Best riding gear RTW
 

preparing for a 2 up RTW I was wondering what you guys are wearing, we will travel mostly during warmer season but will also carry electrical jacket in Europe, I use the Dririder rallycross gear and they are very confortable and resitant but now old so I am looking for replacement.I am not interested by leather and like 2 peace riding gear.

Thanks

Hendi, good luck on your trip.

I have BMW Rallye 2 Pro and Rukka Allroad. Personally, I prefer the fit of the Allroad outfit. I think the Allroad is slightly lighter too. I think there are some questions about the CE armour on the Allroad, compared with, say Halvarssons or BMW; something about CE -1 versus CE -2.

The Rallye outfit has great venting, whereas the Allroad has 'Outlast' fabric, which is supposed to store warmth up to a certain temperature range, and then release warmth when the fabric reaches a higher temperature.

Both suits are waterproof, so long as you have the goretex liner zipped in. The BMW suit has a pocket and loop to hang a water reservoir, and you can run the pipe from the reservoir so it sticks out of your jacket near your left upper torso.

The Allroad has a detachable collar, which can save your neck from sunburn, sand and rain. It's a neat touch; however, I find that turning my head is constrained, which ain't so good when in city traffic.

Hope that comparison's of use.

Happy planning,
Mike

similar thoughts
 

I did the Brighton2Capetown thing last year in a Rev'it offtrack jacket and trousers (think Rallye type thing) and found it to be a great compromise between crash protection (which I tested), keeping the dust off you (unlike meshkit) and not getting too hot. I had zipped all of the inner linings out of the jacket and trousers and just carried a cheap waterproof jacket for when it really lashed it down. The heat of the Mauritanian interior was ok, the cool dampness of cameroonian mornings in the hills was fine too.

When I got back to the UK, I zipped the linings back in and I've been using exactly the same kit for my 30mile commute into London all through the winter (even when it started snowing in December) and I've been perfectly happy with the kit and some additional handlebar mits.

+40degC to -5decC is a pretty good temperature range for a suit. I think I'll use that again for my RTW which is coming soon...

RTW riding gear
 

Thanks guys I am looking at these and they looks great, the bmw is very nice but not sure is worthit the extra $$$

The new BMW Tourance 2 Suit is suppose to be the new standard and lighter than the Rallye 2 uniform of so many. Sadly not enough information on it to be certain.

It is breathable, it has a wind and waterproof climate membrane. Abrasion-resistant Dynatec with a highly breathable coating. Adjustable sleeve and waist width. Fleece inner collar.

Others
 

Take a look at the Hein Gericke jackets;
Journey
Master 5
both available in the UK.


Also the Polo Clothing out of Germany....(Translated pages). This is very popular kit on the continent though only available in outlets in Germany or via mail order.
PT-P Pharo Jacket there are trousers to match
Reusch Super Tech Jacket

A couple of these options won't break the bank.

I am planning an RTW for 2010 and looking closely at the Reusch and the Journey.

I have been touring with a Lindstrand Grafiti suit which is great...but too heavy and I found it too hot in many summer conditions, even with both liners removed. Excellent for winter riding though.

The BMW Rallye suite is good, but no lighter than the Grafiti and the venting is about the same, in effect.

What I want is a suite that has the waterproofing in the shell, is (optionally) well vented, and is light. Not bothered about thermal liner as its more versatile to wear a fleece under the jacket as the fleece can be worn when not riding. Most liners look stupid when worn like this. It cuts down on what needs to be carried on a long tour. Personal view of course.

Good luck.

Try Dainese?
 

We're a bit limited on choice in Australia, so I ended up going for a Dainese Stratojet jacket which I've been really pleased with - it's been waterproof in tropical downpours, and bearable in 40 degree sunshine. Definitely worth a look.

Riding gear is a rather personal choice. Hard to know how a jacket or pants will work out until you get a month or two down the road, until you've ridden in heat, rain and maybe even crashed in it. Until you've lived in the gear day in and day out, sweated in the gear for a month, used all the pockets, all the vents, all the zippers and all the gimmicks. Only then will you find out how it suits you and know how it holds up.

One thing I know for sure: You do not need to spend $1000 to get a good riding jacket, that much I'm sure of.

I've been to product intro rides where certain big journalists refused to even wear the riding gear provided (for free) for a on track photo session. They wanted no part of this type of endorsement. (I wore the gear and then sold it on Craig's list !!! :rofl: )

BMW and Rukka make very nice gear, but IMO, way way overpriced. I've been on the scene at crashes and can tell you this high end gear gets torn up just like the Chinese stuff does and much of the Chinese stuff provides equal protection. Both Rukka and BMW gear are well thought out but far from perfect. Rukkas fit tight! They say they make 'em tight to protect you in a fall. But if you're never comfortable and can't breathe ... what is the point? Tight leathers protect well too ... and my $1700 Erbo's sit in my garage unused!

Fit, to me, is critical. Some Asian stuff does not fit me. Most does. BMW stuff, most made in Croatia these days (or Asia), is hit and miss fit wise. Typically BMW gear the sleeves are too long for me, and the pants never fit me without alteration.

Some companies say they use a breathable fabric yet as soon as it warms up ... you're sweating like a Pig even with all vents open. Some jackets don't really keep water out in rain. Some vents are ill designed and don't do much. Some make pockets that become water balloons in the rain, and some zippers last for one season.

I really like the reviews on Web bike world. They loved two jackets in 2008 and I would buy either one based on their recommendation.
One is the Joe Rocket Ballistic 7, the other, the BMG Discovery.

Joe Rocket Ballistic 7.0 Jacket - webBikeWorld

British Motorcycle Gear BMG Discovery Jacket - webBikeWorld

I would look at all the jackets reviewed, these below are more Winter jackets. You probably want a Three season jacket. Read some of the reviews there, see what you think.
Both Joe Rocket and BMG make other jackets that might suit.
Patrick :scooter:

riding gear RTW
 

Thanks guys,
I am now comparing models and its pretty difficult since in Florida they do not carry any models exept the BMW rally , I use the dririder for years and went down few time without any damages to the jacket or myself , they are from australia ( not easy to get) I am this time trying to get something in the US, I agree that manytime you are paying for the brand name competition is tight and material are very similar from a $300 jacket t o a $1000 one.

I agree with the consensus sentiment. There is no best RTW gear...but riding gear is best bought locally...by trying it on and getting a feel for it.

I used a BMW Tourguard jacket and BMW Summer pants on my trip...good stuff...but they don't make them anymore...unfortunately or else I'd recommend.

Hey there

like others have said it's personal, I for one would not pay 1K $ for a jacket.

I'm wearing Scorpion XDR Commander jacket (400.00$cnd) and matching trouser (215.00$cnd). Good reviews on webbike world, very good site for anything related to motorbiking.

Good luck in your endeavor:smartass:, tell us more when you ''graduate'':thumbup1:

Trousers
 

Well, I partially agree with Patrick on that one.

Our BMW Santiago suits for example were really poor quality.

Top of my list when buying MC gear for travelling: the gear has to fit well and be comfortable. I will be wearing it 10 hours a day at least, every day, so it is essential.

For the ladies, trousers can be very difficult to fit.
At the last MC NEC show in November I tried millions of trousers. The brands that I found fitted me best were Rukka (and BMW). Jackets are less of an issue.

SO for future trips, I will stick to top of the range, well cut well designed trousers.

HG have some very good cuts, unfortunately too many leather trousers not enough corduroy available in their shops... (and not enough choice on their stock of sizes, not everyone is size 0!) but it is very good value for money (in the UK). I bought a HG leather suit years ago and it is still spot on, no problems with it at all.

I bought last november Rukka trousers, they have the best fit I've ever had for MC trousers. I am very impressed by the details and thoughts put into the design. Worth the price for something I will keep for years.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/images/daine...acket-main.jpg


My money is on one of these, combined with a pretty much regular motorcycle jacket (somewhat waterproof), the matching liner (against cold temperatures) and a motocross long-sleeve shirt for the really stinkin' hot days. Plus a rubberized rain-kit (jacket, trousers and "overboots")

The "somewhat waterproof" will save you from the short drizzle, but you might even go without any "water proofness". Personally I say, forget about Gore-Whatever-Tex. I believe that stuff is made for hikers. This might work pretty well for someone walking upright who is in the need of ventilation (physical work, i.e. walking). On a motorbike, where I am sitting in one and the pretty much same position, exposed to the elements for hours, I need 100% waterproof. And by 100% I mean, I can form a bucket out of my jacket, fill it with water, hang it up, and the next morning I can still find my water in there. Everything else is not waterproof.

Back to the whole thing -> Layers. Every outdoor "specialist" will tell you layers is the key. Therefore I translate this to motorcycles:

- impact jacket (obvious)
- Motorcross shirt, because you look silly just in the impact jacket.
- Inner and outer layer jacket
- Rubberized wet weather gear.

Oh, yeah, and by the way, NEVER buy anything black. You'll regret it. I know, it's tempting, it looks cool, but it won't keep you (much) warm in the cold, but it will keep you hot in the sun.

I like pressure suits too. And now that is the direction I'm going for off road riding or longer dual sport rides. The Pressure suit provides the best protection you can get. The Koerta has received really good reviews by local riders around here in the SF Bay area. $170 from the link below.

I like the idea of a light rain jacket in the kit to go over your main jacket or over Pressure suit. Thin, wicking MX Jersey's are great. I also have some really nice athletic jersey's that are fantastic. Cool in the heat (wicking ability) and very warm when its' cold. Thin and light weight, washes in minutes, dry's out
in an hour or two. YMMV.

Patrick


http://mx1west.com/ProductImages/koerta/0009538_350.jpg


Acerbis Koerta Roost Deflector - Pressure Suit - 0009538.090

Rev'it gear gets the thumbs up
 

+1

Not only is it good well made gear but it is sound and reliable in a crash and has excellent ventilation. There are many jackets and pants, I have the Dakar Jacket and offroad pants or is it vice-versa, either way I've been riding through the heat in Asia for the past 4 months and the gear is excellent.

There is a dealer on ADVRider forum that provides discounts to members when the purchase from his shop in the US.