Clothing

[Foxy]

Hi there,

Expecting to become the proud owner of a new GS later this week, and I'll be in need of a decent jacket. Does any of you have experience of the ones sold by BMW. They all look good, but the prices vary quite a bit, with the more expensive ones costing a substantial % of the price of the bike itself!

I'd be happy to hear anyone's opinion on what they found to be value for money - or is this purely a personal choice?

Foxy

 

[City Slicker]

Textile or leather?

 

[(RIP) Yosi]

Try SPC in Hampshire. Thay were having a sale at Beaulieu last week at ridiculous prices and who knows, maybe they decided to prolong the party. Got myself a Rally jacket for £50. Beat that !
Yosi

 

[Zwerver]

BMW Clothing

I have a BMW Savanna jacket and trousers for two years now,
and here are some pro's and cons:

pro's:

- waterproof
- good protection (back protector is optional)
- because of the zip-in innerjacket and trousers very good in warm weather (had +35 in Italy, and -10 in Germany)
- the reflective material on the jacket can be seen for miles according to my friends
- Design is good, soft leather on the kneesection prevents
scratching the tank, wide enough were it should be wide,
tight enough so it won't make you look like the Michelin-guy when riding ...

cons:

- price, compared to f.e. Glover, Dainese and surely the Hein Gericke Touareg-series BMW is expensive.
- The Goretex inner jacket and trousers will not last as long
as other zip in clothing; the are very fragile....


In general the BMW-clothing is very well though-through, and the used materials are excellent, but IMHO BMW is not the only one who makes decent MC-clothing; The reason I bought the Savanna instead of a HG Touareg was more sentimental (and ok the money was availlable)

 

[Andy Deighton]

BMW Kit

Hi Foxy.

I bought the full Savanna Suit and goretex linings a year ago.

I use my bike for business and wanted to be able to go into a chief execs office and still be received well with my bike kit on.

It works well and even for an ugly bloke like me I was really surprised how many 'nice kit' comments I got from the ladies in the offices.

What's the kit like?

I find it extremely comfortable (I often wear the trousers all day through two or three meetings).

The Savanna Suit itself is not waterproof but the full lining is, totally. Been through some foul weather and not a drip. The Dynatec material has a melting point considerably higher than Cordura, so its probably the best you can get on the synthetic side of the market.

When its cooler I leave the goretex lining in so you don't have to worry but when its warm you can get a bit sweaty if you've got the lining in (if it might rain) and you're filtering through miles of traffic.

Good CE armour available which fits nicely into internal pockets.

High visibility reflective strips on shoulders that work extremely well.

Zips on arms for cooling effect when too hot.

Bum pocket on jacket for storing waterproof or whatever.

Only slight niggle is that when it rains some of the pockets in the jacket (outside the goretex liner) will get wet, two are waterproofed seperately.

Can chuck it straight in washing machine and it comes up well.

Only other thing is that when I go to a club meet at SLM I can feel a bit like a clone, but I can live with that.

Bottom line is its very good kit but then it should be at the price but I'm very happy with it.

Hope that helps.

The nose

 

[PeterNicholson]

Hiya Foxy - welcome to the Asylum!

As a senior member of the GSClubUK Crash Test Dummies team, I can pass on the following info on BMW gear...

Rallye jacket - comfortable, not very waterproof, very cool in hot weather. Survived a 55mph/70 yard slide along tarmac with the loss of one sleeve pocket and a slight scuff to one shoulder. Still in everyday use. I wear this all day at work. Shoulder and elbow protection OK. Optional back protector is a bit feeble, although OK in the above off. I now wear a separate Knox back protector under the jacket. Machine washable.

Airflow trousers - as per Rallye jacket. Survived the same slide on tarmac with scuffed knees, not worn through.Unfortunately, I wore through the right hip where I had a multitool in a belt pouch. Don't do it, folks! No damage to me underneath tho.
Still in everyday use, as I don't have anything else this cool in hot weather. Worn all day at work. Armour is comfortable and works. Stock BMW armour in knees, Hein Gericke soft armour on hips. Machine washable.

Armacor trousers - fairly warm, comfortable, 100% waterproof, well armoured - stock BMW hard armour in knees and hips. A bit thin for winter warmth, as there is no liner.
Survived low speed bounce off tarmac with no damage to them or me. Machine washable, also go in tumble dryer!

Pro-Emotion (leather)jacket - comfortable, cool in hot weather. Waterproof? You must be kidding...
Well-armoured - semi-soft built-in armour in shoulders and elbows, optional spine protector as per Rallye jacket. Worn with Knox spine protector underneath.
Survived above low-speed bounce with slight scuffing to one shoulder (where I actually hit the road!) Sprained shoulder and ACJ on impact, due to angle of impact, no fault of the jacket.


Other manufatcurers gear -

Alpinestars Sprint jacket (long)
Excellent jacket - waterproof as long as regularly treated. Decent CE armour in shoulders and elbows, no pocket for back plate. Worn with Knox backplate fitted into lining during winter.
Front pockets fill up with water in really foul weather.

Hein Gericke Taureg Rally trousers - Cool, not wareproof at all, not much protection. Hein Gericke soft armour in hips and knees. Light colour shows dirt very quickly. Machine washable.

And no, I don't crash all the time.


Regards

Peter

 

[Banjaxed]

Peter,
Glad to see you survived ...
I really suffer in hot weather and was looking at the Airflow jacket. Did you consider this when you bought the Rallye, and if so any comparison? I have a waterproof oversuit, so don't need that aspect - DO need excellent protection and lotsa ventilation though. Incidentally, are the Airflow trousers version 1 or 2? There seem to be some differences ...

Ta very much.

 

[Tim Firth]

I too seem to suffer in the heat but earlier this year picked up a BMW "Seattle" suit in the sales (still stock left at BMW UK). Just got back from Spain where it was 34 degrees in and only 12 degrees and driving rain in France on the return leg.

This Jacket performed better than HG Tuaregs I have had in the past in all respects (except crashing - which I have yet to test!) I felt this was a good compromise suit which seemed to breathe in the heat yet remain totally waterproof in the Rain.

More comfy than a Rukka I would say.

Friends on the trip used the airflow and really liked it when combined with the BMW wp oversuit it was a good combo.

Cheers


Tim

 

[Paul Young]

Foxy,

I bought my GS last Sept from Allan Jefferies and bought a whole load of goodies in the deal. This included a "Y" piece, Touratech engine bars, sumpguard extention.......etc. I also specified a Savannah suit with Goretex liners which they gave me for a little over half price. If memory serves, the pants were £110 and the jacket £150 with the liners costing approx £100 each. The total was certainly around the £450-480 mark which I was happy with and considered to be reasonable value. I wouldn't have been so keen to pay the full price at around £750. My suggestion would be to see if you can get the suit thrown in at cost price or a little above. It costs nothing to try.

 

[Steve Peake]

Hi Foxy,

I really rate my IXS jacket (think my model is "Invader" in the catalogue at: http://www.ixs.de/eng/ixskatalogliste-e.asp?Artikel=Textiljacken/-hosen)

I bought it early last year from J&S (http://www.jsaccessories.com/) for around £170. It's got CE armour in the shoulders and elbows - great for busy shopping malls or getting to the bar!

Very warm winter jacket, with a zip out liner when it gets a bit warmer. Amazing amount of good size pockets, all of which seem very waterproof - I ride all year round, and haven't had any problems.

Couldn't tell you how they fair in a crash, as I haven't fallen of yet, and have no plans to in the near future! (Famous last words, expect a crash test report soon!) If you're planning on falling off lots, IXS do a jacket with an airbag!

Only thing I can fault it on is it can be a bit warm for summer, as there are no vents - probably why it's so waterproof. Mind you, at this sort of price, you can afford to spend £100 on a light-weight summer jacket to go with it.

Hope this helps (or just adds to the confusion!)

Steve.

 

[Paul Wakefield]

Paulf,

I've got the Airflow jacket. Only worn it a few times but it is quite excellent in warm weather with a good cooling blast of air. I haven't bought the goretex liner so not waterproof so limited use potential in our climate (only worth thinking about over 65/70F and in the dry).

I've also got the trousers. As an overall package - comfortable and the other half says it looks smart (What would I know?).

They are both Version 1 Airflow which I got at a very substantial discount from my local dealer. Can't comment on the differences to the latest version as I haven't yet seen it.

Paul

 

[PeterNicholson]

Paulf -

I bought the Rallye jacket first, along with the Taureg trousers, because I was frying in my winter gear. I didn't get the matching Rallye trousers, because they don't make them in my size (all sarcastic comments may be directed to my delete-file).
I then got the Airflow trousers because a. they were cheap - half-price at Brackens as clearance stock, and b. I needed something to zip to my jacket for going to Cadwell Park. Trousers are, I think, the first version, but couldn't say for certain.

The Rallye jacket has front and rear underarm vents, and full-length sleeve vents, so mucho airflow through even at low speeds.

Oh, yes, and the reason I didn't go for the Aorflow jacket is because they are quite short in the back, and I have a long back - they made the trousers quite uncomfortable when zipped together!

Regards

 

[Simon Eassom]

Don't know what size you are Foxy, but there are a few of the old model Savannah suits kicking around. CAll Allan Jeffries or Ocean, both were extremely helpful in sourcing some stuff for me even though they're not my local dealers. I know AJ still has some of the Mk1 goretex liners (Mk2 goretex liners for the trousers don't connect into Mk1 Savannah trousers and vice versa).
So, I've got a Mk1 Savannah suit and am very very happy with it (except don't bother buying BMW hip armour, try Hipprotec flexible from Hein Gericke and cut it to shape). Got the jacket and trousers for £250 instead of £500 and bought the inserts for £80 each instead of £110 . . . £410 total instead of £720.
It took me 2 or 3 days of calling around and don't believe that the BMW computer tells the truth. It's amazing what you find out from various dealers. I've given Allan Jeffries a lot of my custom since then as I was so impressed with their service.
I want repeat what others have said other than to fully endorse the quality and functionality of the suit. Excellent useable temperature range. With goretex liners, fully waterproof . . . three trips through Henry's Ford on the BMW Off-Road Skills course gave it a thorough testing!
All I will say is that fit is important so don't assume you're a standard size - try before you buy - and, bizarrely, you can't compare sizes from different BMW clothing because the cut is different. I'm 6'4" with a 48" chest and a 36" waist and long legs (35" inseam). That's what I like about the Savannah . . . the 114 top with 110 trousers feels like made-to-measure.
I bought my missus the Traveller jacket and the Voyager salopettes - she's rides her own GS, she's not just a pillion - and she raves about it, especially the jacket and hasn't worn her leathers in the warm or her Frank Thomas in the wet/cold since.
Lastly, one thing not mentioned about the Savannah is that it's extremely comfortable around town when you're off the bike and doesn't look quite so Paris-Dakar as the Rallye suit. I've even had people ask me where I got my trousers from not realising they were bike gear!
Simon

 

[Lord Snooty]

Savannah suit

Foxy,

If you go for a Savannah suit give Bill a call at Ocean BMW, Plymouth a call and ask for his best price. He did me a great deal on the suit and also subsequently on the goretex liners. He will post them to you if you are too far away to collect. Mine is in Mandarin yellow and I am chuffed to bits with it, it looks great, has high visibility, is comfortable and washable.

 

[Zwerver]

Savannah washable?

Tried that some times, but after a two salty winters and 2 summers of (dirty) fun it matches the mandarin/mud mix color
of my GS....
Even after soaking it for some days, the water turns black/green
and all other funny colors, but the Savannah keeps its color....

Any suggestions how to clean it??

 

[Howard Millichap]

Any suggestions how to clean it??

Washing machine mate! With extra Persil.

 

[Banjaxed]

Paul and Peter,
Thanks very much for the info - most useful.
I finally got to try both the Airflow and Rallye at South London Motorcycles and your views are spot on! Although I really like the idea of the Airflow and it's a nice jacket, I too have a long back and the Airflow was much too short. Overall the Rallye fitted me better and I tried out all the zips'n'stuff. Final thing in it's favour is that there's a red/grey version available, which should look good with the bike.
Now all I have to do is sell my other gear to pay for a Rallye jacket (I use Draggin' Jeans + armour in the summer) ...

 

[Foxy]

This just to say a big thank you to all who replied, some in magnificent detail!

I would love to have had one of the leather jackets (Atlantis 3, or Freeway), but textile seems to be a more practical solution given that I'll be using it to commute 2-3 days a week all through the notorious British winter. And it scores high in the visibility stakes. So, going for a Savanna 2 jacket and trousers.

Thanks again
Foxy

 

[Poe]

Hi!

Catching up on clothing info.

I've been looking at used clothing ... in particular the Savanna and Airflow jackets/trousers as I'll be using it in Oz.

A concern of mine is that with the zips on the sleeves open on the Savanna jacket, wouldn't this loosen the sleeve and enable it/them to turn on the arm allowing the elbow protectors to move?

That's why I thought the Airflow might be a good choice. No loose sleeves.

You thoughts?

Cheers,
Poe