Review of my Gear

[Liber]

I'm posting this because I found it so damn hard to find reviews for my jacket before I bought it. Hopefully, I can help other riders looking for their gear.

Disclaimer: Yes, I know I have invested in some premium gear. The way I see it, this gear is of a quality that will last for years to come, and will more than likely be used with more than my 250.

Dainese Alien($700):



When I bought this jacket 6 weeks ago, there were very few reviews of it, and even fewer reviews coming from places with hot weather. I decided to give it a shot.

The air flow is amazing. In 60-70 degree weather I have to add layers to stay warm. When temperatures hit 90+ degrees with 90% humidity, the jacket remains comfortable as long as you aren't sitting still. As you begin to sweat, the air simply whisks it away, cooling you off and leaving you with a minimal amount of perspiration.

The style is very nice. I bought the version with red/white/black sleeves. When off the bike and walking around it catches lots of eyes, and so I'm sure it catches just as many while riding.

The material is soft but you can feel the durability. I went along with the sizing instructions and I have enough room for the added back and chest protectors. Dainese is the only brand of jacket I've ever tried on that I can expect to feel broken in when it's brand new; they just fit that well, and this jacket is no exception.

As far as bang for your buck, this jacket is priced high for a reason. It is modular. It's phenomenal for street riding, but you can also take it to the track and feel safe. If you are crazy about riding on the track, especially if you are nuts about aerodynamics and having a hump, then this may not be the jacket for you. However, If you occasionally hit the track for fun, but mainly ride on the street, I cannot think of a better looking/more protective garment.

The only complaint I might have(which is actually a positive 10 months out of the year here) is that it isn't a bit warmer. When temps get back down into the 40's 50's I will have to wear a windbreaker and sweater underneath it.

5/5 across the board because you can take this jacket anywhere and it will do everything you ask it to do while looking great.

PS: It's made in Bosnia, not that mysterious factory in Bangladesh where "80% of all leather motorcycle gear is made" according to CycleGear and(word for word) an anonymous intelligence officer.
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Dainese Wave G1/G2($89):



After inserting this piece of armor, there was no noticeable drop in airflow in the Alien Jacket. My only complaint, which is really my own fault for not researching more, is that it is rated CE level 1. I'm considering returning it for a Force Field CE level 2 protector
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Dainese Thorax Chest Protector($69):



The Alien has an internal slot built into the chest just left of the zipper, that this is designed to slide into. Inserting it causes no noticeable decrease in air flow. It is CE Level 2 protection for you chest/rib cage/heart/lungs. I have a size 42/52 chest and a medium covers most of my upper chest. This is a keeper, especially for a paltry $69. Dainese offers one that has straps so you can wear it without one of their newer jackets.

My only knock against this is that in the Alien it sits on the left side, which prevents me from reaching under my left shoulder to pull my handgun. I have compromised by placing my holster under the right shoulder and drawing with my left hand. since I shoot 2 handed, and practice shooting with both, this isn't much of a handicap.

One note: When I ordered it from Revzilla, they had to in turn order it from Dainese in Italy. It caused a normal 3 day shipment to be a 3 week shipment.
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Shoei RF-1100 Hadron($430):



I like this helmet. I feel protected. DOT and Snell approved. The air flow is great. It is kind of loud without earplugs. The fit is perfect, but the helmet feels big, and people tell me it makes my noggin look big. I don't really care about it so much though. Head safety is one area I will not not compromise on, and Shoei seems to have a well-deserved reputation.
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Sidi ST Air Boots($320):



Amazing boots. They feel about as snug and secure as a pair of good ski boots. Air flow is good. My feet get warm, but not hot. (I combine them with Rev-it summer socks which work well at keeping my feet cool and dry) They are comfortable while riding. One thing I noticed is that the heel seems a little wider on these than on the Vertigo. A lot of American customers were complaining about the tiny heel on the Vertigo, so I think Sidi may have widened it on this boot. Too bad for me, I have a very narrow heel. Nevertheless, after about 10 hours of break in they feel great. They are definitely a step above the Vertigo, as the vent is better, and the sizing mechanism for the calf has a much greater range. People with small calves will love this boot.

They will get you around off the bike, though I wouldn't call them comfortable, they aren't uncomfortable either(sorry for the double negative).
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Icon Pursuit Gloves($55):



I don't have much to say about these except I don't feel like I have gloves on while wearing them. My hands don't get hot. I can put my helmet on with them on. I can pull my gun and aim accurately with them. Good gloves. I had some more gauntlet-style Bilt gloves that I couldn't ever get used to. These are much better.
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Dainese Hard Shorts($79):



I just can't get used to these. I've tried them on 3 occasions and I find them uncomfortable, particularly in what I guess is supposed to be a tail-bone protector rests between my butt cheeks. I will be returning these. I need to find something more comfortable that doesn't compromise too much in protection.

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Earplugs:

I just use my normal Winchester foam shooting earplugs, but these may be too good because I can't hear for crap when off the bike. I need some that don't block so much sound.

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Things I need to add:

-Knee Guards. I've been following the thread on these. When I have the money I'll invest in some.

-Some kind of hip protection. I'm wondering if hard shorts are the best solution.

-Pants. I wear Kevlar reinforced jeans I got on sale. I will eventually buy some quality leather pants that have the ability to zip onto my Alien.

[Yasko]

Very high quality... Good for you... The good stuff pays for itself...

[gfloyd2002]

About the ear plugs -- if you are using the Winchester Red-E-Fit plugs, they have a db rating of 33db and are general use plugs that should work for stead state noise (the constant wind, exhaust and traffic sounds), which is about what you'll want for motorcycling. Don't be too concerned about having sound blocked off the bike -- you'll be able to hear traffic and emergency vehicles fine on the bike, about like being in a car with the windows up.

If you aren't using the Red-E-Fits, and have Winchester plugs that block more than 35db, or use shooting plugs that are more specialized for shooting, be careful. Firearm noise is different from steady state noise. It is an impulse pattern. Firearm enthusiasts often wish to communicate or listen between shots so shooting plugs are designed to eliminate the pulse noise of a gun, and not the steady state noise you'll need for cycling. Shooter's Plugs DO NOT NECESSARILY WORK FOR STEADY STATE NOISE. That said, if your complaint is that you can't hear general sounds when off the bike, that sounds good to me - so my guess is that your Winchesters are general use, non-specialist plugs.

If you are interested, you might look at webbikeworld's earplug reviews for a discussion of some inexpensive plugs that work well for steady state noise you'll find on motorcycles. I use the Moldex 6800, which work fine (with a 33db rating).

[Liber]

They are the 33DB earplugs. Ok well that answers my question. I wish they had some kind on lanyard so I could take them out without taking my helmet off in case someone is trying to talk to me...however this seems like a non-issue, thanks.

[Moldbuster]

Good review. Definitely approve on the jacket. Boots...I have the same ones...Safety Tzar approved! RF-1100' very good lid. The gloves, on the other hand (HA!), not so enthused. Gauntlets are better. They stay secured during a higher speed off. Won't lie to ya, good gloves aren't cheap, but they are worth it...as you found out with your jacket,helmet and boots. Good gloves do feelnlike part of your hand, but offer you full protection. Try some Knox Handroids or Biomechs. Both are full gauntlet with Kangaroo palms great control feel) and have scaphoid protection. Both are well vented and have an exceptional wrist fastening system that makes them ultra comfy. If you have a hand injury, no amount of protection will seem like too much money. Hand injuries SUUUUK!!!!!! Believe me on this.

[Liber]

quick question. Anyone know of any gloves that come with a silver thread running along the palm side of the index finger? I heard about some for snowboarding so you can use touch screens.

If not, anyone know how hard it is to sew silver?

EDIT: Kevin, I thank you for your suggestion and I'm inclined to agree. However, I need gloves that will keep my hands cool. Are there any that offer good protection with perforation?

[kaiserz]

Check this out = > http://stores.sportbiketrackgear.com/Detail.bok?no=5734

[Moldbuster]

Originally Posted by kaiserz

Check this out = > http://stores.sportbiketrackgear.com/Detail.bok?no=5734

Held gives good glove.
The Airstream is supposed to be one of the coolest out there. Probably too cool for my climate. I find the Knox Handroids to be very well vented. Then again...we just had the warmest day in 255 days here...a blistering 74 degrees and we rarely get humidity. If this is as hot as it gets this summer, I will be a happy man. Anything above 85 is not suitable for humans.

[Liber]

yeeeah...It has been breaking 100 here almost every day for the past week and a half. In this kind of riding environment, ventilation is almost as important as armor. If you are distracted by discomfort from hot hands or feet then you aren't focusing.

[Moldbuster]

Thats not a riding environment, that is a baking environment! I don't know HOW you guys can tolerate that kind of heat. We get it maybe one day a year and on that day, I take the cage with the AC. Ugh.

[Liber]

This is actually the first time this has happened in June in quite a while if memory serves. We've actually had moderate summers over the past couple of years, moderate being temps not repeatedly breaking 100 til late August.

The killer isn't even really the heat. It's the crazy humidity, which thankfully is staying down around 40-50%. Riding right now isn't too bad as long as you keep moving.

I love the heat. Always have and always will. It's the cold I can't stand.

[Nemesis]

Yes, I love Dainese. LOL

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showt...ion#post254439

[reaubideux]

Resurrecting an old thread here....

I'm tossing around the idea of splurging on the Dainese Alien jacket and, maybe I'm an idiot, blind... or both... I cannot find anywhere where it's stated that it comes with a basic back protection pad, all I can see is that it has the 2 separate pockets for the various other Dainese inserts but before I drop $700 on a jacket I'd like to make sure that it at least comes with a basic pad I can use until I have the extra money to upgrade to a CE II protector.

Wonder if I could pilfer one the pad from my thrashed JR Atomic jacket and use that....

[Snake]

Great looking gear!

[ducducgooseit]

Held Titans got perf.

[Liber]

it does NOT come with a back protection pad, in fact it comes with no pad at all. My jacket sits at about $860 when considering all the gear it has attached to it.

I've been using it over the past few days in this heat wave and the air flow is insane for a leather jacket. The bubble layer on the inside is incredible at allowing air to pass over the most heat critical parts of your torso. This design comes as at a cost: There are no internal pockets, except for the thorax protector slot.

I cannot stress enough to you how awesome this jacket is though. Worth every penny.

[reaubideux]

Thanks Chris... I love the Alien jacket but the price is pretty steep, I thoroughly believe it's a case of "get what you pay for" but considering I can get a decent jacket & pants for that around the cost of just the jacket and considering my inexperience and real lack to ever do any track days or aggressive street riding I always question if I really need this jacket versus a lower-end model.

Off the top of your head, do you know of any other brand of back protectors that work in place of the Dainese protectors? Knox, etc. I know I can do the research myself, I'm just being lazy.

I've pretty much sold myself to go ahead and not skimp on the jacket and pants and drop my money into just the Alien plus a protector. I'm still waffling between the Alien and the Dainese Racing jacket, and by Christmas I should be able to get the Dainese Alien pants with a little help from Santa. In the middle in there I'll probably spring for the hard shorts as well. I really want to go ahead and get the top o' the line gear in the thoughts it should last quite awhile - assuming I don't do anything stupid again and wreck.

Thanks for your input and well-written reviews, greatly appreciated.

[Liber]

Originally Posted by reaubideux

Thanks Chris... I love the Alien jacket but the price is pretty steep, I thoroughly believe it's a case of "get what you pay for" but considering I can get a decent jacket & pants for that around the cost of just the jacket and considering my inexperience and real lack to ever do any track days or aggressive street riding I always question if I really need this jacket versus a lower-end model.

Off the top of your head, do you know of any other brand of back protectors that work in place of the Dainese protectors? Knox, etc. I know I can do the research myself, I'm just being lazy.

I've pretty much sold myself to go ahead and not skimp on the jacket and pants and drop my money into just the Alien plus a protector. I'm still waffling between the Alien and the Dainese Racing jacket, and by Christmas I should be able to get the Dainese Alien pants with a little help from Santa. In the middle in there I'll probably spring for the hard shorts as well. I really want to go ahead and get the top o' the line gear in the thoughts it should last quite awhile - assuming I don't do anything stupid again and wreck.

Thanks for your input and well-written reviews, greatly appreciated.

Revzilla carries some forcefield back protectors that are made specifically for Dainese jackets. I actually returned the Wave G2 for one of these because the Wave is only CE Level 1.

Is the Racing a perf jacket or does it only rely on those 2 chest vents and stretch panels for ventilation?

Honestly, I think the Alien is a huge step up from the racing for just 100$

[Xoulrath]

Good reviews, Chris.

Jason, I have to agree with you. $700 can get you a decent suit. Track riding or not, that is good protection at a reasonable cost. I decided last year since I plan on doing as many track days as possible starting next summer, that I am better off getting a suit instead of a leather jacket. I keep waiting for the airbag technology to break onto the scene, but it may be a ways off. As far as the traveling of roads public, I will continue to use my textile jacket until I can get a touring-style one piece oversuit for street use.

As gloves go, I have fallen in love with the Held Titan. Again, I am looking at gear from a track/performance oriented standpoint. For the street it probably could be considered too much for commuting. But hell, hands are important, and the street is arguably more dangerous than the track.

Boots, I am partial to the A* Super Tech-R. It is an inner/outer system boot with outstanding protection. sportbiketrackgear has a good review.

Helmets, Arai fit me best, but I am not too keen on the shield system they use. I am loving my Shoei RF-1000 for now.

Thought I'd share my opinions on gear after reading the entire thread.

[Liber]

Yeh, It really does depend on what you will be using your bike for. I have very little access to tracks here. I imagine 99.9% of my riding will be highway/street. If I ever get to a track it will more than likely be over in Dallas on a weekend, but that isn't going to happen anytime soon.

For me, I bought gear knowing that most of my ride time would be commute. I plan on getting up to the Ouachita and Ozark Mountains for a couple of weekends later in the season.

I have a few new Items I need to review, so I'll post them when I get bored at work this week.

[reaubideux]

Originally Posted by Liber

Revzilla carries some forcefield back protectors that are made specifically for Dainese jackets. I actually returned the Wave G2 for one of these because the Wave is only CE Level 1.

Is the Racing a perf jacket or does it only rely on those 2 chest vents and stretch panels for ventilation?

Honestly, I think the Alien is a huge step up from the racing for just 100$

Yeah, the Racing is non-perf and uses only those vents and the S1 fabric for breathability. That's one of the things that keeps me leaning back to Alien, I honestly plan to commute to work no matter the temps - I'll be testing this out this week, temps supposed to hit over 100 w/indexes above 110 - so the perforated Alien w/the 3D bubble liner seems like it would work better.

Thanks again for your input, like you stated in your post above (in response to Xoulrath), most of my riding is commuting hwy/street and as my skills progress I may look at getting a little more adventurous on the back roads but not for awhile, if ever. Track days are pretty much not possible unless I feel like taking a long road trip and my finances just aren't there for that. While I keep thinking that this just may be too much for a jacket for my intended riding, it still has great safety features and looks damn sexy. Right now it's all about raising the funds to cover the cost. If I do get it, I'm definitely planning on getting it from Revzilla then using the "Revzilla Cash" towards the back protector.

[reaubideux]

Originally Posted by Xoulrath

But hell, hands are important, and the street is arguably more dangerous than the track.

Hands? Hell, all of me is important... well, to all of me (and probably my kids too ) On my highway commutes I probably hit the same speeds there as I would on any track, save for a long straightaway.

Safety and quality are my 2 primary reasons for not wanting to skimp on my 2nd go-round w/riding gear, although with this jacket I admit a bit of vanity is creeping in. The more I look at it the hotter it looks. Never thought I'd get all giggity-giggity about a leather riding jacket.

[YORCHI]

I have the same helmet and I love it. I wonder if the dark faceshield is too dark that I can't see clearly at night. Gonna swing by the store later and check one out before I decide to buy one or not.

[Liber]

Originally Posted by reaubideux

Yeah, the Racing is non-perf and uses only those vents and the S1 fabric for breathability. That's one of the things that keeps me leaning back to Alien, I honestly plan to commute to work no matter the temps - I'll be testing this out this week, temps supposed to hit over 100 w/indexes above 110 - so the perforated Alien w/the 3D bubble liner seems like it would work better.

Thanks again for your input, like you stated in your post above (in response to Xoulrath), most of my riding is commuting hwy/street and as my skills progress I may look at getting a little more adventurous on the back roads but not for awhile, if ever. Track days are pretty much not possible unless I feel like taking a long road trip and my finances just aren't there for that. While I keep thinking that this just may be too much for a jacket for my intended riding, it still has great safety features and looks damn sexy. Right now it's all about raising the funds to cover the cost. If I do get it, I'm definitely planning on getting it from Revzilla then using the "Revzilla Cash" towards the back protector.

I've been riding through the 105 Heat index here for the past week and half from my office into town(30 minutes round trip) to grab lunch. Though it's warm inside the jacket, it's not particularly crazy. I never feel dizzy or like I'm sweathing too bad. I had a Dainese Mugello before the Alien that I kept for 2 weeks before returning it to Cycle Gear. The Alien is heavier, thicker, and has more fabric on the inside but feels so much cooler as spots of sweat cool me down.(The mugello has that thin sheet of mesh in it as opposed to the thick bubble lining in the Alien.)

Originally Posted by YORCHI

I have the same helmet and I love it. I wonder if the dark faceshield is too dark that I can't see clearly at night. Gonna swing by the store later and check one out before I decide to buy one or not.

mmm I leave for work at 5:45 AM. I admittedly haven't tried it at daybreak. I really need to because carrying around an extra one all day is troublesome. As the days get shorter though, I'll probably move more toward my clear shield.

[Xoulrath]

My experience with my mirror shield has been such that once the sun starts to set, my visibility goes down fast.

As an example, we were coming home from a nice two hour ride yesterday evening. It was still light enough that my wife and friend were legal to be out, but the sun had begun to set and we needed to make sure to get them home before dark. It started to look like, from my perspective, that the sun had set while the faceshield was down and I was worried about them riding in the dark, yet as soon as I lifted the shield at a stop, I could see fine and could tell we had more than enough time to get them home.

Definitely test it out close to home in the dark before taking it instead of a clear on a long trip.

My