Gear Discussion - MESH

[StarWolve]

So - as my geographical location has changed - my decision to purchase riding gear has also somewhat changed. I've also been riding a little more "aggressively" lately... Buells will do that to you. So it's time to get a little bit more protective gear

I'm going to be doing most of my riding in and around Charlotte, NC - which is not exactly a cold climate. I also plan on commuting on my bike, which means I can't wear jeans. So I've been looking at mesh overpants and jackets.

Being the fashion whore that I am, I immediately went to Icon to see their offerings, and Revzilla for their reviews. Plus - I can get Icon gear at dealer cost... so that's a bit of a bonus. I'm looking for something that offers good abrasion protection, able to be worn over street clothes, and as ventilated as possible.

Anyways, here's what I found.

Jacket - Icon Mesh Compound in Black
http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/icon-...esh-jacket

Pros - Matches my Icon Helmet, black looks good, lots of vents, shoulder/elbow armor, can add back armor

Cons - Black is hot, sort of power ranger-ish, probably won't wear it on the Harley due to the sport cut of the sleeves


Overpants - Icon Mesh Compound in Black
http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/icon-...-overpants


Pros - Leather lowers, armor knees, full length zippers, mesh thighs, trim-able cuff

Cons - Black is hot, a little pricey

Other brands I've considered is motoport for the kevlar jeans... they're pricey, but have saved my friend's skin. Literally.

So once again I'll try to start a gear discussion. What do you like for hot weather gear? Do you bother with it when it's HOT out? Am I turning into a sport bike guy? What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow? Should I just do like the other sport bike riders do and wear shorts, flip-flops, and a t-shirt? (And that's all, since NC just repealed their helmet law!) All important questions!

[Shooter]

(03-29-2013 03:13 PM)StarWolve Wrote:  So once again I'll try to start a gear discussion. What do you like for hot weather gear? Do you bother with it when it's HOT out? Am I turning into a sport bike guy? What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow? Should I just do like the other sport bike riders do and wear shorts, flip-flops, and a t-shirt? (And that's all, since NC just repealed their helmet law!) All important questions!

I will throw my $.02 in and try and help.....

1. What do you like for hot weather gear?

After riding thru UT, AZ, and NM last summer in my First Gear Kathmandu Jacket I'm a believer in wearing it in ANY weather. The vents work great and it slows the wicking effect when you sweat. Between the vents and being covered from the sun it was comfortable. When I stop and don't have airflow thru the vents I sweat like a pig. In HOT weather I keep stops to a minimum and drink lots of water when I do stop.

2. Do you bother with it when it's HOT out?

ATGATT for me, don't want to mess up this fine lookin body.

3. Am I turning into a sport bike guy?

I think well rounded since you have the fatboy....nothing sporty when she has apehanges......more like badass.

4. What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?

Is it an African or European Swallow?
Are you suggesting that coconuts migrate?

5. Should I just do like the other sport bike riders do and wear shorts, flip-flops, and a t-shirt?

Yes but instead do it on the Fatboy with no t-shirt, but wear your cool orange 80's retro metallic flake helmet for some flair!!!!!

IMHO
I think most of the top brands are good and it's more about money and styles. Getting the right size is very important also. If it's not comfortable then it's useless.

More importantly have you been to Deal's Gap and rode The Dragon?
Have ya? Have ya?

Blue Ridge Parkway?

Moonshine 28?

Your going to really enjoy the riding down there!!!!!

Not a lot of help but fun to tease you.

[Scot229]

Harley textile FXRG gear is pretty damn nice. Has all the features of the ICON stuff you showed. It'll be more expensive than icon, esp if you get a deal on it.

http://www.harley-davidson.com/mcm/mcm_p...cale=en_US

Lifetime warranty on things like zippers , split seams, anything that is a manufacturers type defect is lifetime. lifetime warranty does not cover sun fading mis use neglect blah blah blah.

But if you break a zipper 4 years from now HD will fix it

[Lapchik]

I have an ICON Contra Milspec. So bright it almost glows in the dark. Very power-ranger looking. It has a zip out liner, and the outside is mesh. I have worn it on my rainy SS1000, and from 35degrees (with a sweatshirt too) all the way up to 105 in Kansas last year. I like it, the only con is that it's not waterproof and I have to carry a rain jacket with me.

[StarWolve]

(03-29-2013 04:53 PM)Shooter Wrote:  More importantly have you been to Deal's Gap and rode The Dragon?
Have ya? Have ya?

Blue Ridge Parkway?

Moonshine 28?

Your going to really enjoy the riding down there!!!!!

Not a lot of help but fun to tease you.

Dragon/Deals Gap:


Cherohala:


Wheels Through Time:

(I need to stop back there and check on my WLA. I miss it.)

I think we hit parts of Moonshiner, all of the Cherohala, and a bit of the Hellbender in 2010, and we rode parts for the Blue Ridge in 2011. I'm going to be hitting the Skyway and Blue Ridge this year again - seeing as the Blue Ridge is about 90 minutes from my house!

Back to the gear - I stopped by my local shop and ordered the Icon stuff. Gear review to follow in a few days. Dealer cost on that stuff is ridiculously low - I got the jacket and the pants together for well less than the retail price on the pants alone. It's good to have connections with a dealer, although I've done so much free work for them, I'm sure they're still coming out way ahead.

I think this is probably the best mesh gear I can get for commuting, where I'll need to be able to put the stuff on over my work clothes. I'm still going to be looking for some better waterproof stuff, but I'm leaning towards the Icon Patrol Jacket there. I also need something with REAL knee pucks, as I'm planning on hitting the Lee Parks TC-ARC course when I can, and I think there's a track in Charlotte that does track days. Definitely becoming more into sport bikes, but trying to stay away from the "Squid" mentality.

Lapchick - I have the Milspec vest that I throw on for riding in the fog and rain, and I also use it on military bases. Not a bad piece of gear for when I want to be seen a little bit better.

So gear review to follow in a few days. I'm really going to the "Black HALO" look with this icon gear and the variant helmet - now I should also order the gold visor to REALLY get the HALO look going.

[Reaver]

(03-30-2013 12:09 PM)StarWolve Wrote:  I'm really going to the "Black HALO" look with this icon gear and the variant helmet - now I should also order the gold visor to REALLY get the HALO look going.

I want pics of that.

[StarWolve]

(03-31-2013 08:06 PM)Reaver Wrote:  I want pics of that.

Just for that, I'm going to order the Gold visor.


The Variant really does look like something out of Halo... I wish they would make a transition lens for it though. I also wrote Icon and suggested that...

[Willie]

This is another alternative to consider..Price is great. I just picked up one for myself. Since I am a bit more rounded in the stomach area than I should be, my riding pants were riding below my belly and in case of a get off, I would then probably find them down around my ankles. With this thought in mind I figured a set of suspenders for the pants, which led me to the suit.

It is mesh like you want. I rode with it this weekend to see what it would be like and plenty of air flows thru it for sure. For those of us that live in a climate where the humidity can get out of control... NC would qualify for making it a bad hair day..mesh is a life saver IMO. I own an Olympia Mesh jacket and very happy with the construction. The suit is on par with the jacket and you should get great service out of it


http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/14/...-Suit.aspx


Willie

[StarWolve]

(04-01-2013 08:34 AM)Willie Wrote:  http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/14/...-Suit.aspx


Willie

I agree that a one piece probably offers better protection, but I like the idea of being able to mix and match tops and bottoms. I have a heavy leather jacket I like for colder rides, and I can easily add my fleece lined jeans and long johns under the mesh pants for warmth while maintaining the protection of the overpants.

I'm admittedly not a ATGATT rider, at least not yet. However, my "minimum" is Gloves, Jeans, Helmet, and a T-shirt. I'm hoping that the Icon mesh jacket is light enough that "too hot for a jacket" is no longer an excuse... and I'm also thinking of adding a pair of Icon Hooligan pants (http://www.rideicon.com/products/?productGroupId=73464) for a little added protection "around town" when I might not have a place to store the overpants.


Trying to walk the line between form and function... I think that's why I like Icon's products so much - they offer gear that adds protection beyond street clothes, but still looks like street clothes.

[Willie]

What I found wearing my mesh jacket that I no longer could stand wearing just a shirt. The wind forcing the shirt to beat against you, even the collar flapping away was enough of a disturbance to irritate me. I say this because one really hot humid day running for GLMC stuff in New Joisey (probably the Affair with Water) we were running late and jumped on the Garden State Parkway to get back to our home base. Just before we got on the GSP I took my mesh jacket off.

With in 10 miles I pulled into a NJ State Police barracks to put my jacket back on because of the shirt flapping. When I looked at the sign we were at the Bass River barracks so I got another location to boot.

With mesh, what I found works real good is those wicking shirts. No need to spend alot of money on them like Under Armor, simple Champion wicking shirt from Walmart works mint. Try it you will like it.

Willie

[Reaver]

(04-01-2013 09:43 AM)Willie Wrote:  What I found wearing my mesh jacket that I no longer could stand wearing just a shirt. The wind forcing the shirt to beat against you, even the collar flapping away was enough of a disturbance to irritate me.

that's me too... I at least wear a vest even in hot weather to keep my shirt from flapping around.

[StarWolve]

(04-01-2013 10:42 AM)Reaver Wrote:  

(04-01-2013 09:43 AM)Willie Wrote:  What I found wearing my mesh jacket that I no longer could stand wearing just a shirt. The wind forcing the shirt to beat against you, even the collar flapping away was enough of a disturbance to irritate me.

that's me too... I at least wear a vest even in hot weather to keep my shirt from flapping around.

Same here... although I find myself buying dress shirts based on whether or not they have button down collars...

[StarWolve]

I picked up the gear last Wednesday, and was able to try it out on a short ride this weekend.

First impressions - the jacket is cut for a tall, skinny guy... which is great for me. I ordered a large, and the sleeves are actually long enough. It fits a bit snug in the chest, but not overly so. The pockets for the armor could be a bit better fitted, as I found the shoulder armor wants to roll around a bit when putting the jacket on. Otherwise, it's great. The jacket lets a lot of air through when moving. The day I rode was about 70 degrees, and it felt quite cool when in the wind. Stopped, it wasn't too hot, but I'd imagine a black jacket on a sunny 90+ degree day is going to get hot whenever you stop. The jacket has some additional vents on the shoulders, which seem to help out with airflow a lot.

Pants - First impression was "wow, these are heavy!" The pants are mostly leather, with only the front thigh and rear calf areas being mesh. The knee pads sit a little bit low when standing, but when tucked in on a sport bike, they're right where they need to be. The sizes run a bit large, as they're designed to be an overpant. I wear a size 32 jean, and the 32 pants fit over them well. The only complaint on the pants is that I wish they had made a zipper to zip the jacket into them, or that they had extended the waistline up some for better coverage. At speed, I didn't notice them feeling too heavy or holding in too much heat. However, I didn't feel a ton of airflow through the mesh, either. However, most of the time on the firebolt, my legs are tucked in tight to the frame, and that bike is particularly hot due to the engine being tucked up into the frame. The extra layer did seem insulate me from the bike heat a little better than jeans alone. The pants are also made for a tall skinny guy, but the bottom 6" can be trimmed if they're too long for you. They seemed to be the right length when in the riding position, so I need to take them to a leather worker to put a good solid hem on the bottom so that they will hold up better.

The "test ride" and Grand Tour hunting was cut short... I came around a curve and felt like I was in neutral when I was finishing the curve and starting to roll on the throttle and upshift. Downshifted, and still had no power. I had broken the belt, so I ended up calling my buddy to pick me up with my truck and trailer. Oh well - $&!% happens, and better to break a belt or something minor when you're 20 miles from home, than to wreck or break something 200 miles from home!



Pictures and more in depth reviews will follow in a couple weeks. Also - I had a job interview Friday. It looks like they'll be sending me an offer letter today, so in 2 weeks, I'm going to be leaving NY for good. I'll have lots of ride reports from sunny Charlotte NC in the near future!