GStwin.com GS500 Message Forum

Just wondering what types of jackets other peeps wear for summer riding.
From what I've seen from some other riders tank tops & t-shirts provide ample protection in an off  :bs: , but I'd like a little more protection.

I'm leaning towards a 'Draggin' jeans' ultra light jacket, but I'm also interested in what other ppl wear.  :?

perforated leather. I dont trust mesh gear.

Textile.  I don't trust leather.... i mean the leather in a jacket obviously didin't do a good job of keeping the cow alive did it?

Icon Timax mesh... let's a nice breeze through it.

Quote from: TarzanBoyI don't trust leather.... i mean the leather in a jacket obviously didin't do a good job of keeping the cow alive did it?

:lol:

Do a search for Hot Weather Jacket, Warm Jacket, etc., and there are a lot of gear reviews out there.  Dionysus posted the Save Your Hide guide, and that should be in the FAQ, I think...

I prefer a tank top, a good pair of cut off shorts and flip flops myself.

I bought myself a Joe Rocket phoenix 2.0 jacket for the summer....ya it's mesh and it does look "non-protective" to me too but I figure it this way.... It was dirt cheap....offers more protection than a t-shirt, has reinforced stitching and the body armor is very thick along the elbows and shoulders/back.

I also have a Blaster jacket [leather] and ya I feel Invisiable in that thing but any weather above 85* and it goes in the closet.

I use these jeans, they are not over bulky and look "normal" off the bike and not too hot.

http://www.hoodjeans.co.uk/html/k7jacket.html

R-Jays vent jacket even when standing in direct sunlight you feel cooler in it  then without it, it almost seems to suck the heat out :thumb:  :cheers:

I'm going to go to a few bike shops and have a look what's available.

Thanks for your opinions, I just wanted to get a bit personal idea of gear people have before I hit the bike shops.

The missus called me a sook for not wanting to ride around in shorts, t-shirt & thongs (flip-flops)  :lol:

:cheers:

Quote from: pantabloperforated leather. I dont trust mesh gear.

If you get quality mesh gear it can actually be pretty good. Here in Texas perffed leather is too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter. There isn't really a good time for it. Out in Cali or places where it isn't perpetually summer it might work.

I'd reccomend a Fieldsheer Mach 1,2,3, or 4 jacket. The Mach 1 and Mach 2 are the same design, except the Mach 2 has leather in various places. The Mach 3 and 4 are the upgraded design with the Mach 4 having leather in various places. I crash tested a Mach 1 and it held up very well, to the point of still being useable for a short time thereafter.

See this thread for pictures.

I've got a Mach 3 for hot weather now and it works just as well and is more comfortable than the Mach 1 (less itchy). You can get a Mach 3 on eBay for $100 or so and a Mach 1 for $70ish.

Quote from: pantabloperforated leather.

+1, but I do trust certain textiles with over 500 denier (it jumps to 1000).

Zippered vents are the best if they provide enough airflow to keep cool. One such design by FirstGear, the Z-Pilot, has verticle zippers almost the full length of the torso and back, but they can be closed if it becomes cool enough to warrant such. Another thing that I hear about is airflow causing dehydration. With perforated leathers you have no control of airflow. I have a set of fully perf'ed jacket and pants, but I have yet to feel dehydrated.

I have the First Gear Magnum (http://www.firstgear-usa.com/prod_htj_magnum.htm).  It's pretty good for an all season jacket...  Waterproof, removable liner, lots of vents.

Not too bad for the price.

astars textile!

i got the venom.  my friend has the stunt.  works well on hot days, but for its actual use, dunno (knock on wood...) :?

hope i never have to use it heh... ;)

I've got a Joe Rocket Meteor...textile, with zippered vents front, back, and on the arms.  I thought it was quite comfortable in the warmer weather (provided you're moving, it gets stuffy when stopped), and does pretty well in the cold as well (with the lining in).  I haven't crash tested it...I've heard some negative opinions of the JR stuff. :dunno:

Quote from: BadgerI've heard some negative opinions of the JR stuff. :dunno:

A lot of it is personal opinions. I know that Dave absolutely loathes them because they aren't double stitched. I hate them because of that reason and the fact that very few of their jackets are armored. I want all of my jackets to have CE approved armor, and JR just doesn't have a good selection, especially for summer jackets.

Quote from: AlphaFire X5

Quote from: BadgerI've heard some negative opinions of the JR stuff. :dunno:

A lot of it is personal opinions. I know that Dave absolutely loathes them because they aren't double stitched. I hate them because of that reason and the fact that very few of their jackets are armored. I want all of my jackets to have CE approved armor, and JR just doesn't have a good selection, especially for summer jackets.

Not just on this board.  The first time I walked into the performance gear shop looking for pants, the advice I got from the salesman was to "get rid of that Joe Rocket crap." :dunno:

I went down hard with my old Fieldsheer and my shoulder was messed up for weeks. Couldn't move my arm more than 15 degrees without excruciating pain. I couldn't drive stick shift because it hurt to move my arm that tiny amount. I can only think of how much worse it might have been without armor to absorb the brunt of the force.

Quote from: BadgerNot just on this board.  The first time I walked into the performance gear shop looking for pants, the advice I got from the salesman was to "get rid of that Joe Rocket crap." :dunno:

Never trust a saleman that works where your trying to buy something, the vast majority of the time they're either morons or want to make a sell.

Quote from: AlphaFire X5I can only think of how much worse it might have been without armor to absorb the brunt of the force.

According to JR, the Meteor jacket has "Dual density body armor in elbows and shoulders."  I honestly have no idea how effective that is, but it is notably stiff and padded in the shoulders, elbows, and lower back, and seems preferable to wearing a T-shirt.  

Anyway, while I'm thinking about it, here are my thoughts on the jacket:

Positives:
* Fits me very well.  Very adjustable to fit snugly.
* Ventilates well, but also stays pretty warm in the cold.
* In my limited wet weather experience, it keeps the water out.
* Reasonable storage (pockets).  Interesting chest pocket between the two outer zippers that works extremely well for toting a wallet when you need to stop at the pump.
* Nice, visible reflective bits.
* It looks good.

Negatives:
* It's only 660 denier...and I'm not sure exactly what it's made of, but it doesn't feel like Cordura. (like many, JR has a super-spiffy and ultra useless trademarked name for their specific flavor of textile)
* It has an 8" zipper for pants, not full circumference.  Doesn't zip to my pants anyway, although it does go low enough to overlap the pants quite a bit (enough that I think it would be challenging to expose the area in between).
* I haven't really examined the stitching, but I do believe it is single stitched
* The lower back padding is stiff enough to make it difficult to sit down (say, in a car) while wearing the jacket.

So, if I were to summarize: it looks like most of the negatives are related to how well it might perform in a crash.  The positives are mostly about comfort.  Take it for what it's worth...this is my largely ignorant evaluation.

Quote from: dionysusNever trust a saleman that works where your trying to buy something, the vast majority of the time they're either morons or want to make a sell.

Generally I would agree, although this particular shop has an extremely good reputation for experienced staff and quality gear.  Definitely the place to go check out protective gear...not so much if you're looking for half-helmets, fingerless gloves, or assless chaps.

Thanks for the imput guys, I ended up getting a Dri-Rider jacket (put on lay buy).
It has some mesh in the front back & sleeves, but it's main construction is material with extra protection on the shoulders, elbows & back. It has full armour & a zip out water proof lining.

The jacket was $320aud but I got it for $260aud, cause it was the last one & they're not dealing with dri-rider any more.

I had a look at some mesh jackets, but I wasn't happy with the protection they appear to offer, they might OK in an off but I just wanted something more substantial.

:cheers:

QuoteIn fact each time leather gets wet and dries it can loose up to 20% of its tear and abrasion strength.

:?  :o  Whaaa? Noooooo!  :o

JR Mesh didn't stand up to my crash testing.  Stitching at the seams is weak and the holes in the mesh are too big for my comfort.  'Dual Density' is just another word for foam.  Spend some money and put some proper EC rated or GP armor in there!

Quote from: Turkina'Dual Density' is just another word for foam.  Spend some money and put some proper EC rated or GP armor in there!

Not to be daft, but...Isn't 'foam' what is inside your helmet?

I can certainly understand the stitching issues...if the thing tears then any protection would be for naught.  I have a feeling that I'm going to be picking up a new connecting jacket/pants set next spring anyway.