About to pull the trigger on a riding suit...

[kyle]

But there are more options these days and I'm confused. I'm leaning towards Aerostich as I'd prefer American made vs. this sort of situation:
Gawker — Today's gossip is tomorrow's news

The contenders:
Roadcrafter One Piece Suit :: Aerostich/RiderWearHouse Motorcycle Jackets, Suits, Clothing, & Gear
Olympia Stealth One Piece Mesh Tech Suit - RevZilla
Olympia Phantom One Piece Suit - RevZilla
Roadcrafter Lightweight One Piece Suit :: Aerostich/RiderWearHouse Motorcycle Jackets, Suits, Clothing, & Gear

I've read a bunch about them. I think ease of entry/exit is my #1 priority as I find the main thing that keeps me from riding to work most days is rolling out of bed late and not wanting to fool with (or having the time to) packing an extra bag of clothes and suiting up. So those couple of factors have me leaning towards the Roadcrafter, but I know the suit is a little on the warm side and with summer coming the stealth looks tempting. Plus, you have the light version of the 'stich coming out, but I'm not crazy about the color options in it (and that goes for the Stealth and high-vis Phantom, too).

Okay, now that I've talked though this, I'm finding I still think the standard Roadcrafter is the ticket. So, aside from the opinions on which suit to go with, what about fit? I've looked at the sizing chart, and see that they are designed to fit over street clothes, but does anyone use one that likes to wear their streets a bit baggy? I'm just wondering if I should go a size up since I'm not wearing those purple girl's ball-smashing jeans the kids are wearing these days.

 

[Norbert]

I had a one piece for commuting.
Honestly, it wasn't that much more convenient than a two piece.

Motoport is a good choice as well.
They make a one piece suit.
I did a review on the 2 piece:
http://www.600riders.com/forum/safety-equipment/37273-motoport-stretch-kevlar-jacket-pants.html
My two piece goes over my slacks and polo just fine.
My clothes get slightly wrinkled, but I work with computers all day, so nobody cares.

Example on the one piece is here, page 96:
Motoport Kevlar first impressions (long, many pics...) - Page 96 - ADVrider
i think you have to be logged in to see the attachments.

I don't see the appeal of the lightweight Roadcrafter. It's supposed to be cooler, but I guarantee those that chest armor will warm you up. Also, does it have armor in other places? Sucks if it doesn't.

If your heart is set on the normal Roadcrafter, try posting on a regional forum so you can see some gear in person. I did that with the Motoport. The Roadcrafter reputation is legendary, of course.


Post some pics and do a review after you get it.:thumbup:

 

[craig007]

I don't have a Roadcrafter buy I know I guy that has one. Getting in and out of that thing is amazingly fast. It would be a little hot for me in the summer time. I have the Olympia Airglide which would be the 2 piece equivalent of the Stealth. It is not as protective as the Roadcrafter or the Phantom, but it is wearable in the summer heat.

 

[kharrel]

+1 on the Motoport.

 

[Motogiro]

I know this stuff is expensive but is it really? Take a look at the Motoport site: Kevlar Products

I bought the GP-2 pants and when I get some more $$$ I'll get an equivalent jacket.
These pants are so great. I don't worry about rain (of course I live in SoCal) but I've been in light rain in my leathers and worry about degradation. They never got near that point but I can wash my Kevlar anytime I want. I can wear thermals underneath in the cold. FroggToggs in the rain etc. Comes with great tri-armor including sacrum thigh and hip, knee and shin.
Looks like it's not that much more expensive than some of the stuff I saw on the links but I can guarantee it is better protection for impact and abrasion.
The other great thing about my GP-2 pant is the coarser open mesh front of the pant and stretch Kevlar back of the pant. These pant are so much cooler in hot weather. I've already tested them in the desert and can tell you it has much improved my comfort and riding in the heat. To give you a better idea I believe these are the only textile clothing allowed on the track.
Take a few minutes and check out the site and read up on their stuff!
Wayne Boyer is the owner and a great guy to make sure you get the right fit.
I needed some extra help with zippers and and my knee pad material for my pucks and he took care of me. Oh yeah, Made in the USA! Right here in SD area. Actually Escondido, San Marcos area.

 

[texcollect]

These guys get a good write up on the ADV ride BB

 

[Norbert]

These guys get a good write up on the ADV ride BB

I put about 13,000 miles on the Teiz Lombard suit.
It's very good for the money, but not the best out there.

 

[kyle]

Thanks for the input guys. I hadn't noticed the replies. Off to bed, but I'll scope out some of the suggestions. I gotta say after riding in to day in my normal gear, I'm really still leaning towards a 1-piece. My complaints w/ my existing gear:

1: Can't fit my normal pants under my riding pants, even with liner removed. I tend to like looser fitting clothes and it's just not going to happen unless I just shove them in there, then it's a bunched up mess.

2: Not having a layer of streets under my normal gear means needing to leave the liners in for the mornings in spring/fall, then I'm having to zip them out and store them before heading home, so then I have the equivalent of 2 pairs of clothes + extra shoes to carry along with my lunchbox. I can barely fit all the stuff in my tank and tail bags.

3: The time of all this madness. Adds like 30 minutes to my commute for the day just changing clothes and packing/unpacking things.

I'm just trying to add convenience to my 2 wheeled commute so that it's less of a chore and more enjoyable while still maintaining some reasonable amount of safety.

With a zip off 1-piece I figure I can just get ready as normal and slap on the suit, then before heading home when it's hot in the afternoons, just remove the work clothes and wear only underwear and the suit. I could probably slide my pants off under my desk and have the suit half on without anyone walking down the hall noticing through my office windows...hehe. I hate changing in public bathrooms.

...or I guess I could just ride to work in flip flops and a skull cap.

 

[scottsst]

I know a couple riders that have Aerostich suites that really like them. one fellow rides alot 60,000 miles plus a year and his stich is always on. his is the hivsyellow well it's more white than yellow but the point is that they make a very well made product well worth the price. I have been thinking of getting one myself with the velcrow for knee pucks.

 

[DeepEmissions]

...or I guess I could just ride to work in flip flops and a skull cap.

Lemme know how that works out for ya... lol

Currently I use a Shift jacket (lots of padding but no spine or chest pads), at the time, it was on the cheap and I needed the safety. all this insight makes me want to use a 1 piece, but wow are they expensive compared to a jacket and leather overpants. Which by the way, please no one buy the X Element overpants... WOW what a waste of 80 bucks! Theyre ripping and popping at every seam.

 

[kyle]

I put about 13,000 miles on the Teiz Lombard suit.
It's very good for the money, but not the best out there.

Do you have the V3? What are your complaints?

These guys get a good write up on the ADV ride BB

Man. 160 page thread...TL;DR .

 

[Norbert]

Do you have the V3? What are your complaints?

Man. 160 page thread...TL;DR .

LOL! Start reading that thing backwards!!

I had the v2.
It was pretty good for the money.
It is NOT waterproof, though, so get some inner or outer liners.
I didn't like the armor in the knees. It was kinda uncomfy.
The armor itself wasn't the best out there. It is CE-1, though, but definitely not the best.
Also: no hip armor. Got to have that!
Another gripe is that it needed shoulder stretch panels, which the v3 has now, I believe.
The waterproof zippers go bad with a lot of dirt. This was in Alaska, so that is understandable. The dirt ruined the rubber coating on the zipper.
People on advrider are very enthusiastic about the Lombard. I opened up the inner mesh liner of the suit and determined that the build quality is ok, but not spectacular. I put more than 12,000 miles on it. Plenty of rain, cold, heat, etc and no seams burst or anything. There has been some fraying on the cuffs, but it's ok. I wouldn't feel unsafe wearing it again. So it's better than Joe Rocket gear.


I think most of the gripes just come from a being one piece, not the manufacturer.
I wouldn't recommend a one piece for touring. Certainly there are people who do that, though, like with the Roadcrafter.

So all in all I think it's a good suit. I wanted to upgrade, so I bought Motoport. I commute with my 2 piece with no problems. You should think about getting them. They DO have a one piece, but I haven't seen that many pics of it. Motoport does a pretty crappy job of advertising, but the customers help with that

I completely understand the problem with bunching, though. My boys need room!

I always like this pic of me in the suit at the grand canyon::thumbup:

I did get a lot of complements on the Lombard when I wore it.
I don't think that's ever happened with the Motoports.

 

[kyle]

Just going back through my subscriptions here and I could have sworn I had already responded to your generous post. Yeah, I'm definitely giving the Teiz a hard look now. For hundreds less than the 'Stich you get one hell of a suit. I'm digging the included knee pucks. That's like a $60 option on the Roadcrafter.

Yeah, I have a pretty nice Scorpion jacket and pant set as far as a 2-piece goes, solely looking for a 1-piece now. You may not get as many compliments on the Motoport, but I know which one I'd choose if I knew I was going for a an asphalt slip and slide ride.

Speaking of, aside from the armor that you mentioned, what'd you think of material on the Teiz Lombard? Would you trust it in a get off?

I just ordered a top case, which will help my commuting duties immensely as well:
SH-42 Topcase 42 Liter Black Top
Yamaha FZ6 Top Master Fitting Kit

But now dropping a bunch of dough on a suit is even more painful and I just realized a few days ago that taking the liner out of my Scorpion pants and loosening the waste on them allows me to fit them over pants a lot easier than i recalled. Maybe it was that couple of pounds I lost .

I'll see how the case helps out on the commute with the existing gear and how the bank account handles my new, lower-paying job before (seemed like a good idea at the time :banghead I make a decision.

 

[Norbert]

Just going back through my subscriptions here and I could have sworn I had already responded to your generous post. Yeah, I'm definitely giving the Teiz a hard look now. For hundreds less than the 'Stich you get one hell of a suit. I'm digging the included knee pucks. That's like a $60 option on the Roadcrafter.

i always thought the knee pucks were a waste. i'm not knee dragging out in the street, and i sure wouldn't be in the textile suit.

i cant even tell you where mine are......

Yeah, I have a pretty nice Scorpion jacket and pant set as far as a 2-piece goes, solely looking for a 1-piece now. You may not get as many compliments on the Motoport, but I know which one I'd choose if I knew I was going for a an asphalt slip and slide ride.

Speaking of, aside from the armor that you mentioned, what'd you think of material on the Teiz Lombard? Would you trust it in a get off?

well the armor is what you'd find in most gear, unfortunately, so it meets the bare minimum. you can always upgrade with the money you saved. the biggest gripe is there's no hip armor.

when i got back from my epic trip to alaska, the suit was very dirty, so i used it when i went riding on my friend's dirtbike.
i went down a few times in the dirt and some f'ed up roads --no biggie.
that's why i wish the thing had hip armor. i wasn't going more than 20mph. i slid a bit, but was fine. just took an aspirin the next day.
the suit actually held up fine. but that's just dirt riding.
i wouldnt want to crash in the suit at highway speeds. but then again, i wouldnt want to crash in my car going that fast.
there are other crash reports on advrider.
so yeah i think the material is ok. i've tested it (kinda). it's still not cordura.

i actually just washed it a few weeks ago, there were rocks in my washing machine! i was like: "how the f* did those get there!!??" probably from dirt riding or my big trip. anyways, after washing the suit was a bit frayed on the cuffs, but looked fine. seams looked ok. still not the original shade of grey.

i think for commuting it's fine. still not the best in many respects. it's not waterproof,so get some liners or frogg toggs. avoid the pvc rain gear. i hate those so much!

also, once you get heated liners, you'll never use those insulated liners that come with gear. mine is somewhere...........?

i treated the suit with 2 cans of atsko silicone water guard. you can get it at walmart cheap. the silicone water guard and frogg toggs will be pretty good, i think.

i think you'll be amazed at how versatile it is. although for touring, a 1-piece doesnt work for me.

i havent checked the teiz thread for a while, but i think the commute suit looks pretty good. better than the lombard v3. wow! it's cheap!

before buying, keep checking craigslist or forums like advrider for used aerostitch or motoport. i'm pretty sure you could buy used, then ship them to the headquarters for slight alterations.

if your scorpions are good enough for commuting, then you have time to shop around. when you buy, make sure it's an upgrade.

 

[Norbert]

Definitions of Motorcycle Apparel Terms | Motorcycle-Intelligence.com
good info. seems accurate..........

 

[Krazyjohnny]

Skull cap helmet = Gene pool correction

Good luck in your shopping. I just bought the olympia MOAB jacket and the Airglide pants. They work great. The belt on the jacket actually acts a little like a kidney belt on long rides and supports the back. The pants are like wearing airconditioning almost. With the liners in all of that goes away.

 

[Spideyrex]

Definitions of Motorcycle Apparel Terms | Motorcycle-Intelligence.com
good info. seems accurate..........

Good info, but I disagree with the comment about CE armor needing to be replaced after a crash. Some types yes, but no all. The CE armor I have is comprised of rubber/foam/plastic that does not seem like it crushes only once. It rebounds. Please correct me if I am wrong about the armor.

 

[Motogiro]

Lemme know how that works out for ya... lol

Currently I use a Shift jacket (lots of padding but no spine or chest pads), at the time, it was on the cheap and I needed the safety. all this insight makes me want to use a 1 piece, but wow are they expensive compared to a jacket and leather overpants. Which by the way, please no one buy the X Element overpants... WOW what a waste of 80 bucks! Theyre ripping and popping at every seam.

There should be some minimum standard that this gear adheres to as far as how it is made so that it withstands minimums in an off. No pass No sale. There is unfortunately a lot of cheap stuff out there and although it's better than nothing the protection stops after the initial impact and at that point it could get nasty. We have minimum requirements on helmets.
I learned a lot from Wayne Boyer at Motoport. When I bought my Kevlar gloves I hated the logo tag on them and got my sharp Exacto knife out to cut the threads the tag was sewn with. Again an education. The thread is totally different. Wow!!
It doesn't matter whether you have material and armor If the garment blows open on impact.
I hear peeps say they don't like the look of the Motoport gear. Okay... but my GP2 pant looks pretty good. Not as cool looking as my Astar leathers but they have different types of gear you might look at. I could have bought a whole lot more stuff for my riding pleasure and fun but a walk away is worth much much more....

 

[rsw81]

Nice legs!!:thumbup:

 

[Norbert]

There should be some minimum standard that this gear adheres to as far as how it is made so that it withstands minimums in an off. No pass No sale. There is unfortunately a lot of cheap stuff out there and although it's better than nothing the protection stops after the initial impact and at that point it could get nasty. We have minimum requirements on helmets.
I learned a lot from Wayne Boyer at Motoport. When I bought my Kevlar gloves I hated the logo tag on them and got my sharp Exacto knife out to cut the threads the tag was sewn with. Again an education. The thread is totally different. Wow!!
It doesn't matter whether you have material and armor If the garment blows open on impact.
I hear peeps say they don't like the look of the Motoport gear. Okay... but my GP2 pant looks pretty good. Not as cool looking as my Astar leathers but they have different types of gear you might look at. I could have bought a whole lot more stuff for my riding pleasure and fun but a walk away is worth much much more....

I really like those Motoport gloves, but I wish Wayne would put some Deflexion armor on them. Deflexion in the outer layer to the quad armor. I asked him a few months ago and he said he doesn't have any plans to do so.

I have really good Sidi gloves, but I got them wet many times. I've been commuting rain or shine and I doubt they'd last another year.

Maybe if enough people ask Wayne, he will bring out a newer version to his gloves.....