Year around riding gear.

[Aasland]

... Motoport .... The only real downsides are its not the most stylish, and its expensive (but no more than aerostich or bmw products that are similar).

I've looked at Motorport stuff and it is very well made. I agree that it is versatile as well .. but it has an additional downside which many of consider to be significant, which is that the waterproof liners are on the inside which means they are not easy to adjust to varying temperature or prepitative conditions without removing the jacket/pants.

For some this isn't an issue, but there are many of us who don't want to do the raindance on the side of the road or under bridges, don't want to stop to add liners when going over a mountain pass or when dropping into a hot valley, or ride under a grey cloud wondering if we should stop and put on gear pre-emptively, after we're wet, whether it will be downpour, a short light sprinkle, or nothing at all.

 

[TheZsdad]

Since you are familiar with First Gear stuff you might check out there TPG line. Have a friend (6'3" 225 lbs) that wears the Rainier jacket and Escape pants

almost all year round. I'd say 3.5 season gear. But he did pick up a all mesh jacket recently to deal with the record breaking temps we are having.

I also like the OlympiaSports air glide 3 jacket but it is warm above 90 degrees and needs help in below mid 30's. I agree it's hard to find a do it all

with the range you have.

 

[VTFJR13]

I use my Aerostich roadcrafter one piece for my whole riding season here in the Northeast. Aerostich even offers a roadcrafter light now which is suppose to be alot better in the summer months. But I can tell you after using perforated leather suit down south in the summer to two piece textile gear like tourmaster I love my roadcrafter more than any riding gear I have tried. Lets face it when the temp starts climbing into the 80's and beyond it really isn't a whole lot of fun. I wear just shorts and a tee shirt under my stich in the summer months with all the vents open and as long as your moving you get decent air flow thru the suit. When sitting in stop and go traffic in the heat it is hot in anything but shorts and a tee shirt but responsible riders don't ride like that. In the cooler months I don't have to really layer up much because I use a heated vest or jacket under my stich and works well into the 40's. If your riding an FJR my stich is even water proof and I have tested it a few times even a 5 hour ride to Maine in a down pour just about the whole ride.

 

[BIODSL]

I love my roadcrafter more than any riding gear I have tried.

I've been using roadcrafters for about 13 years now. I, too, think it's one of the best pieces of gear made. My riding leans toward the IBA, "don't stop til you get there", endurance type. In this type of riding you have to be prepared for temps near or at freezing then hoovering at triple digits all on the same day. You don't have time to put on/take off/put on gear every two hours. Versatility is king and that means compromising. Some times the 'stich isn't as warm as I'd like and sometimes it's to damned hot. I've learned to drink a _hit load of water. No one piece of gear fits all conditions perfectly.

For touring or sport touring with friends, the stops come more often and you spend a lot less time during the day actually riding. There goes your airflow! It's during these times my roadcrafter is less than ideal. You can tend to get a little warm standing around in a roadcrafter shooting the bull. Being able to actually take off the jacket of a two piece would be nice. My next purchase may actually be the Darien jacket/A.D.1 pant combo Iggy recommends. If I lived in the SE or in Phoenix, there's no doubt I would own some type of summer-only jacket.