Which jacket??

[brianemone]

Im getting a new jacket in the upcoming weeks and i need to know the pros and cons of the different options.

Obviously there is the classic leather jacket and then Cordura or what ever it is called.

I will be using it every day to commute to work (about 40mins open rd)

[Hitcher]

What's your budget? If money is no major consideration, spend the $800 and get something with a full GoreTex inner. Otherwise the answer is Cordura and Nikwax.

[Squeak the Rat]

Gotta agree, for a commute go for a textile jacket in preference to leather. Much better weather protection and a good jacket will [arguably] give comparable crash performance to a good leather jacket.

[brianemone]

thats what i was thinking.

is there anything to look out for with the jackets? good features? things to avoid?

[Hitcher]

is there anything to look out for with the jackets? good features? things to avoid?

Like most things involving clothing, you'll need to try them on and make your own call. Good fit is paramount. You need to feel good wearing it. This involves having armour in all the right places and not able to move around.

[Nicksta]

for commuting, i'd go cordura.....
but i love my leather for riding and weekend fun...

[WRT]

In addition to the above comments about fit and safety, also check the fit around the neck. I wear shirt and tie at work, and most jackets just dont come up high enough to cover the collar, so this is one of the first things I check when shopping for a new jacket.

Make sure that the jacket is long enough too, if your commuting on the GSXR then you want to make sure that when you are in the saddle the jacket doesnt ride up at the back.

You might also want to check the fit of your gloves with the sleeves as well, to make sure its going to be waterproof there.

Styling aside, other practical points to consider and look out for, are vents in the jacket that you can open up to let more air in on hot days. I quite often open up the top of my jacket when I get too hot to let a good air flow in, make sure that if you do crack the top open that the rest of the jacket is still secure. If you are just relying on zips, I would imagine in a crash that if you have started to unzip the front then its likely to be wrenched open when you start skating down the road and that just isnt going to be pretty.

Also check the pockets that it comes with, a lot of them have pockets that arent completely waterproof, meaning you will have to find other locations to keep your wallet and cellphone. My old jacket didnt have water proof pockets (not 100% anyway, anything in them got drenched in a serious downpour) so I had to keep my garage door remote inside a ziplock plastic bag within my pocket.

With the front flap, make sure that it doubles back over itself to prevent water coming in there too, nothing like turning up at work with a nice wet stripe down your front. Some jackets use domes to secure the front flap (my personal preference), some use velcro (have this start to peel off on older jackets), some use both (personally I dont like this method as the velcro tends to stick first and then the domes dont always line up properly). Others have a double zip arrangement, just try a few on and see what works best for you. I tried one on yesterday at Motomail that had two zips, plus a velcro/dome combo flap. Thats just too damn messy for my liking.

But what ever jacket you do decide on, make sure that the fit is good, the armour is in all the right places, and preferably that it has the CE-approved Knox style armour with the hard outer shell and padding on the inside. The all-foam stuff just isnt sufficient protection.

[Swoop]

www.rideforever.co.nz
This site has a very nice section on clothing and what to look for.
Have a read!

[Kendog]

If you do choose leather, check out Quasievil's gear, it is truely fantastic for the $$.

[sefer]

I usually wear leather and wear a snowboarding jacket over top when it's wet. Works well (and the snowboard jacket was a prize and didn't cost anything). The plus with skiing gear is it's usually codura anyway. Of course it doesn't stop me getting wet if I'm caught out in the rain and not wearing it, but I keep a almost water resistant jacket under the seat for those times.

[Finn]

I have a Spidi Step In Road Jacket size 52 for sale. It's a bit big for me and I've got a 50 coming in from the US in a few days.

Only worn 5 times. Retail $850 - make me an offer.

It's half leather / codura. Includes full body armour and is their H2o range so it's waterproof.

Google spidi step in road for more details.

[ducatilover]

i have worn a dryrider codura jacket for nearly two years and have a leather jacket which i would prefer if i crashed. codura is waterproof and beatheable.leather is more crasheble as i found out.....
id say get a norjic or nordic [im not sure how its spelt] leather two peice suit, very nice and the are only $599