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suggestions please...summer jacket

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New member
Can anyone suggest a good summer jacket?
What I think I'd like would be one consisting simply of protective mesh with pads in the elbows, spine and shoulders.
I have a very nice jacket, but it's simply too much when it gets into the 80's and beyond. It's bad enough putting on the full coverage helmet.

On an entirely different note for those who wear glasses. I had been accustomed to wearing sunglasses over my regular glasses because I never could bring myself to buy prescription sunglasses especially since my regular glasses were shot also. This never worked well nor for long since my head became sore after an hour or so.

After reading an article on Slate.com, I went ahead and ordered prescription sunglasses along with regular glasses-(distant, biofocals and anti reflections lenses) on goggles 4U .com. The prescription sunglasses did not have biofocals since I don't read on my bike.

The bottom line is that I got both pair of glasses for $85 bucks shipping included!
The sunglasses were less than $30

My regular glasses cost over $350 and that was four years ago.

So if you always wanted prescription sunglasses, but never thought you could afford them, think again.

Not affiliated with this outfit in anyway.
 
Post this puppy in "gear"...this is a technical forum...
 
Cool Jacket

Try Osi. I just bought a Cool Jacket at the RA Rally in Vermont last week. It really is great for hot weather, and has a w/pruf thermal zip-out liner for the cooler weather.
Here's a link to there web page
http://www.osi-sports.com/osi/jackets
 

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1) A number of companies make reasonably good mesh jackets. I have a Joe Rocket which works well, although I, fortunately, haven't crash tested it. In most cases, you'll need to find a spine protector to fit in the pocket where most companies put a foam pad. I use one from an old Vanson jacket, but if I were looking for a new one, I'd use a Forcefield
http://www.forcefieldperformance.com/product/upgrade-back-inserts/2361

2) You might want to rethink not having bifocals for your sunglasses before you need to look at a map. I found myself on the side of the road switching glasses because I tried the same thing.
 
Suggestions for summer jacket

I just bought the BMW Airshell Jacket. See the link below for a description.

http://www.ascycles.com/detail.aspx?ID=48292

This is a high visibility (Signal Yellow is the color) jacket that is very high quality, as with all BMW clothing. It is also premium priced, but as with everything, you only get what you pay for. I recently used it on a 9 day, 2,700 mile ride in temperatures ranging from 69 degrees in the Finger Lakes, NY region to 103 degrees in central Virginia and North Carolina. The 69 degrees was a bit chilly for me, since I did not have the liner in the jacket. The jacket was comfortable in the 103 degrees, while moving.


I have owned the First Gear mesh jacket and the Olympia Airglide2 and the BMW beats them both in terms of protection and airflow. The First Gear mesh jacket is low priced, but is nowhere near the performance and quality of higher priced jackets. The Olympia Airglide is a well made, high quality jacket, but it does not equal the BMW Airshell in terms of airflow performance or strength of armor, in my opinion.

The Airshell jacket has BMW's NP armor in the elbows, shoulders and back. There is a very comprehensive review of the jacket, by Moshe Levy, in a recent issue of Motorcycle Consumer News.

You do not say what model motorcycle you have. Any mesh/vented jacket will flow air well if the air can get to it. I ride a R1200R and the airflow is great. If you ride a RT, LT, GT or any bike with fairing, your results will not be as dramatic with the airflow. Faired bikes are great in the winter, but you can't beat a naked bike for summer riding.
 
Motoport Air Mesh Jacket has worked well for me up to 106F. With the accompanying liner and Gerbings' electrics, it has worked down to 28F on my rides.

Road tested with a 30 mph lowside on gravel and it held up with very little noticeable scrapes with no injury to me. (some damage to the bike)

Washes with the armour in place.

Five years of riding and it still looks new.

The downside:
- About six weeks back order as they are custom made.
- A bit bulky for storage in bike cases when on the road.
- A bit heavy with all of the armour.
- Not as much air flow as my Joe Rocket mesh jacket (due to all of the built in armour), but that may be a good thing as some claim that too much air flow causes dehydration.

At the RA last week, I checked out the Scorpion jackets being sold; no comparison with the built in protection that Cycleport incorporates in their jackets. Pricey but the Kevlar gives the protection that is needed if you should ever go down.
 
For the best airflow my BMW "venting machine" delivers as promised. It has no liner and can only be used in cooler weather if you wear a rain jacket over it or a light jacket under it. My high viz jackets from Olympia and (Tour Tech/Tour master "can't remember which due to CRS") have both rain liners and a vest for colder climates, making them more versatile for trips involving considerable temp change and rain. All the above mentioned jackets have excellant protection features (shoulder, elbow, and back protectors are included). Ride Safe :usa :usa
 
I have one of these First Gear Mesh Jackets.

They're on close-out everywhere because they now have the new D30 Soft Armor in the newest jackets and they're trying to move to old ones out.

Worth checking out. I've had mine about a year and it's great in the NM heat for local rides.

When I head out of town, I wear my stitch.

HTH.
 
olympia bushwacker air

:danceHad the same question the past few years and finally setted on an olympia bushwacker neon and air glide III (over)pants. Well worth the wait.
 
Tourmaster Air Intake 2

Love my Tourmaster Air Intake 2 jacket. Mesh w/armor, both thermal and rain liners included. Found that in 95+ heat it worked great to soak my t-shirt with water at fuel stops and wear it under the jacket for a very effective evaporative cooling effect. Tip: soak shirt in warm water, ring it out, then put it on...much less shocking than putting a cold wet t-shirt on.
Don't like my black Teknic's mesh pants - way too hot and clammy. Probably going to upgrade to Olympia Air Glide 3 pants in silver due to many good reports from owners.
 
Motoport Air Mesh Jacket has worked well for me up to 106F. With the accompanying liner and Gerbings' electrics, it has worked down to 28F on my rides.

I love my Air Mesh Jacket. I think it fits great and was more comfortable than the Joe Rocket jacket it replaced. The pants that go with it, on the other hand, are not as good, IMO. They're bulky and have just an OK fit. Also, the Kevlar mesh was very abrasive on the paint.
 
+2 for the Motoport mesh!

Here's the model I got: http://motoport.worldsecuresystems.com/_product_106903/Ultra_II_Air_Mesh_Kevlar_Jacket As is shown by the multiple photos, there are about a million combinations of colors and features a person could pick out. The only thing I would do differently next time is to skip the insulated liner. I find myself using a fleece jacket w/windblock lining. It does a good job on summer mornings when I'm not using the windproof liner because I know it's going to get hot later in the day. I also use my fleece around camp at rallies, and would sleep in it if I had to do so due to an unexpected cold snap. The Motoport insulated liner would also work for these things, but my own fleece is a little better looking.

Motoport seems to have kind of a cult following. Not everyone is even aware of their existence. Motoport has a "Testimonials" page here: http://motoport.com/alltestimonials

Here's a very long thread over on ADVrider.com talking about Motoport gear in general. Beware, it's over 1,200 posts long... http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=80138&highlight=motoport
 
You know what i find amazing... is my summer mesh type jacket is hot as hell in 95 to 103 degree weather that Oklahoma is experiencing right now. But when the temp gets cool in the fall, it offers no protection against the cool... go figure...

pedro in okc
 
Love my Tourmaster Air Intake 2 jacket. Mesh w/armor, both thermal and rain liners included.

I wear a Joe Rocket Phoenix 5.0 mesh jacket. It works well and I like it, BUT the Tourmaster Air Intake 2 jacket I bought for my wife is even better. It has more effective elbow adjusters and a more versatile double liner. The liners, one water/wind proof and the other insulated, can be worn together or separately. If I had it to do over again, I'd be wearing an Air Intake 2 myself.
 
You know what i find amazing... is my summer mesh type jacket is hot as hell in 95 to 103 degree weather that Oklahoma is experiencing right now. But when the temp gets cool in the fall, it offers no protection against the cool... go figure...

pedro in okc

You obviously bought the wrong one. :D
 
Depends on exactly what you want. I just bought a new Vanson Vent Max 4. It is awesome, even cool to wear while sitting around between rides, etc. However, to get that maximum air flow, you have to give up waterproof pockets, collars, etc. There is armor at the shoulders, elbows, forearms, and back.....I have removed the back armor. Now, if you want more bells and whistles, but still cooling mesh, I would suggest the Cortec GX Air, which I also have. Media pockets, etc, but much less airflow than the Vanson. I sometimes have to look down to make sure I didn't forget to zip up the Vanson.
 
One thing that I have found when riding in warm weather with or without a mesh jacket, is the gear you have underneath.

Around town short distance something like a cool nylon shirt and shorts is much better than a cotton shirt and jeans.. Plus you can always poor some water on the shirt for cooling by evaporation.

For longer rides I wear LD Comfort long sleeve and long underwear. I did not believe it but it does work. Sometimes I poor water down the front and back to help in cooling. It worked well on my latest 1750 mile trip to VT and NH.

Heck LD suggest not using mesh. Maybe before the jacket or pants look at what is underneath next to your skin for your initial investment.
 
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