Riding Jackets- Every Day Use

[Bill Lumberg]

I ride daily when I'm not out of town for work. I still wear my leather patrol jacket once in a while (my favorite, but it gets drafty at the waist), but have migrated to a sedici rapido vented textile jacket for every day use for the past year. After a year (not counting summer) it's still, surprisingly, in great shape. Still waterproof. The many vents still have functional zippers. The armor hasn't worn through the pockets yet. But I'm looking ahead. For the money, another rapido would be more than reasonable. But I'm interested in what you guys are using. Not worried about southern summer. Fall through spring only.

 

[Fred W]

Maybe spend a little more and get a jacket that will last longer?

I've got two all season jackets right now. I have a HiViz Olympia AST2, which is a very substantial jacket. Bought one for my wife too. These are the jacket we wore cross country in 2014 as I didn't want to pack any rain gear. More direct to the skin ventilation in these than most any other 3 season jacket. It still tends to be a bit "stiff" when wearing, and I've already washed it twice now over the 3 years I've owned it (I'm not an every day rider).

Last year I splurged and bought myself a Klim Lattitude Misano GoreTex jacket on closeout. These are a Goretex shell with mesh inner liner and D3O armour, so you add your own insulation if/when you want it. I've owned Aerostich Dariens before in the past and this is a far better fitting, and looking jacket, along the same functionality lines as one of those. With an electric liner and a thin insulation liner over that the jacket is good down to the freezing temps you'll never likely see down in Georgia. And of course it is totally waterproof. No more carrying rain liners. I highly recommend looking for something along these lines. The Misano is discontinued now (don't know why, it's such a great jacket), but you may be able to find one somewhere for a good price, or something similar.

Good luck with your search

 

[Bill Lumberg]

I'll check them both out. My rapido is still in pretty much perfect condition after a year, but I know I deserve something a level up.

 

[El Toro Joe]

Can't go wrong with the Klim gear, especially if you can get it on sale...love mine

 

[graler]

me three - Klim that is

 

[BigOgre]

You don't mention pants but I'll throw my suggestion out anyway. Please don't take it as commentary on ATGATT.

For about six years I had a commute of about an hour each way almost entirely on slab. I took the bike (mostly an FJ1100

) pretty much every day. For about four of those years it was suit and tie, then after 9/11 in uniform. All of those runs were done in an Aerostich Roadcrafter.

I bought a two-piece as I still think it's more versatile, but always used it as a one-piece. This slipped on and off no matter what I was wearing

, easier than a pair of overalls. Weather never an issue as I always stayed dry, vented nicely as long as you keep moving, and can easily fit a heated liner underneath when necessary. And not insignificantly the full protection felt right in traffic, including when road crap kicked up against various body parts.
Downsides? You're not going to get a full gun-belt under it but I wouldn't want to anyways. (Think how that would work out for you during any kind of landing or slide.) And it's not going to check off your "Sexy" tag although maybe you're one of the few that can pull that off. It's also not cheap but I think some look at it as an investment that pays off over time. I still have that same suit and wear it regularly. It turned twenty years old early this year.

Klim and others make some nice stuff, no arguments there, but for everyday commuting I'd consider a full suit for its practicality.

 

[Bill Lumberg]

That video speaks volumes.... And the price makes KLIM look inexpensive... Good info.

 

[majicmaker]

I'm eyeballing the Klim Apex as we speak. I'm impressed all the way around with that jacket. Me Likey! :yes:

 

[bigjohnsd]

Klim Latitude Misano here as well, Jacket and pants. Two years, washed twice, 25,000 miles so far, keeps me cool, keeps me dry, haven't tested the crash protection qualities yet.

 

[Fred W]

A 'Stich Roadcrafter (one-piece or two piece) would be great for commuting, or wearing over street clothes on a regular basis. I know lots of people that only ride with their gear over their clothes.

I don't do that (commute) so the attraction of these is less strong for me. I definitely prefer a two piece setup for the recreational type of riding that I do, as I never wear street clothes under my riding gear. In the summer I'll just wear LD Comfort shorts and a polypro tee shirt under, and as the weather turns chilly I'll layer polyester sweat pants and a long sleeve shirt layer, as those are softer and will not bunch up in the riding position. When you don't have any pants on underneath, being able to remove the jacket and leave the riding pants on becomes key.

 

[Uncle Hud]

As FredW said, an Aerostich union suit (Roadcrafter 3) is

into my starboard hardcase. And yes, you can wear a sport coat and necktie underneath.
Of course, the best-looking ones are yellow and black, so as to match my GT logo.

 

[Bill Lumberg]

I've done a fair amount of suit and tie or BC commuting on this and the last bike. Thanks for all the responses. I rode in a monsoon this morning. A frog choker this afternoon. Dry as a bone with a Motoport shell over the sedici (cold and wet) and frog toggs road toadz overpants. Would've been faster with a stich. But I'm not ready to drop the full $1300 yet. It whispers to me.

 

[samamoto]

I'm for Klim as well. I have Badlands Pro jacket and Adventure pants. Had try various gear begore mostly FirstGear and Tourmaster. They work great while new-ish and you're not trying to ride 5h in the rain. Klim has not failed me yet and I'm riding daily in the Pacific North Wet.