O.K. how bout A JACKET have a few BUT.........

[Piute]

 My favoret jacket was stolen along with my other bike,Loved that jacket was about 30+yr's old set In my sisters closet for 20 of that got back in 2003 just to get stolen in 2009.
    SAVED my skin plenty of times,SO am getting another like it there perfct for warmer weather riding,Have heavy Blk. and blu.Denum(vest&jacket)already.

[shinyribs]

I have a Bilt Apollo jacket. CE Approved Armored elbows and shoulders. Has a pad for your spine that comes with it,just foam,but a CE Spine pad is available for about $25-30. I have rode in temps down in the teens with the liner in it with no problem. I have rode this summer with the liner out and all the vents open in 90+ temps. Perfectly comfy,but can get just a tad warm if you get stuck in traffic. Cooler than the sun blaring down on you,though. I got mine from Cyclegear,shipped,for right at $80. Built very well!

I saw a company today that sells CE armored hoodiesArmor is cool,but no abrasion resistance. It does say 'haymaker' across the wrists,thoughI thought that was pretty cool

[shinyribs]

Thumbs go thru the wristsDont get that. Armored,but doesnt look it,if thats what you need.

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/1/39/32447/ITEM/Speed-and-Strength-The-Power-And-The-Glory-Armored-Hoody.aspx

[Piute]

  Can't get into that ARMOR stuff just yet ,reminds me of dirt bike riding full face,,chin guards, hand covers,
 never ridden dirt bikes before so that might matter,sure it's safe if you land in the dirt.
  Plan to use my Ole boot (leather)to make shin guards on my pants(also water repelant).
  There coming out with some great stuff (Armor)been reading about it.

[shinyribs]

Alot of the armored stuff is tacky.Some of it looks ok. The Apollo jacket doesnt show up too bad as baing armored.I have to admit,sometimes when it is real hot and I know Im gonna be in traffic I'll just ride in a t-shirt. The warm air feels great,but the armor being gone makes you feel kinda vulnerable.

[Piute]

    I may wear a "T" or tank but always have at least a vest on,I like to leave one in my baggs,
   looking for another ,there(4) kind of worn out to.
   1 heavy bought in 1983 still best shape on out-side,liner well you can tell there was 1 BUT They all but 1 have Harley wings on them

[LukeM]

I ride with the Firstgear Venture jacket.  It's not an open mesh, more like a loose Cordura.  It's got the pads in the shoulders, elbows, and a back pad.  Lots of pockets.  Also came with a raincover jacket in its own little pouch on the back.  Nicely reflective for those night rides.

I think I paide $130 for it.  Retail is close to 2 hundo.

My other jacket is more of a winter/cold weather jacket.  Very tough cordura shell, no vents, no armor, but has a zip-in backpack which is kinda cool.  Got it for $50 on the Craigslists.

All The Gear, All The Time...even with it's over 100.
Luke M

[sgtslag]

My son went down, at 40 MPH, in an $80, armored, Cordura jacket.  I've shared this before, but I feel it is worth sharing again.  He landed on his armored elbow:  abrasion only lasted 1 second, or less, but it ground through the Cordura outer shell, and halfway through the 'rubber' armor piece.  That jacket saved him from either losing his left arm, above the elbow, or having it fused.  The rest of the Cordura shell took a beating, but it saved his body, and his skin.

I tend to buy less expensive gear, frequently from LeatherUp.com.  I never knew how effective my "cheap" gear would be in a real accident...  Now I know.  I prefer leather (my chaps bear the marks of a 40-foot slide, at 40 MPH, but that's all it is -- a mark, not worn through), but leather is very hot, and very heavy.

I rarely ride without my armored jacket, and chaps -- only when it's above 85 F, and I don't have a choice but to ride, like when we're touring.  Skin grafts are incredibly painful...  And if that is all you have for injuries, count yourself blessed!!!  I'm pretty much an un-apologetic ATGATT person, and a bit of a safety fanatic -- again, un-apologetic.  Riding is dangerous, but you can stack the odds more towards your favor.

An un-ashamed, armored Clown, in a florescent, reflective get-up, riding two wheels, with all kinds of flashing lights on board, whenever he can.    Cheers!

[Piute]

 Had one of these sent back wouldn't work like I wonted,May have started to tear  I'd use and wonted for the rain over my leather jacket
   have a vest A must for doing road concrete.

[shinyribs]

sgtslag wrote

I rarely ride without my armored jacket, and chaps -- only when it's above 85 F, and I don't have a choice

An un-ashamed, armored Clown, in a florescent, reflective get-up, riding two wheels, with all kinds of flashing lights on board, whenever he can.    Cheers!

Hold on,Sarge,you dont ride with your jacket above 85 F? Doesn't seem like the guy who told me ATG ATT  93 degrees here today and I rode with my jacket,a habit i got out of in the 100+ temps here lately. Bilt Apollo jacket with all vents open and I could feel the air coursing through it.Especially around my back where the kidney vents are. It's actually cooler with it,than without. Unless you get stuck in traffic. In traffic the jacket shields you from the sun,but there is very little airflow,obviously. BTW,cars suck.They are so slow and take up way too much roomAlways in my way ;)

But I got a good laugh out of the last part!LOL! Good stuff

[Piute]

    That Bomber Leather jacket is light for being leather(more water resistant then denim) and wear it in 90+ deg. much cooler then the direct sun on me,sure IF I was in slow traffic you bet to hot at 90 deg..
 Upper 70s in morn so perfect for riding,(would were chaps but 30min.country ride)Depend on them (chaps).
  SEEN 4 Lil yearling's (dear) this morn,turned around and had a cup of coffee while watching them play in the field,Made my day Special,
                                               Till I got back by house (bike died).

[shinyribs]

Thats pretty cool about those deer. I watched a possum for two hours the other night. I have been trying to catch one hang by their tail forever. Never seen that,but would love to.

[Piute]

  Thers lots of different ways I can go to work,Turn a 30 min. ride to an hr. easy ,just checking things out, When yo in a truck GAS is all yo thinking so it's been straight there N back,Finding shady roads along creaks, just keep heading twards house stay between the Interstate and (south) hwy.Can't get lost but could run out of gas,
   Think mabe should carry cause thers some spots with strange smell to the air.And it's not A  B. B. Q.(chemical)

[shinyribs]

I hear you on the thinking about gas in the truck! I had to go to town for fasteners today and hated to drive 50 miles round trip for a handful of bolts. I took the bike even though it was already raining. And I dont even have rain gear. It's just water,no big dealBike looks like I took it mudding,though.

Oh,and I ALWAYS carry. I didnt there for a bit,but I'm happier when I do...if we are talking about the same thing?

[Piute]

  Till I'M legal I best be hav ,so they can give my a break.Out here pretty leanyent about it,I'm told. Bunch of HillBillys and wonna be Red-Necks, "O" was told the county I work in is known to be Fat Butt county cause of all the BIGG girls here.
   In cal. you loose it(if not reg.in yo name) and do a month county,well worth it.

[shinyribs]

haha,ok we're on the same page. I'm legal.Had it for years now.Not real comfortable at work without it sometimes. I know that smell you are talking about. It's like that song by Ray Wylie Hubbard:

He cooks me** cause the 'shine dont sell
he likes the money and dont mind the smell

I dont care much for those neighborhoods. Or should we say 'hoods?

[sgtslag]

I worded that poorly.  I avoid riding in temps above 85 F, if possible, because on both of my bikes, the driver gets very little air flow:  both bikes have full fairings with lowers, both fairings are vented, but they still give little air flow, even at highway speeds.  The armored jackets we wear are vented, but they need air flowing over them to get air flowing through them.

We've ridden on tours, in 90 F weather...  When we stopped, which was often, we were soaked in sweat, beneath our jackets (the passenger usually gets enough air to stay cool, but the driver suffers; sometimes we have removed our jackets (and put on long-sleeved shirts for protection from the Sun), in order to avoid heat stroke, but we try to avoid this, if possible).  We ride for fun, not because we have to, so we avoid beastly hot weather, when we can.  My wife is susceptible to heat stroke, so she cannot tolerate excessive heat much.  It just is not a good idea for us to ride in high temps.  YMMV.  Cheers!

[Thorby]

Until I find a good inexpensive armored jacket, I wear a leather jacket during the winter and a light canvas jacket in the 100 F summer.  One time I tried soaking it, pre-ride, and got a nice chill while the water dried.  Have any of you guys tried this?  

I wish I can find an armored jacket with the highest neck possible, for two reasons: 1) Since my bike is bare, with no windshield, I hate it when debris hits my neck.  2) Sun protection in the back of my neck.  Yup.  I'm Dorian Grey.

[shinyribs]

Thorby,check out this jacket if you haven't already.The neck in not super high,but I dont have any complaints of stuff hitting my neck. The perimeter of the neck is lined with some sort of padding and is 100% comfy. I have used this jacket,with no windshield,from 15 degrees F - 95+ F .Works good. Armor is in the right place and the sleeves fit over gloves nicely.

In the winter time I leave the zip out liner in place and only wear a thermal and a t-shirt on underneath. In 15 degree weather and no windshield that shows how well it blocks the wind.

Rain does not get through whether you have the vents open or not.Found this out Monday

At $80 i think it's about as cheap as you can buy a CE approved armored jacket. The sizes run true.I ordered mine according to my chest-waist size on their chart and it fits perfect. Enough room for a couple layers underneath in cold weather,but fits right with only a t-shirt underneath,too.   I love this jacket so much I am tempted to buy another for when I wear this one out. I'm afraid they might quit making them! The only thing about it I wish was different is there are no reflective stripe/patches on it. That woulda been nice

http://www.cyclegear.com/eng/product/apollo_waterproof_vented_textile_motorcycle_jacket/web1001039