Motorrad jackets and pants

[xjon]

Just got back from the dealer and my eyes got excited. I am looking into getting a 12gs and I get a 15% off gear for 30 days. Now are these suits worth the price or are there better priced or better function elswhere?

Other than the Motorrad brand what else would you guys suggest. Please keep in mind that I am in Southern California and will be commuting with my bike to work mostly and have some weekend excursions to the mountains to do some trail riding. Rain and snow will be seen eventually.

Thanks.

[HMarc]

The "gold standard" for one and two-piece riding suits is the Aerostich. At least for the BMW crowd. I have a one-piece I bought about 8 years ago and it's still going strong. Though I have to warn you not to buy red -- it fades horribly!

[Beemer]

Hi Xjon,

In my opinion Rukka is offering best quality for the money. They are expensive though but very professional. And they are made in Finland!

I don't know if they are available in the US, but they are quite popular in Europe. If you got interested, check out their website: www.rukka.com

Cheers,

Beemer

[HMarc]

I gotta add that I tried on a Rukka jacket a few months ago, and it was the most comfortable "adventure touring" jacket I've ever worn. Unbelievably soft, even though it was fairly thick and the outer shell looked as tough as my Aerostich.

It had quite an array of nice features too, like the pockets and the way they were oriented and sealed, the various adjustments, the closures, etc.

I also have a Fieldsheer Kilamanjaro jacket, which I often wear when I expect to encounter rain and don't want to bother with raingear. The Fieldsheer is waterproof, whereas the Aerostich isn't -- particularly when it's been washed as many times as mine has been.

[chuckh]

Originally Posted by Beemer

Hi Xjon,

In my opinion Rukka is offering best quality for the money. They are expensive though but very professional. And they are made in Finland!

I don't know if they are available in the US, but they are quite popular in Europe. If you got interested, check out their website: www.rukka.com

Cheers,

Beemer

I've looked at the Rukka gear a number of times. The Rukka clothing lines are well designed and use very good materials. In the USA, their quality vs cost equation, IMHO cause it to fall out of the value category unfortunately!

[johnbaker]

i had seen magazine ads for rukka befor,but i saw the rukka gear for the first time at the bmwmoa rally this summer.nice , but very expensive.worth it ? maybe , but the price puts it out of my reach.i am using a tourmaster transition jacket now.nice jacket,inexpensive,and works well.and if it gets damaged,not a big loss.

[jabandsnort]

+1 for the Tourmaster Transition Jacket! Being a gearaholic, I have all sorts of stuff, including an Aerostich 1 pc. which is a great commute outfit, but I saw the Transition Jacket at NewEnough.com (no affiliation) for a little over a hundred bucks and thought I'd give it a try seeing as it was more than $500 cheaper than the BMW Ralley jacket. I'm very impressed with the Tourmaster product, cost not withstanding, and wear it whenever I need the versatility of a jacket as opposed to the fantastic, but more cumbersome protection that the full suit has to offer.

[masione]

Mercury jacket made by Belstaff, that fine English establishment that has been making motorcycle gear since the 20's. Waterproof, windproof, comes with removeable body armour, extremely reflective, highly visible, removeable liner and most importantly it matches my R1200GS color scheme (yellow/grey). Cost $250.00. I recently purchased the Belstaff Pioneer Pants which attach to the jacket via a zipper at the back to eliminate those cold winter winds up the back of the jacket at speed. They also come with removeable body armour and zip-out liner.$240.00. I will be testing the water resistant claims this winter here in the Pacific Northwest. British Motorcycle Gear.Com is the US dealer. BTW, I purchased a BMW sew-on patch(E-Bay) and had my local seamstress attach it on the left sleeve to compliment the BMWMOA patch I had sewn on the right. It looks official enough to make cage drivers pause before pulling out in front of that police bike!

[xjon]

Well I went and got the Motorrad rallye 2 pro gear since no one else has. Figured, I got a discount (still expensive) and I can tell you what I like and don't like about it. Shouldn't take it as a review though since this is my first riding gear and I m new to riding.

Been riding with it for a week. I like how it fits on and off the bike although off the bike it feels snug. Im used to loose jeans. The jacket is hefty. I didnt think it would weigh that much. The cooling vents on the jackets are nice. But you cant zip it on the go. You'll need to take your glove off and guide the zipper with a finger or else you will zip the mesh lining and your stuck! The left sleeve has a plastic window for a map I guess but that always fogs up. Better use permanent ink on waterproof paper. Pockets are small but functional. I wouldnt want them any bigger. I like how the liner with the padding is removable also, maybe I can wear that under my snowboarding gear. I still can't find the "clever sleeve" that holds the hyration pack.

havent used the gortex liner on both the jacket and the pants. Been too hot in Cali. I also ride at midnight comming home from work but it keeps me warm during the 20 mile commute on freeway and streets.

What I dont get is that with out the gortex liner its not waterproof. The jacket is already heavy. Why would I want to ride with the shell of my jacket soaking up water if its raining? It's already heavy enough as it is?

Another negative is that there are very few reflectors on it. 2 front and 2 back of shoulders. So I am wearing a reflective belt that goes across my chest and back at night.

Despite my dislikes, I am loving it. Just needs some more dirt or breaking in. It seems tough but havent tested it yet. I wouldnt ride my bike without it.

Oh yeah, I swear that I did not know that this is what The Long Way Round riders were wearing. Seriously, I bought it because on the 1200GS brochure the guys were wearing it riding in the desert and the snow. Of course the pics doesn't show the airconditioned/ heated trailers they were using.

[Ale70]

Good choice. I ordered a Rally2 Jacket in Europe, since my size (48L) is not coming to the US until march 2007....


The brochure got me too....ahah