motorcycle parts accessories and more

...for everyone who loves to ride...

Summer and winter riding jackets. Can any one do both?

by Carl
(Fort Worth, TX)

The Texas heat of 105 degrees and above makes riding with a leather jacket a miserable experience. I have never been informed when I might go down so I always try to have some level of safety gear even in the heat!

My summer motorcycle jacket is a Tex Mesh III by First Gear. Joe Rocket offers their Intake line of jackets that are quite similar. Both have some form of padding (they call it armor) in the elbows, shoulders and spinal region. The sleeves are angled for the rider. I prefer the Tex Mesh III because it has a chinese style collar; the Intake jacket has no collar which makes it cooler but you look funny when going to work with a collared shirt.

Both have a decent liner that I can ride in down to 55 degrees comfortably - but not for long. They are made of a fine textile mesh that offer almost zero wind resistance in the summer heat. I actually can get cold below 75 degrees in the jacket after being used to over 100 degree weather in the summer.

For the winter, leather jackets have been a very costly experience for me to find the perfect one.

I gave up on the Marlin Brando type motorcycle jackets because none of them had every feature I wanted except for looking cool. I now think I have found the best jacket for winter riding.

It is the Power Trip Powerglide leather jacket. This motorcycle jacket made of very thick cowhide (17 lbs!). It has a sleeveless liner so with a sweatshirt underneath I have even ridden it in 10 degree weather comfortably. What is great about this jacket is when the day wears on and it gets up to 85 degrees you can open up the chest, sleeve and back zippers for a great flow of air. So it is a warm and yet semi cool motorcycle jacket that provides a great second skin. It also comes with side pockets and an inside vest pocket too. The arms are angled for a very good fit when riding.

Between these two brands of jackets, I think I have the best combination of safety and comfort all year around.