View Full Version : All season kit
I'm thinking of buying some good quality all season kit and wondered what words of wisdom I could find here.
I am considering a Hein Gericke Master V suit, which uses Gore-Tex XCR and has a removable thermal liner. This suit is said to be very breathable due to the XCR.
The BMW Rallye 2 Pro suit.
The Rukka Allroad suit. I think this has seperate waterproof and thermal liner.
They are all expensive, but I want quality and something I can wear all year.
Opinions/advice/experiences please:thumb
Hein Gericke Master V suit :thumb2
Twat suit. cold:mad::ymca
Rukka. expensive.£££:eek:
I'm thinking of buying some good quality all season kit and wondered what words of wisdom I could find here.
I am considering a Hein Gericke Master V suit, which uses Gore-Tex XCR and has a removable thermal liner. This suit is said to be very breathable due to the XCR.
The BMW Rallye 2 Pro suit.
The Rukka Allroad suit. I think this has seperate waterproof and thermal liner.
They are all expensive, but I want quality and something I can wear all year.
Opinions/advice/experiences please:thumb
You are in Chelmsford.
Go to:
Cannon BuMW in Braintree
HG at Gants Hill
Hideout Leather near Saffron Walden.
None a million miles away. Make your own mind up.
Still not happy? Bikestop at Stevenage or the bloody big clothing shop at Highbury Corner (used to be Sondel Sport, may still be?) or any of the Infinity shops. After this you will have seen the lot.
Gore-tex XCR not more breatheable than any other goretex in my book.:nenau
Rukka good and cheap if you buy from germany on ebay as several here have .
HG Cruise GTX. Top pieces of kit!
... Halvarssons (http://www.jofama.se/motorcycle_wear/product_care/) gear, which is very good quality, not as pricey as some already mentioned, and somewhat more individual. Can be a little hard to get but it's getting better :D
Should be at the NEC if you're that bothered :cool:
... Halvarssons (http://www.jofama.se/motorcycle_wear/product_care/) gear, which is very good quality, not as pricey as some already mentioned, and somewhat more individual. Can be a little hard to get but it's getting better :D
Should be at the NEC if you're that bothered :cool:
I had Halvarssons but didn't get on with it.
Wapping, I have been to all of those shops (although Gericke Braintree is closer), but trying them on in the shop is not the same as riding in the rain/heat in them for hours on end.:beerjug:
Having used Rukka every day for the last 3yrs I can fully recommend.
I had Halvarssons but didn't get on with it.
I don't suppose you've got any trousers left, tosser size of course :augie
I don't suppose you've got any trousers left, tosser size of course :augie
No, I sold the suit to one of our Tossers after about six months and a dozen wears:blast
I wear (cheaper) Rukka all year round. In the middle of summer I get a bit hot whilst in the middle of winter I sometimes feel the chill.
At the end of the day eggs is eggs :augie
Stich! (http://www.aerostich.com/catalog/US/Aerostich-Suits-p-1-c-248.html)
sherpatensing
07-11-07, 19:15
I'm thinking of buying some good quality all season kit and wondered what words of wisdom I could find here.
I am considering a Hein Gericke Master V suit, which uses Gore-Tex XCR and has a removable thermal liner. This suit is said to be very breathable due to the XCR.
The BMW Rallye 2 Pro suit.
The Rukka Allroad suit. I think this has seperate waterproof and thermal liner.
They are all expensive, but I want quality and something I can wear all year.
Opinions/advice/experiences please:thumb
Spada........I've heard some people take the p*ss but I've found it very good. Marshall Honda in Peterborough currently have 25% off all clothing at the moment including Spada. Check out the Spada Turin jacket £115 and trousers at £89 (approx) less the discount. Sounds a reasonable deal.
I wear (cheaper) Rukka all year round. In the middle of summer I get a bit hot whilst in the middle of winter I sometimes feel the chill.
At the end of the day eggs is eggs :augie
Unless they're an omette.
If you have the one with the removable liner, £25 ish on ebay will get you a heated jacket kit, and solve the winter problem - I did it, it's great.
I had Halvarssons but didn't get on with it.
Wapping, I have been to all of those shops (although Gericke Braintree is closer), but trying them on in the shop is not the same as riding in the rain/heat in them for hours on end.:beerjug:
OK :beerjug:
My 2p
Never found any Italian stuff that fitted.
HG decent enough. Kept me dry for years. The one faulty pair of trousers I had was exchanged, without a receipt or quibble.
BuMW suite. Good at keeping me cool and works well with my electric vest. Shows every blob of dirt (mine is filthy) and the trousers leak (or at least two pairs of mine do) and the detachable gore-tex liner is sometimes a pain and the retaining popper things break.
Had a 'stich. Never got on with it.
have a 'stich Alpinestar copy - not bad but needs a big oversuit when it lashes down. Got a Halvarsson oversuit, which is breathable. Breathing apart, it has excellent zips on the legs, making it a doddle to put on.
Done alright with leathers and oversuites (of various sorts) over the years. Probably the best was a cheap Frank Thomas oversuit but the rest of their range is crap.
Just bought, after 34 years of fooling about on silly 2 wheeled things, a Rukka two-piece. Seems OK so far after 200 miles. We shall see.
Another Choice..
Scott leathers Road Airflow Jacket
From there website (http://www.scottleathers.co.uk/default.asp) -
Road AirFlow Jacket
only £250.00
This is a high quality jacket originally deigned and used by the Metropolitan police and after seeing the finished article we have decided to continue the range and make the range available to the public.This Jacket has been classed as a PPE Garment.
It is built to ‘EN 13595-1:2002 Level 2' specification ensuring the high standard of manufacturing that is associated with Scott Leathers . This versatile jacket features an effective ventilation system and fully waterproof lining which makes this the ideal all year jacket. The jacket also features full body armor and luminous strips (Strips must be requested when order is placed).
http://www.scottleathers.co.uk/prodbig/37a.jpg
Or there Road Jacket
From there website -
New Road Jacket
only £299.00
This is a high quality jacket originally deigned and used by the Metropolitan police and after seeing the finished article we have decided to continue the range and make the range available to the public.This Jacket has been classed as a PPE Garment.
It is built to ‘EN 13595-1:2002 Level 2' and was classed at a 2,2,2 level specification thus ensuring the high standard of manufacturing that is associated with Scott Leathers . This versatile jacket features an effective ventilation system and fully waterproof lining which makes this the ideal all year jacket. The jacket also features full body armor and luminous strips (Strips must be requested when order is placed).
http://www.scottleathers.co.uk/prodbig/39a.jpg
This one can be 'custom fitted' from a standard size to fit you better. I haven't seen these, but i can comment on Scott's custom fit service. I've had a set of one piece leathers and a pair of there venom jeans altered to fit my rather lanky shape and they were excellent both times. It didn't cost me anything other than a trip to see them either. In the case of the jeans i tried on a few pairs to see which fitted the best, they then took some measurements and made a set altering the pattern (rather than altering a pair already made ) to allow , in my case, for a long thigh. Took about two weeks and the result was excellent. As for quality have a look at the TT or Irish road acing to see how many riders wear Scott's gear.
I've had a set of one piece leathers and a pair of there venom jeans altered to fit my rather lanky shape and they were excellent both times.
Are you sure you are on the right web-site?
Are you sure you are on the right web-site?
Just doing my bit to keep the average weight of a GSer less than the bike:augie
Just doing my bit to keep the average weight of a GSer less than the bike:augie
Aaah, that's the spirit, a man with a dream. A wholly unattainable, ridiculously unlikely, vastly hopless miscalculation of possibility, but a dream nonetheless.:thumb
ROLLINSDAN
07-11-07, 21:00
The Rallye suit is pants for anything other than summer weather. Rukka every time, I used mine in temps down to minus 10 ish at the start of the year, awesome stuff. Warm and dry without any worries.
Apart from the fetching banana jacket modelled by st247 I recommend HG as they do what they say and if they don't by some fluke they'll swap 'em or refund you. I've been riding for centuries and tried most stuff but settled on HG now.(No I'm not an employee!!)
... If it's for all year ... don't get black!
... What with all this scotch-proof-gore-lite-thermalised-ventilated-technology are we forgotting the art of a nice woolly jumper when it gets a bit parky :nenau
I love my Aerostich. Plenty of room for layers underneath, and plenty of ventilation for when it's warm out. The only downside is that it isn't the most comfortable or stylish thing to walk around in when you get there. I use mine all year round to ride to work, and have worn it touring to Spain as well.
For real versatility I have a HG Tuareg Gore-tex. It has a removable waterproof and thermal lining, and great ventilation. It is lovely to wear in hot weather, and I find it warm enough in the winter. It is pretty waterproof, too. Riding in a muggy summer's day when it might rain is a problem, as the lining is too bulky to carry round without luggage. I think this is a similar design to the BMW suit.
I bought a jacket and trousers set from Lidl last year. Only worn it once so far - it's for emergencies - and it was lovely and warm and waterproof too. It doesn't look particular nice, but it was dead cheap!
I bought a BMW Tourance suit in a closing down sale. I think it would have been over-valued at full price, but it is nice kit.
(My warmest jacket is a Richa Eagle. Richa kit seems to fit my shape quite well, which would rule it out for anyone a vaguely normal shape.)
Presumably this is a 5 part wardrobe contents drama?
Presumably this is a 5 part wardrobe contents drama?
Ahem... :potkettle
Ahem... :potkettle
You're way out ahead now. I don't have an aerostich, nor an "emergency" Lidl set, nor a BMW suit, and I sold my Joe Rocket jacket earlier this year. No contest, you're the fat wardrobe king.
HG - looks crap but does the job
Rallye2 - looks ace but is crap when it's under 15*
Rukka - too dear and still looks crap
Me? I've ordered a Stich - we'll see :nenau
You're way out ahead now. I don't have an aerostich, nor an "emergency" Lidl set, nor a BMW suit, and I sold my Joe Rocket jacket earlier this year. No contest, you're the fat wardrobe king.
Perhaps the Emergency Lidl set was an extravagance, but for £120 quid for the set (incl gloves)... what sane biker could walk past?
I no longer have any leathers (apart from a pair of Richa leather trousers). Now I've shrunk a bit and stabilised, maybe I'll investigate...
I could put some less frequently used kit on E-bay, I suppose, but I don't want to flood the market and drag prices down. :D
Perhaps the Emergency Lidl set was an extravagance,
There's a couple of words you don't often see together.
Is it any cop though?
There's a couple of words you don't often see together.
Is it any cop though?
Seems to be OK. Wearing the gloves regularly now it's a little nippy in the mornings, only used the jacket/trousers once but they were warm enough and kept me bone dry in the rain. Seems as well made as any other kit, has plenty of pockets, vent zips and so on.
I use a Rukka air power suit and find it very versatile for everyday use, its 3 years old now and although tatty in places (wear and tear) its still fully waterproof, its a great suit but maybe not the warmest in the real depths of winter, now i'm toying with buying another Rukka suit, this time with the goretex in the outer shell (shake dry) for winter use only, i'll combine this with a gerbing heated jacket and trousers that should keep me warm and toasty on the commute:thumb2 Then swap back to the airpower for the warm sticky summer rides, remember them?
Shep:bounce1
I've got Rukka and HG.
Rukka is good but expensive and they have excellent customer service and warranty cover, I know because ALL of my Rukka gear has been replaced because it leaked!
HG is good and less expensive and I cannot fault their warranty cover because they replaced my jacket when a zip broke, the gear has not leaked.
I wear my HG stuff daily, all year round and when it gets replaced it will be with more HG stuff.
I think Rukka is very good but not worth the extra expense over HG, unless you can get it cheaper.
HG is getting lots of positive feed back. I suppose the warmth of the clothing is less important than the waterproofing as I've got a heated vest I can wear underneath.
Thanks for all the feedback. I think BMW is out of the running, I'll try HG and Rukka on and see which I find more comfortable.:thumb2
anygood to you?
http://www.funwarehouse.co.uk/acatalog/Fine_Corduroy_Santa_Suit_R2352C_SMALL.jpg
Apart from the fetching banana jacket modelled by st247 I recommend HG as they do what they say and if they don't by some fluke they'll swap 'em or refund you. I've been riding for centuries and tried most stuff but settled on HG now.(No I'm not an employee!!)
The model is Jimmy Aird, the owner of Scott leathers.
That's it, just thought I'd stick me nose in:D
I bought my Rukka jacket and trousers at the NEC last year and got about 20% off. Fantastic kit, worth going to the NEC for:)
HG is getting lots of positive feed back. I suppose the warmth of the clothing is less important than the waterproofing as I've got a heated vest I can wear underneath.
Thanks for all the feedback. I think BMW is out of the running, I'll try HG and Rukka on and see which I find more comfortable.:thumb2
My HG gear is warmer than my Rukka gear, when both sets have the liners in.
I also have a heated waistcoat and rarely need it.
HG Cruise GTX. Top pieces of kit!
+1 HG Cruise Jacket is great
+1 HG Cruise Jacket is great
+2 HG Cruise Jacket and Trousers.
Unless they're an omette.
If you have the one with the removable liner, £25 ish on ebay will get you a heated jacket kit, and solve the winter problem - I did it, it's great.
Being hard boiled (okay then, fat) it's never really a problem.
I used to wear HG kit and over the years I've had three jackets and two pairs of leather jeans. One jacket was written off in a bike crash and the pair of leather jeans were cut off me in A&E by a very attractive (female) nurse. The second jacket wore out after two years use, literally the material wore through, and the last jacket wore out as well with the seams splitting. I've still got the second pair of leather jeans mind.
The HG kit is good value and works well but even with re-proofing I found that a jacket would last me two years before needing replacing. Fair enough I ride year round so I was getting the use out of it but after going to Garmisch in 2005 with a bunch of other GSing types I realised the value of good kit. My trusty HG was absolutely soaking wet whilst the other guys in their BMW & Rukka kit were nice and dry.
Okay it costs a lot to get but with the Rukka 5 year warranty I see it as money well spent.
I've just got back from HG and BMW. I tried on the HG Master V suit, which is £850 and available 10 months interest free. It uses Gore Tex XCR or Pro Shell as they call it now. Very good fit, quality etc and should be warm enough and breathable enough for all year.
I then tried on the Streetguard 2 suit. I'd not looked at one of these before, but it looks like a really nice suit that you could wear all day and it doesn't look too much like a bike suit. They both cost the same and use the Gore XCR. The BMW suit is available in different leg lengths and fits (slim, reg, lardy). It also has a treatment to the outer shell that reflects UV rays thus keeping you cooler in the sun.
I'll think further and look at Rukka.
My trusty HG was absolutely soaking wet whilst the other guys in their BMW & Rukka kit were nice and dry.
Okay it costs a lot to get but with the Rukka 5 year warranty I see it as money well spent.
I have both the HG and the Rukka. HG is warmer as is, but irrelevant with the heating in the Rukka lining, and that makes it more versatile and less bulky on the bike. For commuting the Rukka wins as it's shake dry, whereas the HG takes an age to dry and only has one waterproof outer pocket.
Ooot and aboot the HG is nice, as the liner lacket on it's own makes a reasonable waterproof and warm casual jacket for those weekends away/walking.
Where the Rukka suit won for me was that I got it brand new for £150.:D
the civil one
08-11-07, 18:13
Stich! (http://www.aerostich.com/catalog/US/Aerostich-Suits-p-1-c-248.html)
Thats pretty much it.
Nuff said.
Where the Rukka suit won for me was that I got it brand new for £150.:D
Gad, and indeed, zoiks :eek:
Gad, and indeed, zoiks :eek:
Exactly what I said as I recall. A rather rich man living not too far from me, as it turned out, listed it on fleabay. I asked him if he'd take a "buy it now" as I wanted to take it on holiday before the auction ended. Chatted on the phone, and he said give me £150 and it's yours, come and get it now - so I did.
Fitted perfectly. He'd brought it to take on a touring holiday on an RT, but had carried it unworn in the luggage as it didn't rain. Still in the bags.
Result. Sort of thing that never ever happens to me actually.
Rukka Armadilo jacket and pants look good. They are £860 from the German site.
good exchange rate at the moment go for the areostich:thumb2
manumartin
09-11-07, 10:49
i use a rukka armax suit bough 40% cheaper and therefore at a realistic price from a german ebay site. i phoned them and haggled an extra 10 %. jkt had a fault and they replaced it with a brand new one by return. only cost me eleven quid to send back to germany.
check out moto discount and others on ebay or google it.
prices in uk are disgusting, disgraceful and totally unjustifiable.
I've just got back from HG and BMW. I tried on the HG Master V suit, which is £850 and available 10 months interest free. It uses Gore Tex XCR or Pro Shell as they call it now. Very good fit, quality etc and should be warm enough and breathable enough for all year.
I then tried on the Streetguard 2 suit. I'd not looked at one of these before, but it looks like a really nice suit that you could wear all day and it doesn't look too much like a bike suit. They both cost the same and use the Gore XCR. The BMW suit is available in different leg lengths and fits (slim, reg, lardy). It also has a treatment to the outer shell that reflects UV rays thus keeping you cooler in the sun.
I'll think further and look at Rukka.
I've been using the Streetguard 2 suit for about 20,000 miles now - still in pretty good shape, have ridden right through winter with it, the thermal liners go back in during the winter making it warm enough that in this weather I'm just wearing a light shirt underneath.
Can't speak for the HG/Rukka stuff - but I've been v impressed with the Streetguard suit and would happily buy it again :thumb2
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