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Savanna II jacket feedback

S

SNOONE

Guest
I am thinking about buying the Savanna Jacket and was wondering if anyone can give me some feedback on whether its truly waterproof as advertised and if the gore-tex liner is absolutely neccessary or worth the addition $200.
 
The GoreTex liner is a necessity if you plan to ride it in the rain or in cold conditions. It's what allows the jacket to vent well in hot weather (cuz the liner's out) and still work well in the rain (when the liner's in).
 
I'd save your money and buy a thin Gore Tex jacket some place else to wear under the jacket. I think I paid $60 for my Gore Tex jacket. The only difference would be that it didn't zip into the jacket.

However, I wear a rainsuit over my jacket now, I didn't like getting the jacket and anything in my pockets all wet. This would be my suggestion.
 
200.00 for a goretex liner sounds like bend over and spread 'em to me. You can get a Joe rocket liner for the Phoenix jacket for 29 bucks. But then of course, it isn't german engineered, but probably made in the same factory in taiwan.
 
Best investment I ever made!!! That jacket is great and I'm glad I bought the $200 liner. You'll be fine at high speed for long runs with temperature in the low 30's. You won't feel the cold wind hitting your body through that liner. It really works! I've used it in wet weather and it seems to stay dry, however I carry a Tour Master rain suit to go over the Savana which keeps me totally dry and adds another layer for super damp or cold rain. The Savanna fits and feels better than anything else I tried on. And no it's not made in Tiawan, it's made in Hungary

Without the liner, and opening up the chest side vents , the back side vents, and the arm vents, it's probably ok up to about 85??F. After that It's time for a mesh jacket.
 
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This is a review I wrote for another web site:

This is for anyone who might be considering buying BMW's Savanah II suit. I've had one for about 1 1/2 years now and this is just my opinion. The Savanah suit is a good hot weather suit. The material that it's made of let's quite a bit of air go through it. With the vents unzipped your upper torso gets a good breeze, even behind a fairing. There's also vents in the thigh area but unless you're riding a GS or standard R don't count on getting much heat relief there. On a hot (85+) day your legs will probably be a little warm. Being a light colored suit really helps reflect the suns heat so you don't cook like you would if you were wearing leather.

Cold weather riding is just that, cold. This suit is too airy to ride much below 47 - 50. Even wearing a sweat suit underneath won't be enough if you get stuck in low 40's and 30's temps. I would get some Gerbings electric liners and gloves if you plan to ride in chilly weather. The suit has some pretty good armour for protection in the shoulders, back, elbow / forearm areas. The pants have knee / lower leg pads but for the life of me I can't figure why BMW puts the pads so low. You have to really pull the pads up quite a bit to cover your knees. They also have spaces for hip pads but don't include them. You can buy them and they're not too expensive, though they're a little on the small side.

The Gore-Tex liners are ridiculously expensive, at least to me they are. Unfortunately, I haven't had the chance to really test them. The few times I've ridden in the rain with the suit on were really light rains. I hope these liners do a better job than my other suits liners did. The were also made by Gore-Tex but in a moderate rain my crotch area was soaked.
I will say that the pants are a snug fit. I didn't want baggy pants and the Savanah fit the best of the various brands I tried on. I do wish that the waist was about 1 - 2 " higher though. Some times it feels like you're wearing low risers, which seems to be the latest fashion these days for pants. There are plenty of pockets for anything you would want to carry with you. The jacket pockets lack zippers but the snaps and velcro do a good job of keeping things in. I haven't had anything come out and haven't lost anything either. The biggest drawback, or pain in the ass if you will, is the vent and boot leg zippers. I am constantly getting the mesh matterial underneath caught in the zippers! No matter how slow I go or carefull I am the dang things keep getting stuck in the zippers. That is the worst thing about the suit. Otherwise, the fit and finnish are very good. It's most comfortable from 50 to low 90's temps. For me, anytime it's 95+ I sweat like a pig no matter what I'm wearing. And if I don't wear anything than I burn in the sun. However; this summer I plan to get a motocool vest so maybe 95+ won't be as bad.

I hope this helps anyone looking at these suits. Feel free to ask any questions. When I get to ride in a heavy rain I'll update about the liners.

Update: In my previous review of BMW's Savanah II suit I stated that I had not had a chance to test the Gore-Tex liners. Thanks to a few low pressure systems I was able to ride a few times in some light to medium rain. Well, I would call it medium rain. Those in Texas would probably refer to it as a "heavy dew". It rains so hard down there that the cars come equipped with periscopes so you can see over the flood waters. But that's besides the point. I can finally say that the liners did do a good job of keeping me dry. 3 seperate commutes of 40 minutes each direction and nothing was wet. Much better than my other suit, which also has Gore-Tex but leaks everywhere. I'm 1 for 2 with them. So if you're considering a Savanah read my other post and remember that the liners will keep you dry in light to moderate rain. Whenever I get to Texas I'll report back on how they handle "real rain"!


If you are considerering the Savanah, either pony up for the liners or get a good rain suit because without them you will get wet! Also remember that cold November riding in Michigan is different than November riding in California or down south. If you're up north get some Gerbings. The Savanah is a little too breezy even with the liners for north Novembers.
 
I just bought my Savanna about two months ago and really like it. I did not get the liners as I fail to see the logic behind them. Why would you let an entire suit get wet if good rain gear can prevent that. For some area's in the country it could make sence i.e. lower temps, but than again an electric vest and rain jacket will keep the cold out too.
I also think that the liners are waaay overpriced compared to good raingear that can be used elsewhere too.
The suit really works well here in South Florida and keeps you cool enough and protected as the armour is in the right places(for me) .
Yes, it is pricey but so is a visit to the ER. I can recomend this suit at least for the warmer area's of the country.
And when layered with other gear it should be fine too in colder weather.
 
Savanah II Experienc e

I've had my Savanah II for two years and once over the shock of its price ($1000 w/ liners), I can truly say it does it all. It WILL keep you dry in the rain and I found that I don't mind the suit itself getting soaked (as the liner's are on the inside) near as much as i thought. Plus, if your rain doesn't last all day, it dries out relatively quickly in the wind. I think the design is good because it just hasn't been my experience that you can have good braethability and absolute waterproofness in a suit w/ a built in liner. It just doesn't work that way. Plus, even in the clodest weather in central Iowa (re: mid 20's), I can ride very comfortably w/ my goretex liners in and a Gerbings jacket. It's fantastic!
 
Relying on a liner for water resistance is stupid in my opinion. For one thing you have to remove the garment to get the liner in. Great if there's an overpass or gas station awning handy, but what if there isn't? And what about the stuff in your pockets?

$200 vs. $60 for a Frogg Toggs suit. You do the math... I love my Frogg Toggs. While this suit was not designed exclusively for motorcycling, it works well. It is roomy enough to sit comfortably on the bike as well as mount and dismount without difficulty, it keeps me dry as advertised, and it even breathes well enough to use in dry conditions as a windbreak over my mesh jacket when things get a little chilly.
 
All good and valid points. You do have to think a little harder when your liner fits on the inside. An external rainsuit such as you mention is a perfectly viable option. My comments were more directed at the "do-it-all" claims most textile suit manufacturers make, i.e. their jackets are fully breathable AND waterproof. There is compromise there no matter what.

I like the interior liners most for cold weather riding because just the opposite of what you point out is true for me. If you have a light jacket you have to add the rainsuit on top each time you ride to add warmth. I can put my goretex liner in on the first days of cool weather and I'm good for the remainder of the cold weather riding season. And w/ my liners, I have one suit that covers 100% of my riding--hot to cold. Motorcycle jackets, like life, are full of compromises.
 
My impression is that the jacket is certainly water repellent if not waterproof and that the liner is primarily for wind protection and an extra barrier. The key is that the liner breathes in the outward direction while blocking the wind so your're not sweating underneath and protected from cold wind. Since the liner is made for the Savanna, it zips in using the two inside matching zippers to become one with the jacket.

You're not going to ride bare chested underneath, so wearing the right layers is important to make the whole thing work. I prefer wicking fabrics for that first layer.
 
The jacket may be slightly water repellant but without the liners you will get soaked in even a light rain. The one plus about liners is when you're on a trip and the weather isn't sure what it wants to do, rain or be sunny, :dunno you don't have to keep riding wearing your bright yellow rain suit thinking "Sure, just as soon as I take it off it'll start raining again" so you keep on going looking like the worlds fastest banana:clap
 
Is it still current?

The Savanah II suit is not listed on the BMW Apparrel website. Has it been discontinued and replaced with the Rally II suit?
It seems that the 2 suits are quite similar except you could purchase the Savanah without a liner and it's standard with Rally II.

Next question.
How does the BMW Rally/Savanah compare to the aerostich suit for a multi season breathable water resistant suit?

Are we even comparing apples to apples or is it like oranges to watermelons?:confused:
 
Re: Is it still current?

dzimbric said:
The Savanah II suit is not listed on the BMW Apparrel website. Has it been discontinued and replaced with the Rally II suit?
It seems that the 2 suits are quite similar except you could purchase the Savanah without a liner and it's standard with Rally II.

Next question.
How does the BMW Rally/Savanah compare to the aerostich suit for a multi season breathable water resistant suit?

Are we even comparing apples to apples or is it like oranges to watermelons?:confused:

Comparing the two is difficult. For hot weather, the SII has the 'stich beat. Likewise, for cold weather, you're better off with the 'stich.

If you want to know which piece of gear I'd rather hit the pavement in...the answer's easy. My Aerostich.

I usually wear just the SII jacket around town.

Ian
 
I dont know about anyone else, but 1000 for riding gera is a little out of my price range. I purchased a Joe Rocket Ballistic jacket, and a pair or revolution pants off e-bay. I payed $ 50 for the pants and $75 for the jacket. They both work great for me in the cooler weather, and i have been caught is some serios rain with them and have stayed dry. Of coures when I purchased the mthey were left over "last years" model, but they look new to me.
For the summer rides, again I went to e-bay and purchased phoenix jacket and pants. Again at a huge discount. I purchasd a 1 piece rain suit for summer rides. Works great for me.
 
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