Christ this guy is an absolute mine of information! I've been riding for over forty years and I still learnt from this video (NEVER too old to learn as they say) It's definitely refreshing to hear a dealer who seems genuinely interested in selling you something that's right/best for you and not them! Without doubt a VERY knowledgeable guy in his field.
Your comment showed as this video came up and read it first.. then decided to watch. Like you, I've ridden over 40 years. Moved from the heavy, traditional leather jackets to mesh, with a removable waterproof liner and armor about a decade ago. 50-60,000 miles later and that jacket is faded and has needed darning a few times in spots. Shopping for a new motorcycle jacket. I somehow got down the rabbit hole of traditional leather motorcycle jackets and might have been headed to spending a large sum on one... but truly, this guy is right... I have an old 80's leather motorcycle jacket hanging in the closet if I really feel like I want to wear it (probably off the bike) and for most days... as I've proven over the past years... the layering system of a mesh jacket with armor, a waterproof liner, maybe a sweater or hoody, and a base layer is gonna take me from sub freezing to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit and it's really all I need and certainly is far more useful than a leather jacket for me. Last Saturday, I left the house in 4 layers and a fleece neck gaiter before dawn and by afternoon I was down to just the base layer and the mesh jacket and it was 95 degrees. I'd have been miserable and then been lacking as where and how to strap a giant, thick leather jacket to my bike. Long winded, but again...thanks.
Cracking video. Only thing I'd add is that for a summer tour I found a mesh and leather combination jacket with perforated leather trousers worked well, backed up with merino base layers and a very good waterproof over suit in the top box. Saw me through 12 countries of mostly heat peppered with torrential mountain rain.
This is a fantastic series of vlogs for any biker, even if your satisfied with your current bike gear its great to see what's on offer being shown in great detail by someone who knows their onions
I wear my mesh jacket all the time in the UK, with t-shirt in hot weather, with hoodie when slightly cooler and with a rain jacket on top in temperatures down to close to freezing. It's perfect
Alpinestars GP Plus R V3 leather jacket. Super Comfortable. The new type of "soft armor" on it adds to the comfort a lot without sacrificing protection. As a Alpinestars leather jacket it is extremely protective in a crash. A breathable rain jacket stashed under the rear seat of the bike that I can put on top of it if it's wet or cold. That works for me all year around. If it's colder I can add layers under the jacket and because it is flexible it's still comfortable. Actually it has enough flexibility in it that it can be used with the Tech 5 airbag west as well.
Drop down liner jackets and leather jackets are best used with rain protection gained with the rain over jackets. For the times when it starts to chuck it down. All major manufactureres make them and worth keeping in the back pack or pannier . You can stop and put it on to prevent wet out and any damage to the leather jacket. But as the man with a cap says it is down to how you ride and what you feel you want to wear. I havent had many of the drenching rain rides. only one I do remember was from Winchester to hull, but used a full waterproof over suit, which is another option.
Great video. Very informative. I can add that I own a Rukka laminated jacket (Thunder R) and it is fantastic. It is a bit stiff but it is absolutely waterproof and windproof. Put on a puffer jacket underneath and it will keep you warm. It is also great fitting. I'll also add that it really is the only non-summer jacket you need. For summer riding I wear the Klim Marakesh jacket. Most comfortable jacket ever. If you add a leather jacket for style you have all you ever need.
Hi Chris, thank you for the incredibly well done videos. Your expertise and the way you explain things cannot be done better. Although English is not my mother tongue, I prefer your videos. Thanks and greetings from Austria
In Texas, even a helmet is not required. Almost every Harley rider in my area has no gear. As a new rider having actually taken the safety course, I disagree and I’m doing full gear, but I’m in the minority and riding a triumph too. 😎 Love these how to guides - thanks!
Your videos have been quite useful. I have watched the ones on helmets, boots, and jeans. After watching all of these, I have now decided to buy a small sports car rather than go through the hassle of dealing with all this special equipment when I want to make a quick trip to the market....no matter the weather. Thank you for knocking some sense into me.
I've got a traditional horsehide jacket with a belt but 750 quid. It's heaviest weight horsehide by aero leathers. It's fantastic quality and for me the style of an old rocker from the early 1950s. Absolute bargain and the best quality bike jacket I've ever had or seen. I despatch rode winter in rain and even snow. Horsehide stays drier and is tougher than any other leather. I done London to Scotland in winter but wear a good scarf and layers underneath and if it's very cold on motorway put on a waterproof goretex larger layer over the top if wet. I did London to Brighton for a night shift in an old Pakistani secondhand cow hide jacket with goretex on top in winter. I never had much money, yeah and it reminded me of biking to rallies in Wales in winter. I was out on my BSA A10 in 1982 in minus 18 the coldest night I've ever seen in SW London and was comparable to Indian foothills in 2012 in January at 2000m on a ridge. It was the coldest month since before weather records began in the Himalayas in 200 years and it was minus 15 daytime. I'm not a glutton for punishment . You are right about a waterproof layer over your jacket and yes when rain stops your leather stays dry.
Scott waterproof over the top is great and a balaclava under your skidlid with a long Dr Who scarf of 6 ft. Handlebar muffs covering your gloves are great and half milk container of around 2 litres cable tied to handlebars will keep your gloves dry and shielded from wind and rain so you won't be suffering chill factor in winter or autumn when in Wales for example it can be bitter. Camping in black mountains in snow or Rhonda valley in flooding isn't funny. It always happens to me when I go to Wales. I now have a high altitude mountain tent, 5 season down sleeping bag. German army surplus para boots. They stay dry and yes sometimes my feet are cold in below 0 in winter but long John's, Kevlar lined padded trousers with it is good for camping as I've spent winter dressed in it at the mud site. In Scotland the midgefest was so wet the river burst its banks in Galloway and the farmer was pulling cars, vans etc out of the mud!
This is fantastic... All my gear is 10 to 15 years old and knackered so I need to start replacing bits, this was fantastic... I never knew all this. No wonder I have an "old faithful" drop liner jacket!! But now I want a summer set of kit and a laminate jacket (even though I would rarely need it these days) to complete the set and bring me up to date!!! I wish I had a laminate jacket 10 years ago!!
I really don’t understand how so few people do this: mesh just above a base layer, then a warm jacket and/or a breathable rain jacket. I don’t think this is more expensive than high-end do-it-all jackets. Nor is it more bulky. And definitely more versatile!
When I started riding in the early 1970s it was a leather jacket and yellow NCB / Nathaniel Coal board plastic over trousers/ not Pants , couldn't afford anything else ,
That was quite the education. I have and use them all for different seasons and reasons. For touring, I actually prefer the adventure type with the vents. I do what you suggested and throw a rainproof jacket over it if it rains. Wear a thermal liner in it if I get cold on a mountain. At this time of year, it's a textile with a heated jacket under it. Summer, it's perforated. Spring/Fall, leather.
As well as injecting a brilliant humour these clips demystify the whole thing around which material does what & what material is most appropriate to wear for the conditions dependant on what type of riding & in what weather youre riding in -Fantastic thanks
Living in NL, ride in hot but mostly cold weather. A dropliner with extra raincoat usually will do under most circumstances. I even use a raincoat over laminates when it really pours for longer time.
What an amazing review. Thank you Chris for taking the time to inform us and to share in you wisdom. I understand that you will soon be doing a similar review of Helmets and I can't wait to see that. Any chance you could go further and do the same for trousers and boots?
In my part of Canada the summers are very hot so mesh jacket or just a T shirt. Fall & spring pair it with a hoodie. However, after watching the review on the Marrakesh I might look into one.
Great video. I found in the USA, the need for multiple jackets. Winter a leather jacket and a down liner. Spring a denim jacket with with leather sleeves is perfect. Summer the Klim Induction jacket. I also carry my rain suit in my tank bag. Perfect for the rain or the jacket overtop to stay warm if I forgot to carry a sweatshirt. One day I hope to invest in one jacket for all occasions. I usually ride 15,000 miles each year in all kinds of weather. Any suggestions?
Chris can I ask your advise on a summer jacket? I live in Canada. Cobbling together several jackets with the Marrakesh seems like the perfect solution but adds up$. I am for the most part a 3 season, fair weather rider. I like the idea of a light textile air jacket with a removable thermal liner and waterproof liner. I had an Olympia I was fairly happy with many years ago but it was written off on the 'Tail of the Dragon'. I felt I needed to replace it with a light leather jacket from 'Fox' in Virginia. As good a jacket as it is I was happier with textile. With and eye on the budget could you recommend something I might consider? Thanks
Hi guys and gals at Moto Legends. Thank you for yet another terrific video! I have been watching this video a couple of times in the last few weeks, as I'm currently in the market to buy a new jacket. I just can't seem to make up my mind on what kind of jacket to go for. I live in Belgium and for nice summer weather riding, I sport my leather jacket and my pair of single layer jeans. When temperatures go up to the likes of 28° Celsius (like in 2020), I have a mesh jacket at the ready. This summer however the weather was, can I say more British?, we had some days where I felt confident enough to go out in my leather jacket and jeans, but more often we had weather predictions like "very clouded with chance of local showers". So I took out my gear more suited for potential rain, however I noticed my jacket with removable membrane starting to leak all over. One day on the last 20Km home, via motorway, I got caught in a down pore and came home soaking wet. On the day of the F1 grand prix in Spa, I was riding in the area and had to ride through 4 hours of rain and got home again soaked. After watching this video a couple of times, I still can't decide on whether to go for a drop liner jacket, or a laminated jacket. I would use the jacket for "local shower days" or (with a termal layer underneath) on those early spring or early fall days, when the weather seems favorable. I don't commute to work, but 95% of my rides are 300-400Km day trips. What would you suggest? Know that if I where living in the UK, I would have popped in with my questions!
I thought when you gave a recent Zoom presentation to our motorcycle club that it was just another hungry salesman job. Having seen you last two videos on the subject of motorcycle gear, I'm starting to think that you might be much more than my initial assessment. As someone who has not given enough thought to his kit with a tendency to become the victim of the hungry salesmen eager to unload their old tat. These videos are very good for someone like me, thank you. I just get the feeling that if I were to visit your shop to buy a Ford, I'll be leaving with a Bentley. Then again you deserve some recompense for this great Insight. Cheers Chris.
I'd say Chris def knows his stuff, but bear in mind the info is shared with a view to what they want to sell. No doubt it's ALL good kit if they sell it TBF
Ray, we sell nice gear, and some of it is expensive, but our thing is to find the right gear for your kind of riding, and it is certainly not uncommon for us to tell a customer that he would be better served with a Halvarssons Wien rather than a Rukka Nivala at twice the price. As Steve has commented we are a sales operation, but to me over-selling is a no-no. We do that, and it will come back to bite us. Our reputation is worth more to us than a few extra quid on a dodgy sale. Yet, it has to be admitted that if you’re looking for ‘cheap’ gear, you simply won’t find it here. CP.
@@Motolegends I'll be the first to say that if ML says something is good, then it's good! There may* be other options (cheaper/better/alt), but ML is primo in my book. If I still lived nearer Guildford, no doubt I'd bug them in person on a regular basis :D
It's good advice. If you use a bike all the time or are touring India for example you will suffer extreme heat, monsoon rain and maybe caught in hailstones, snow maybe or blizzard. It's hard to be prepared even in Australia. Distances can be 900 miles in a day like Sydney to Adelaide . 18 hours on a bike virtually non stop. 2 up on a Suzuki gs750. I will never forget it. Those old GS 550, 750, 850 and 1000 were crude but solid, very reliable. The nearest bike to them is the Suzuki v Strom in my opinion. The 650 is economical, lighter than 1050. It's all subjective of course but I'm an old traveller, trekker on a shoestring and can write a book on survival probably and have taken cargo jeeps even in the Hindu Kush, Tata lorries and busses in Nepal, Indian Himalayas and Hindu Kush in Pakistan on some very very dodgy dangerous journeys like the lowary pass between Peshawar and Chitral, a very dangerous road indeed. I question my sanity at times.
Is there such a thing as a waxed cotton full length jacket like the belstaff, but ventilated for mostly hot weather? I love the style of that but it’s mostly insanely hot here. I have the Merlin shenstone air which is working, but I love the full length canvas type with all the pockets. Thanks!
As a denizen of America's southwest Mojave Desert, I've learned that there is no single jacket solution. Thirty degree (Fahrenheit) temperature swings are common on a daily basis, regardless of season. If I HAD to have but one jacket, I'd select my mesh jacket with it's removable liner, and augment it with a combination of base layers that can be added/removed as conditions require. This tactic however, requires that I maintain space in my panier/backpack for the layers when they need to be shed off.
You know it. Prepared for the extreme heat and rain. You know you've got to be prepared according to weather, time of year etc, and it can be difficult and full of surprises so it's often a compromise between bulk, weight , how much space you have and with tent, doss roll, toolkit, small stove, a pan etc iaint easy and bungees and panniers , top box, tank bags can be well over £1000 all in without clothing etc. Not cheap. However we travel, it can become addictive and sometimes we can be in different situations, some unexpected and even good or bad surprises. I wouldn't have it any other way and have travelled 3 months a few times with flights return to Delhi, overland to Pakistan tribal area and back into India with £180 fo3 months. That wasn't easy even with an old ridge tent and multifuel stove but were some of the best times I've ever had. Those little Indian TVS 160 cc single cylinder bikes are very cheap, reliable and economical. You can hire them cheap and they do 100mpg but 55 mph is the limit but on some of those roads with Indian crazy drivers going faster could mean you end up in hospital. They're mad especially lorry and bus drivers overtaking but also there's so many cars. A Maruti Suzuki 800cc small van shared between a few of you travelling 6 months on a long visa can work out a lot of fun and you can get 4 people plus luggage inside. Careful camping with snakes, leopards for example and also security especially in some places like Bihar or Punjab where there's very poor areas, bent coppers after back handers in with local villains.
I watch all of the his videos. I live in the US. I have worn custom Bates Leathers jackets for more than 50 years. I had no idea how high tech things have become.........tip-o-the-cap.
I wouldn’t wear anything else but a laminate jacket , other jackets because the waterproofing is inside ( removable membrane) get really heavy as the water causes also cold to penetrate into your body corp , I travel long and short distances, reference airflow jackets I wear them in the summer accompanied by a well known airflow protection shirt , never get hot and stay comfortable.
Ok...so here's what I'm looking for and looking on your site. I'm a new rider (triumph street twin) and realistically I plan to use my bike minimally through the year, the same as my old man, ride on decent weather days in the UK (no rain, dry, fresh 15-25 degree days). Basically won't be riding too much! However i'm 29 and like the cafe racer look and want to look 'cool' as well as protected. What jacket would you suggest? I'll be riding generally on decent weather days. Could I look at waxed cotton or would you choose something else?
Great video as usual, I am the one who regrets not buying Rukka Nevada. Could you suggest me a jacket that has same features as this Rukka Nevada but with same brand. Thank you very much.
Very informative vid, thanks. Old school leather boy here, although you did talk me into buying a pair of Rokker jeans a couple of years ago, when I only came in for a helmet! I’m trying hard to imagine what the hell could ever possibly induce me to ride three hours in the bloody rain !?!
Hi Chris, do you know already the Touratech Companero World Traveller? That‘s exactly what you were speaking about, a mash-jacket combined with a waterproof Goretex outer layer.
Yes, I kind of know this suit, as it’s made by Stadler. I just found the suit to be very heavy and cumbersome when I saw it. It will be competent, I’m sure but it didn’t seem easy to live with. A suit that I really like the look of is the Held Carese Evo. Unfortunately, Held as a company is in a bit of a post-Covid mess, so right now we can’t get hold of it, but it’s a potential winner. CP.
The jacket should be adapted to the climate. It was funny to dismiss wax jackets because they are not adapted to the desert. UK is cold/cool and wet most of the time and sun is a pleasant surprise. Wax or Goretex work for UK. If one drives in the South of Europe on the other hand, good ventilation in summer is necessary.
I think the last time I saw that intermission piece was in the cinema when I was a kid, Guildford Odeon no less. Of course it’s gone now, apartments instead. Great video.
What textile jacket would you recommend to work with heated gloves ? Most require a zip in the sleeve to get the gloves inside the sleeve due to wires ?
If I wore an armored shirt with an airbag vest, could I safely wear any old non-motorcycle leather jacket over it? Or should I still use a motorcycle jacket too?
Difficult to say without knowing all the details, but protection-wise it sounds okay. But less convinced that it will be a comfortable solution in any kind of extreme weather; be that the heat, the cold or the wet. CP.
I don't agree with the leather assessment. I use them, I have a summer one microperforated that lets plenty air in, it it gets colder at night in the summer I pull the raincoat on top "perfect". I have a winter one as well, very thick and with a liner, if it gets hot liner out and I open the vents, if rain again the handy raincoat. The big plus for me is that I can go to a party, or any social thing and not have to change from a textile one that rarely are adequate for an event or night out.
Je ne comprends pas la moitié de ce que dit ce gars mais je sens qu'il est exceptionnel et authentique ! Quant à moi, je porte du cuir toute l'année, cuir que je badigeonne au pinceau plongé dans de l'huile d'olive.
i'm still thinking leather , as a skin saver , and you still looked good , a bit like norman wisdom "MR GRIMSDALE " but good , :) is there an internal organ saver jacket ? , joking aside great vid .
I have perforated leather jacket and pants and gloves for the summer and solid leather jackets, pants and winter gloves. No fabric jacket or pants. Rain suits cover leather very well and are highly ventilated. If someone can afford these ridiculously expensive fabric jackets they can afford a summer and winter leather suits. Professional riders still wear leather dont they ? or have they switched to fabric too. I dont think so. I can ride up to 92 degrees F or 33 degree C. Also to get the same abrasion resistance you need plastic inserts with fabric , no need for leather.
you used a product that is specifically designed to pick up water. i treat my leathers with rain repellent and that what i where three seasons. in the summer i dont wear a jacket because its Hot! as you stated its better to be comfortable and id add know the limitations of your bike. Im in America so about half the states don't require a helmet like the one i live in but i travel all over the continent so i have to carry one... and its a pain in the ass. please people lets vote to get rid of theses stupid laws. gear might save you on the track but in real life not so much. Better that any gear you could ever buy is training/ knowing how to ride as assume that everybody wants to kill you and they will hide around corners if they have to.
It's true that back in the day we WERE a lot tougher Chris, on the other hand we were a lot younger too.. I rode in all weathers then, including driving snow.. it's funny how bags of testosterone and the promise of a warm girlfriend can keep the cold out when you're that age.. Younger viewers won't get this, but you looked more like Norman Wisdom than Marlon Brando in that cap..
Christ this guy is an absolute mine of information! I've been riding for over forty years and I still learnt from this video (NEVER too old to learn as they say) It's definitely refreshing to hear a dealer who seems genuinely interested in selling you something that's right/best for you and not them! Without doubt a VERY knowledgeable guy in his field.
Your comment showed as this video came up and read it first.. then decided to watch. Like you, I've ridden over 40 years. Moved from the heavy, traditional leather jackets to mesh, with a removable waterproof liner and armor about a decade ago. 50-60,000 miles later and that jacket is faded and has needed darning a few times in spots. Shopping for a new motorcycle jacket.
I somehow got down the rabbit hole of traditional leather motorcycle jackets and might have been headed to spending a large sum on one... but truly, this guy is right... I have an old 80's leather motorcycle jacket hanging in the closet if I really feel like I want to wear it (probably off the bike) and for most days... as I've proven over the past years... the layering system of a mesh jacket with armor, a waterproof liner, maybe a sweater or hoody, and a base layer is gonna take me from sub freezing to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit and it's really all I need and certainly is far more useful than a leather jacket for me.
Last Saturday, I left the house in 4 layers and a fleece neck gaiter before dawn and by afternoon I was down to just the base layer and the mesh jacket and it was 95 degrees. I'd have been miserable and then been lacking as where and how to strap a giant, thick leather jacket to my bike.
Long winded, but again...thanks.
Fantastic review. Thanks
Cracking video. Only thing I'd add is that for a summer tour I found a mesh and leather combination jacket with perforated leather trousers worked well, backed up with merino base layers and a very good waterproof over suit in the top box. Saw me through 12 countries of mostly heat peppered with torrential mountain rain.
This is a fantastic series of vlogs for any biker, even if your satisfied with your current bike gear its great to see what's on offer being shown in great detail by someone who knows their onions
I wear my mesh jacket all the time in the UK, with t-shirt in hot weather, with hoodie when slightly cooler and with a rain jacket on top in temperatures down to close to freezing. It's perfect
Alpinestars GP Plus R V3 leather jacket.
Super Comfortable.
The new type of "soft armor" on it adds to the comfort a lot without sacrificing protection.
As a Alpinestars leather jacket it is extremely protective in a crash.
A breathable rain jacket stashed under the rear seat of the bike that I can put on top of it if it's wet or cold.
That works for me all year around.
If it's colder I can add layers under the jacket and because it is flexible it's still comfortable.
Actually it has enough flexibility in it that it can be used with the Tech 5 airbag west as well.
Drop down liner jackets and leather jackets are best used with rain protection gained with the rain over jackets. For the times when it starts to chuck it down. All major manufactureres make them and worth keeping in the back pack or pannier . You can stop and put it on to prevent wet out and any damage to the leather jacket. But as the man with a cap says it is down to how you ride and what you feel you want to wear. I havent had many of the drenching rain rides. only one I do remember was from Winchester to hull, but used a full waterproof over suit, which is another option.
Great video. Very informative. I can add that I own a Rukka laminated jacket (Thunder R) and it is fantastic. It is a bit stiff but it is absolutely waterproof and windproof. Put on a puffer jacket underneath and it will keep you warm. It is also great fitting. I'll also add that it really is the only non-summer jacket you need. For summer riding I wear the Klim Marakesh jacket. Most comfortable jacket ever. If you add a leather jacket for style you have all you ever need.
Hi Chris, thank you for the incredibly well done videos. Your expertise and the way you explain things cannot be done better. Although English is not my mother tongue, I prefer your videos.
Thanks and greetings from Austria
Thank you for taking the time to watch our videos!
This has been incredibly helpful in planning my trip, thank you for the thorough explanation. If I'm ever in the UK I hope to come by.
In Texas, even a helmet is not required. Almost every Harley rider in my area has no gear. As a new rider having actually taken the safety course, I disagree and I’m doing full gear, but I’m in the minority and riding a triumph too. 😎 Love these how to guides - thanks!
In the sweltering heat im sure no gear feels great but id prefer to keep my skin over getting sweaty
When you get down to it, the statistics say that's a self-correcting problem. Keep riding safe!
Your videos have been quite useful. I have watched the ones on helmets, boots, and jeans. After watching all of these, I have now decided to buy a small sports car rather than go through the hassle of dealing with all this special equipment when I want to make a quick trip to the market....no matter the weather. Thank you for knocking some sense into me.
Really appreciate the in depth overview of materials and pros and cons.
Excellent work Chris. Motolegends is a one stop shop imho . The professionalism is second to NONE!
I've got a traditional horsehide jacket with a belt but 750 quid. It's heaviest weight horsehide by aero leathers. It's fantastic quality and for me the style of an old rocker from the early 1950s. Absolute bargain and the best quality bike jacket I've ever had or seen. I despatch rode winter in rain and even snow. Horsehide stays drier and is tougher than any other leather. I done London to Scotland in winter but wear a good scarf and layers underneath and if it's very cold on motorway put on a waterproof goretex larger layer over the top if wet. I did London to Brighton for a night shift in an old Pakistani secondhand cow hide jacket with goretex on top in winter. I never had much money, yeah and it reminded me of biking to rallies in Wales in winter. I was out on my BSA A10 in 1982 in minus 18 the coldest night I've ever seen in SW London and was comparable to Indian foothills in 2012 in January at 2000m on a ridge. It was the coldest month since before weather records began in the Himalayas in 200 years and it was minus 15 daytime. I'm not a glutton for punishment . You are right about a waterproof layer over your jacket and yes when rain stops your leather stays dry.
Scott waterproof over the top is great and a balaclava under your skidlid with a long Dr Who scarf of 6 ft. Handlebar muffs covering your gloves are great and half milk container of around 2 litres cable tied to handlebars will keep your gloves dry and shielded from wind and rain so you won't be suffering chill factor in winter or autumn when in Wales for example it can be bitter. Camping in black mountains in snow or Rhonda valley in flooding isn't funny. It always happens to me when I go to Wales. I now have a high altitude mountain tent, 5 season down sleeping bag. German army surplus para boots. They stay dry and yes sometimes my feet are cold in below 0 in winter but long John's, Kevlar lined padded trousers with it is good for camping as I've spent winter dressed in it at the mud site. In Scotland the midgefest was so wet the river burst its banks in Galloway and the farmer was pulling cars, vans etc out of the mud!
This is fantastic... All my gear is 10 to 15 years old and knackered so I need to start replacing bits, this was fantastic... I never knew all this. No wonder I have an "old faithful" drop liner jacket!! But now I want a summer set of kit and a laminate jacket (even though I would rarely need it these days) to complete the set and bring me up to date!!!
I wish I had a laminate jacket 10 years ago!!
I really don’t understand how so few people do this: mesh just above a base layer, then a warm jacket and/or a breathable rain jacket. I don’t think this is more expensive than high-end do-it-all jackets. Nor is it more bulky. And definitely more versatile!
When I started riding in the early 1970s it was a leather jacket and yellow NCB / Nathaniel Coal board plastic over trousers/ not Pants , couldn't afford anything else ,
Awesome Guide packed with so much deep Informations. Much love from Germany
That was quite the education. I have and use them all for different seasons and reasons.
For touring, I actually prefer the adventure type with the vents. I do what you suggested and throw a rainproof jacket over it if it rains. Wear a thermal liner in it if I get cold on a mountain.
At this time of year, it's a textile with a heated jacket under it.
Summer, it's perforated.
Spring/Fall, leather.
As well as injecting a brilliant humour these clips demystify the whole thing around which material does what & what material is most appropriate to wear for the conditions dependant on what type of riding & in what weather youre riding in -Fantastic thanks
Thanks. Appreciate your feedback.
Living in NL, ride in hot but mostly cold weather. A dropliner with extra raincoat usually will do under most circumstances. I even use a raincoat over laminates when it really pours for longer time.
What an amazing review. Thank you Chris for taking the time to inform us and to share in you wisdom. I understand that you will soon be doing a similar review of Helmets and I can't wait to see that. Any chance you could go further and do the same for trousers and boots?
Dan, yes give me a bit of time, and we’ll get there. CC
Daytona Road Star GTX are the only boots you need.
In my part of Canada the summers are very hot so mesh jacket or just a T shirt. Fall & spring pair it with a hoodie.
However, after watching the review on the Marrakesh I might look into one.
Great video. I found in the USA, the need for multiple jackets. Winter a leather jacket and a down liner. Spring a denim jacket with with leather sleeves is perfect. Summer the Klim Induction jacket. I also carry my rain suit in my tank bag. Perfect for the rain or the jacket overtop to stay warm if I forgot to carry a sweatshirt. One day I hope to invest in one jacket for all occasions. I usually ride 15,000 miles each year in all kinds of weather. Any suggestions?
Chris can I ask your advise on a summer jacket? I live in Canada. Cobbling together several jackets with the Marrakesh seems like the perfect solution but adds up$. I am for the most part a 3 season, fair weather rider. I like the idea of a light textile air jacket with a removable thermal liner and waterproof liner. I had an Olympia I was fairly happy with many years ago but it was written off on the 'Tail of the Dragon'. I felt I needed to replace it with a light leather jacket from 'Fox' in Virginia. As good a jacket as it is I was happier with textile. With and eye on the budget could you recommend something I might consider? Thanks
Can you tell us WHY to not set off I. An adventure in a waxed jacket to South America?
Hi guys and gals at Moto Legends. Thank you for yet another terrific video! I have been watching this video a couple of times in the last few weeks, as I'm currently in the market to buy a new jacket. I just can't seem to make up my mind on what kind of jacket to go for. I live in Belgium and for nice summer weather riding, I sport my leather jacket and my pair of single layer jeans. When temperatures go up to the likes of 28° Celsius (like in 2020), I have a mesh jacket at the ready. This summer however the weather was, can I say more British?, we had some days where I felt confident enough to go out in my leather jacket and jeans, but more often we had weather predictions like "very clouded with chance of local showers". So I took out my gear more suited for potential rain, however I noticed my jacket with removable membrane starting to leak all over. One day on the last 20Km home, via motorway, I got caught in a down pore and came home soaking wet. On the day of the F1 grand prix in Spa, I was riding in the area and had to ride through 4 hours of rain and got home again soaked. After watching this video a couple of times, I still can't decide on whether to go for a drop liner jacket, or a laminated jacket. I would use the jacket for "local shower days" or (with a termal layer underneath) on those early spring or early fall days, when the weather seems favorable. I don't commute to work, but 95% of my rides are 300-400Km day trips. What would you suggest? Know that if I where living in the UK, I would have popped in with my questions!
Love it; “bikers were a tougher bunch”! We said!
And, I am one of those who only wears leather.
Toy bikers maybe, gave up on leather when I started couriering.
@@chriscarbaugh3936 I suppose back in the early 70s leather is all I knew.
NZ
Thanks Chris, i recon a mesh jacket with a Scott waterproof in my top box and i'll be sorted.
What's recommended for canada. Riding at like 5 ou 10c, would leather be ok?. Awesome video.
I thought when you gave a recent Zoom presentation to our motorcycle club that it was just another hungry salesman job. Having seen you last two videos on the subject of motorcycle gear, I'm starting to think that you might be much more than my initial assessment. As someone who has not given enough thought to his kit with a tendency to become the victim of the hungry salesmen eager to unload their old tat. These videos are very good for someone like me, thank you. I just get the feeling that if I were to visit your shop to buy a Ford, I'll be leaving with a Bentley. Then again you deserve some recompense for this great Insight. Cheers Chris.
I'd say Chris def knows his stuff, but bear in mind the info is shared with a view to what they want to sell. No doubt it's ALL good kit if they sell it TBF
Ray, we sell nice gear, and some of it is expensive, but our thing is to find the right gear for your kind of riding, and it is certainly not uncommon for us to tell a customer that he would be better served with a Halvarssons Wien rather than a Rukka Nivala at twice the price. As Steve has commented we are a sales operation, but to me over-selling is a no-no. We do that, and it will come back to bite us. Our reputation is worth more to us than a few extra quid on a dodgy sale. Yet, it has to be admitted that if you’re looking for ‘cheap’ gear, you simply won’t find it here. CP.
@@Motolegends I'll be the first to say that if ML says something is good, then it's good! There may* be other options (cheaper/better/alt), but ML is primo in my book. If I still lived nearer Guildford, no doubt I'd bug them in person on a regular basis :D
It's good advice. If you use a bike all the time or are touring India for example you will suffer extreme heat, monsoon rain and maybe caught in hailstones, snow maybe or blizzard. It's hard to be prepared even in Australia. Distances can be 900 miles in a day like Sydney to Adelaide . 18 hours on a bike virtually non stop. 2 up on a Suzuki gs750. I will never forget it. Those old GS 550, 750, 850 and 1000 were crude but solid, very reliable. The nearest bike to them is the Suzuki v Strom in my opinion. The 650 is economical, lighter than 1050. It's all subjective of course but I'm an old traveller, trekker on a shoestring and can write a book on survival probably and have taken cargo jeeps even in the Hindu Kush, Tata lorries and busses in Nepal, Indian Himalayas and Hindu Kush in Pakistan on some very very dodgy dangerous journeys like the lowary pass between Peshawar and Chitral, a very dangerous road indeed. I question my sanity at times.
Is there such a thing as a waxed cotton full length jacket like the belstaff, but ventilated for mostly hot weather? I love the style of that but it’s mostly insanely hot here. I have the Merlin shenstone air which is working, but I love the full length canvas type with all the pockets. Thanks!
Maybe i missed it, but what leather jacket is Chris wearing in the beginning of the video?
Your are the best teatcher chris, thank you for your video ! realy the top !
Looking for a mesh jacket cause I live the damn las vegas desert lol when the temp is 37.0c that's a nice cool day in the summer...
Try the Klim Marrakesh!
Thanks for all of these great vids Chris! I am considering ordering some of your stuff, do you ship to USA? No one sells Halvarssons here.
Yes we ship to USA
As a denizen of America's southwest Mojave Desert, I've learned that there is no single jacket solution. Thirty degree (Fahrenheit) temperature swings are common on a daily basis, regardless of season. If I HAD to have but one jacket, I'd select my mesh jacket with it's removable liner, and augment it with a combination of base layers that can be added/removed as conditions require. This tactic however, requires that I maintain space in my panier/backpack for the layers when they need to be shed off.
You know it. Prepared for the extreme heat and rain. You know you've got to be prepared according to weather, time of year etc, and it can be difficult and full of surprises so it's often a compromise between bulk, weight , how much space you have and with tent, doss roll, toolkit, small stove, a pan etc iaint easy and bungees and panniers , top box, tank bags can be well over £1000 all in without clothing etc. Not cheap. However we travel, it can become addictive and sometimes we can be in different situations, some unexpected and even good or bad surprises. I wouldn't have it any other way and have travelled 3 months a few times with flights return to Delhi, overland to Pakistan tribal area and back into India with £180 fo3 months. That wasn't easy even with an old ridge tent and multifuel stove but were some of the best times I've ever had. Those little Indian TVS 160 cc single cylinder bikes are very cheap, reliable and economical. You can hire them cheap and they do 100mpg but 55 mph is the limit but on some of those roads with Indian crazy drivers going faster could mean you end up in hospital. They're mad especially lorry and bus drivers overtaking but also there's so many cars. A Maruti Suzuki 800cc small van shared between a few of you travelling 6 months on a long visa can work out a lot of fun and you can get 4 people plus luggage inside. Careful camping with snakes, leopards for example and also security especially in some places like Bihar or Punjab where there's very poor areas, bent coppers after back handers in with local villains.
I watch all of the his videos. I live in the US. I have worn custom Bates Leathers jackets for more than 50 years. I had no idea how high tech things have become.........tip-o-the-cap.
Stellar review on moto jackets, my good sir! Just ride clyde! Keep your wheels spinning and the beavers grinning 😉
Yes belstaff or Barbour wax cotton are good . They ain't cheap now.
The despatch riders swore by Rucka. It was expensive but lasted years. This was the 1980s.
I wouldn’t wear anything else but a laminate jacket , other jackets because the waterproofing is inside ( removable membrane) get really heavy as the water causes also cold to penetrate into your body corp , I travel long and short distances, reference airflow jackets I wear them in the summer accompanied by a well known airflow protection shirt , never get hot and stay comfortable.
Ok...so here's what I'm looking for and looking on your site. I'm a new rider (triumph street twin) and realistically I plan to use my bike minimally through the year, the same as my old man, ride on decent weather days in the UK (no rain, dry, fresh 15-25 degree days). Basically won't be riding too much! However i'm 29 and like the cafe racer look and want to look 'cool' as well as protected. What jacket would you suggest? I'll be riding generally on decent weather days. Could I look at waxed cotton or would you choose something else?
*Barbour/Triumph!*
Brilliant love tistening to this guy and he cracks the odd bit off humour
Chris for sure is a legend 👍 thank you for another awesome video!
Great video as usual, I am the one who regrets not buying Rukka Nevada. Could you suggest me a jacket that has same features as this Rukka Nevada but with same brand.
Thank you very much.
Excellent. Very useful overview, just when I was considering a new jacket! Thank you very much!
19:12
R.I.P Headphone users
Cracking vid Chris thank you. What in your opinion is the best all year round gore tex jacket if you could only have one.
Another utterly brilliant video from Motolegends 👌
Helmets aren't required in Alaska, thank God. Wonderful video!
*Neurosurgeons in residence. Move to Alaska. Plenty of practice!*
Very informative vid, thanks.
Old school leather boy here, although you did talk me into buying a pair of Rokker jeans a couple of years ago, when I only came in for a helmet!
I’m trying hard to imagine what the hell could ever possibly induce me to ride three hours in the bloody rain !?!
Great Video - Lots of useful info here. Keep up the amazing content.
Glad it was helpful!
Excellent information
Seems like a wax cotton for winter and a mesh for summer is the best option.
An excellent discussion. Thanks from Colorado.
Our pleasure!
Very informative and helpful. Excellent review. Thank you!
Excellent, excellent, excellent, video!
What a fantastic, informative video 👏🏻👏🏻
"Put on a bit of British style to show them how it's done." Love this guy 😂
Hi Chris, do you know already the Touratech Companero World Traveller? That‘s exactly what you were speaking about, a mash-jacket combined with a waterproof Goretex outer layer.
Yes, I kind of know this suit, as it’s made by Stadler. I just found the suit to be very heavy and cumbersome when I saw it. It will be competent, I’m sure but it didn’t seem easy to live with. A suit that I really like the look of is the Held Carese Evo. Unfortunately, Held as a company is in a bit of a post-Covid mess, so right now we can’t get hold of it, but it’s a potential winner. CP.
Why don't you ever talk about Knox armor/jackets? Can you do a video comparing Knox Urbane Pro collection vs Klim Marrakesh collection?
The jacket should be adapted to the climate. It was funny to dismiss wax jackets because they are not adapted to the desert. UK is cold/cool and wet most of the time and sun is a pleasant surprise. Wax or Goretex work for UK. If one drives in the South of Europe on the other hand, good ventilation in summer is necessary.
4:32 well, that is a lot of rain out of nowhere haha
I think the last time I saw that intermission piece was in the cinema when I was a kid, Guildford Odeon no less. Of course it’s gone now, apartments instead. Great video.
What textile jacket would you recommend to work with heated gloves ? Most require a zip in the sleeve to get the gloves inside the sleeve due to wires ?
You guys are great. Thank you for the great info.
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for your Knowledge 🙏🏼
You are awesome . Wish you had a place in the US
Thanks for a great and informative video!
You're so funny Chris, I ❤️ your understated, cheeky quips 🙂
Thank you!!
The riders were tougher 40yrs ago, fact.....but the gear these days is awesome !
Fantastic review. Wish I’d seen this before buying all those ‘do it all’ jackets. The old saying ‘the poor man pays twice ‘ (or five 😥) 😂
Thank you for watching our video!
Great info, thanks Chris!
great overview!
If I wore an armored shirt with an airbag vest, could I safely wear any old non-motorcycle leather jacket over it? Or should I still use a motorcycle jacket too?
Difficult to say without knowing all the details, but protection-wise it sounds okay. But less convinced that it will be a comfortable solution in any kind of extreme weather; be that the heat, the cold or the wet. CP.
michellin man
That intermission took me back 40 years!
I don't agree with the leather assessment. I use them, I have a summer one microperforated that lets plenty air in, it it gets colder at night in the summer I pull the raincoat on top "perfect". I have a winter one as well, very thick and with a liner, if it gets hot liner out and I open the vents, if rain again the handy raincoat. The big plus for me is that I can go to a party, or any social thing and not have to change from a textile one that rarely are adequate for an event or night out.
Je ne comprends pas la moitié de ce que dit ce gars mais je sens qu'il est exceptionnel et authentique !
Quant à moi, je porte du cuir toute l'année, cuir que je badigeonne au pinceau plongé dans de l'huile d'olive.
This chap knows how to sell jackets.
Cracking video
thx
3:21 wanna feel young again 12:44 eldery chap; 14:44 skying 20:16 fishing
Thank you. Thumps up 👍👍
I had laminate when a motorcycle courier. I survived all them British winters. Could do a 500 mile day in that. And put it on the next day. 👍
i'm still thinking leather , as a skin saver , and you still looked good , a bit like norman wisdom "MR GRIMSDALE " but good , :) is there an internal organ saver jacket ? , joking aside great vid .
Now I know what to get, thx for sharing 👍.
I have perforated leather jacket and pants and gloves for the summer and solid leather jackets, pants and winter gloves. No fabric jacket or pants. Rain suits cover leather very well and are highly ventilated. If someone can afford these ridiculously expensive fabric jackets they can afford a summer and winter leather suits. Professional riders still wear leather dont they ? or have they switched to fabric too. I dont think so. I can ride up to 92 degrees F or 33 degree C. Also to get the same abrasion resistance you need plastic inserts with fabric , no need for leather.
*CENTIGRADE, CELSIUS, please!*
More days when ,(a leather jacket) is not appropriate than there are days when it is inappropriate. 😂😂😂
Love the vids, keep em coming.
you used a product that is specifically designed to pick up water. i treat my leathers with rain repellent and that what i where three seasons. in the summer i dont wear a jacket because its Hot! as you stated its better to be comfortable and id add know the limitations of your bike. Im in America so about half the states don't require a helmet like the one i live in but i travel all over the continent so i have to carry one... and its a pain in the ass. please people lets vote to get rid of theses stupid laws. gear might save you on the track but in real life not so much. Better that any gear you could ever buy is training/ knowing how to ride as assume that everybody wants to kill you and they will hide around corners if they have to.
“White van hidden behind the hedge that will try and kill you” 😂
Hey mate great vid. I moved for better weather. Check it out FLORIDA come thru fam
It's true that back in the day we WERE a lot tougher Chris, on the other hand we were a lot younger too.. I rode in all weathers then, including driving snow.. it's funny how bags of testosterone and the promise of a warm girlfriend can keep the cold out when you're that age.. Younger viewers won't get this, but you looked more like Norman Wisdom than Marlon Brando in that cap..
❤
Good info. But this guy would have you buying 6 different jackets at $500-$1000 each.
Love Chris's presentation. Can't help hearing twat in a cap though...
It's Klim Chris. And adjustments ;)
Audio recording problems.....
Yeah, I jumped for the volume control when that intermission came on!!!
*Röde microphone. Recommended*
When you said your wife runs a bit hot was that a pun?
*PUN?*
Ummmm... Bacon sandwich... 🥓🥪
If you ride your bike in the summer, don't fucking buy a black jacket. (You will thank me for this...)