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Question About The Rallye 2 Pro Jacket

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XTrooper

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I bought a Rallye 2 Pro jacket (the grey/blue version) about a month ago now and have a question for those who have experience with them.

It's getting cold fast here in the mountains of Northeastern PA and I'm wondering if it can be used as a real winter jacket? I sure hope so because I really love this jacket, but its rather thin, zip-in liner worries me.

Tell me my fears are unfounded!

Thanks!
 
If you put the Gore-Tex liner in a have a Gerbing Elect. liner under the Rallye 2 Pro jacket it works great.
When I bought my Rallye 2 Pro I tried it on with all my winter gear on to be sure I would get the right fit.
 
If you put the Gore-Tex liner in a have a Gerbing Elect. liner under the Rallye 2 Pro jacket it works great.
When I bought my Rallye 2 Pro I tried it on with all my winter gear on to be sure I would get the right fit.

It is a fine piece of gear, and the liners work well, but.......
As with much of the M/C gear sold today, the waterproof liner has to go under the outer garment. What a crock! Do they really expect you to drop your riding pants on the side of the road, in the rain, and get you liner on? The outer garment should provide all the protection from wind, cold, hot and wet.
In the case of rain, you now have a wet, cold outer garment, with a (often) flimsy liner under it for protection. I carry an (outer) rainsuit that will fit over my jacket and pants.
Rant off... sorry!
 
I think just about any winter jacket will do when using electrics. I'm wondering if anyone has used this jacket in the winter with "normal" cold weather clothing (vest, sweater, etc) and, if so, how did the jacket and you fare?

rmarkr: I've had both kinds of clothing and, believe me, for an all-season jacket, the BMW approach is the best. No matter how much they talk about that "breathable" waterproof membrane, in real life, it doesn't exist. Gore-tex et al makes for an unbearably hot garment when the temperatures really climb.

For wet weather protection, I carry BMW waterproof overalls. They're an easy on-off affair and they don't require disrobing on the side of the road. When the rain stops and you take them off, you still have a jacket that is comfortable in hot weather. I've worn my Rallye 2 Pro in 85+ temps (with all the vents open) and I was quite comfortable. If it were Gore-Tex lined, I know from experience that would never be the case.
 
I think just about any winter jacket will do when using electrics. I'm wondering if anyone has used this jacket in the winter with "normal" cold weather clothing (vest, sweater, etc) and, if so, how did the jacket and you fare?
.

It is a great jacket for touring; it covers a wide temp range. That being said, by itself it is in no way a warm jacket. When temps dip into the 30's I find I need a good long sleeve thin base layer, my Gerbings heated jacket liner, the jacketÔÇÖs Gortex liner and then the jacket. If it rains even this will not do for the cold and wet of course soak through the jacket, they are stopped by the liner but the transfer of cold through your layers under keep you from getting warm. I solve this in heavy or extended rain by putting a high quality Gortex rain jacket over the top of the Rally jacket.

You can't expect the Rally II to be any better than it is in real cold for it is thin and covered in unprotected zippers which of course make it the best warm weather jacket around.
It is my jacket of choice for any touring for it covers such a temp range.

For winter commuting I use a great deal less expensive, lower quality, heavely lined, water proof jacket.
 
The truth about the jacket from Central Pa. I just used it for the finger lakes rally and damn near froze with four layers under it. I was on the old /5 and could not plug in. It's not any better than any jacket in the cold without the Gerbings. But I am someone who likes to be warm and comfortable. Used it Yesterday to go to Hershey 64 degree day with the Gerbings on the GS and had a great day. It does work with Gerbings down to 30 degree. However I love the jacket because it has a wide range of temps to at least prepare for but nothing replaces heated gear.
 
Thanks, Rad. That's kind of what I figured, but was hoping that by some miracle I'd be able to wear it in the winter too. I'll experiment a little as the weather gets colder and see what happens. :)
 
The truth about the jacket from Central Pa. I just used it for the finger lakes rally and damn near froze with four layers under it. I was on the old /5 and could not plug in. It's not any better than any jacket in the cold without the Gerbings. But I am someone who likes to be warm and comfortable. Used it Yesterday to go to Hershey 64 degree day with the Gerbings on the GS and had a great day. It does work with Gerbings down to 30 degree. However I love the jacket because it has a wide range of temps to at least prepare for but nothing replaces heated gear.

Thanks. Your post pretty much sums things up. I guess I'm going to have to wear one of my REAL winter riding coats when it gets really cold. :D
 
Well, my wife and I took a ride to Hermy's today and they had two BMW heated and Thinsulate insulated vests on closeout. Fortunately, they fit both of us perfectly so the rest is history. The vests were originally $80 apiece and I got the pair of them for $100.

I think I'll be fine with one of these vests under my Rallye 2 Pro jacket.

Problem solved!
 
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