as advertised! Waterproof as well as comfortable with plenty of ventilation on a couple of 80 degree rides.

Topgun
 
I'd throw the Olympia AirGlide II jacket into the mix. I have had mine (high-vis) for 11 months and am happy with it. 1/2 mesh so it gets better airflow in the summer. When the temperature is 90+ here, the sun is beating down, and you are stopped at a light with engine heat drifting upward, you will be a bit warm but I don't think any jacket will keep you cool in that situation. When moving, I stay reasonably comfortable, even behind the ST windshield. Only complaint I have is that being a mesh jacket, it is not water proof. You need to put the liner in but the liner is an insulated liner! So you stay dry but you get warmer (not great when it is already 90 out)! I have ridden with the jacket, liner, and an insulated windbreaker under it all and stayed warm on my daily commute with the temperatures in the upper 20s.
 
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