Rukka Madagasca-R

[Wapping]

Kate, at Hideout Leatters, has just confirmed that she can do the shortening. A very quick reply to my emailed question, which was sent only yesterday evening. Excellent service, from a great shop!

I’ll now go back to Infinity in Holborn today and buy the trousers, assuming they haven’t returned them!

 

[Wapping]

I’ll now go back to Infinity in Holborn today and buy the trousers, assuming they haven’t returned them!

Two steps forward.

1. Infinity, were just about to return the trouser, headed-off only by my call to them at 09:00 this morning. I hot footed my way to Holborn and collected them.

2. Trouser and jacket in hand, I then drove to Hideout, where the ever lovely Kate took on the job of:

A. Shortening the trouser.

B. Attaching braces. The garment is quite heavy, so braces are required, I think.

C. Narrowing up the bottom of the trouser leg, which seems to have more material than is necessary

D. Shortening the jacket’s sleeves a bit.

In truth, I shoukd have obeyed my initial instinct of going to Hideout and having the suit made. But hey-ho, as Kate said, “Altering off the peg clothing is good money for Hideout”.

It is a three week turnaround, which is fine as I am away for June.

PS Requests as to who is best for repairs / alterations to motorcycle clothing, whether leather or textile, are regularly seen on these pages. As too, are requests for good quality made-to-measure kit. I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Kate and her colleagues at Hideout Leather. Trading for over 30 years, what Kate doesn’t know about motorcycle kit is not worth knowing. British, too! I have also called on her services for replacing a full zip in a tank bag and a repair to a leather business suit carrier; all done with zero fuss and, above all, properly.

 

[Number 6]

B. Attaching braces. The garment is quite heavy, so braces are required, I think.

The trousers already have the velcro pockets for the Rukka braces, I swapped mine over from my Paijanne suit although the Trek R pants don't feel particularly heavy? Nearly 2000 miles done now and the suit has been fantastic, 31 degrees today in Spain and it's been very comfortable, the vents work really well. On the ferry to Plymouth tomorrow, I might get chance to test the Goretex inserts/outserts on the way home but hopefully not. Fingers crossed.

 

[Wapping]

The trousers already have the velcro pockets for the Rukka braces, I swapped mine over from my Paijanne suit although the Trek R pants don't feel particularly heavy?

I have never found Rukka’s own braces that good. The teeth of the slider buckle thing are short, which allows the fabric of the brace to slide down, loosening the braces over the day. Similarly, the fabric of their braces is quite narrow, which aids the sliding. I’ve used a safety pin in the past to stop the slider buckle thing sliding.

The waist on my trouser is a tiny bit too wide, which means the trouser falls down a bit, under its own weight. Without a lot of work, it isn’t practical for Hideout to bring the waist in, so I’ll be using Hideout’s own braces, which are better than Rukka’s, I think.

As I said, I should have gone straight to Hideout for a made-to-measure

 

[Doc]

It's a modern day conundrum for sure.

 

[Wapping]

It's a modern day conundrum for sure.

It’s not my only one either.

 

[Number 6]

2175 miles in total, Rotterdam to Carcassone, over the Pyrenees and then up to the Picos de Europa. Ferry back from Santander and then 320 miles back home. I never used the linings other than as the 'Destination Jacket' one night. It was cool on the way down and as low as 9C over the Pyrenees and then up to 31C in Potes. The vents work great and are dead easy to operate whilst on the move. A few light showers but the inserts/outserts were not needed. The only thing I don't like is the rear pocket on the jacket, it's fastened by some nasty bits of velcro, a zip or poppers would be nice, I'll probably get it modified over winter even though I'll probably never use it. All in all I'm well pleased with the suit, it's really comfortable and fits great. A lot of money but possibly the last suit I'll ever buy so no regrets.

 

[Wapping]

The only thing I don't like is the rear pocket on the jacket, it's fastened by some nasty bits of velcro, , a zip or poppers would be nice, I'll probably get it modified over winter

Thanks for that. I might as well ask Hideout to do the same.

 

[Number 6]

Thanks for that. I might as well ask Hideout to do the same.

It would make sense to do it whilst they have it. I'll add some pictures tomorrow, it lets down the rest of the jacket.

 

[richardbd]

Not sure I’d be quite so quick to put more tricky fasteners on that back pocket. They use Velcro because it’s easy to open and close whilst you have the jacket on.

My Rallye jacket had the Velcro set up on the rear pocket and it always worked perfectly…

 

[grantmac]

Small magnets woven into the pocket might be a good idea instead. If I remember on my old Rukka Airman(old model 10 years old I think) that’s what the back pocket had. I will check when I’m back home again

 

[grantmac]

just checking the Rukka official website - now called Luhta - and it seems the Madagasca- R is still up there. Thought someone said it was being phased out......
They do seem now to have something similar called the Ventu-R. Not sure if that's the replacement model. I still need to get to a place where I can try one on for size then would like to get the jacket at least.....

 

[Number 6]

This is the rear jacket pocket (map pocket?) and because it's only fastened by a few bits of velcro the corners curl up. The only thing about the suit that I can find fault with.

 

[Wapping]

The news from Infinity, who rely on the official UK importer, was that the suit is being phased out and that they (the importer) had no alternative C1 length trousers in stock, nor could they get any. A ‘new’ version (or a new suit, entirely) follows.

Of course I have no way of knowing if the UK importer was or is correct. Nor indeed, can I tell if Infinity’s news to me was correct either, though I was in the shop (and heard one half of the phone conversation) which at least sounded correct. Hey-ho, time will tell. Similarly, the position might well be different within the EU, where the suit has a different name but is, apparently, otherwise identical.

 

[Number 6]

Similarly, the position might well be different within the EU, where the suit has a different name but is, apparently, otherwise identical.

My 'Trek R' says 'Madagascar R' on the labels.

 

[Wapping]

My 'Trek R' says 'Madagascar R' on the labels.

Very probably.

Same suit, UK vs European / USA, name change only.

Here it is in Revzilla’s US promotion video:

The video confirms the sizing variation I found. Even so, I am having the suit altered.

 

[Wapping]

Two steps forward.

1. Infinity, were just about to return the trouser, headed-off only by my call to them at 09:00 this morning. I hot footed my way to Holborn and collected them.

2. Trouser and jacket in hand, I then drove to Hideout, where the ever lovely Kate took on the job of:

A. Shortening the trouser.

B. Attaching braces. The garment is quite heavy, so braces are required, I think.

C. Narrowing up the bottom of the trouser leg, which seems to have more material than is necessary

D. Shortening the jacket’s sleeves a bit.

In truth, I shoukd have obeyed my initial instinct of going to Hideout and having the suit made. But hey-ho, as Kate said, “Altering off the peg clothing is good money for Hideout”.

It is a three week turnaround, which is fine as I am away for June.

PS Requests as to who is best for repairs / alterations to motorcycle clothing, whether leather or textile, are regularly seen on these pages. As too, are requests for good quality made-to-measure kit. I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Kate and her colleagues at Hideout Leather. Trading for over 30 years, what Kate doesn’t know about motorcycle kit is not worth knowing. British, too! I have also called on her services for replacing a full zip in a tank bag and a repair to a leather business suit carrier; all done with zero fuss and, above all, properly.

Kate / Annie have contacted me. My altered suit is ready to collect. I’ll be on my way to see them when I’m back in July.

 

[Wapping]

I have picked-up my altered suit from Hideout. A really excellent job, Kate has made of it.

Now stuck and stationary on the M11, apparently due to a crash, somewhere around North Weald. It is very warm.



Been here an hour now. It’s a big one, as the bishop said to the actress.

 

[Wapping]

A very large lorry had flattened a section of the central barrier, squashing it into the opposite carriageway. Judging by the smell and the amount of detergent, sand and cement dust down, it had ruptured its fuel tank in the process.

One comedy moment. A clown in a white Range Rover had obviously been stuck in the same stationary queue as the rest of us, in lane three. The genius had decided to walk to the hard shoulder to make a phone call. All fine and dandy, until the queue of vehicles starts to move….. he was stuck on the hard shoulder, his vehicle marooned in lane three. I guess he’ll be there some time.

 

[Wapping]

I’ll be trying out my (heavily) altered suit this weekend. Suitably humid and probably some sharp bursts of rain….. I had better remember the waterproof layer.

A touch warm, too. Hey ho.