Opinions on Joe Rocket riding gear...

I've noticed that I haven't seen anyone on here discuss or mention Joe Rocket riding gear. Is it decent gear?? I'm looking for pros and cons from anyone that can help. Thanks in advance!!

 

I have a Joe Rocket leather jacket that I've used for over 8 years, it has been crash tested and worn in all kinds of weather. My non-riding friends tell me to get a new jacket because it's dirty.... I tell 'em it's just getting broken in. I also have a lighter weight Joe Rocket leather jacket and a Joe Rocket mesh jacket. I've tried all brands of other jackets and none have the fit and quality that Joe Rocket does IMO. Sleeves are long enough, jackets are long enough, and cover parts that should be covered, whereas some moto-gear manufacturers try to go the "sexy" way for women, being short and showing low back, etc. Pads are sturdy and I feel there are enough adjustments (at least on the models I have) so that I can tighten or loosen the jacket or arms to keep pads nice and snug on me. I'm definiltey a fan of Joe Rocket gear.... but that's just me....

 

For the money I don't think you can beat it. I have a GPX 1 piece and a Phoenix 4.0 mesh as well as the GPX gloves. The leather is thick and takes forever to break in compared to the more posh brands, but their stuff is well made and crashes well.

 

It is decent gear, it is cut fuller for us Americans. It has decent armor in the right spots. The other company that gets little to no press but makes really good gear for the price and is also cut more for us in the US is Speed and Steength.

I think Joe Rocket offers a good broad product line, good quality at an affordale price. i have three of the Hondaline Joe Rocket jackets and all are very nice. My main jacket lookS bad and will need to be replaced soon. My jackets are all several years old.

I hope all this helps.

 

I've got a pair of Joe Rocket boots and they started coming apart after a couple years of moderate use. Even though fit was excellent, I probably would not buy another from them.

Rollin

 

I lowsided in my Joe rocket speedmaster jacket and pants back in 08. It was low speed, about 45-55km/h (30-35mph), I slid diagonally across 3 lanes then into a ditch. I scuffed from right ankle to hip on my pants and the right forearm area of the jacket. Other than some of the Joe Rocket lettering starting to peel back everything else was just "scuffed" in the contact areas. The general consensus I've read is JR stuff is better for North Americans with a "beer gut". I did read quite a few years back about some stitching failures, but that was back in 03 or 04 I think. I'm actually in the market for another pair of speedmaster pants right now once I sell my fieldsheer suit (weightloss )

I've used the...
Speedmaster jacket
Speedway jacket
Speedmaster pants
Phoenix pants
Hard drive textile jacket
Ballistic pants

I was happy with all of them, although the only negative is the hard drive jacket feels like a parachute with all the vets open compared to a tighter fitting leather jacket, And the ballistic pants are HOT lol.

 

I've got a couple Joe Rocket mesh jackets. They fit well, have pretty solid padding in the elbows and shoulder, and have lasted. How they work in a accident I have no idea, and hope never to know.

 

Thanks for all the info on the riding gear guys. Now how about suggestions on what kind of material/model of jacket is decent to wear during hot weather?? Here in Tennessee, it's only mid 90's, but with the humidity it feels like you just walked through the gates of hell.... haha. Thanks guys.

 

I had a Joe Rocket Alter Ego 1.0 jacket and it fit very well. Slow speed crash tested on my old 750 with minimal damage or thread issues. GReat venting and i loved being able to remove the outer cover for a 1/2 mesh jacket in the hot summer. It also had a removable liner that made it a year long jacket even in the rain.

I wasn't happy with their Ballistic pants; the crotch split after only one season of riding. Guess there just wasn't enough room...

The winter JR gloves were ok but the liner wasn't attached inside the gloves so if it warmed up and your hands got sweaty they would turn inside out. Had to carry a screws driver with me all the time to push the finger lining back into the glove. I'm glad those gloves burnt up in the fire...

 

I kinda have Joe Rocket everything. Here's the commented list:

-Alter Ego jacket: excellent jacket, once you accept the idiotic waterproof liner that lets everything in your pockets get soaked. In Summer mode (mesh body and sleeves), it's excellent up to 110F.
-Alter Ego pants: fine, but had to go back for seam failure
-GPX gloves: excellent! The best gloves I have owned until the Handroids arrived
-Ballistic 7.0 jacket: comfortable, warm, good protection and leaked from Day 1, was replaced by JR with
-Ballistic 8.0 jacket: comfortable, warm, good protection and doesn't leak! Fall/Spring only because it's too hot for Summer, even in YVR
-Ballistic (old style) winter gloves: leaked from Day 1, very little protection. Replaced under warranty, new ones leak too. I don't use them at all
-RKT101 Carbon helmet: wonderful! Best helmet I have owned.

 

Joe Rocket and Tourmaster occupy the bottom end of the motorcycle gear market wrt both price and quality. That is not to say they produce a bad product, only that you get what you pay for.

The gear they produce is very competitively priced but can't compete with higher priced brands like Olympia, Dainese, Rev'It and others on quality or in most cases, at least wrt textile gear, protective ability.

As one example most cheaper textile gear from JR, Tourmaster and others is made of cheaper polyester where as higher end textile gear uses Nylon based Cordura or similar fabrics. According to what I have read, polyester gear has roughly 1/6th the abrasion resistance of Cordura gear using the same weight of material in the shell. As another example most cheaper gear uses a vinyl or rubberized coating on wind/rain liners while better gear will use a breathable membrane, usually a Goretex knockoff.


Comparison of materials: http://www.gbfr.org/saveyourhide.pdf

Since starting to ride I've owned an alter ego jacket (since replaced), Olympia AST touring jacket, Scorpion leather jacket and Tiez leather jackets. Of the 4 jackets I have to say Olympia offers the best designs and construction.

 

In tried Joe Rocket mesh jacket at the dealer and hated the fit. I tried on every jacket they had and went with Tourmaster just because it fit me better than any other brand that they carried. Had it a month and love it.

 

I have one of their mesh jackets.....probably wont buy another. I have a pair of Teknic pants, I tend to like their stuff better. Also have two one piece suits.(not Joe Rocket) Joe Rocket does tend to occupy the lower end of the gear market. Like everything else, its a matter of what you like and can afford, and gear snobs will tell you their chosen brand is the best.

 

Got some dudes that wear Burger King skivvies too.

 

Ahh, can't have a thread on what gear to wear without a home of the whopper reference. :thumb:

 

Not really any need to have the BK label on the outside either. Another good one is Oscar Mayer's:

"All meat, Frank."

 

I had a JR one piece race suit as seen in my avatar. I went down in it on April 10, 2011 at the track at about 80 mph. It did fine. No seams came apart, no rash. One spot on the perforated shoulder was getting kind of thin. It did not wear through anywhere.

Overall, I am happy with how it performed. It's trash now since they cut it off of me. <shrug>

I haven't replaced the suit yet, but when I do I am probably going with alpine stars 2-piece suit. I want a suit I can use on the street and for the occasional track day. A 1-piece is a pain in the ass when you are out riding and you need to take a crap. Ditto for when you are at the track.

 

I currently wear the Alter Ego 3.0 jacket and I like the fit and feeling of protection it provides. Shoulder pads, elbow/arm pads and back padding. Currently I am using just the main jacket part without the vest. I have not worn the entire kit just yet as it is still too warm for all 3 pieces (Outer waterproof shell, main jacket with armor and the vest), nor have I crash tested it...knock on wood. Barrowed a friends Joe Rocket leather jacket and it was a nice fit, don't remember what model it was though.