A testament to how good BMW gear is

[icy_]

Even though I don't have a BMW motorcycle - despite the fact that my partner in life has an F700GS and an F800R - all my motorcycle gear is BMW. My evolution in terms of gear utilization was not revolutionary in any way, I followed the well tested and tried common - sense approach:

- cheap era: jeans, shorts, fingerless gloves, brain-bucket, sunglasses, vests (guess what I rode)
- deal era: whatever's on sale
- RevIT era: everything RevIT - this is after I purchased the TEX
- Macna era: after started dwelling in Twisted Throttle regularly
- sell everything and switch to BMW gears era (present day): after seeing how well the airflow suit handled itself in a 3500 mile journey through Colorado in August!

now I have a
- GS Dry Suit
- Airflow Suit
- Rallye 3 Suit

I literally sold everything in my closet in eBay. My main reasons for the switch were:

- comfort: they fit me like a uh, glove (does anybody really have a glove that fits them so perfect that they feel comfortable using this phrase even?)
- superior quality, purposefulness (goes without saying)
- style: I am 5'11" 165 lbs and these just look much, much better on me than any other gear that I had

Having said these I always hesitated with each purchase and tried / held off until I found a great deal with each and every one of these - god dammit, they are expensive. It took me two years to shrink down to three suits and sell off the rest of the garbage.

A few weeks ago my partner in life - who has more BMW stuff than I do - had a pretty severe looking accident on our Trans Labrador Highway expedition. Based on the accident scene pictures and from what Twisted Throttle grease monkeys and me (the lead ride who saw the middle of the crash on his rear view mirror) and Samsen (who was following and saw the beginning of the crash and couldn't see the end because of dust) put together through the tire marks we came to the conclusion and demoed the accident on a toy bike matching the tire tracks and crash marks that something caused her rear wheel to lock and the bike fishtailed violently and skid to the gravel on the left and then tipped over and threw my girlfriend and started doing cartwheels. The speed was in excess of 60mph. She literally flew up in air like a rag-doll and fell and dragged on the gravel.

She was wearing BMW GS Dry Suit and Arai Dual Sport helmet.

Donkey, 2013 F700GS looked totaled. Front completely gone, pieces scattered hundreds of yards, bike lying in a ditch where it landed after hitting a tree at about 7 feet height. She was an awesome bike and had a great positive energy around it and we really hope that we can recover her.

But the real hero was the GS Dry Suit. PLB is amazing, do not trust your life to Spot (no pissing contest here, this is real life experience 70 miles south of Labrador City on 389N) when the ambulance dispatched via PLB's service came and hauled her to the hospital and took the x-rays nobody could believe her state. The armor placement, armor size, the fabric are just amazing. The gear was literally torn at drag areas on the surface layer but all the inner layers were intact. Her state after that crash is nothing sort of miraculous but the gear saved her life in every sense of the word. It took EMTs half an hour to cut the jacket off of her, all the while as she kept saying "I am fine, I am fine." In the end she had no broken bones! Nothing! Just a bruised elbow and nothing else!

Now, I know first hand that the BMW gear is worth every penny. Every single penny I tell ya!

If I had to purchase any one of my three suits again and if BMW had jacked the price up by 200% I would pay it, in a heart beat.

I am not endorsed by BMW and I am unemployed and my credit card bill still makes me cry because of the Rallye 3 purchase. But these are happy tears...

Sorry, no crash pictures.

 

[chasman]

Icy, first off, I'm glad there were no serious injuries to your partner. Secondly, having the right gear is always worth the price! I believe gear purchase should be based on my "Good, Better, Best" rule of thinking...buy the absolute best you can possibly afford.

Thanks for sharing. BTW accident pics weren't necessary, your story tells it all.

 

[WalterK75]

I'm very pleased to hear how well this gear worked and that your partner had no major injuries. ATGATT really works.

Does anyone know if BMW actually makes their gear or do they get it from some other company and put their label on it? Just curious.

 

[pglaves]

I'm very pleased to hear how well this gear worked and that your partner had no major injuries. ATGATT really works.

Does anyone know if BMW actually makes their gear or do they get it from some other company and put their label on it? Just curious.

I am pretty sure BMW doesn't have its own clothing factory. I am also pretty sure that the BMW line of gear is not just somebody elses rebadged stuff. I think it is built for BMW to BMW's design and specifications by a contract supplier.

 

[akbeemer]

Annie's favorite riding pants ever were sold as Harley Davidson brand. Pretty sure, as well, that there are no HD clothing factories, but there are probably quite a few places in SE Asia stamping Harley on things. Lucky for all of us, there are many good pieces of riding kit to be had out there circulating amongst the not so good. Personally, I think the BMW branded clothing is pretty good, but way over priced.

Glad your girl friend came out of the accident in good shape.

 

[Omega Man]

I am pretty sure BMW doesn't have its own clothing factory. I am also pretty sure that the BMW line of gear is not just somebody elses rebadged stuff. I think it is built for BMW to BMW's design and specifications by a contract supplier.

I have seen the "made in China" and some Eastern Bloc country labels on the BMW clothing. After that I was pretty much convinced that the "off-shore" manufacturing could be well done if.......You gave them the specific specifications and kept an eye on quality control.
All the BMW clothing/apparel seems first rate to me.
It's nice, from the OP's story, that it holds up as well.
OM

 

[shortythorne]

I too have the BMW GS Dry Suit. Glad to hear it performed well, but hope I never have to find out for myself. All I know is that it IS absolutely waterproof. I love mine, and will probably buy another one. The only complaint I have is they could have made the collar a bit taller, but it is ok. So glad your partner is ok, as that sounds like a scary situation that could have turned out very badly. BMW gear is expensive, but so is KLIM. My riding apparel is something I do not skimp on. BMW makes clothing that really fits me and is therefore comfortable, which is worth everything. I personally would not wear anything that had HD stamped on it even it was hidden from view, but that's just me .

 

[lkchris]

I'm on my third generation of Airflow suits. Wear them year around--Gerbing underneath and the rainsuit over to stop the "flow" works great in cold. Still untested for crashworthiness, thankfully.

 

[jeffkruger]

Count me as a big fan of BMW gear as well. All of it I've owned has been well made and held up well. Buy once, cry once.