[shyamg28]

Originally Posted by SS80

...Please clarify some of my doubts, as I have never owned or worn a proper riding jacket to date.

1. Are these waterproof riding jackets wearable under the sun?
2. How do they provide waterproofing near the neck-helmet gap area
3. Do they weigh a lot like leather jackets?
4. Any approx pricing figures for basic entry-level riding gears.?
Thanks in advance for all your input.

I have a Klim Carlsbad jacket and Badlands Pro pant. Gore-Tex and waterproof. Done a fair bit in them, including a relatively long cross country trip.

1. It depends. Really, it's the humidity that kills more than anything I feel. Dry heat is still manageable. All said, on the move, no worries. When you stop - you'll ideally want to be naked.

2. Mine is collared. So nearly covers the entire gap. But that's not an area where water hits a lot from my experience.

3. They weigh quite a bit. Again I believe, it's more down to the armour in use than, usually, the jacket itself. My jacket without the back D30 armour is relatively light. With it, it's quite heavy. Once worn, you don't feel the difference at all. Especially because the gear sits on you in the right places. It's unlike carrying a shoulder bag.

4. I think RE-Alpinestars has (had?) the Gravity Drystar and Solano waterproof jackets, which are sub 20k I believe. I would check them out. There's also the RS Taichi Drymaster jacket/pant. Know a few people that have got this. It's light (I've tried it on myself), seems well ventilated too. What I hear is that this too can get hot. Again, being on the move is of utmost importance :P
The Klim gear can cost anywhere between 30-100k.

I'll also point you to this post by BHPian @neil.jericho - https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/ride-...ml#post5472687 (The Riding Gear thread)

[beerbiceps00]

Planning to get a mesh riding jacket, and confused between the KORDA Edge and the Royal Enfield EXPLORER v3. Both retail for around Rs. 6800 currently, and have the thermal and rain liners included. The Korda comes with SafeTech L2 armours for limbs, back and chest included, while the RE comes with Knox L2 for limbs only.

The Korda seems VFM for the price with all the basics covered, if anyone has one please share your thoughts, thanks!

Link to Korda Edge: https://powersports.in/collections/r...-riding-jacket

Link to RE Explorer v3: https://store.royalenfield.com/en/ex...3-jacket-black

[WhiskeyTangoFox]

Originally Posted by beerbiceps00

Planning to get a mesh riding jacket, and confused between the KORDA Edge and the Royal Enfield EXPLORER v3. Both retail for around Rs. 6800 currently, and have the thermal and rain liners included. The Korda comes with SafeTech L2 armours for limbs, back and chest included, while the RE comes with Knox L2 for limbs only. ]

I've been using the Royal Enfield Explorer v3 for about 4,000 Kilometres worth of rides so far (I use it only on the highways). Have used it across all south indian weather conditions and can attest for its quality. Everything works perfectly, and I've had no issues so far. The Korda is definitely more feature loaded, so do check the fit and take a call. The Edge also seems to have significantly more mesh panels than the explorer.

[WhiskeyTangoFox]

Bhpian Beerbicep00's post above prompted me to pen down this review, considering that this price bracket <10,000 INR is probably what most individuals would look to spend when buying their first touring jacket.

What makes a touring jacket?

I know that the question is quite open ended, but there are a few fundamentals that a touring jacket, in my humble opinion, must have.

1. Protection

The first priority obviously being protection. Level 2 Protectors all round, that ideally is temperature tested. This can be verified by looking for this logo on your jacket (T+/T-).



With that being said, it's always better to have chest protectors as well, even though they may not be required in a touring jacket. You can obviously make an informed choice in that regard.

Another misnomer that I've seen going around, not here on the forum but in general, is that people tend to assume that CE Certified jackets and CE Certified Protectors in a jacket is the same thing. Quite easy to confuse I must admit, but for the benefit of the larger audience, I shall elaborate.

The CE Certification on your protector (L1/2) pertains to the amount of force the individual protector in your jacket allows onto your body. These are the certification marks you can look out for, with respect to protectors:

CE EN 1621-1:2012* - Shoulder and Elbow Protectors
CE EN 1621-2:2014 - Back Protectors
CE EN 1621-3:2015 - Chest Protectors

L1 protectors let through up to 18kN of force, whereas L2 protectors let through up to 9kN of force. Whether you wish to retain these protectors in your jacket after watching Ryan F9's video is also up to you. Make an informed choice.

In addition to these, you must also look at the overall CE rating of the jacket. The certification mark you must find printed somewhere on the jacket is FprEN 17092-4:2019 or EN13595 (I believe a newer standard EN 17092:2020 has also come out) which tests the entire garmet for slide protection with Class A being the lowest and Class AAA being the highest level of protection.

2. All - Season Compatibility (Well, mostly)

If you do tour, in all probablity you would want one jacket that does reasonably well across all seasons. Be it rain, sun, snow or fog, the jacket has to be protective (Circling back to importance of the Temperature tested Armour) as well as comfortable. Therefore inclusion of Rain/Thermal Liners in the price is great!


3. Ergonomics, for lack of a better word

Pockets galore! The more "accesible" storage there is in a touring jacket, the better. A place to keep your card, mobile phone, wallet etc. is always appreciated. You can also factor in the adjustability, and cross compatibility with other garments, such as gloves and pants.

The Review, finally

With that spiel out of the way, let me get into the actual review. I've used this jacket over 12 rides (~4000 Kms) when its Sunny, Rainy, Cold (South India), Foggy and Humid. I can't account for the jacket's performance in snowy or other extreme climatic conditions, which is prevalent in the mountains.

First things first, let me get the specifications out of the way. The Jacket, originally priced at INR 8950 has L2 Knox Shoulder and Elbow Protectors (No Back Protector), a 40% mesh construction with 600D Polyster on non impact areas and 610D Cordura on Impact Areas. The Jacket includes an integrated thermal liner and an External Rain Liner.




The Jacket does have velcro adjustment all around, on the bicep area, elbow, cuffs, waist and hem line.



Here's the tag for the Class A Rating and the FprEN 17092-4:2019 certification mark.



The jacket has these "accordion panels" on the back, shoulders and elbow. They make articulation quite easy and the jacket is comfortable.



The jacket has tastefully done reflective piping all round, that look great in the night and offer good visibility as well.



The insides of the jacket is perforated and has two pockets as well.



The Jacket has a YKK reversible zipper, which is excellent for letting more air in.



This little adjustable tab on the neck area is something I found pretty cool!



Loop style pant connectors.



The jacket comes with a thermal liner that neatly integrates into the jacket. It zips into the jacket and feels like a part of the jacket itself, and not like a separate liner.



The jacket comes with its own rain liner, which is of great quality.




The jacket has a dedicated pocket to store the rain liner. Great thought if you ask me!


Weight:

The jacket isn't particularly light, although you wouldn't feel it once you begin wearing it. I've listed the weight figures below. Do keep in mind that I've purchased a Safetech L2 Back Protector as well, and the weight listed is including that:

a) Jacket + Protectors - 2.5 Kgs
b) Above + Thermal Liner - 2.6 Kgs
c) Above + Rain Liner - 2.7 Kgs

If you wear a hydration pack, you can factor that weight in too, in addition to what's above. Then again, I've never found the weight to be an issue, even with a hydration pack.

Fit:

This is subjective of course, but for me personally, I found the sleeves a little too long, and the jacket itself a little too long as well. I'm in between 5'9 and 5'10 for reference. You can however, get the armour to sit on correctly using the adjustment mechanisms.

Performance in Hot Conditions:

I've tested this in temperatures up to 38 Degrees, and the jacket does get pretty when the temps go up. Since only 40% is mesh, the amount of airflow is not that high compared to jackets that have more mesh on them (Comparing this to my Rynox Cypher GT). When you're maintaining speed though, it's not too bad. The reversible zipper comes in very handy here though, as you can open the zip from the bottom a tad bit, to let in more air.

Performance in Humid Conditions:

Similar to that of hot conditions, if you leave the reversible zipper open, it's not too bad, but you will sweat for sure.

Performance in Cold Conditions:

I've tested this in temperatures up to 12 Degrees (Plus windchill at 100-110kmph). The jacket with the integrated thermal liner will keep you reasonably warm. If you wear the rain liner as well, you should be fine at these temperatures.

Performance in Rainy Conditions:

The jacket itself is mildly water resistant, which is okay for light drizzles. But if it begins to rain, you best have your rain liner on. The included rain liner is of very good quality and is meant to be worn over your jacket. It has elasticated cuffs, YKK Zippers and is 100% Polyster. It has held up well in even really heavy downpours.

Areas of Improvement

Nothing's perfect, and the same goes for this. I don't mind the fact that the jacket doesn't have Chest protectors, but a pocket to accomodate them should have been provided, should I feel the need to add one in the future.

Another nifty feature which my Cypher GT has a little waterproof pocket on the sleeve, perfect for a debit card or toll reciept, which I do miss here.

The Pant Connectors which I mentioned before only work if your pants have a belt loop. A Zipper system is more cross compatible.

Concluding Thoughts

The Explorer v4 that was introduced recently has some improvements in this regard, with D30 Protectors and what not. Overall though, there's no denying that the explorer is a really good jacket at the price point, especially considering the discounted prices you can pick one up for now. There are many more options in the market that you can consider these days, and whatever be the case, try the jackets yourself and take a call!

[shyamg28]

Originally Posted by shyamg28

...An update on them - my heel does begin to hurt through the day. As someone had suggested, I will try Decathlon soles as replacement.

Got Decathlon soles. No heel pain anymore.

[MileCruncher]

Got myself a SMK Alterra motocross helmet to beat the heat in the city




Quite light at 1350 Gms and I'm liking it!

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by MileCruncher

Got myself a SMK Alterra motocross helmet to beat the heat in the city

Looks nice! But heat is one thing, and Bombay grit and grime is something totally else altogether. Without a visor, with just those very swanky looking goggles, won't your face become black and gritty by the time you hit work?

Cheers, Doc

[MileCruncher]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Looks nice! But heat is one thing, and Bombay grit and grime is something totally else altogether. Without a visor, with just those very swanky looking goggles, won't your face become black and gritty by the time you hit work?

Cheers, Doc

Dear Doc, for work, I have an airconditioned car to ferry me around. This is for fun! And how can you have fun without getting a little dirty

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by MileCruncher

Dear Doc, for work, I have an airconditioned car to ferry me around. This is for fun! And how can you have fun without getting a little dirty

Oh I'm sorry then. I seem to recall someone making a post about needing a airy MX helmet for the current heat in Bombay and I sort of assumed it was you, and for a regular day time commute.

Cheers, Doc

P.S. Probably was also looking at it from my own personal point of view as I'm using my motorcycle for my commute in Poona, and even though the weather and pollution (and roads) are way better than Bombay, that open gap in the helmet just set all sorts of alarm bells ringing in my head!

[MileCruncher]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Oh I'm sorry then. I seem to recall someone making a post about needing a airy MX helmet for the current heat in Bombay and I sort of assumed it was you, and for a regular day time commute.

Cheers, Doc

It was indeed me who was looking for MX helmet as I'm using the bike a lot in the city. Like last evening, wifey and me had to go to Bandra for an event and I convinced her that taking the car was a no go. Primarily because all roads are dug, no parking space in Pali Hill area and crossing SV Road can be hellish in a car. She agreed and we went on the bike.

Yes there is a lot of air going in but it also allows sweat to dry off. With one day use, I can only say, the dust factor is as much as FF helmet with visor up.

[Tom.Koshy]

Need pointers from fellow bhpians for purchasing a riding pant.

I am on the lookout for a pair of riding pants and have almost zeroed in on the Viaterra Spencer pants. I have read pretty good reviews for the same and have very good experience with other Viaterra products. I am planning to visit a store this week to try it on and finalize the same provided it fits well. I had also checked out the Revit Airwave 3 pants but its costs double the price of Viaterra for obvious reasons. I might be absolutely wrong, but during my research I came across a school of thought which believes that riding pants are the only piece of gear where you need not always get the best. Therefore I am trying get one on a budget.
However, before taking the final plunge I would like to know whether my approach is correct and whether going ahead with the Spencer riding pants is a good decision. Also, are there any other options that I should look into ? I don't mind stretching my budget if its worth the money.
The pants are primarily for touring and will be used on my 390 adventure along with my Revit Airwave 3 jacket and TCX Stelvio WP Boots.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by Tom.Koshy

Need pointers from fellow bhpians for purchasing a riding pant.

Aside from the obvious safety and protection aspect that you look for in a pant or any riding gear, fit and stretch and comfort is paramount. In my opinion, more so than any other piece of your riding gear. Motorcycle riding is a lot to do with your butt and legs and involves a lot of time in that seated position, and it involves quite a lot of movement. If the pant is not comfortable to sit in, with tightly folded knees, and if the pant does not have the needed "give" as you shift in the saddle and move your bike around and play with the controls, your ride is effectively compromised to a very large extent. I can imagine wearing an ill fitting jacket but not poorly fitting pants.

Cheers, Doc

[MileCruncher]

Originally Posted by Tom.Koshy

Need pointers from fellow bhpians for purchasing a riding pant.

I am on the lookout for a pair of riding pants and have almost zeroed in on the Viaterra Spencer pants.

Since we are talking budget, you might also want to look at Rynox Storm Evo and Stealth Evo pants. They are in 8-9K range as well.

If you are looking at lot of riding in the rain, RS Taichi Drymaster i hear are very good.

[WhiskeyTangoFox]

Originally Posted by Tom.Koshy

Need pointers from fellow bhpians for purchasing a riding pant.
The pants are primarily for touring and will be used on my 390 adventure along with my Revit Airwave 3 jacket and TCX Stelvio WP Boots.

Do check out the Royal Enfield Tso Kar pants too! They're a fully waterproof option. Nothing imo is more convenient than not having to struggle to put a rain pant on in full gear at the side of the road when its raining

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by WhiskeyTangoFox

Do check out the Royal Enfield Tso Kar pants too! They're a fully waterproof option. Nothing imo is more convenient than not having to struggle to put a rain pant on in full gear at the side of the road when its raining

Fort Nine recently did a video on something I've instinctively known for 20 years. And that is, anything that's built to keep water out, is also going to keep water in. Waterproof AND breathable is a myth. It is either waterproof. Or Breathable. Never both together, at the same rime. And you are eventually going to broil in your gear ... for want of a better description. So my personal take is different. Wear the most airy breathable gear you can afford. And if it starts raining, pull over and pull on a rain top and pants. On TOP of your gear (no liners). When it stops raining, take it off, and let the wind dry off the inner dampness and sweat, without keeping you clammy all day, with eventual wet rot and rashes galore in high friction or sensitive areas. The added advantage is that it is a lot easier after the ride cleaning only the outer rain wear, compared to your jacket and pants. And you are riding in much airier and lighter shells for the majority of your ride when its not raining ... and you do not need to be lugging on you rain protection when you do not need it.

Cheers, Doc