Francois_Dumas Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 Nope, not another beating of a dead horse...... .... although I was both jealous and miffed by the 'attire' of the French highway patrol.... riding blue RT's... in blue shirt sleeves no less !!!!!! All the while Nina and I were sweating so much in our BMW Tourance ATGATT that we even delayed to stop for as long as we could. It was over 100 F at times..... and this is just the WRONG garment. Sooooo.... what are you all wearing when it is so hot !? (assuming you have no choice but to ride ). Link to comment
scargoes Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 Joe Rocket Phoenix. It helps but not much. I also avoid dark colors as much as possible. Light colored, well vented helmet as well. 100 degrees is 100 degrees. Link to comment
Geraldh Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 If you have to ride then it should be ATGATT no matter how hot it is. I see guys in just shirts and or shorts and sandals and just shake my head. I know this has been debated before but I believe in ATGATT no matter what.... Link to comment
Francois_Dumas Posted June 21, 2005 Author Share Posted June 21, 2005 If you have to ride then it should be ATGATT no matter how hot it is. I see guys in just shirts and or shorts and sandals and just shake my head. I know this has been debated before but I believe in ATGATT no matter what.... Yes, same here. I rode the bike from the front of the house to the back.... in my shorts, t-shirt and slippers.... THAT did NOT feel well at all !! (and it was only 50 meters). But I guess what I am looking for is 'special' summer ATGATT ....? Preferably something affordable for a 'just-started' old entrepreneur? (Nina has a white/grey/yellow trousers and coat... with extra ventilation openings too... that was the 'expensive' and fashionable attire... I went for the solid black Tourance stuff...... served me well all winter, but BOY is it HOT now !! ) Link to comment
mark5lam Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 I live in San Diego CA and ride often in the desert areas where it gets near or over 100 degrees in the summer months. I have the BMW Savanna II jacket and airflow pants which I find excellent year around gear for this area (Sometimes use leather pants on colder days). In the summer with the vents open, I'm comfortable so long as I'm moving. Can get a little warm when stopped but nothing too bad. Also have a FirstGear summer mesh jacket. It looks nice and is cool when moving but I don't feel very well protected in it and don't use it too often. Link to comment
Boffin Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 Nope, not another beating of a dead horse...... .... although I was both jealous and miffed by the 'attire' of the French highway patrol.... riding blue RT's... in blue shirt sleeves no less !!!!!! All the while Nina and I were sweating so much in our BMW Tourance ATGATT that we even delayed to stop for as long as we could. It was over 100 F at times..... and this is just the WRONG garment. Sooooo.... what are you all wearing when it is so hot !? (assuming you have no choice but to ride ). The Gendarmes are forced to ride in shirt sleeves in the summer - the reason? They are part of the French Army, calvary no less, and this is their official summer uniform. The Moto Gendarmes would love to be able to ride in proper protective gear; which leads to what to wear on hot days. I have heard good things about the BMW streetguard 2 suit, but this has a big price tag. A friend of mine swears by his Hein Gericke airflow suit, used in conjunction with a lightweight waterproof over suit for when it rains. Cya, Andy Link to comment
celebrationrev Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 I also ride with a FirstGear mesh jacket. I got mine last week after having nothing but my way-too-heavy and hot leather jacket. I too wonder about the level of protection. The impact areas have a 3/8" or so pad made of a dense perforated foam-like material. But I'm assuming it offers an acceptable level of protection for abrasion prevention. What I do know is that I am a WHOLE lot more comfortable in the heat and humidity of west MI summer. And price was a major factor for me. I got the jacket for $139, well below any of the other summer-weight jackets at the dealership. Link to comment
belezar Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 I just got the Teknic Aquavent mesh. Seems pretty well made, has CE armor, and includes a water proof liner. Pretty comfy. Haven't gotten any pants yet, so my FG Overpants suffice for now. Link to comment
wrestleantares Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 First Gear Meshtex pants and Jacket. ...the summer stitch... Rev' it mesh gloves. Normally under my gear I wear a light t-shirt and shorts. Link to comment
Francois_Dumas Posted June 21, 2005 Author Share Posted June 21, 2005 Thanks for all the answers folks... am browsing websites for some of the gear you mentioned.... Probably after I decide to buy this 'cool' mesh jacket the temps will plummet to sub zero.... but hey ! Link to comment
leikam Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 I wear perforated leather very similar to these: http://newenough.com/vanson_csrv2_jacket_pictures.htm http://newenough.com/vanson_traveler_perf_pants_pictures.htm While moving, I find it comfortable up to about 105F at which point it's better to have less wind. During the summer, we have very low humidity and virtually no rain and that makes a difference too. Link to comment
johnlt Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 I ride the Tucson desert a lot and use a Savanna II. I unzip the arms so that the sleeves and cuffs are completely open. I added a small patch of velcro so that the wrist strap doesn't flop around. This set up with all other vents open is as comfortable as I can get at 100 degrees without evaporative cooling. I get really hot only when I stop but then, anything is hot without any airflow. Link to comment
Paul De Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 I wear the vented jacket that BMW makes which works well if you’re moving. I would have gone for the First Gear jacket but my wife wanted the BMW jackets and she was buying so I just said; "thanks honey". I will say that ATGATT is preferred but not at the risk of heat exhaustion, or worse, heat stroke. If you can delay the ride to a less stressful part of the day like in the early AM or on a cooler day that is great. IMOHO if you must ride in high heat & direct sun and the gear you have isn't designed for it I don't see how strict adherence to ATGATT while your brain and body is overheating and is shutting down can be viewed as more safe than having your senses intact and a little more exposed skin. Link to comment
BFish Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 come on down to florida for the summer. my sunday ride starts at 6am (really nice ) and i'm home by 11am (sweating bullets). wear the rocket phoenix in silver and it isn't bad as long as you avoid stop and go and just cruise. early evenings aren't bad either. problem is you'll have cold weather next week probably. Link to comment
Erick Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 Have you considered punching a couple of holes into your jacket, Francois? Link to comment
Delboy Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 I`ve just bought one of Belstaffs Airblast jackets,Armor and a water proof removeable liner and more vents than you can shake a stick at.I bought this at the BMF show Peterborough for the princely sum of £50(normaly £150)As long as you are moving you can feel air moving through the jacket. Regards Del Link to comment
BobFV1 Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 Nope, not another beating of a dead horse...... .... although I was both jealous and miffed by the 'attire' of the French highway patrol.... riding blue RT's... in blue shirt sleeves no less !!!!!! All the while Nina and I were sweating so much in our BMW Tourance ATGATT that we even delayed to stop for as long as we could. It was over 100 F at times..... and this is just the WRONG garment. Sooooo.... what are you all wearing when it is so hot !? (assuming you have no choice but to ride ). Francois - When I was much younger I was employed by my government as a, to put it simply, "hired gun" , and on one particular assignment I was sent to Paris to protect a senior member of the US cabinet. We were staying at the Royal Monceau near the Arc d'triomph and had a morning motorcade movement over to UNESCO. Our motorcycle escort (it was winter) were mostly geezers (mature gentlemen) wearing full length leather jackets (looked like patent leather at that!) and these white belts which went around their waist and one shoulder. About lunch time we were out in the staff tent having a great lunch that the french cops had invited us to. The motorcops were at the next table slamming down the red wine, laughing, telling stories. suddenly over our earpieces we got the word that we had an unscheduled motorcade move back to the hotel. I'll never forget the French motorcops - they slammed down the rest of the wine that was in their glasses, ran out and jumped on their bikes, put on those cissy-sounding European sirens, and led us through mid-day Paris traffic down the Champs Elysses - I'm sure they were all over .08!!! By the way - are you ATTGATT if you wear a protective jacket and all the protective gear except protective pants? For example - would you all consider a full face helmet, a motorcycle jacket and gloves, and motorcycle boots,worn with blue jeans, to be ATTGATT, or woould you think that to be ATTGAT you would need to add protective pants to that equation??? Just curious. BTW - Now, in the Arizona Summer - BMW Venting Machine jacket and pants! Link to comment
Peter H. Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 Another vote for the BMW Venting Machine pants - excellent in hot weather. They are absolutely the most comfortable motorcycle pants I own. The construction and protection is top-tier - expecially for a mesh garment. My jacket is a Firstgear Meshtex II, silver color to help reflect some of the sun's rays. The jacket is "OK", I am still looking for a better jacket. I might end up opting for the Venting Machine jacket (wish it wasn't black). Link to comment
TracerBullet Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 I wear the Air Mesh Kevlar by www.Motoport.com It can get quite humid in these parts and I do pretty well with both the jacket and pants. Only shorts and a t-shirt underneath sal Link to comment
Redbrick Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 I have a First Gear Mesh jacket also and feel as you do...Not very well protected.....The matching First Gear mesh pants are a little better.......That jacket is cooler by far than Cortech types but I'd rather open the vents and wear a wet tee shirt under my Tour Master Cortech and feel better about a possible "issue"....... Phil Link to comment
Steve_Witmer Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 I wear perforated leather . . . While moving, I find it comfortable up to about 105F . . . I wear perforated leather in the summer also, but I don't really find it terribly comfortable above 90F -- tolerable, Yes -- comfortable, No. I pay extra attention to hydration in warm weather to compensate for my choice of gear, and I may be investing in a cooling vest this year. All gear is a compromise, and leather in the summer does not strike the right balance between comfort and protection for a lot of people. Link to comment
Timmer Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 I'll make this the third vote for the BMW Venting Machine jacket on the hot days, 90+F. Pricey, but cool, with solid protection. Link to comment
Pilgrim Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 If you have to ride then it should be ATGATT no matter how hot it is. I see guys in just shirts and or shorts and sandals and just shake my head. I know this has been debated before but I believe in ATGATT no matter what.... In my younger days, before I became such a sensitive, '90s kind of guy, I'd have said that's utter tripe. Now, I understand that different folks have different opinions, and they're entitled to them no matter how little sense they make. I say that because there comes a point in riding when heat becomes more of a danger to you than mere gear can protect you from. First, there is the heat itself. Once upon a time, as I tried to set up camp in Gila Bend, AZ in July, I realized that I was on the verge of heat stroke. That was despite having dressed for at least a modicum of slide protection, but keeping the clothing underneath soaked. Dress in this ATGATT style and you are endangering yourself, especially once the temp hits a hundred. Then there is the deleterious effect that heat has on your mental processes. Overheat, and your decision-making and motor skills degrade significantly. Add in dehyration (which is usual for most riders) and the mental situation goes critical. I believe that an overheated rider is a danger to himself and those around him, and IMHO, without a shred of evidence or proof, I believe he is more likely to have an accident from which his gear must protect him. And . that is always a gamble. Those of you who wear mesh gear (and I do too, sometimes) should understand that you have already taken a step away from "the best" on the continuum of protection that basically starts with staying home. Leather with pads is as good as it gets, and if that's not what you're wearing you essentially agree with me. We just have different threshholds of acceptability. None of which is to defend shorts and sandals, but only because they don't actually contribute to coolth. You really need to keep the sun off your skin and having some barrier to keep sweat evaporation slowed at least a bit. Pilgrim Link to comment
kzz Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 My favourite summer ATTGAT: up: http://tinyurl.com/9lm3t + a light shirt down: http://www.hein-gericke.de -> Air 2 pants (I have an older modell) optionally: a rain suit Link to comment
leikam Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 leather in the summer does not strike the right balance between comfort and protection for a lot of people. If you look at what a lot of BMW riders wear, leather never strikes the right balance at any time of year. But I still prefer it. Link to comment
Haynes Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 Draggin Jeans and BMW Airflow jacket. I always wear boots that cover my ankles. I never ride without a helmet. Link to comment
Bill J Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 If you have to ride then it should be ATGATT no matter how hot it is. I see guys in just shirts and or shorts and sandals and just shake my head. I know this has been debated before but I believe in ATGATT no matter what.... So, is that you wearing jeans in your avatar? "ATT" means different things to different people. If I'm taking a good ride, I usually wear First Gear Kilimanjaro Air jacket with HT Air overpants but sometimes I wear the jacket with jeans. If it's really hot and I'm riding just a couple miles for a loaf of bread, I'll wear jeans and a jean jacket. Link to comment
Ken H. Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 Another vote for the FirstGear Meshtex stuff. I'm actually cooler when I put the silver jacket on than with nothing. It reflects the heat and flows the air that well. (Why don't they make silver pants BTW?? Black in the summer - .) ISFA protection, I had all mine on when I went down and no abrasions came through anywhere. I think the stuff is tougher than it looks. Link to comment
sideways Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 I also bought the First Gear Meshtex II jacket and the Meshtex pants for my first crack at riding gear since Bell made the only available full-face helmet. Back then I had about a foot of something called "hair" that came out the back of the helmet. Anyway, the "armor" that comes with both Meshtex pieces is a joke - and a bad one. But upgrading the armor is no problem - see newenough.com or aerostich.com. The black (I agree - mesh and black? Whuffo?) pants still get a bit warm behind my RT fairing, so periodically I have to either stand or wave my knees out in the breeze, both of which are a bit undignified, you might say. Also, the meshtex jacket seems to have been made by a person with a beer gut. Even with the velcro adjusters all the way in, the jacket doesn't fit tight around my waist, but in the summer, I guess that's not all bad. Francois, is it cost-effective for you to order from US based companies with the low dollar and all, or is it easy for you to find what you need on that side of the pond? Say there, Sal, did you find the motoport gear to fit with about the same sizes you usually wear? How was their customer service? Also, how does that kevlar stuff feel against your skin when you wear shorts and tees underneath? Good roads, everyone, Brad Link to comment
leikam Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 Ken, was your mesh stuff something you'd wear again after the accident or was it pretty much sacrificial? Link to comment
Tom P Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 Yet another vote for First Gear Meshtex pants and Jacket. I've had them for about a month and they really do work well in hot weather. Might look into getting better armour for the jacket after reading some of the replys though. Link to comment
Pilgrim Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 Draggin Jeans and BMW Airflow jacket. I always wear boots that cover my ankles. I never ride without a helmet. I've worn Draggin' Jeans for several years, and I like them a lot. I like them enough that I bought one of their denim jackets with Kevlar and pads, and I like it, too. Pilgrim Link to comment
Steve_Witmer Posted June 24, 2005 Share Posted June 24, 2005 If you look at what a lot of BMW riders wear, leather never strikes the right balance at any time of year. But I still prefer it. "Well-weathered leather, hot metal and oil, the scented country air. Sunlight on chrome, the blur of the landscape, every nerve aware." Rush -- Red Barchetta It works for a motorcycle as well as a car, but "well-weathered cordura" just doesn't paint the same picture. Of course, sunlight on tupperware doesn't work real well either. Link to comment
Geraldh Posted July 20, 2005 Share Posted July 20, 2005 If you have to ride then it should be ATGATT no matter how hot it is. I see guys in just shirts and or shorts and sandals and just shake my head. I know this has been debated before but I believe in ATGATT no matter what.... So, is that you wearing jeans in your avatar? "ATT" means different things to different people. I'm glad you set me straight. After your eye opening remark, we went out and bought JR Phoenix jacket and JR mesh pants for both myself and my wife. She finally bought a pair of high top boots last night so we're set to go. Thanks again for setting me straight, never in jeans again. P.S. My new avatar shows what I now wear while riding Link to comment
W. Mazelin Posted July 23, 2005 Share Posted July 23, 2005 I like the BMW airflow (the lighter the color the better) jacket & pants. The price is only a bit steep until you need the protection. Then I am sure, and you can ask my wife, it is a very economical suit. 36 degrees C is 36 degrees C! Link to comment
Francois_Dumas Posted July 24, 2005 Author Share Posted July 24, 2005 Great story Bob !!! Hmmm... we are dressed the 'jeans-ATGATT' now..... good description Link to comment
jjohnson24 Posted July 24, 2005 Share Posted July 24, 2005 Cycleport's Ultra II Kevlar air mesh (http://www.motoport.com) lets tons of air through and gives unequalled protection and can be custom made. Pants as well. They are also doing a one piece again. I live in Kansas now and 100Deg and 100 % humidity is not unusual. 100 is 100 but the air moving thru helps. Link to comment
Matts_12GS Posted July 24, 2005 Share Posted July 24, 2005 If you have to ride then it should be ATGATT no matter how hot it is. I see guys in just shirts and or shorts and sandals and just shake my head. I know this has been debated before but I believe in ATGATT no matter what.... That's easy for you to say in Ontario, I mean, has the snow melted away yet? I can appreciate you opinion, but it's just not practical in some of the condiotion faced here in the US. When it is miserably hot here in FL, I try to ride only in the morning or else evening. I will then wear my Teknic mesh jacket, most likely my JR razor pants, mesh gloves and my riding boots. If I am riding to work (which I do most days) I substitute jeans for the Razor pants in the above scenario..... Link to comment
Rags Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 " If I am riding to work (which I do most days) I substitute jeans for the Razor pants in the above scenario..... " BMW has good black denum jeans with Kevlar. A bit expensive (is that redundant with BMW in the same paragraph?) but they are a soft medium weight fabric. They have armor which I don't use on short trips. they also have a jacket. Just watch the sizes - they are weird... Link to comment
270 Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 " If I am riding to work (which I do most days) I substitute jeans for the Razor pants in the above scenario..... " BMW has good black denum jeans with Kevlar. A bit expensive (is that redundant with BMW in the same paragraph?) but they are a soft medium weight fabric. They have armor which I don't use on short trips. they also have a jacket. Just watch the sizes - they are weird... Rags, I gotta ask...your IBA # is 118XXX? There's got to be an extra digit in there! Link to comment
Rottweiler Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 I'm surprised no one has mentioned evaporative cooling vests. I got mine from NewEnough.com (no afilliation) for $29 plus shipping and it's the only thing that makes a 95 degree ATGATT ride bearable for me. Check out this link http://bmwsporttouring.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/535416/an/0/page/1#535416 for all the latest. Don't leave home without one under your mesh. Link to comment
Rags Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 Ragged Edge you're absolutely right, I don't know where I got that # from?? I'm going to correct it. Thanks for the heads up. Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.