All Weather Sport Touring Gear Question

I have searched the forums and found discussions on jackets and pants but nothing that covers what I want to know. Often times travel takes you from 40 degree mornings to 80 or 90 degree afternoons with rain in between. I am looking for the best all weather, do everything, that offers protection at all times riding suit. Currently I am using an Olympia Airglide 3 pant and jacket. It's great. It is supposed to be versatile and is is, sort of. With the liner in the jacket and pants you are good to go for those cold morning rides. Unzip the jacket and your are still good into the 70s as long as you are moving. If it gets any warmer then you have a problem mainly with the pants. You can pull the pants liner and change to jeans (which I do.) This keeps the protection of the over pant (with armor) and allows more air flow. The temperature has to be pretty hot to use the lowers by themselves. It's like wearing shorts because of the mesh panels. In the rain, the liners are reported to be water proof. I have not tested this but have wondered how a soggy outer jacket or pants will effect my overall riding comfort on a sloppy ride. I guess it makes more sense than getting out of your protective gear and putting on a plastic rain suit with no protection at all to ride in shitty conditions. If you travel by VFR you know that luggage space is a premium and storing castoff bulky jacket and pant liners can be a problem. I was wondering what solutions other sport touring riders have come up with?

 

If that really is the requirement, then there is probably only a couple of jacket manufacturers which get close.

Belstaff is a favourite for many really mega-long trip riders, and Rukka, whose top of the range Armas jacket is ridiculously expensive. But if money is no object it will do what you want and (short of race jackets fitted with airbag systems) it will offer top level protection and is pretty monsoon proof when coupled with their trousers.



SkiMad

 

All weather? Aero stitch Roadcrafter. I have 13 years on my current one and it looks brand new.

I ride from 40 degrees to 110. The Stitch gets used as a cold weather suit because I can layer underneath it. I use it from 40 - 60 degrees then I switch to nonperf leather 2 piece that gets used 60 -70 and anything above that I'm in either a 2 piece or 1 piece fully perfed suit and the perf setups get used the majority of the year due to high heat and humidity in Texas.

The stitch is my most versatile suit. You can use it in very cold weather up into the 80's. anything hotter than that I want out of it. It is not a high temp suit but it the most versatile suit made IMHO because you can wear clothes underneath it, you can layer, and parts of it zip open when it gets hot. You can buy a wicking long sleeve that is made to soak with water to provide cooling underneath it. I would say the stitch is your best bet. Aero stitch will dispatch a test suit to you to try on, get on your bike, and call them while you have it on , and you tell them where the off the rack suit fits and where it doesn't so they can make alterations.

I will say having multi set ups is the best thing though. For the last decade mine is 2 jackets, one fully perfed with a mesh liner, one no perf with thermal liner, with leather track pants that zip to either. Then I have a one piece track suit for track days and the Stitch. It took me years to get this setup but well worth it. I favor light colors for summer gear and darker for the winter. For the stitch the longest lasting color without fade will be the gray. With the exception of the reflective panels (which I'm going to send in for replacement soon) it looks brand new like I just received it. Scotch guard and leather cleaner/conditioner take care of all the gear.

Good luck, it is difficult.

 

Yup it is very difficult to get a set of gear for all weather. I am a gears whore
I have try several brand from cortech, first gears, Alpinestar, Olympia, Spidi, Rev'it, Klim, BMW and have not find a single brand that will do all plus water proof. As mention above you might want to get two set up of gears one for summer and the other for fall, winter and spring. And get a light rain coat in case I am in the hunt for a Rukka jacket but they are very hard to find in the State. I have seek help from Skimad to look out for a used one. I am not ready to spend $1400 on a jacket that I am unable to try on. As for now I am using my Rev'it and BMW gears for my daily commute. I find layer up is the way to go with the new gears.

 

Aerostich and Teiz are great gears but lack of airflow
Great for winter and fall for sure.

 

I am glad to know that I am not alone in this search for the perfect gear combination. I have found myself shopping and looking over the gear like a girl looking for a perfect party dress. I am hyper critical and it doesn't help that I am cheap as hell. The Olympia stuff is the best I have found so far. Yep, I have found that layers are really good. It is amazing what one sweat shirt under my jacket liner will do for cold weather comfort. What about rain? Do you wear rain gear over protective gear? I see guys riding with no gear under their rain stuff and that looks crazy to me.

 

I've just worn out an Olympia set after about 8 years and replaced it with a Tour Master Centurian one piece. The Olympia jacket and pants served me well but the Centurian's quality, functionality and time savings is superior, all for under $400. I think it's a great option if your body type fits into a one piece and you don't mind looking like a bit of a dweeb when you stop for a bite or get a call to pick up a few groceries on the way home.
I also got the older model of the Joe Rocket Alter Ego at a great price and feel it's more substantial and flexible to the Olympia.
I agree, it's hard to find something practical/reasonable and still be able to put something away incase the kids want to go to University.

 

Hi Jim
All my gears are supposed to be water proof so I do not carry rain gear. If I ride in light rain they are fine but if it heavy rain It will leak thru your neck and by your wrist. Also your boot will be wet as well.
My Gore-Tex Rev'it holding up very well during heavy rain but it is real warm seen they are not many vent.
The Gore-Tex are great for cold and wet weather but not doing well for humid and hot weather.
In the summer I used mess gears for maximum air flow. Hope this help

 

Aerostitch and the NOAA weather site addy. Stick a couple of those bungee type cargo nets with the rest of the gear for items that need to go on or come off depending on the weather.

Perfect answer? Bump..

 

I just bought a complete set of all weather gear about a month ago and I am very happy with it.

I went for a Klim Latitude gore-tex jacket which I absolutely love......very versatile and well thought out and great ventilation for warm weather. I have worn it in 85 degrees so far and no issues if your moving.

For pants I went with Aerostich AD1's and they are also gor tex and designed to be worn over your pants or shorts and can be removed very easily as they zip all the way up the sides.

For boots I went with Sidi On Road Gore tex boots and they are the best boots I have ever owned!

For gloves I went with Held all season gore tex (coldback) and they are not to heavy and not to thin......they could be worn all season if you have heated grips.

Yeah, I spent some dough but this stuff is absolutely kick ass and i have rode in a pretty bad rain storm and came out dry as a bone. It's nice not having to stop and change gear.......

 

All purpose. No such thing. I wear Tourmaster and like the jacket for its versatility in the temperatures but it is NOT WATER PROOF TO ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION. I have found nothing that is except a rubber backed nylon rain suit. You know those cheap $100.00 units. Just a couple days ago, I was out and got caught in a down pour. Within 2 minutes of riding on the freeway in the rain, I was really wet on my upper torso in the Tourmaster. My face shield had not even fogged up yet.

Same thing with Gortex. All this stuff works not too bad in a very light drizzle for a short time, but soon as you put speed and time into the mix, you are wet. And not just up the cuffs and collar. It comes through the seams and fabric. I have used a few products and brands. Including expensive Gov't supplied uniform Gortex and have not been satisfied with any of them.

Also worthy of note for the cheap rain suit, it also absolutely blocks air transfer. This makes you kinda sweaty in the warmer weather, but it is a God Sent in the colder weather. It traps the body heat inside where it is needed. I have ridden many times in temps around -10 C> wearing heated gear from Gerbings (highly recommended I say). But if air passes through the seams, it just blows the heat away and you are cold. The rubber backed rain gear is great for trapping that warm air in. The only thing that was cold was my forehead, and fingertips at those temps and then only after an hour commute. I don't have heated glove liners or heated grips.

If you have time on your hands, here is what I went through with Tourmaster a 1 1/2 years ago. http://vfrworld.com/forums/gear-accessories/36952-tourmaster-transition-series-2-jacket.html

 

EUREKA!!

Bare XCD2 Tech Drysuit

...and only $2200.00 USD. That's about 7k Canadian pesos.

Dry suits can also be worn under street togs that have been hanging in the back of the closet. The ones with smaller numbers than are current. Not a complete amortization of the initial cost but something to think aboot.

 

Well you aren't alone. I don't know why the VFR attracts all the cheapskates but it does. I marvel at the cheapness I read on a regular basis on the VFR sites.

I'm all for a good deal but being cheap on gear is fools play.
Helmet, boots, gloves, and suits look for a deal but don't go cheap. How much is your brain, toes, bones, and skin worth to you? Cheap gear you tend to replace more often while premium gear will last longer. As I said above, my Roadcrafter is 13 years old and looks new. Part of that is me being regular cleaning it and Scotch guarding it, but most of it is because it is premium gear. I expect to get another 10 years out of it. If you really are hypercritical then cheap gear should go to the wayside in favor of solid gear.

Look for close outs. Compacc, STG, Revzilla, etc, will routinely have closeout sales on the tier I stuff when new replacements are on the market. My A* suit was $1800 new but I bought on closeout for 1/3 of that. It's one step down from their top of the line race replica MotoGp suit.

For sport riding and touring (not commuting) nothing is going to beat a leather or kangaroo suit. The best setup is 1 jacket that is nonperf with a thermal liner, a fully perfed with no liner, and a pair of leather armored pants that zip to either. For commuting or any situation where you need to wear clothes underneath the Stitch is your best bet.

I repeat, gear is not where you should cheap out on. If I could afford it I'd have the Dainese airbag suit or the Alpinestars version of the same. IMO, on the street you want as good or better protection than the track as there are more variables. Buy the best gear that you really can afford.

 

Another yes vote for Aerostitch. Pricy? Yep.. Good? Better than good.

Any dudes from OZ have pix of anyone down there posing in a kangaroo suit? I am not going to look on any OZ gay pride gig websites so forget that! A pic of a harleydood is acceptable.

 

Let me clarify. By cheap I mean frugal. My budget does not lend itself to $1800 riding suits but I do recognize the advantage of having the best gear that I can actually can afford. As to the VFR attracting its share of cheap riders, I guess if money were no object then we would all ride BMWs. The beauty part of my 5th Gen VFR is it cost probably half the purchase price of a high mileage, clapped out, BMW and is every bit as capable a motorcycle and then some. Cheap does not necessarily mean the absence of quality. Sometimes it means abandoning prestige brands in favor of greater value.

Asking forum questions and getting the benefit of other peoples experience is another way to save money. It keeps you from having purchased a closet full of gear that does not measure up. This is my goal. You are correct. Buying closeout specials are a really good way to get great gear on the cheap. So is working in a bike shop and getting a discount.:smile:

Yes, I want a Dainese airbag suit too and when I win the lottery I'm getting one.

 

All the stuff I listed above and purchased works as intended and it is extremely high quality. It has all been very waterproof as well. Cheap it is not. The Klim Jacket I bought is almost $600 by itself but it is one of the best and most waterproof (so far) jackets I have owned and it is very well thought out. Read the reviews for yourself. As was mentioned, If you can do it, get good gear and don't look back. I used mediocre stuff for years and years and this is honestly the first good set of riding gear I have ever bought and have not had a single regret at all.

 

So sell that ratty old Norton and you could buy a good set of riding gear or a healthy down payment (with your discount) on a BMW.

What BTW, does your boss ride and ride in since he pays you a paupers wage?

Frugal is from the Latin "frugalis" . It can also mean virtuous.

 

I have been considering selling the Norton but when I do, I just go ride it and then I can't bear to part with it. I am sure I'll sell it someday.

I don't actually make paupers wages but I am married with kids. My financial situation is akin to a bucket with lots of holes in it.

I have been thinking of the "buy closeout" for best price advice so i headed over to eBay and did a few searches on Aerostitch suits and Gore-Tex Rev'it and found a surprising number of listings at some pretty good prices.

 

Things could be worse. You could have a Harley..

 

There you go! Which shop do you work at? I'm local.

If you are a size 46 I know where to get a couple of A* jackets for a good price.

Motorcyclegear.com is another good source and Revzilla, and Sportbike track gear are blowing out their Teknic stuff on the cheap.