Posting this here rather than the gear forum due to the fact that the jacket was designed with our bikes in mind.



I’ve come to the conclusion that all things being equal, I’d rather ride with a jacket on, rather than just a T-shirt. Not only will it hurt a lot less if I have armor and material between my skin and the pavement in the event of an off, but it’s just more comfortable not getting sunburned and windburned, and it’s nice to have pockets for phones, keys, and stuff.

I’ve got a bunch of jackets, but nothing great for summer. I have a Klim Latitude and a BMW Rallye 3 which are both great jackets, but they’re both ¾ length, which means they bunch up given the Harley’s riding position (the Klim much more so than the BMW). I’ve got an old Cortech mesh jacket that’s holding together relatively well, but it’s old and kinda ratty, and I can’t find the rain liner. And I’ve got my leather FXRG which is great up to about 80 or so. But it also weighs a ton.

I saw the Innovator at the local shop, and I liked the look. It’s one of the better-looking jackets I’ve seen. I’d considered the FXRG Switchback, but isn’t waterproof, and I can’t get my head around the removable panels (what the hell do you do with them when you take them off? How much air leaks in when it’s all zipped up?) I looked for reviews online, and they’re few and far between for both jackets. Eventually I figured that the Innovator would be the better choice. Apparently I talked about it too much, as I ended up getting one for my birthday.

It’s a really well-constructed jacket. The seams are all even, there are no loose threads, and it feels solid. When I bought my first Harley in 2005 the jackets that were available were billboards, nothing more. This is for-real motorcycle gear. There are lots of reflective bits. The vents have snaps to hold them open. The zippers are the real deal. The pockets are well thought out. The armor’s top-notch. There’s additional material at the contact points. In other words, Harley’s finally gotten serious about their brand-name riding gear. This could easily be an FXRG piece, and it’s arguably the best-looking jacket Harley sells.

The interesting thing to me was the “Triple Vent System”. Supposedly these jackets were wind tunnel-tested with the Rushmore bikes and designed to flow air based on the airflow around the fairings of these bikes.

In a trial by fire, I wore it on a road trip this weekend. Rode 900 miles or so in 90+ degree heat and high humidity on everything from an hour-long traffic jam to highway droning to backroad bombing to relaxed cruising.

The verdict? So close. Oh so very close.

As I said, this is a for-real riding jacket. I’m a Large in every riding jacket I have (other than the ones that have the numerical sizing – which everyone should adopt). The Medium was too short and small, the Large is perfect but for the girth. There are Velcro adjusters at the waist, but nothing to reign in the chest (I’m slim; not the typical Harley rider build). There are also snaps to adjust the girth of the sleeves, but there’s only two options: snapped or unsnapped. The sleeve cuffs have a zipper closure, and the collar has a nice neoprene roll on it for comfort.

So how does it work?

Sadly, not as well as I’d hoped. The hottest it got was 93 degrees, and it was humid. The jacket just doesn’t vent well enough to be used in that heat. The Triple Vent works great, but it’s not enough. There’s great airflow across the lower part of my torso, but again, it’s not enough. With a set of vents at the shoulders it would be fine. But even with the cuffs unzipped, there’s not enough flow through the sleeves to the top part of the chest to make high heat comfortable. And then there’s the color. Black looks great, but c’mon Harley, ColdBlack is a thing and you already have a relationship with Scholler…..Seriously. Make this jacket with ColdBlack and shoulder vents and keep it under $500 and it’s a serious piece of gear.

As it stands, this is a really good jacket. It looks fantastic, and is not terribly uncomfortable into the low-90s. It’s waterproof and is designed around my bike.

You’re close Harley….So, so close.

 

Thanks for that review. I like that this review wasn't the typical "best money I've ever dropped" rationalization of whatever product said reviewer purchased to fix whatever problem they had. Well written, objective, and balanced. You gotta appreciate that.

 

So, after knowing what you know, would you buy it again?

 

I have that jacket too and I like it a lot. Have not used it in hot weather though. For that I wear my Icon mesh.

With the liner in, the Innovator is my go-to spring and fall jacket when the temps are a little on the cool side.

 

the best jacket i own. had it for about 3 years now. Its my go to jacket.

 

That's a good question. With the jackets I already have, this doesn't bring a whole lot to the table. In the temperature range it excels, I have the leather FXRG. This would literally be my "spring or fall jacket when it's probably going to rain" pick, and that's a relatively narrow use.

It's (in my area at least) a 3-season jacket that can handle (but not excel at) most of the summer as well. Yes, I'd buy it again, but man I'd sure appreciate the couple of changes I mentioned.

 

Tnx, good to know

 

No doubt a jacket with the armor and venting is needed, protection etc. I have a HD mesh black/silver HD writing on it, came with a liner and armor. Excellent jacket, but even that at > 79 degrees is less than totally comfortable. I will wear it in the 70's after that it is still too hot.

I have had a FXRG leather, for the last 3 years, for the fall and winter and it is a well thought out system comfortable down to 37 degrees, my low limit.

Summer 20% off sales at the dealer, or maybe the old broad-tracker, check sizing at the dealer.

 

We've gone from 40 and snowing in the mountains to 113 with full sun and a headwind in the desert on one trip, all with our Harley all mesh jackets w/elbow and shoulder armor. After several long trips and a couple of years, we've come up with what works for us as a go-anywhere-anytime setup. Here's what we do.

With a wicking T under it, the 95 degree and up heat is bearable. Take the hydrating towels for over body temp weather.

For temperatures below that: at 75 add a flannel shirt or switch to a cotton long sleeve t-shirt; at 70 substitute a sweatshirt. For 65 to 55 I got a set of ballistic nylon chaps from Colorado Chaps and a cheap $12 dollar flannel-lined nylon shell windproof overshirt that STOPS the wind, and the flannel is on the inside where it belongs. Very comfy, from Rural King of all places; farmers buy good, cheap stuff!

(Most fleece jackets have the windproof layer on the inside; that may be fine hiking, but doesn't do squat on a motorcycle as far as warmth goes, the fleece lets the wind through and so the inside against your skin is at outside air temperature. Also, the underarms on most "windproof" jackets are typically breathable material; great on the trail, but translates to COLD armpits at 70mph with your arms stretched out! Even the Harley windproof mid-layer has this issue.)

Below 55 throw on the full rain gear to stop all wind, and add a layer underneath for every 5 degrees below 50. Hoodies work great beneath a wind-stopping layer, and put the hood on under the helmet. Add a windproof nose-down mask/gaiter below 50 for 3/4 helmets instead of a skull cap.

We think the jackets look decent, and meet all our needs on the road with a minimum of gear, no other (bulky) jacket needed. Everything but the jackets are usable off-bike. We are thinking about heated gear, probably just a jacket liner, after our last major venture out, though; 3 days of 50 degree, whipping-windy, rainy, cloudy crap following the remnants of a hurricane from Alabama to Ohio last October. That one was rough, everything eventually gets wet and cold, and your only criteria for a hotel is that it has a dryer.

 

Way too much work. I don't want layers, I want a jacket that works in varying temperatures. That means that I have multiple jackets. The FXRG will work from sub-zero to 80-85 degrees with nothing more than a heated liner.

The trick is a true 4-season jacket. Or even something that'll work from 100+ into the 50s and be waterproof.