So Antony’s thread about where to get leathers got my thinking which I should be getting. I tried on a two piece RST Slice at Infinity the other day and they fit OK, jacket was a tad too big and trousers a tad too long.
Bikestop seems to have Dainese two pieces for around 75 pounds more, I assume it’s better quality than RST? Any brands I should steer clear of?
I have a textile jacket for milder weather and a mesh jacket for heights of summer so I could wear that with jeans. Considering that I will be mostly using this for LB weekend rideouts (once a week over the riding season) because leather isn’t really practical for anything else, should I just wear jeans and some additional armor instead? Like this http://www.forcefieldbodyarmour.com/product/limb-tube-knee-protector/2357
Or should I get leather trousers only! Is that preposterous?!
Jez - I thought that this would have been a hot topic of contention?
Blu - personally, I wear leather all year round. I have a textile jacket, its fantastically warm & dry but I dislike the fact that the protection is basic.
Leathers are hot but only if you youre stuck not moving. Most have vents or textile sections under the arms etc. I find good quality textile jackets, that keep you cool, are very expensive. In winter, I just add thin base layers & put a waterproof outer over the top of my leathers.
I have a Hein Gerecke own brand jacket. It seems much thicker/chunkier than standard race jackets & has taken lots of abuse well. Rain, salt, grit, etc.
Furygan trousers too havent shown any signs of wear. Mine have the gel type knee protection that turns hard if impacted. Most 2 pieces zip together, even different makes, as does mine. If I had to choose again…Id get another HG or maybe Arlen Ness (I just like the style)
hey blu - dainese is a good brand but you are paying for the brand a bit more. Personally I chose Dainese because for me looks and fit of leathers are also important. I find my Dainese gear quite good. I agree though, I wouldn’t wear them for town riding in the summer. Personally I’d wear kevlar jeans and a mesh jacket. You can get a mesh jacket for £150 (cheaper from other brands) and it keeps you pretty cool.
I’ve got two piece Halvarssons leathers and they’ve been exceptional! They stood up to a couple of off’s and I’ve had them for a few years too and they’re not done yet.
I also have a one piece BKS suit thats good quality as well, so from personal experience, I’d recommend these
Leathers all year around and alpinestars for me. Have 2 and 1 piece and one is a lot more comfortable and better air flow so 1 piece for summer and track and for colder days 2 piece.
mesh/vented textile jacket and kevlar jeans for in town, for out and about at a decent pace- leathers
or a good combo if your not doing trackdays etc is textile jacket and leather bottoms, some will not zip together tho unless its the same brand, some will tho make sure you check!
if you want to look at some leathers and have a chat come see me.
Hein Gericke Gants Hill, we are on the Eastern avenue (A12) IG2 6NQ:)
Thanks for the replies guys! I think I’ll invest in a good pair of leather bottoms for now and get a jacket later on. I’ll use the textile one for the time-being, got an HG one on a sale a while ago. I’ll keep town riding to mesh jacket with jeans and additional protection.
Need to get to the shops and see what fits best as I’ve only tried the RST slice so far. Anyone has experience with RST gear? Are there any brands I should steer clear of? I’ve heard some bad stuff about FT leathers. I’ll definitely check out the Dainese and Halvarssons stuff, if I can find it. Ideally wouldn’t want to spend more than 200 for the trousers…
I got my Halvarssons from Grand Prix legends - Motolegends now I think. They’re based in Surrey and are really helpful. I can’t recommend them enough, and though they’re not dirt cheap, they’re cheaper than Dainese and Alpinestars, but still great quality
Thanks! I’ll check out Motorlegends next weekend and see if this fits any better than the RST stuff.
I’ve had a really good experience with Hein Gericke and my Sidi botos are amazing. My FT jacket is still OK but needs fixing up after a year and a half of usage; was cheap as chips though.
If you want good quality and fit, try Zak Leathers in Northampton. She makes everything to measure and at a very good price, too…one or two piece, plain black or colour, etc. What you want is up to you, and how much you are prepared to spend.
