Mesh Jacket

It is hot down here in 'Arkinsaw'. Perched on a K100 LT it feels like south Texas or North Hell. If you strap a weiner to your left calf you can have a juicy hot dog in 30 minutes or so. Saves money for gas.

Looking for more protection than a t shirt, keeping the sun off my arms, and hateing the way the wind makes arm hair bristle at freeway speeds, I bought a full mesh armoured jacket.

Guess what? With an Under Armour heat gear or Nike Dry-Fit shirt and the jacket it is much cooler. I rode a friend's cruiser in 90+ heat and it was down right comfy.

I am not going to get into which brand jacket is better, only the info that it is cooler with one.

I haven't come up with the solution to the leg heat. May have to go to turkey franks or double up on the Lipitor.

Ralph Sims

Under Armour style shirt( lot's of folks making these now at lower cost than $$$Armour) and a mesh Vanson are my summer saviors... a wet clammy T-shirt compared to a wicking fabric is night/day in comfort for sure
have a set of Olympia pants with mesh panels...also use bike shorts or Under Armour shorts under them...as cool as I have found next to being a squid in khaki shorts.

I just spent half a day trying on Mesh stuff. About 5 bike shops, and I lost count of brands. Most are too tight on my arms and shoulders. Admittedly, I am built a bit odd what with a 29 inch inseam, and maybe 230 on the scale, but I really would like to find a reasonably priced mesh armored jacket.

Fieldsheer came the closest to fitting, but I couldn't find a 2X in town to try. Don't want to get caught up in the "order and return" thing, so I'm still in a T-shirt.

I will go back to beemer, and start over. I may have to put on the liner first, and then the jacket, without ever hooking them together. No, I don't want the liner in summer, but I may want it on either end.

Such a difficult world, and so many problems...so many that I almost forgot to count my blessings. New bike. Good weather. Retirement. Stuff like that. I will rearrange my thinking and....start over looking for mesh.

Gary

Have you looked at First Gear? They have reasonably priced, good quality stuff. Check out their website http://www.firstgear-usa.com We have their mesh jackets as well as textile riding jackets (all padded/armoured). They do offer larger sizes as well and have a sizing chart on their site that appears to be pretty accurate (for the men anyways) according to my better half. That said, we usually order ours through Cruiser Customizing http://www.cruisercustomizing.com as they often have stuff on sale. Worth a look.
Cheryl

Good place for gear

I've had very good experience with www.newenough.com
I'm quite fond of the firstgear stuff.

Cheryl,

I will book mark the site. Firstgear is on my short list, but I haven't been able to find it, in town, to try on. I have to order first, and then return if wrong, and I really do dislike that process.

Kat,

I've looked at the New Enough site. It is good. Last night, I couldn't get on, but probably because we are really rural, and nothing but dial-up available.

Motorcycle Superstore has really good prices, too, and a retail outlet in our town (Medford, OR), but the hard copy store is not well stocked, and much must be ordered to try. The mail order is good, but I don't like blind mail order on stuff that has sizing issues.

I also intend to go back to the beemer store, and sort of start over. I have a different view of things after digging through 5 shops.

Thanks,

Gary

I love my Olympia Motosports Airglide jacket. Removable liner, plenty of pockets and storage, very comfortable on a 90 degree Pennsylvania day.

mesh

First gear does a good job. It is an excellent value.

Olympia is also a good choice.

If you have the bucks, look into BMW Venting Machine.

BTW, not to hijack this thread, but what kind of helmet do you have?
(see the thread "Hey man, are you OK?")

Our local store is too small to carry beemer stuff, and I don't dare to order without trying. I'm zeroing in on the First Gear stuff. The beemer shop carries that stuff, and is good about ordering and trying and riding, and then buying.

Shoei Multitech. I pretty much boiled down to fit. Caberg too short in the chin. Schuberth too small. Arai doesn't have a flip face. Couldn't find a Nolan in my size. I also bought the Shoei irridium shield. It's very spendy, but very very good. Guards against heat as well as bright sun, and the change over is really easy and fast. I managed to install ear phones, but did have to do a little cutting and gutting. They work well.

We will get a Caberg for the wife.

GAry

Mesh Jacket & Pants

Ralph,Gary, All,

My bike was recently totaled. Unable to advoid a turning truck across two lanes of traffic, I skidded hit a curb, a telephone pole and thrown. This in 85+ weather here in the Boston area. I was wearing Dainese Drake Air panta and dainese Zentex tex jacket with socks and underware. I walked out the hospital 7 hours later - nothing broken no scrapes - but bruising. All I can say is get the best gear you buy. I bitched at the price of some clothes & helmets but they did their job. Color of your clothes I thought mattered Hi Viz ware -No you are not seen, what is true is to survival, head to toe.

Man made or leather is the way to go. Jeans, t shirts and sneakers are not when you are slidding on black top or concete. They will not last 5 feet, So please wear good gear for what ever the weather is.


Joe

Joe,

Kinda hard to argue with your case. You state it strongly, and with good, but sad, evidence.

My main problem with everything "motorcycle" is fit. Sometimes, that is the end deciding factor. Good thing it landed on the Shoei. Don't yet know about the jacket. I think I may get close to a store that sells beemer stuff on Tuesday. If so, I will stop and shop.

Thanks for the input.

Gary

Gear

Gary,
The trooper, who was at the scean of impact thank god did not believe his eye when I walked in less then 20 hours later. He told me he was going out to get new gear, full helmet, gloves,pants, and wear a jacket - DAAA . I told him I'M PROOF RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.

The EMT in back ( in the scoop up wagon ) with me said - you don't look to bad, I've see worse !

I'm glad I saw father's day and my 40th Bday yesterday - My wife (who before I met her rode and totaled her bike) said I guess you have to get a new helmet now?

Now I have to look for a new bike - Now I'm doing PT and gonna stick the $$$ for the bike in a CD and get a bike in the winter. So I'll be testing some bike.
Any ideas. 6'2 195 34 inch inseam - coming off a K bike, F800's look nice not sure if I can fit on one. R1100S is my dream. I have friends with GS's . I'm torn.

Joe

Joe,

I have ridden much of my life in T-shirts. I did all of that in the Yuma AZ area where it's hotter than the hinges of hell, and before the advent of mesh clothing. Leathers were impossible.

I was, quite simply, lucky.

Now, when I think of these things, I think of road rash. I'm shopping for a summer weight mesh jacket. Seriously shopping.

Bike. I'm not all that experienced. Prior to the '07 R12RT, I had an '83 RT, and a 73 slash 5. I did, though, just ride a loaner K75. There is absolutely no comparison between the K75 and the 12RT. You would fit on the 12RT. It is faster than any sane person really needs, and it accelerates more quickly than we really need. The brakes are unbelieveable. The seat is...not so good, but that may be true on any of them. I had to lower mine a bit, but you wouldn't have a problem with that.

I also looked at a new F800. It's suppose to have a lot more stuff than the 650, but I personally prefer the shaft drive. No really go logic, just a preference. The big K bike appears that it may be more comfortable than the twin, but I never rode one, so I don't know.

Me, I look and read and study and ponder, and then get what I think I want. Everybody seems to have a little different set of guidelines.

After I made up my mind, I ordered via email. I had never even sat on a new R bike, but I didn't think it would make much difference because one has to log some miles to be sure. Sort of like boots and hats. I am happy with my choice.

As an aside, I was only slightly younger than you now are when I bought the very used '73/5. You have a lot of years ahead of you.

Good Luck,

Gary

Dehydration

I bought a mesh jacket hoping to improve comfort while riding in blistering heat. I found that I experienced severe dehydration while wearing the mesh. Adding a hydration bladder to the tank bag and constantly sipping water helped, but I eventually moved on to a different approach. I'm now wearing a Chill Out vest under my normal riding jacket. Opening the vents allowing a gentle air movement seems to work best for me. The hydration bladder rounds the system out. Retaining the protection of my normal riding gear is a worthwhile bonus. Waiting motionless in stopped city traffic is painful but it feels so so good when again under way.

Motard

Hydro

Motard,
VERY good point, drink,drink, drink - WATER - So I have to stop - I try to plain it around gas stops or weather cond. I agree with the mesh, you do not know YOUR SWEATING. So stay hydroed, I have also seen gel ice packs that go around your neck. Stay cool.

Joe

A quick up-date. I just learned that the First Gear Kilimanjaro Air is out of print. Now, I have a First Gear Mesh-tech 3 coming in for a try. Sooner or later, I will find one that works.

Gary

ggfossen said:

A quick up-date. I just learned that the First Gear Kilimanjaro Air is out of print. Now, I have a First Gear Mesh-tech 3 coming in for a try. Sooner or later, I will find one that works.

Gary

Click to expand...

I love my Mesh-Tech 3. I wear it without the liner. On cooler mornings (55-70) I will put on a fleece vest under it. I found the liner did not breath nice.

Cheers!

I'm 6', 230#, 30" inseam, size 48/50 suit size.

I have a Joe Rocket Phoenix 4.0 mesh jacket, and I think it's a great value for the price. I paid $150 for it, no tax, no shipping, from Bob's Cycle Supply in Minnesota.

I don't have a hang-up about ordering online and returning things if they don't fit or work out, so I wasn't worried about ordering the jacket without trying it on. Luckily, the 2XL fit just fine - and it's nice and cool on those 80 degree + days. It also includes a waterproof liner you can keep in the tank bag in case you get caught out in the rain.

It has a couple of neat little features - like an iPod/MP3 player pocket with a little hole for the headphone cord, an "extra face shield" pocket that is great for an extra pair of sunglasses, a wallet, a cell phone, etc., and a key clip for house keys/etc. inside the jacket.

All in all, a nice jacket with lots of features for $150.

I haven't tried the Joe Rocket stuff. I probably should. My problem has been finding a good supply of mesh stuff around here. I don't have a hang up about ordering on line, but the bouncing back and forth gets to be a pain. 50 mile turnaround, and then the added expense and time turns me off. I think this incoming First Gear might do the trick, and I would rather direct my business towards the local beemer shop, anyway. They are good, and want them to stay around.

GAry

I have two First Gear mesh jackets which I love. They are nice and cool and the fit is great for me. The price of the jackets are about $100.00 to $129.00.
CW