Your wisdom in the clothing and armor dept. is appreciated.

Products including farkle, clothing, helmets, heck even motorcycles that have been purchased and reviewed by bmwbmw.org members.

Your wisdom in the clothing and armor dept. is appreciated.

Postby mtnbikerva1 » Sat Dec 05, 2009 3:19 pm

Which armor is better for crashing, weather, durability,etc. Also I have been trying to decipher all the info about joules/shock absorption/dispersion,etc. about armor: BMW NP vs d3o vs Aerostich TF vs Sas-Tec vs TPro (I think that is the name) but it is tiring me out.
I am a cyclist both on and off road so I am lean. I have a Rev-it Cayenne Pro which is supposed to be all that. It in my opinion is poorly designed and made. After a month it is coming apart and is like a sponge.
The water proof pocket is not.
The shell has no H20 or stain resistance so it drips all over after you get to work/home, etc.
Due to lack of stain resistance it stains and gets dirty fast.
My pocket is coming apart along with the supposed waterproof breathable lining.
Rev-it was supposed to contact me and take care of my poor purchase but they have not.
The local shop I bought it from says it will take weeks to resolve the problem. Coleman Powersports, usually they are very good, but a few weeks? I also know most dealers if not all are having a hard time making ends meet.
The Cayenne Pro does fit well.
It is made in China. I would rather support my own country when I feel like I am getting a good deal(quality, etc)
Where does Aerostich, Motoport, BMG or any other brand/company fit into my needs of quality, fit and customer service?
Thank you.
Last edited by mtnbikerva1 on Sat Dec 05, 2009 5:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Your wisdom in the clothing and armor dept. is appreciated.

Postby Chiba » Sat Dec 05, 2009 4:41 pm

First Gear

www.newenough.com

:)

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Re: Your wisdom in the clothing and armor dept. is appreciated.

Postby Yellowjacket » Sun Dec 06, 2009 3:51 am

I highly recommend Firstgear and New Enough - usually less expensive than BMW especially if you can find a close out or a sale. I have two FG jackets (Jaunt and Kili re-badged), a pair of FG winter gloves, and a pair or BMW pants. Well made. I have worn the Jaunt jacket for 4 years and no seam has come apart. When FG claims waterproof, it is waterproof. My FG Jaunt kept me dry in 7.5 hrs of continuous drizzle and rain. FG armor is the same grade as the traditional BMW armor. There is a newer type of armor that Tina (?) may have purchased.
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Re: Your wisdom in the clothing and armor dept. is appreciated.

Postby ERC Scott » Sun Dec 06, 2009 2:43 pm

Re. armor. The upper line of BMW gear has been featuring NP-labeled armor. Selling tag indicates this armor meets the latest various European standards for body armor (German, Italian). I'm not aware of the US having any similar certifications for armor. I have the NP protectors in my Rallye2Pro jacket (1 year) and Comfort Shell pants (1 week). I'm really impressed by the armor BMW is using. It seems to stay put and not shift around (helps to have properly sized clothing - some people tend to buy a size too large, which diminishes the protection IMO. The NP armor appears to do well in temp extremes and don't require changing armor with riding seasons. BMW NP armor is made in Europe. Like most items, BMW clothing can be sourced around the world. My CS pants were made in Serbia, and the R2P jacket in Indonesia. Not such a surprise as even my Triumph was assembled in Asia (Thailand). A good source of used BMW gear is ADVrider.com. Also a good place to sell just about any bike-related product.
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Re: Your wisdom in the clothing and armor dept. is appreciated.

Postby mtnbikerva1 » Sun Dec 06, 2009 3:02 pm

I also found out some materials/cloth can melt to your skin in a slide!
I have been researching Kevlar and materials that do not do this.
Leather does not but it seems very limited in the conditions it would be comfortable in.
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Re: Your wisdom in the clothing and armor dept. is appreciated.

Postby Unity » Sun Dec 06, 2009 5:31 pm

mtnbikerva1 wrote:I also found out some materials/cloth can melt to your skin in a slide!

The official minimum recommendation from AeroStich is to wear a long-sleeve cotton shirt and long cotton pants next to your skin. Synthetic clothing should never go next to the skin. The recommendation is printed in red on a big label inside the jacket.

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Re: Your wisdom in the clothing and armor dept. is appreciated.

Postby Ted » Sun Dec 06, 2009 7:30 pm

It really comes down to what fits you best. Personally, I have crashed in an Aerostich (Roadcrafter 2-piece) and I trust the suit - it fit me well, had all the pockets I wanted, and after I learned to lift up on the front of the pants when getting ready to ride in heavy rain, was completely as watertight as any riding gear can be. I could not save the new Roadcrafter 2-piece I was wearing when I crashed, so I am back now to my old, circa 1988 Roadcrafter 2p, though I did get new pads a few weeks ago as the ones in there were crumbling. I also have a pretty much brand new BMW Kalahari/Gore-T ex suit as well, and like it for the hip pads and back pad the Roadcrafter doesn't have (stock) though it does not fit as well as the Roadcrafter.
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Re: Your wisdom in the clothing and armor dept. is appreciated.

Postby Genen8kua » Sun Dec 06, 2009 8:05 pm

Unity wrote:
mtnbikerva1 wrote:I also found out some materials/cloth can melt to your skin in a slide!

The official minimum recommendation from AeroStich is to wear a long-sleeve cotton shirt and long cotton pants next to your skin. Synthetic clothing should never go next to the skin. The recommendation is printed in red on a big label inside the jacket.

--John
(When it's hot we all break the rules, don't we?)


silk should be a better hot weather choice than cotton and would be more comfortable (for the ride, even without a slide) under gear than even bare skin would be. I have some Terramar silk that works well even mid summer under my Olympia AST jacket. I stay pretty cool and comfortable, though it gets a bit damp in there. The main drawback is that the material is kinda sheer and a bit see-through, which is a bit creepy looking on a middle aged guy with grey chest hair. (TMI? :oops:) I try to quickly don my nylon sun shielding shirt shortly after doffing the jacket. But it wicks really well in the heat & all ya gotta do is stay hydrated.
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Re: Your wisdom in the clothing and armor dept. is appreciated.

Postby mtnbikerva1 » Sun Dec 06, 2009 9:04 pm

Try Smartwool, Ibex, Icebreaker and their Merino wool clothing and socks.
I long ago turned all my cotton socks into rags.
I love the Smartwool next to skin pants and tops. It is supposed to be like insulating clothing but I wear the tops with zippers for work, biking...I love the feel!
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Re: Your wisdom in the clothing and armor dept. is appreciated.

Postby mtnbikerva1 » Sun Dec 06, 2009 9:06 pm

I have some of the Smartwool polo shirts and the weave is different and not quite as comfortable. The weave/knit makes a difference in my opinion.
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Re: Your wisdom in the clothing and armor dept. is appreciated.

Postby R4R&R » Sun Dec 06, 2009 11:43 pm

mtnbikerva1 wrote:The water proof pocket is not.
The shell has no H20 or stain resistance so it drips all over after you get to work/home, etc.
Due to lack of stain resistance it stains and gets dirty fast.

That sounds like my current Firstgear jacket. The arms seem to leak on top, and hold water on the bottom. I'm not joking - my arms fill up with water! Plus it leaks all over. Unreliable for any moisture heavier than fog.

mtnbikerva1 wrote:Coleman Powersports, usually they are very good, but a few weeks? I also know most dealers if not all are having a hard time making ends meet.

That's my expectation of Coleman. I was just in there yesterday - not too many customers and I was NEVER asked if I needed any help. It was like I was bothering them. Even when standing in front of the accessory for a few minutes looking intensly at their limited selection. It turns out they didn't carry what I was looking for (replacement gauge lightbulbs, but in LED). It seems a lot of the time they don't have what I'm looking for and can "order" it. Yeah, I can "order" it, have it shipped to my house AND save money! A few years ago I went there with full intent on buying a motorcycle and it was close to closing. The salesman was "tired" and complained that he had to work "all day". The "deal" he offered me was definitely a deal for them (it was supposed to be a $1 over invoice sale and when the final out-the-door price ended up about $800 over MSRP!)

I'm currently looking at a Roadgear jacket, and will most likely end up with the Del Fuego. I'll let you know how it works. I talked a little with one of their reps and it sounds like what I'm looking for - non-leaking membrane; no need to re-treat with waterproofers.

I'm surprised to hear about the Rev-IT jacket - I thought they made good stuff but more for the "european" shaped bodies. :oops:
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Re: Your wisdom in the clothing and armor dept. is appreciated.

Postby Hello Kitty » Mon Dec 07, 2009 7:03 am

My recent First Gear Kilimanjaro has well over 15K on it in the handful of months I've owned it and it's been wonderful. It's waterproof when I close the vents, not so much when I don't. My 10 year old first gear pants are still holding tight as well.

I believe the armor is adequate, it might not be the best that technology has to offer, but I feel confident that it will protect me should I need it.

As for staining, I think you need to do one of two things: 1) get black so you don't see it, or; 2) stop worrying about it. Personally, I wear my jacket for protection and I'm far more concerned with how well it does that than whether or not you can see a little dirt on it. Just my opinion. As always, YMMV.
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Re: Your wisdom in the clothing and armor dept. is appreciated.

Postby ERC Scott » Mon Dec 07, 2009 9:53 am

Another merino advocate here. I wear long-sleeved Smartwool shirts under my riding jacket most of the time. They have a lightweight shirt that is great for hot weather. Reasonable wicking ability and does not collect BO. Pricey but good stuff. Scott
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Re: Your wisdom in the clothing and armor dept. is appreciated.

Postby Graybeard » Mon Dec 07, 2009 9:35 pm

+1 on Stitch for quality, durability and customer service. Oh yea, and crashability. I prefer the one piece Roadcrafter. 15 seconds and you go from ATGATT to street clothes or back again. Too hot for mid-summer for me, however (>85 degrees). Have done several 8 hot July track days at 85-90 degrees in the Stitch but I wasn't sitting in traffic. :wink:
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Re: Your wisdom in the clothing and armor dept. is appreciated.

Postby mtnbikerva1 » Mon Dec 07, 2009 10:56 pm

Graybeard
So what do wear when not wearing the Roadcrafter?
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