Summer Protective Gear?
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 584
Likes: 2
From: Woodstock, GA
I wear an HD textile, mesh jacket with optional "armour" in the shoulders and elbows. Silver or gray color. Less than $150 with the armour. As previously posted, when you're moving it's as cool as a t shirt! No, it won't save your life if you're T-boned at 50MPH but it puts the odds in your favor if you take a slide.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 120
Likes: 0
From: Florida
The Draggin Jeans shirt is nice, one of my riding buddies has one. It is not as breathable as you might like, but the kevlar/nomex blend will provide some level of protection. If you are going to go this route, you should give some serious thought to the jeans you are wearing as well. Most denim these days is too thin to provide any real protection, so you might also look at the Draggin Jeans pants.
In my personal experience, comfortable long distance riding in hot weather requires several things. The first is Hydration. It doesn't take long to realize that stopping to drink will cut down on your road time. Pick up a hydration pack and use it. The ability to drink constantly while riding helps with replenishing fluids lost from sweat. Speaking of sweat, it's a wonderful way to remain cool, but it has to stay on your skin long enough to work. This is the advantage of a good vented jacket. When you sweat in just a t-shirt, the heat will evaporate your sweat before it can actually have some cooling assistance. It seems counter-intuitive, but having that vented jacket will keep you cooler at speed. If it's hot enough that sweat is not enough, look at some of the cooling vests available. The good ones will hold water without you having to soak yourself, and will work in the wind like air-conditioning.
In my personal experience, comfortable long distance riding in hot weather requires several things. The first is Hydration. It doesn't take long to realize that stopping to drink will cut down on your road time. Pick up a hydration pack and use it. The ability to drink constantly while riding helps with replenishing fluids lost from sweat. Speaking of sweat, it's a wonderful way to remain cool, but it has to stay on your skin long enough to work. This is the advantage of a good vented jacket. When you sweat in just a t-shirt, the heat will evaporate your sweat before it can actually have some cooling assistance. It seems counter-intuitive, but having that vented jacket will keep you cooler at speed. If it's hot enough that sweat is not enough, look at some of the cooling vests available. The good ones will hold water without you having to soak yourself, and will work in the wind like air-conditioning.
I haven't rode for a long distance yet, just something around 60 miles before stopping to get a drink and take a break, so far the jeans are great.
So I don't need a pack yet, but will keep that in mind. Not ready for a rode trip yet.
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,699
Likes: 2
From: Deltona, FL
I wear a Tourmaster Intake jacket. Best of all worlds, and I live in Florida too.
Mesh jacket with armor
Quilted liner for cold mornings(Good down to the high 40s)
Rain liner which packs up very small.
I also have a pair of FirstGear HT 2.0 Overpants. I don't always wear the pants, but I can wear them all year if I feel like it.
I'm beyond needing the "image" of black leather to look cool. I commute daily on my bike and I want to see my kids grow up.
Mesh jacket with armor
Quilted liner for cold mornings(Good down to the high 40s)
Rain liner which packs up very small.
I also have a pair of FirstGear HT 2.0 Overpants. I don't always wear the pants, but I can wear them all year if I feel like it.
I'm beyond needing the "image" of black leather to look cool. I commute daily on my bike and I want to see my kids grow up.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 120
Likes: 0
From: Florida
I wear an HD textile, mesh jacket with optional "armour" in the shoulders and elbows. Silver or gray color. Less than $150 with the armour. As previously posted, when you're moving it's as cool as a t shirt! No, it won't save your life if you're T-boned at 50MPH but it puts the odds in your favor if you take a slide.
Thread Starter
|
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 120
Likes: 0
From: Florida
I wear a Tourmaster Intake jacket. Best of all worlds, and I live in Florida too.
Mesh jacket with armor
Quilted liner for cold mornings(Good down to the high 40s)
Rain liner which packs up very small.
I also have a pair of FirstGear HT 2.0 Overpants. I don't always wear the pants, but I can wear them all year if I feel like it.
I'm beyond needing the "image" of black leather to look cool. I commute daily on my bike and I want to see my kids grow up.
Mesh jacket with armor
Quilted liner for cold mornings(Good down to the high 40s)
Rain liner which packs up very small.
I also have a pair of FirstGear HT 2.0 Overpants. I don't always wear the pants, but I can wear them all year if I feel like it.
I'm beyond needing the "image" of black leather to look cool. I commute daily on my bike and I want to see my kids grow up.
I'll look up that jacket as well.
Not a bad looking jacket after I looked it up.
Last edited by Open Mind; Mar 9, 2009 at 02:37 PM.
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,034
Likes: 1
From:
I've worn an Olympia air mesh jacket for 4 years now. Love it The material is softer and more pliable than most mesh jackets and it comes with a great liner that can be warn by itself. Mine is silver (Florida) but it also can be had in black. Expensive at around $230 but worth every penny.
I have had 3 other brands of mesh jackets, First Gear, Joe rocket and Vanson. All did a great job but First Gear or Joe Rocket are better on the wallet. The Olympia is by far the most comfortable and highest quality.
You want to really ride cool, wet your tee shirt and wear it under a mesh Jacket. Like air conditioning.
I have had 3 other brands of mesh jackets, First Gear, Joe rocket and Vanson. All did a great job but First Gear or Joe Rocket are better on the wallet. The Olympia is by far the most comfortable and highest quality.
You want to really ride cool, wet your tee shirt and wear it under a mesh Jacket. Like air conditioning.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,227
Likes: 5
dude - you're spending waaaaaaay too much time worrying about falling off your bike. just ride and quit worrying about it. A serious accident is gonna kill you just as dead whether you got pads or not....
+1 - LMAO....
A serious crash may well kill you, but a slide down the asphalt won't. Some choose to be protected, just in case.
Then don't slide. Tuck and roll......
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Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 215
Likes: 0
From: Omaha, NE
In my opinion...this seems like a waste of time and money. If you have to wear a bunch of armor and padding when the weather is nice for riding the motorcycle then maybe riding motorcycles is not for you. Just my two cents.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,658
Likes: 33
If you slide down the road in your t-shirt, a skin graft will probably waste more of your time and money than buying protective gear will. Of course, if the thought of a skin graft doesn't bother you, then protective gear may not be for you. The OP asked about protective gear, not if riding a m/c was right for him or not. "Dress for the slide, not for the ride"