Jackets Jackets Everywhere!

Whew! Searching for a 3 or 4 season waterproof touring jacket is time consuming and exhausting! Man there is a lot of stuff out there to wade through! I have narrowed my choices down [somewhat] but I wanted to see what y'all like and dislike about your stylish jacket fashions. For my tastes I ruled out Aerostich and Motoport simply because I find their gear stale and ugly. And not only that but Aerostich products fade into an ugly mess after only one or two summers! Safety & styling is #1 for me with warm weather comfort a close second.

(today) I am liking the Rukka AiRock Jacket a lot. It has captured my eye not because of safety features (which it has) or functionality (which it also has) but because of style. That jacket has a look that caches my eye and it also has a waterproof liner that actually doubles as a nice looking destination jacket which is a nice additional feature!

. Another good looking jacket is Revit Tornado 2. I also like the Klim Badlands and Latitude jackets.
BUT! every time I think I've made up my mind and get ready to pull the trigger and order one I see a different jacket and go: "whoa! that's bad-ass!" and I want it! So now I'm stuck. There are a ton of "nice looking" 3 and 4 season jackets out there so talk about yours! What do you like and dislike about your jacket?

In particular about your 3 or 4 season jacket:

• What is a hot 90F+ sunny summer day like in it? (is it really good for 3 or 4 hot seasons?)
• What is a chilly 40F damp day like? (all jackets are nice a 50F to 80F lol)
• What feature(s) do you not like about your jacket? Are those issues now deal busters?
• Is your jacket waterproof or not really?
• Do you zip to your pants every ride? Some rides? or never zip?
• Do you like the styling of your jacket?
• Did you pick the right color?
• What other things do you like and/or dislike?

Revit, Rukka, Klim, Olympia, Tourmaster, Cortech, Scorpion, Dainese, all have pretty nice styling and fashion. List others too!

Can't answer most of your questions, but ...

FJR-Pilot said:

• Is your jacket waterproof or not really? Yes, or I'd throw it away. Gore-tex rules (but not all pockets are waterproof).
  
• Do you zip to your pants every ride? Some rides? or never zip? Every ride. Don't fancy pavement surfing with the jacket riding up.
  
• Do you like the styling of your jacket? Yes, minimum bling. Would rather pay for functionality than prettiness.
  
• Did you pick the right colour? Right for me, invisible black.
  

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My only true 3 season jacket is a tournaster/cortech intake jacket. I tend to wear it early spring then switch to one of my lighter mesh jackets and go back to it in the fall. I have a Joe Rocket Yamaha Champion and a dayglo yellow firstgear and all three are reasonably waterproof with their liners on. We tend to not zip them to our armored riding pants but we wear kevlar jeans for anything but "serious" touring.

Here's what I have, https://www.ebay.com/itm/Olympia-GT-Air-All-Seasons-Transition-Motorcycle-Jacket-Neon-Yellow-Size-3XL-/371088592598?nma=true&si=aQzFDMN2VYPez7S%252BmlSIoeGHlXI%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

FJR-Pilot said:

What is a hot 90F+ sunny summer day like in it? (is it really good for 3 or 4 hot seasons?) I don't get many really humid days, but not too bad

• What is a chilly 40F damp day like? (all jackets are nice a 50F to 80F lol) It's ok, it has a liner if needed
  
• What feature(s) do you not like about your jacket? Are those issues now deal busters? It's a bit baggy and no.
  
• Is your jacket waterproof or not really? I don't know, I don't ride in the rain, but I doubt that it is
  
• Do you zip to your pants every ride? Some rides? or never zip? I never use the zipper
  
• Do you like the styling of your jacket? Yes.
  
• Did you pick the right color? Yes,it's Hi Viz
  
• What other things do you like and/or dislike? Lots of vents. The drawback is I don't think it's made anymore
  

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Olympia Airglide.

mcatrophy said:

Can't answer most of your questions, but ...

FJR-Pilot said:

• Is your jacket waterproof or not really? Yes, or I'd throw it away. Gore-tex rules (but not all pockets are waterproof).
  
• Do you zip to your pants every ride? Some rides? or never zip? Every ride. Don't fancy pavement surfing with the jacket riding up.
  
• Do you like the styling of your jacket? Yes, minimum bling. Would rather pay for functionality than prettiness.
  
• Did you pick the right colour? Right for me, invisible black.
  

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Which jacket mcatrophy?

Fly Bye said:

Olympia Airglide.

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I do like the Olympia Airglide 5 Jacket a lot. Uber functional and very nice styling! One nice feature is the rain layer will go over or under the jacket! This jacket will be a serious contender for me if I can swap the Olympia armor for D3O T5 EVO.

Fly Bye - do you know if the the Olympia does well in the rain?

This one would look fabulous atop my 2014 Red FJR

I have an Airglide and along with electrics it will go down to 40 fine. It will go down into the 30s fine as well, but for additional all-day comfort, I will put my one-piece Tourmaster rain suit on.

The Airglide does fine in light rain, for a period of time. If I am going to be riding in a Frog Strangler or an extended thunderstorm the rainsuit goes on.

The AirGlide has done well in the SC summers so far...but I'm close to the mountains...so no biggy there.

I have not tested it's crashworthiness...others may have...and can chime in.

FJR-Pilot said:

Fly Bye said:

Olympia Airglide.

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I do like the Olympia Airglide 5 Jacket a lot. Uber functional and very nice styling! One nice feature is the rain layer will go over or under the jacket! This jacket will be a serious contender for me if I can swap the Olympia armor for D3O T5 EVO.

Fly Bye - do you know if the the Olympia does well in the rain?

This one would look fabulous atop my 2014 Red FJR

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I too have been looking for a new 3 season jacket and Olympia has caught my eye as well. You're right, this jacket would look very nice with our 14 models. Right now I'm sporting a 10 year old Cortech Air Mesh jacket and it has served me well.

FreakyFastFreddie said:

FJR-Pilot said:

Fly Bye said:

Olympia Airglide.

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I do like the Olympia Airglide 5 Jacket a lot. Uber functional and very nice styling! One nice feature is the rain layer will go over or under the jacket! This jacket will be a serious contender for me if I can swap the Olympia armor for D3O T5 EVO.

Fly Bye - do you know if the the Olympia does well in the rain?

This one would look fabulous atop my 2014 Red FJR

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... Right now I'm sporting a 10 year old Cortech Air Mesh jacket and it has served me well.

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Me too! I bought a Cortech GX Air Jacket 04-11-06 and I still wear it sometimes. It is definitely going to be retired!

Also like the REV'IT! Tornado 2 Jacket ($370 with a 2-in-1 rain/thermal liner, Seeflex armor (high end armor), 750D & 100D material, and inside mounting for REV'IT! optional cooling vest):



The Airglide shaped/cut for more toward sport riding, while the Tornado is shaped/cut more for sport touring.

I really like the REV'IT! Tornado 2 Jacket but my belly doesn't. They are made for a slim fellow.

Going to a dealer's open house next weekend where there is supposed to be an Olympia vendor there. I'm hoping they have jackets to try on and purchase.

KLIM

Probably not your first, but most likely your last.

FJR-Pilot said:

...Which jacket mcatrophy?

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I currently have two suits. Both are mix-and-match jackets and pants (each pairing from the same manufacturer, guarantees they will zip together properly). The "model" for each I haven't named; I can't remember them, and the manufacturers seem to change the range frequently, so little point anyway.

If I list my requirements:

Musts:

• Waterproof
• Jacket and pants that zip together
• Reasonable amount of padding
• Removable cold weather lining
• Waterproof layer NOT removable
• At least one easy-to-get-at waterproof jacket pocket (for phone and wallet)

Nice-to-haves:

• All waterproof jacket pockets
• Vents in jacket and pants

The older one is made by Dainese, very comfortable.

(Click on image for larger view)



Ticks all of the Musts boxes (except the pants now leak in the seat). I use this one for local stuff when it's not likely to rain. Not as hard-wearing as I would have liked. No vents, but not overly hot. Highest temperature I've ridden in using this suit is about 40C (104F). Uncomfortable but tolerable so long as we kept moving.

My newer suit is made by IXS. It's a Swiss company, in the UK only available through one retail chain. It is available in the USA.



With this one, I found the pants a bit tight to put on, and I'm pretty slim by some standards. Definitely try before you buy. Once on, very comfortable. There is also a bit of non-slip leather sewn onto the back-side of the pants, reduces any tendency to slide on the seat particularly when it's wet. Also seems to reduce that feeling that you get when it's wet, "Is the damp feeling I'm getting on my back-side just cold seeping through from the wet on the saddle, or is it water leaking?"

I've used this on several week-long trips, but not above about 35C (95F). At this the vents certainly worked, but it is a heavier suit altogether than the Dainese, and probably less suitable for the hottest climes. It does have external leather(?) patches in all the vulnerable areas.

Both are warm enough in the cold. I wear normal trousers (pants) under the suit pants, and with the pants' liner I can ride indefinitely at freezing temperatures. Under the jacket, for very cold weather, I wear my normal shirt, an electric vest, a fleece then the jacket with its liner. Below maybe 6C (43F) I power the electric vest. Never uncomfortable enough to cause a problem down to the lowest I've ridden in, around -2C (28F).

You'll see from the pics that both are essentially black, both with at least some reflective areas. My interest in fashion is to be as inconspicuous as possible as far as attracting attention is concerned. I do wear a white helmet which seems to give adequate visibility for safety (as far as that is possible).

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="FreakyFastFreddie" data-cid="1307678" data-time="1462304110"><p>

Going to a dealer's open house next weekend where there is supposed to be an Olympia vendor there. I'm hoping they have jackets to try on and purchase.</p></blockquote>

I'd appreciate if you could ask them why they don't use a ZIPPER for the sleeve cuff, or at a minimum, that gorilla strong Velcro found on their vent coverings, as opposed to the cheap crap that was chosen for the sleeve closure.

If they want to know why we ask - tell them I left some arm skin on a road near Creede, Colorado, and I'm never going to get it back.

hppants said:

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="FreakyFastFreddie" data-cid="1307678" data-time="1462304110"><p>Going to a dealer's open house next weekend where there is supposed to be an Olympia vendor there. I'm hoping they have jackets to try on and purchase.</p></blockquote>

I'd appreciate if you could ask them why they don't use a ZIPPER for the sleeve cuff, or at a minimum, that gorilla strong Velcro found on their vent coverings, as opposed to the cheap crap that was chosen for the sleeve closure.

If they want to know why we ask - tell them I left some arm skin on a road near Creede, Colorado, and I'm never going to get it back.

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Gotcha! That's the one thing I don't like about the Olympia jacket. My current Cortech Air has a zipper at the sleeve cuff along with velcro which I really like.

I went down around 45 mph in 2012 with Velcro cuffs. Low-sided and cuffs/sleeves stayed in place nicely but I am worried now because I have skinny forearms. I'll be double-checking the Velcro each time to ensure it's fastened snugly. In fact, I'm going to get a friend to help and try to make it fail and see if I can get it to ride up my arm! I'll report back in a few days.

For any concerned about velcro cuffs not holding properly, these https://www.dotfasteners.com/durable.html are an easily installed back up.

That is a nice alternative. But if I'm going to pay $______ for a riding jacket, which by definition is crash gear, I'd like it to be sewn with ALL of the necessary safety features by the manufacturer.

FJR-Pilot: Not sure which jacket you have, but the Olympia AST will not pass the sleeve test. A friend could pull it up my arm with barely 5 pounds of pressure. Ironically, the Velcro that Olympia uses for the vent flaps is unbelievably strong. You simply cannot pull it with one hand.

I do think making sure the sleeves are adjusted TIGHT at the bicep and forearm helps regardless, but for my money, again - if it doesn't come from the factory with a zippered cuff, I won't wear it.