Leather sucks!

[metallibiker]

After spending the last week installing my new V&H baggers, Power Comander USB III, high flow air cleaner (still needs dyno tuned) and shoveling the last of the snow from my garage doors, I went for my first ride of the year. WOOOOHOOO!! I dawned my usual riding gear: leather chaps, leather coat, UnderArmor, full face helmet, leather gloves. Got caught in a cold shower which ended my ride prematurely, but sh*t happens. I have ridden in snow, freezing rain, heat, rain, sleet, 800 mile days, etc.

All of this babbling has a point :)

I love my leather coat BUT I am consistently either too cold or too hot. There seems to be a very limited temp range in which leather is effective. Heavy and hot in summer heat, cold and stiff in cold below 45deg or so. I like the look and comfort of leather, but not the hot/cold/wet factors. After a long love/hate relationship with leather I have decided to move on. I've been shopping around for some quality textiles, AeroStitch, TourMaster, JoeRocket, etc. Anyone out there own any of these brands? Recommendations? I'm undecided on two piece or suite.
If you have.... Thank you for reading this far, any feedback will be much appreciated. :)

[skiman]

I have the tourmaster Intake series 2 it's an outer shell with cold weather liner and a rain fly
all the armor and has adjustments on the waist and arms so you can adjust it for whatever you wear under I like the layers spring and fall I can start bundled up peel off as it warms then bundle up for the end of the day they have the pants too. I went one size up so I can wear a heavy shirt under it if needed and with the adjustments only take a sec to tighten up for a tee shirt in summer
the mesh give good airflow with no liners too. the plus side is it doesn't look like sport bike gear

[leadbelly]

I have the Joe Rocket Alter Ego 10.0 (Canadian not sure if that model is available state side), It is water proof, wind proof with all the vents done up, fully armoured, doesn't look like a biker jacket. It's biggest benifit is that it is very well vented, has a totally water proof zip out liner, and get this; most of the outter shell zips off but retains the armour to become basically a mesh jacket for those hot summer days. Matching pants also available, but I don't have them. Try these on they seem to be sized small, I got a 3X wear I would normally take a 2X
Biggest draw back I have found is a lack of pockets, but then again I wouldn't want to crash and burn with a lot of stuff in pockets all over me anyway.

[borto1990]

i love my tour master gear. since I got mine several have ditched their leather for one version or another. love the 3 system jacket and I have 2 sets of pants, one "extreme" weather for when it's still pretty cold and another thats just for summer waterproofing. I have zero complaints!

[lonewolf]

dont wear my leather for comfort ! better cowhide than my hide ! trust me i know ! my leather was shredded after my crash! hate to think what my hide would have looked like without it.

[coacha]

After starting and finishing up a Saddle Sore 1000 this week in 30-35 degree temps for about 5 hours, I'm getting some new gear too! My jacket was ok (leather) but long undies and chaps aren't making it.

All the brands you listed are good ones, saw most of them on IBA riders in Jacksonville. AeroStitch, Olympia are common.

[clayton]

My 2nd love is my Scorpion Hatrick.
It is a multi-season jacket.
It has 3 layers.
The main outer jacket which I have had it on in 85 to 90+ weather and the air floow is great which in turn kept me sweat free.
The 2nd layer is a wind proof, rain proof zip out layer.
The 3rd layer (which obviously zips out also) combinded with all of them has kept me comfy down to 30 with just a long sleeve sweat shirt.
The sizes run small...if you wear a medium and have a small gut :) then go for the large.
I highly recommend trying one on first.
Oh yea it has elbow, shoulder and back armour as well.
Good luck in your search

[jandreu]

I just wear T Shirts and Shorts. Hell, I'd ride naked if I could get away with it.

[billz410]

It seems like the type/style of bike a person rides tends to influence the type/style of protective clothing he/she wears.

You DO see guys on V-Twin cruisers/HD wearing stuff other than leather, but you see a lot more textile clothing on the sport-touring and BMW crowd, for example.

This website boasts the advantages of Kevlar clothing, and while it probably doesn't fit the image of V-Twin and chrome very well, it looks to be ultra-protective, and probably some of the most expensive stuff you can buy too, which of course should assure it's the best. :)

The proponents of the Kevlar clothing argue that there are many examples of textile clothing that tends to 'melt' into the riders skin in the event of high-speed spill, which can be kind of a pain to scrape out of one's limbs, I guess. No personal experience with that, but the idea is that Kevlar is ultra-abrasion-resistant.

http://www.motoport.com/

[nomad561]

We are going on a 5400 mile trip this summer and decided that we can't take various gear for all riding conditions due to limited space so we bought First Gear Textile Kilimanjaro jackets.The versatility they provide is better for the conditions we might encounter.One jacket that will be comfortable in hot,cold and wet climates is better than taking 4 or 4 different leather jackets and vests.
I do have a Technik textile jacket and I can honestly say that it is a far better jacket than any of my leather for extreme conditions.I still wear my leathers when riding around town and on short trips

[Jared]

Most nice leather jacket ought to have plenty of air vents which ought to keep you cool.

[ringadingh]

I wear the same leather jacket for almost all of my riding year round, its insulated but not real heavy. When it gets colder out I layer up with a long sleeve top, either a shirt or sweatshirt, then a polar fleece top. I find polar fleece to be incredibly warm and light. When it gets into the low 40's and lower I wear my nylon snowmobile pants as well.
My brother wears a Joe Rocket jacket which is great in the cold but almost too warm for other days. He bought a Made2 Ride (M2R) jacket and pants which he got quite cheap, around $100.00 for the jacket and $110.00 for the pants and he loves them. The only thing about the M2R gear is the sizing. He normally wears a medium or large, but in the M2R brand he takes a 2XL.

[flavor]

Cortech 3/4 length. Liner and good venting. Can't remember model. It's waterproof.

Tired of the cold that leather gives so I was willing to give up the looks for function.

[skiman]

I figure at any speed my mesh jacket with armor won't stop road rash at I'll a few broken bones to take my mind off the pain...

[metallibiker]

thanks to all for your info. I'll definitely be ordering a few sizes bigger than I planned!! :)