10 Summer Motorcycle riding Jackets

Summer is here and it's blazing hot outside.  For motorcycle riders that prefer to wear leather jackets, this may become a problem as the temperature rises in Texas. Even though leather jackets keep riders safe from getting serious injuries in accidents, leather is a very warm fabric.

In this rising heat one would rather wear a lighter jacket, but in doing this a rider becomes vulnerable and can be easily hurt if you are involved in a Texas Motorcycle Accident. But not to worry, fortunately you have a choice of various styles of leather jackets that will keep you safe, ventilated, and looking as cool as the Fonze.

First on the list is the "Cortech Gx Air Series 2".  This jacket may be a bit expensive, like $299.99 expensive, but it would be worth to buy it.  It has a detachable CE armor, adjustable sleeves and waist belt, pre-curved and rotated sleeves, a phoslite reflective lining, and is also a 2 stage waterproof jacket with an insulated liner.

Second runner up is the "Tour master Sonora Air" which is just about the only "three-quater lenght" jacket known.  This jacket is very similar to the Cortech in both the comfort and the same armor coverage.  The only thing that differs this jacket from the Cortech, is the more "tour oriented" look and wear it has, and it's also $100 cheaper.

The third is the "Olympia Bonneville", which has a removable, breathable wind proof, and water proof liner, and its made out of 500-denier Cordura with ballistic mesh panels to allow air flow and abrasion resistance.  The waist and elbows are adjustable, and has removable CE armor on the elbows, back, and shoulders and cost $219.99.

The fourth jacket one might like to wear is the "Z1r GP Air", with a nylon mesh shell and lining, and adjustable straps at the waist and elbows.  It also comes with removable CE armor in elbows and shoulders.  The only downside to this jacket is that it lacks waterproof lining and the neck might by too high and tight for the rider, but at least its made out of a comfortable material, and costs $129.95.

Fifth on the list is the "Joe Rocket UFO 2.0", which also has a mesh shell with removable CE armor in both the elbows and shoulders.  It also has removable spine pad and a waterproof liner, with adjustable straps in the upper and lower arms, and belts at the waist for a custom fit.  The sponsor patches makes it more visible  and it ranges from $179.99 to $197.99.

Six on the list is the "Vanson Vent Max IV Series", this jacket features removable CE armor with a leather reinforcement in the shoulders and in the elbows.  It also has adjustable straps on the arms and has a waits band that prevents from bunching.  It's made out of 1000-denier Cordura nylon mesh, and ranges from $229.99 to $249.99.

If you are in to the "casual" look, the "REV'IT! Air" is for you. This jacket is a combination of lightweight, abrasion resistant materials with mesh panels for both safety and summer breathability.  This jacket features Knox CE armor in the shoulders and chest with adjustable arms and hips, and costs $189.99.

For our eighth, we have the "Icon Hooligan Stealth", it's less flashy than the other jackets so far and people tend to love the back on back logos.  It come with removable CE armor on the elbows, shoulders, and back, and also comes with a removable insulated liner and a lined collar for comfort, it's made out of Nylon mesh optimal breathability and cost $165.99.

The "Triumph Raptor Vented #2" Comes with a nylon shell with perforates mesh panels and non-removable CE armor on the elbows and shoulders.  The waterproof and water-resistant liner reflective in the front and rear piping long with the width, is removable and has adjustable straps on the waist, and costs $152.99.

Last but not least, the "Alpinestars T-Breeze Air-Flo", which is made out of a 600-denier polyster shell with waterproof heavy mesh panels in the arms on the front and the back.  The embroidered patches/ logos serve as reflective lines to keep visibility during the night, and it features a foam back padding with removable CE armor in both the shoulders and arms and costs $199.95.

Motorcycle Protective Clothing: Protection From Injury or Just the Weather?

An Australian study providing new evidence on the injury reduction benefits of motorcycle clothing in crashes will be launched in Sydney today. The study, led by Liz de Rome, Research Fellow, The George Institute for Global Health at The University of Sydney, is the first of its kind and will be published in Accident Analysis and Prevention.

This is the first study in over 25 years to examine the effectiveness of specialised motorcycle protective clothing and in particular, body armour. It is also the first to control for the contribution of other factors that may affect the severity of injury, such as speed or type of impact and age of rider.

One of the key findings of the study, which was funded by Australia’s leading motorcycle insurer Swann Insurance and involved 212 motorcycle and scooter riders, was that riders were significantly less likely to be admitted to hospital if they crashed wearing a motorcycle jacket, pants or gloves.

Ms de Rome said “One of the most important findings was the difference it made to be wearing body armour, particularly for hands and knees.”

When garments included fitted body armour there was a significantly reduced risk of any injury. This included a reduced risk of any injury to the upper body by 23%, legs by 39%, hands by 45% and feet by 45%. The results also found riders wearing shoes or joggers had a much higher risk of foot and ankle injuries, as any type of boot reduced risk of injury by 53%.

While there are limits to the extent clothing can prevent injury in high impact crashes, it is in low impact crashes that protective clothing is thought to offer the greatest injury reduction. There is also evidence that the majority of motorcycle crashes do not involve high impacts.

Ms de Rome commented, “Over 200 motorcyclists die and a further 8,000 are seriously injured on Australian roads each year. For many years, motorcycle safety research has been dominated by debate about the effectiveness of helmets with less focus on other protection for the rider’s body.

“With the increasing human and economic costs of motorcycle injuries around the world, there was a need for research into the effectiveness of protective clothing. We hope that the results of this study will show riders that their gear protects them from more than just the weather, encouraging them to wear more protective clothing which will in turn help reduce injuries.”

The results of the study also send a clear message to the manufacturers of motorcycle protective clothing. The proportion of jackets (29%), pants (28%) and gloves (25%) that failed under crash conditions due to material damage indicates a need for improved quality control.

While mandating usage of protective clothing is not recommended by the study’s authors, consideration could be given to providing incentives for usage of protective clothing, such as tax exemptions for safety gear, health insurance premium reductions and rebates.

Co-investigator, Associate Professor Rebecca Ivers, Director of Injury Research at the George, Institute said “This is ground breaking research. It sends a clear message to riders that protection is important every time they ride, and highlights the need for further investment by Government to encourage riders to wear appropriate clothing, and to work with the industry to improve the quality of products available”.

Stuart Chapman, General Manager of Swann Insurance, said the motorcycle insurer was pleased to have supported this study. “We think it's vitally important that riders have access to information such as the findings of this study so they can make informed decisions about what they should wear every time they ride,” he said.

“Funding this study forms part of Swann's broader commitment to improving rider safety – it’s what we are all about. We encourage every rider to take these findings on board."


source: The George Institute for Global Health