Two piece suits
 

I'm fairly new to riding. Have a small 200cc adv bike that's been great for riding pavement 30 minutes into town for errands (instead of the car), and also for tooling around on the dirt/gravel mountain roads here in Colombia.

Because it was fairly short rides and can be very hot here, I bought a very ventilated jacket (no zippers to open ventilation...the whole jacket is ventilated) with elbow and shoulder pads (also comes with a thermal interior liner, removable) and a pair of motorcycle slacks (essentially jeans with knee and hip pads).

Also purchased some excellent rain gear to throw over everything.

But, we are now planning on taking a few long motorcycle trips in Europe over the next two years. As I'm investigating the trip, I see a lot of riders with the polyester two piece suits (usually matching).

What's the advantage of these suits over motorcycle jeans and a jacket?

The advantage is comfort. Motorcycle jeans... let's assume that you have bought actually good moto jeans, ones that have aramid fiber in the denim itself and provide some real abrasion resistance, not just pockets for knee pads... well, those can actually be quite hot, as the material needs to be reasonably dense! And cotton denim absorbs sweat, so they will stink.

Proper motorcycle textile trousers can be of the loose-weave material that gives you great ventilation (better than jeans!) if you buy the right model. They are also usually sized to be pretty loose, creating an air gap around your leg, which also helps with temperature. Plus ADV models will have hip pockets, waterproof pockets, zippers... hip pads and knee pads in the correct location for a seated riding position, flaps on the pant legs to get them over your moto boots... basically moto textile pants are superior to jeans in every way except looking good in a restaurant.

Most moto textile suits also come with a thermal liner and a waterproof liner. You can zip them in or out, and turn your well-ventilated summer suit into a pretty decent spring-autumn suit. European riders buy their equipment for down to just a few degrees above freezing, because we ride until there is ice on the ground.

That said... I own moto textiles, but I also own moto jeans, and I own very well ventilated summer jackets, and I own heavy-duty leather jackets. Part of the hobby. :) When I rented a bike in Thailand earlier this year on holiday, I brought my Furygan Kenya jacket, moto jeans, and hiking boots (very much a compromise solution and a calculated risk!) - but when I have access to my full wardrobe, I will take my textiles for many trips, especially if I am doing any ADV-style riding.

Over the decades I've had three sets of the BMW Rally two piece suits but these are now about £1,600, and not ideal in all circumstances.

Much of my riding is in hot climes that can also be cold. It's easier to add warmth than deduct it, so my preference is for a highly ventilated 'air' type textile jacket and trousers with a decent amount of armour, but no thermal or waterproof liners. Oh, and in a light colour for when the sun is blazing down.

I never understood the logic of having a waterproof liner that allows the outer jacket and trousers to become sodden, and the faff of having to stop to put the liner in when it starts to rain, and then get undressed again to take it out of the jacket and trousers. Especially if you are camping and you have to share your tent with the sodden jacket and trousers, and the gear is still cold and wet the next morning.

So I have good quality lightweight waterproofs (Scott, Weiss) that I can slip over the textile jacket and trousers. For warmth I might use generic thermal long johns on lower half, but my preference for body is a Gerbing electric jacket that's worth three normal layers in warmth. If it's really cold I can also slip on the waterproof gear as an extra windbreaker. And yes, I'm often in hiking boots as I like to get off the bike and explore.

I definitely don't look as 'cool' as I might in a Klim/BMW type outfit, but the costs are a fraction and I can't see an obvious downside. So to answer @MTBE's question, I see no great advantage. What you have sounds fine for setting out, and you can easily source inexpensive textile trouser alternatives in Europe if needed.

I ride in Thailand and I have a Knox AA rated armoured shirt and 2 pair of roadskin jeans, the AAA rated Taranis and the AA rated Easyrider.
Yes they can get a bit hot but they are not too bad even in the hot season

https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hu...-mk3-aa-104756

https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hu...d-jeans-104755

https://roadskin.co.uk/collections/m...ed-ce-approved

Wayne

suit up!
 

I ride in Colombia and have a bmw 2 piece rally suit. expensive heavy and not all well made, I have worn it for about 6 years and have survived many flying off the bike and take a crash. this is always slow speed. the suit has saved my ass many times, yesterday on a mountain road in drizzle I was passing a small Moto with 2 guys on it and they swerved to miss a giant pothole, they probably did not see me in there lh mirror and run into me on my rh side, WTf I took there lh mirror completely off with my elbow I saw it flying across the road. there bike did not go down so I just kept going
Moral of the story is, wearing light gear would probably not be sufficient for the impact and I would of been a hurting unit in the aftermath or could of gone down
I was accelerating in 2nd and really moving when they hit me.
So take your pick, you boil to death in heavy gear or simply get hurt in light gear. but of course you will look cool
Think about playing hockey scenario you can be hit at 30 to 50 km per hour with a 100kilo guy on super sharp skates and a stick that can break your arm.
Would you play with shitty equipment No Fn way
I never felt anything nocking the opponents mirror off
the padding worked
my rh soft pannier had a strap ripped off
they impacted my rh leg also, the boots and pants saved the day I am religious on riding gear when traveling and I do it a lot. I wear hiking boots and gloves helmet going to the store to buy things and its in local crazy traffic but slow

Trying to talk the wife into riding down to Mocoa and do the 'trampolina' to Pasto in February.... Probably pass through Neiva on the way down.

What time of year and what parts of Europe do you want to ride? There's a wide variety of conditions that can be experienced. Also, what's your budget?

For summer I generally wear a mesh jacket (100€) with kevlar lined jeans (60€), and I pack extra warm layers for underneath (25€) and a waterproof layer for outside (either a one-piece motorcycle specific one (70€), or army surplus separate top and trousers (50€) if I'll be off road). Having a choice of warm and cold weather gloves and neck protectors is useful too, along with vented boots and a helmet that allows for good airflow.

For spring and autumn off road I use a "four season" textile jacket (50€ second hand) which has a removable thermal liner and lots of vents, it works well for a wide range of temperatures. On road is an old leather jacket that was a gift. In winter I have a full closed textile set, I got a new one last year for a little under 200€ and it's very warm but also cumbersome to move in.

Prices are what I paid here in Europe.

I'll be heading to Eastern Europe in April, and head to Turkey (June), then back up through Bulgaria and Romania (July). Skipping August to avoid the huge travel crowds and caravans.

Then heading back again to do Italy, France, Spain and Portugal from September to November.

My mesh protective jacket has a removable liner for the cold weather. My jeans have an internal mesh to keep the main material off my legs and offer some ventilation and wick away moisture. Both have the necessary pads.

We just finished a 7 day, 1200km trip over 'Alto de Letras' at 3780 meters (don't know the temperature at the time, but probably 8-10C), down to Honda (31C), up through Boyaca department (15-20C), back down to Girodot (33C), then back over La Linea at 2800meters.

Yes, we had to stop to install the thermal liners, then again to put on our rain gear (acts like a wind breaker), and stop again to take them off. Wasn't too bad.

After 5 days, I think my pants were in need of a wash, but lasted another 2 days. When we do our travel in Europe, will be looking for wash every 5-7 days.

In Romania in July you might see heatwaves around 40ºC. 35ºC is not unusual.

November in Spain at altitudes over 1500m usually sees the start of sub-zero temperatures and snow, which is the sort of thing I bought my new Michelin Man suit for (plus heated grips, handlebar muffs, etc etc) :freezing: The main roads are kept clear, but some side roads might look more like the current forum photo.

The weather is very random though, 2022 and 2023 was a sunny 25ºC :Beach:

I don't have direct experience of the other places you're going to, sorry!

Textile Jean's are superior to riding jeans in everyway........errr Nope . It will depend on the certification of the individual garment. Some supposed well made textile jackets/ trousers barely get an A rating. Loose fitting trousers will not hold the armour in place so are useless in an impact . I sell kit for a living and it is a bit more complicated then just saying Klim is best as it costs the most . Revitt is a good start tech , price + performance wise .
Always happy to give an opinion on a piece of kit if u pm me........assuming we have stocked it . If u r tight on money the Astar Bogata jacket is well worth a look .

This is good to know. Romania in July doesn't sound good, but I don't think we have a way around it right now.

Will hit mid France and Northern Spain in September, Portugal for 7-10 days, then the south of Spain and south France in October (worked in both for many years, so won't spend much time). November we'll try to hit mid to south Italy. Of course, this is all up in the air...

The odds are in your favour for Romania in July, it's just that the last few years we've had unpredictable heat and / or drought here in Europe. My in-laws are in Hungary and Romania, and in July and August sometimes it's hotter there than here in Spain (!)

Hey

This just my take, and it’s a bit rambling.

I am more a traveller than an “adventure rider”. I love riding bikes but they are more a tool for the adventure than the adventure itself, if that makes any sense.

So to clothing.

I wear Goretex type hiking boots and motorcycle jeans with basic Kevlar protection There are two reasons. Firstly I feel more comfortable - both on the bike and as importantly- off it. I am more likely to stop and explore on foot if I am comfortable walking.

Secondly - I don’t wear adventure / motorcross boots. I have a titanium knee due to crashing while wearing them - knee dislocated due to zero flex in the ankle - knee was the fuse. I don’t expect people to agree with that decision, that’s ok.

I wear merino wool long sleeve shirts and I have a Rev’it jacket. None of the clothes is waterproof so I carry dririder wet weather gear. But being a “traveller” if it’s raining I try to avoid riding if I can. I’m not a ride from A to Z in a hurry person so kind of a lazy backpacker maybe?

Those suits are definitely the go if you want to ride long distances in any weather of course.

Does that make any sense? ;) :)

For outer clothing that you'll be wearing to ride in all weathers, compromises will be necessary. I suppose it's possible to wear lightweight summer gear and take a nylon rain suit, but my preference is a goretex 2 piece riding suit with plenty of zip vents to open in hot weather. You can layer up underneath for cold weather. Bear in mind whatever you buy, it's smart to be sure you have adequate crash protection - if using jeans make sure they are kevlar lined, preferably with body armour. My preference, Klim Carlsbad suit, not the cheapest but worth it for features and performance IMO. For local riding only I'll wear normal jeans with it, but always boots (Altberg Hogg).

You're going to be a long way from home at some point and you can't rule out a spill. What you don't want is for that to finish your ride prematurely. So proper protective gear matters.

Fully agree, I've seen people at MX meetings come off with spiral shin fractures because the very stiff boots simply transmitted the load to the top of the boot. I wear above-ankle boots which give some support but remain flexible for walking. I also have chunky calves which makes fitting full length boots almost impossible.

My jeans are kevlar lined and I've got the Forma Adventure Low boots. My jacket is the BILT Techno 2.

I couldn't get my foot in with my boot size (42), so went up one. It was pretty snug, so I let the vendor talk me into getting another size larger (44). After using them for 2 months, I'm not sure the larger boot was a good idea. I have some other shorter waterproof boots made here in Colombia that work great for heading to town and walking around.

Hey, great to hear from some who has experienced similar issues.

I think there is actually a belief that high boots are safer, but when you watch youtube, damn there are a lot of broken ankles / shins while wearing them.

I used to be a serious crash investigator but these injuries were not something we recorded or had stats on. Would love to see a study.

Best thing to do with boots is look at the ce rating . You would be surprised............ . I now wear a revitt gortex walking style boot . Extremely comfy and off the scales protection wise But even with staff discount it made me wince when i paid for it .
Boots are designed for abrasion resistance , cut / tear resistance and torsional rigidity.........u will also see Wade and WP on the labels of some . Basically 2 is a high pass , 1 being lower . On the rigidity bit 1 is 200kgs 2 is a metric ton.......hence most race boots only scoring a 1 .
Fit wise most of my customers go one size up . Big calf muscles are no issue as there are plenty of boots that will fit you ........... but you will have to put ur hand in ur pocket . Dianese do an adjustable calf on alot of their boots . Again if u r stuck drop me a line and I'll try and guide u in the right direction .

Great advice!

I like Klim's Mojave line of pants and jackets for hot weather riding. I have a Klim Induction jacket that I think is a little warmer than the mojave line.

I think one of the main risks is the risk of abrasion. ie: You are going fast, wipe out, and than slide dozens of meters down the paved road.

With a mostly mesh jacket, I think they can tear off of your body pretty fast and than you just have your skin protecting you. Jeans have the same risk.

At the same time, I believe that it is better to wear some protection, than no protection.

I think motorcycle boot protection is a hard subject to talk about, because motorcycle riders have a lot of differences in regards to comfort, risk acceptance, age, ability, camping/hotels, hiking etc, etc

I recently learned more about motorcycle boot protection than I knew before.

General rule: If the motorcycle boot has 4 straps, than it is likely a motocross boot that has a lot of protection. Not going to be an easy boot to walk in.

General rule: If the motorcycle boot has 3 straps, than it is likely an adventure style boot. Alpinestar Corozal boots are a good example here. These boots look like they give a lot of protection and they are easy to walk in. All of the manufacturers of adventure boots have warning labels saying that if you intend to do any off road or motocross riding that you should not use this type of boot because it does not protect your foot and ankle enough.

I think a popular option for "touring" boots on the Hubb are Altberg Hoggs. It is a brand of hiking boots in the UK but they are pretty pricey. If you have a crash and the bike falls on your boot, your leg bones are definitely going to break in a hiking boot. I'm a fan of using soft luggage that will hit the ground first in a potential crash, instead of the leg bones breaking the fall of the motorcycle.

I think Motocross boots are truly designed to be used with knee braces. I understand how the guy above had a knee injury because with a big enough impact to the leg, you know it is going to transfer that force and I can see how it could hyper-extend your knee. Also, from doing my research on motorcycle boots, I think if you are riding only on paved roads, than those paved roads in general have minimal gradients and the paved roads are generally pretty standardized with nice right of ways and minimal obstructions. If you have a high speed motorcycle crash on this type of road there is less of a chance of the rider bouncing up and down on the surface.

If the motorcyclist has a high speed crash on an off-road trail than that rider is likely not going to slide smoothly over the trail surface. The rider will likely bounce up and down a lot on the surface. When you think about boot protection in this context, I think it becomes more obvious.

I have Alpinestar 6's and they are a full motocross boot. I usually wear knee braces when I use these boots. These boots and knee braces have saved my bacon quite a few times. Don't want to think about the medical bills I would have had. They really help prevent hyper-extension in a high speed off. When I was 25 I broke my ankle pretty good playing hockey and I have no intention of getting another load bearing injury again.

I recently bought Sidi Crossfire 2 motorcycle boots and got a lot of experience walking around in them. It is a 4 strap boot, but the ankle is designed to flex some, so you can walk in them. I have wider feet and have found the Sidi fitment to be narrow. I think the Sidi Crossfire 2's and 3's are a good balance in protection for motorcyclist's who want to go "touring" but also do some trail riding.

The boots that will protect your legs the best in a crash, are the ones that are the most uncomfortable to walk in.