I'm already thinking ahead to Summer - which got me looking for a lightweight summer jacket.
I already have a nice midweight 3-1 full leather jacket with the front and rear vents - but I think once the temps start to cook - a lightweight jacket is the next purchase.
What jacket do you ride in the summertime - is it leather, nylon, perforated, vents, does it have body armor, is it a HD or another brand.

 

I'm also interested in this. I was looking at the HD Passing Link Triple Vent but thinking the mid weight might still be too much for South Florida. Can't seem to find and light weights that have vents. I used to have a Teknik textile that was good for summers when I had sport bikes.

 

When it's 115° degrees here in Las Vegas all summer I generally just wear a long sleeved white shirt and forego the jacket altogether.

 

The wife and I were in Co Springs last summer. We both had textile Firstgear perforated jackets with armor and linings zipped out in the bags. We rode up towards San Isabel and zipped the liners in when we stopped for lunch in Westcliff.

Worked great for us and paid about $100.00 for both on ebay.

eta: I noticed that around here in summer, the perforated jacket seems cooler than a tee shirt. Allows air flow but blocks the sun. But I still feel like a dork for wearing a jacket when it's 95 degrees out and the humidity is almost the same.

 

I have a Tourmaster Air Intake mesh. I don't worry about what some other fashion police clowns think because you can't please everyone nor should you try. The jacket comes in several colors and mine is the white version. Good airflow while moving, keeps the sun off you, and frankly looks good too. It has 2 removable liners, thermal and waterproof, that make it functional in a variety of temperatures. Leather, even perforated is too hot and restrictive to be of use in a southern summer.

 

Both my wife and I wear the HD mesh jackets with armor. I find it cooler than a long sleave shirt and safer.

 

I have a Tourmaster mesh with armor and waterproof liner but frankly usually wear a tshirt. I know its not as safe and trying to do better. I'll probably regret just wearing a tshirt one of these days. I also sometimes just wear an HD windbreaker but its no better than a tshirt. Saw the Black Oak mesh/leather at HD last year and kind of liked the look of it but its higher than aftermarket mesh. May look at it more seriously if I catch a good sale and its still in stock.

-EDIT- Do not see the Black Oak jacket on the accessory site anymore so guess I'll have to keep an eye out for something else.

 

I have that FirstGear vented jacket with the armor and lining. In it's favor they come in silver, but I don't think they flow much air. I have a very old Vanson vented with around a billion holes in it. It flows tons of air but still not up for desert type heat.

Now I really hate the Harley gear with HARLEY-DAVIDSON printed all over it. It reeks of poser putz. But I bit the bullet last summer and bought their super lightweight vented jacket. I put in my own vented armor. Cheaper and lighter than H-D.

I have to say it's very light and flows a lot of air. Now if they would only make it in a light color and remove all the poser patches it would be perfect.

 

A black Joe Rocket mesh jacket with padding.

 

have both a Harley mesh and a tourmaster don"t think you could go wrong with either the Harley mesh jacket I have seems cooler than a shirt when you are moveing. almost like airconditioning