Oh jeeze... another jacket question

[Mike_Thompson]

Hey guys, sorry for starting a new string… I did some initial research, found some useful information, but wanted to hear some thoughts as well.

 

My situation… when I moved overseas and sold my bike, I also sold my gear as well (not including helmet). I used to ride with a FirstGear Kilimanjaro and enjoyed using it, but it also had its drawbacks. I see now that FirstGear has addressed some of the problems with their Kilimanjaro II and I have put some thought into it as well. I spoke with Marty Hill who wisely directed me towards the pages and you folks…

 

I've come to believe that you do get what you pay for and enjoy riding throughout the year and even in the winter time (the gerbing liner was truely a wonderful invention too..). My wife thinks I’m nuts, but that goes without saying. Can you guys help me understand if there’s a real difference between the Savanna 2 or Darien? Are there newer versions of these jackets? Is there one better than the other? And... are these jackets simply the BMW rider's version of a Harley rider's leather jacket? There are cheaper options out there and the online product reviews have praised both jackets for their features while blasting the two in favor of cheaper options that provide essentially the same protection without purchasing the name. I do realize there are options such as a roadsuit, but I’m strictly looking for a jacket at this point.

 

Ok, I’ll stand back and let the moderators slap me silly for ANOTHER posing about jackets.

 

Thoughts?

[Bugs]

I looked at all the jacket you mentioned before following up on a lead someone on this website pointed me to. Here's my payment forward...

http://www.revitusa.net/

 

I bought the "lab" jacket and it's amazing. Much better than anything else I looked at for my purposes. You're going to have to ignore the way the jackets look on the models on the website and go see one of these things yourself.

[Jeff98362]

I have sold my Darien and my Cycleport Kevlar Air Mesh. I kept the BMW Santiago.

 

It fits nicely and feels good, has great useful pockets and vents, breathes well through the fabric, has good armor, and I like the styling. I use an inexpensive Hi-Viz rain jacket over the Santiago during rain, and I layer with fleece underneath for cold. If necessary I can wear a Vision Vest over it for visibility. I might go with an electric vest if it gets too cold this winter, but last spring was fine.

 

After trying a bunch of different jackets, this one is a keeper!

[johnlt]

I believe the Santiago replaced the Savanah II. I have both a Savanah II and a Stich Darian. The Savanah II is much more comfortable but having to put in the Gortex liner when it rains is a PITA. In summer, I believe it is the coolest jacket other than pure mesh jackets. Great ventilation. With the Gortex liner in plus some layering, it does ok in real cold weather. The Darian is very functional. I've had mine over a year and several thousand miles including an SS1000. It worked fine but in my opinion, it is not comfortable. Too stiff. Everyone tells me it will get better but I think they are just over rated but a BMW status symbol. I do like the fact that the Gortex is part of the jacket. Ventilation is ok but not nearly as good as the Savanah II. I just ordered a Belstaf Discovery to replace the Darian.

[Mike_Thompson]

I bought the "lab" jacket and it's amazing. Much better than anything else I looked at for my purposes. You're going to have to ignore the way the jackets look on the models on the website and go see one of these things yourself.

 

Agreed... those guys look so happy to be on the page. How does the ventillation work with the jacket? There are no vent flaps on the jacket.

 

Do most jackets come with a soft foam back protection? My old Kilimanjaro had soft foam too and I never really felt comfortable with it.

[Bugs]

The RevIT ventilation is as good or better than anything else I looked at (including comparable BMW models like the santiago), plus you don't have to keep the water proof layer in the jacket - it zips out (along with a thermal layer) and you're left with a single layer of much more breathable fabric and plus several vents to work with. I don't consider it a 4 season jacket, however. I still need a full mesh jacket when it gets near 90. RevIt does have another jacket they position as 4 season. It does have more vents along with the same removable thermal and rain liners. I think it's called the cyanne or something therelike. The owner of the shop where I bought mine says the cyanne model is the only jacket he wears year round - even in extreme heat and cold. He's a serious adventure rider - he's done 6K mile rides from Alaska to Mexico.... and he has access to plenty of other products, many costing much more.

 

As far as the backpad, the one in the model I bought is soft, but removable/replaceable (could easily replace it with something tough from Dainese).

 

Check out this website where they review a bunch of the RevIt models.

 

http://www.webbikeworld.com/r3/motorcycle-riding-jacket/

[Mike_Thompson]

I just ordered a Belstaf Discovery to replace the Darian.

So which do you like better? It seems like everyone uses either a BMW Savanna/Satiago or a Darien. I'm trying to get something I can use in late fall, winter, and early spring that's affordable, has hard armor, nice reflection, and doesn't cost nearly $500 just for the jacket. The liner... being another $150 or so just seems like a slap in the face. The Bellstaff looks like fairly nice jacket too...

 

So far, these seem to be the jackets of choice:

 

BMW Savanna 2 or Santiago - $475

Darien 1 or 2 piece - $450

RevIt - $425

Kilimanjaro (soft armor) - $325

Bellstaff - $250-$300

 

I'm guessing that I'm just going to have to face the fact that it's going to cost a bunch of cashola for a good jacket with the features I'd like to get in case of a meeting with the asphalt.

[johnlt]

I have not received the Discovery yet ($379). It should be here next week and I'll wear it to El Paseo the end of the month and be able to assess it compared to the Darian then. I'll post a comparison.

[CruisinCruzan]

Some of my almost worth .02 thoughts on jackets. Since you are not talking hot weather use as well you have more options. If you want waterproof without having to worry about carrying a liner there are several options. Tourmaster's latest is called the Advanced (Advanced sport is the short version) have seen it looks pretty nice for the price,. A reasonably priced jacket with laminated Gore-Tex XCR, which is the most permeable of the Gore-Tex fabrics, is the Teknic Cyclone (http://www.webbikeworld.com/r3/teknic/, for a review), I like laminated products because they tend to be trimmer, as you don'thave several different layers. The XCR is the same type of Gore-Tex used in the BMW Streetguard 2 suit (mucho dollars) and the high end Rukka suits, Dainese also makes this type of fabric. There are several suits from the familiar names (Rocket, First Gear, etc.) that have varying types of waterproof membranes that are also reasonably priced. The one thing I wouldn't depend on is a coating on the fabric. BTW I have no connection to any of this stuff I just have a sad enough life that I actually spent a fair amount of time researching this topic before making purchases. Good Luck

[Tool Man]

Mike,

Looking at your summary of the pricing, Your not that far off from a Ralley 2 Jacket. I was using roadcrafter suits long before obtaining a BMW so I'm not sure about the status claim you mention. I agree it takes forever to break in the fabric Aerostich uses. I find the Ralley 2 to be 100% more comfy out of the box and find it to have a broader range of climate comfort than the Aerostich. Add the pants and you'll love the fit and comfort. It made sense to pay alittle more for the quality I wanted.

 

On the other hand, I have a great Alpinestar jacket that I used for years in all climates and comes with a good liner. It has vents, ample pockets, shoulder,elbow,back armour, comfy out of the box for only 270 bucks. I still use it for back and forth to work. I bought it from These Guys

 

It looks like this:

 

 

My summer over 90 temp jacket is one of these.

 

 

You can have them both for about 550 bucks.

 

My favorite is still the Ralley 2 suit which I use on the weekends going up to the mountains.

 

Don't cha just hate shopping...you end up with closets full of riding gear, boots, gloves, pants, old race leathers, and a couple dozen helmets...jeesh... I just bought another one last week. As long as your riding it will never end.

[Mike_Thompson]

Don't cha just hate shopping...you end up with closets full of riding gear, boots, gloves, pants, old race leathers, and a couple dozen helmets...jeesh... I just bought another one last week. As long as your riding it will never end.

Oh, you betcha! It's kind of stupid and funny at the same time, but I found my Gerbing packed away in a box. Since I used to use it with my Kilimanjaro as the fleece liner absolutely sucked, I can use it yet again! I found that the Gerbing worked really well even as a simple liner during rides in and out of cool spots.

 

As much as I've whined about it since starting this thread, I believe that I'm going to go with the Darien without their fleece liner. I misunderstood some of my research and thought that there was a waterproof liner you had to purchase in addition to the jacket. With a smaller price point of $367 for the jacket without the liner the option is more affordable. I'll just have explain to Lynn that I won't go and spend lots of cash to accessorize the jacket.

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone that posted their thoughts or sent an email. I really do appreciate it!