Good, inexpensive, all around jacket and pants?

[cptd]

I am certain that someone has asked before. I just can't find it yet.

I am interested in a good all around jacket and pants set that is weatherproof. I ride a KLR 650. I live in Southern California now but I may be moving to Coastal or Central Virginia this summer.

I am interested in a few different models now. I just want to see what those of you who have thousands of miles and years of experience have to say.

I ride to work everyday. I mostly ride two lane and sometimes dirt roads. I have a mesh jacket already. So this one would be more of a three season affair, or if I ever get out for long multi-day rides the one and only.

I need something that vents well but is also weather-proof and has some good crash protection. Up to now I have been wearing Army issued Gore-Tex jacket and pants for the wind and water and my mesh jacket for protection along with Carhartt pants and Gore-Tex steel toed combat boots. I want to ride more and I want to have the gear that will keep me in one piece when the inevitable happens.

I ride the KLR because I am on a budget. I will spend a few more bucks on something that will last and will maintain its levels of protection for some time. I also have no desire to have a closet full of different gear for different occasions.

I have read every review that I can find on the high dollar brands and like some, but I will have a hard time affording something that costs that much. I have NO brand loyalties. The pants and jacket do not need to be the same brand but I would like to try them on before I buy.

My research has lead me towards a number of 3/4 length "touring" jackets.

In no particular order I would appreciate any further comment y'all may have on the following:

Olympia AST
Hein Gericke (any 3/4 length)
Alpinestars (any 3/4 length)
Belstaff (any 3/4 length)
Fieldsheer (any 3/4 length)
Firstgear Kilimanjaro
Firstgear Jaunt
Joe Rocket Ballistic (any version)
Tour Master (any 3/4 length)

I have spent a good deal of time reading about the Aerostich and Motoport stuff. I like it but that stuff is pricey. Many folks say that you get what you pay for, then others say that the extra dosh doesn't get you much more than bragging rights. I am young so I am sure that I will have to change every so often due to size increases and other factors. The extra cash involved does not seem worth it to me at this point just to get a brand name. I like visibility because then the Army won't make me wear a vest over it all but I will wear one if the jacket I get doesn't have the required amount of high viz stuff on it. I sewed an old reflective belt on the back of my mesh jacket and it looks like it was made that way, I get messed with at the gate for that one even though I have twice the required square inches.

For pants, correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like pretty much any name brand waterproof/breathable with or without a liner is going to get the job done. Folks seem to rant and rave all day long about their jacket and put in a footnote somewhere about their favorite pants. I have never really felt unprotected wearing Carhartts and knee pads, with Army Goretex pants in the rain. granted not the best in the world but as I said most folks don't seem to have alot to say about pants.

I like the looks of the various overpants out there and I think that trying them on will be the deciding factor. I want a few pockets but that is about all I have for requirements.

As you can tell by now I am long winded and detailed.

I am leaning towards the AST, but that will depend entirely upon fit. I like the Firstgear Jaunt alot but noone seems to have one or like it enough to review it anywhere.

Thanks for all your help!

Go GREEN!

[A2rider]

Here is a compromise between Dragging jeans and regular jeans.

http://www.aerostich.com/catalog/US/...s-p-18399.html

[oldcoldankles]

And here's another pant suggestion:
http://store.dsrpowersports.com/codsxdepa.html

[blkrad]

You might want to check out the Tourmaster Transition Jacket.
My wife bought one recently and loves it. It's waterproof, has a full liner, all kinds of pockets and vents. They have men's and womens versions. They also have pants that will zip onto the jackets. Price is $149 and some places sell at less than that. If I didn't already have about 4 jackets I would have bought one too.

[ShellB340]

Check out the Nitro racing jacket. I have one it is a very good inexpensive jacket that is windproof, waterproof, armor, vented, comes with a zip out liner. It was $89.95. I have received alot of good compliments too. I really like the jacket except 1 thing,,,,,,I think that it is too hot when the weather reaches 85 or higher. I will soon be shopping a summer jacket. My husband has the mens version of my jacket and is made alot different than mine. His is more like a summer mesh jacket with a liner but go figure,,,lol its supposed to be the mens version of mine. I wore his in hotter weather and it was perfect for me. Hope this helps and good luck http://www.cbxmanmotorcycles.com/Veg...e-Jackets.aspx Click on the 2nd jacket down thats the 1 that I have and the 3rd one down my hubby has.

[LittleNinja]

I got my hubby the Icon Riding jeans for Christmas last year and he loves them. THey were not too expensive and seem to be pretty sturdy. He hasn't gone down in them (thank god) but it seems they would probably hold up pretty well. www.rideicon.com

[r2kool4u]

I have a Daytona Chopper Series Relica Kawasaki Jacket and love it. I also have a Wilson's riding jacket thats nice to but has to many zippers and belts.

[Svetlana]

I didn't notice this when you posted it, so I'll reply now and hope I'm not too late to give you input

First off, what do you consider inexpensive? Is $150-200 on a jacket relatively cheap, or are you thinking even less than that?
My own experience w/ gear is mostly Joe Rocket and Icon, although I'm not recommending Icon b/c it isn't cheap.

For about $150 you could pick up a nice Joe Rocket jacket similar to this one that I quickly googled: http://www.ridegear.com/rg/item/F-25...0_Jacket_.html Mine is somewhat similar and for the price you get a great jacket w/ removable vest for added warmth, armor and spine protector, vents, and adjustable wrists/waist. I've ridden mine in 45degrees and it's pretty well insulated, and likewise it isn't too hot in 80degrees.

[r2kool4u]

I should say my dad got the Wilson's jacket for 25$ off of EBay

[jimbo-vn900]

I use the JoeRocket Ballistic jacket ant pants. I ride in all weather (except snow) and I am very happy with the jacket and pants. I am just about due for a new jacket because mine is eight years old and is starting to really show it's age.

[gjg59]

I have the no name stuff from companies like motodirect.com, leatherup.com and jafrum.com. I have a black textile jacket that is water and windproof and also pants. I got the pants with the reflector stripes from Jafrum for $59.Very warm. The jackets zip to the pants.

[Uthor]

I have an Olympia AST and it's the best purchase I've ever made. I went with Olympia because they use Cordura, which is some of the strongest textile material in the price range, though it is probably something you will need to replace in a crash (unlike leather).

The jacket goes from the mid 80's to the low 40's very well. The shell is water-/wind-proof. The liner is warm and has full sleeves. When warm, you have vents on your chest, arms, and back for some decent air flow. I wouldn't want to wear it for long periods in the 90's, but it'll be okay as long as you keep moving.

If you need pockets, it has tons (I don't really like carrying things on my person). I especially like the back pocket that is a great place to store an extra pair of gloves.

I like the water-proof shell as I don't have to get in and out of the jacket if it begins raining.

With the jacket, I have the Olympia Ranger 2 overpants. They are very warm. I've yet to need the liner in them. This is nice in the cold, but I tend to sweat through my jeans when the temps rise. There are no vents or anything to get you airflow. I might get their Airglide pants for warm weather, though those pose a problem if it rains (putting on a liner in the rain plus the liner being insulated so you'll get hot).

Wearing them together, I stay very dry. I've ridden through rain that's soaked through multiple pairs of leather gloves without having my clothes get damp.

Both the jacket and pants are fairly light, which is a great things when you are layering up for the weather. I hated wearing my leather overpants as they weighed easily three times what the Ranger 2 pants weigh.

If you have a set of summer gear and need protection from the cold, The Olympia AST/Ranger gear is great. I grab that before any other gear as long as the temps are cool enough. If you need hot to cool instead of warm to cold, look at the Bushwaker jacket instead.

EDIT:
$25 jackets from Wilson's are not motorcycle gear, BTW. No impact protection, little abrasion resistance, and little protection from the elements.

EDIT2:
Here's a review of the Jaunt. First result from Google.
Firstgear Jaunt Jacket - webBikeWorld

The Kilimanjaro is also a popular jacket on ADVRider. You might want to poke around there.

[Capt. Redbeard]

First , Welcome cptd. I hope we read about your adventures. Pictures are always welcome. Now to your question.
When I bought my bike in 05 I decided to get the basics. Well, that's all I could afford at the time. Then I saved me treasure, Arrrg, and bought one set that would fill three seasons of riding. I checked it all out, compared prices, tried stuff on, and looked for sales. At 6foot and 250 that's alot of non-buying. Remember, men are buyers not shoppers. But I've been working on it for over 30 years of marriage. Anyway I picked out what I wanted with three things in mind. Circulation/Armor/Waterproof or C.A.W. Seemed appropriate caw...kaw, well you get the idea, and no particular order either. But what it did was provide an easily remembered list of what I wanted from the four manufacturers I selected. So... I ended up with the Kilimanjaro 4.0 and the HT2.0 pants, which are the match for a few of their jackets.
Once all that I saved a little while, figured in the armor upgrade, and looked for sales. I have ridden in rain, cold, wind, and heat. I did not get wet, the lining and smart dressing kept me warm, the wind didn't get through, and the vents were okay at moving air. It was 95f so nothing would be great so I guess that's not a big issue. You didn't list where you are so I'm not sure if humidity is a problem. I have a....ah...many leather jackets i can where for short rides in the suimmer. On a trip I'll only take the First Gear.
Hope all that helps.

[Roadie1951]

I've got the Olympia AST and Ranger pants. Best riding gear I've ever owned for Spring, Fall and Winter. I live in Georgia and the summers are brutal, so for the summer, I have a Hein Gerike, Timbukto, mesh jacket. It has a waterproof liner, but it's like sitting in a sauna so I just carry a rain jacket in a saddle bag for the few occasions I'm caught in the rain.

[gjg59]

I just bought an OEM Vulcan Jacket on ebay for $99 from a dealer. It is the warm weather jacket. Mesh with perforated soft leather sleeves and shoulders. A zip out waterproof liner and removable high quality removable armor padding. It still also has thin sewn in padding. Vulcan emblems on shoulders and back.

There were several mens on ebay and womens were even cheaper.

I bought a 3X. I am a 48 at 6' 220. I probably could have worn a 2X without the padding.

I'll bet this jacket will work fine with the waterproof liner and a sweatshirt on a pretty chilly day. Really high quality.

It is the same one the models wear in the 2007 and 2008 Vulcan motorcycle books.

[rbentnail]

Originally Posted by Capt. Redbeard

First , Welcome cptd. I hope we read about your adventures. Pictures are always welcome. Now to your question.

You do realize this was a resurrected 2 yr.old thread, don't you? I hate it when FNGs do that!!

I wonder if he figured it out yet.

[gjg59]

I did not realize that the Vulcan Jackets have been on sale for two years and thought I might share a good deal. It was not my intent to duplicate anything. I assume the FNG comment was directed this way.

I have been a little too busy the last 26 years and am just getting back into riding.

[rbentnail]

Originally Posted by gjg59

I did not realize that the Vulcan Jackets have been on sale for two years and thought I might share a good deal. It was not my intent to duplicate anything. I assume the FNG comment was directed this way.

I have been a little too busy the last 26 years and am just getting back into riding.

It's great to go back in time and read about it, but take a look at the date above the last poster's name before adding to it. If you'd like to add more, it's usually better to start a new thread.

Anywho, welcome back to riding!! I got out of it for about 15 years- a wife and kid and a house payment got in the way.

[gjg59]

Sorry I got a little sensitive about the FNG thing. I spent all those years inside a C-130 inhaling hydraulic, oil and fuel leaks, puking on low level missions and while hoping not to hit the ground really hard. Ha!

I do consider myself a humble, ride 50 feet behind my sister, inexperienced motorcycle rider who scares myself and others on a daily basis. I also suck at my forum posting skills. This sounds much nicer than FNG. Ha!

Oh yeah, also sold my first bike right after my first daughter was born so I can appreciate what you are saying.

[flanman]

cptd. Check out this jacket from cycle gear. I just got one for winter and cooler riding and I love it. Very similar to the kilimanjaro jacket, but a lot less expensive. It is very sturdy well padded with zip in liner and lots of pockets and storage. And best of all it is only $90. One note the jacket runs a little on the snug size, so order a size larger than you normally would and you will love it.
Cycle Gear - MOTOBOSS: Swift Waterproof 3/4 Textile Motorcycle Jacket, GRAY/BLACK

Bill