hey guys quik question about motorcycle gear

[nipponLIFE]

hey my friends bought me a jacket for my bike for christmas cuz i hadnt got one yet and i was just wondering about fit.... like they bought a Medium, and im wondering if i needa small...its a fabric jacket rather than leather, its called X-element its pretty comfortable but it just seems alil baggy around the best and back...and there arent tightening straps on back...

any input appreciated :)

thanks! :welcome:

[2000Quad]

it depends what's comfortable to you but it definately wouldn't hurt to have it snug due to if you hit the ground you don't want it riding up and leaving your lower back vulnerable

[nipponLIFE]

ive never heard of xelement jackets and sizing usualy liek a number like 45 or somethin like that so this one is a bit hard to place/fit

this is the jacket
http://www.leatherup.com/p/Mens-Motorcycle-Jackets/Mens-Dragon-Cordura-Motorcycle-Jacket/41494.html

[nipponLIFE]

are fabric jackets like alot less effective than leather...i know leather is def more durable but a good one can be very $$$$ idk im really new to the bike scene but i love riding my bike.

[2000Quad]

i'm not a huge fan of fabric but i can't say much my jacket is a heavy cloth t shirt style with leather sleeves....go to mountain adventures in conyers...they have some very awesome leather jackets on clearance right now...but yea fabric is not gonna do much...the pads will help soften the impact but after that the jackets gonna be toast....

here's mine...
http://a118.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/87/l_aef5151ef0828cb8b34e6d5228a0835d.jpg

[gottraction?]

i look at it this way. your back has more value than any cost of a jacket. so spend the cash and get the nice jacket!

[markopolo311]

I remember reading some numbers off of a test done somewhere:

Normal Denim would slide about 4 yards before the pavement ate it enough to get to skin. Motorcycle textile fabric stuff would slide about 10 yards, and leather would go 80 before you got any rash.

maybe that puts it in perspective for you, it certainly swung the vote for me.

[David88vert]

Motorcycle textile fabric stuff would slide about 10 yards

You are incorrect. Draggin Jeans hold up quite well, as do name-brand mesh jackets. Both have been throughly tested. They last quite well on the street. Leather is best for track use of course.

[markopolo311]

My sources may be wrong, but i'm just going by what they say:


Under the EU Standards, material used in motorcycle protective clothing must have abrasion resistance of between 4 and 7 seconds for use over the high impact areas of the body (Zone 1 and 2). Just to put this in context, a single layer of 1.4 mm cow hide will last 5.8 seconds, while 200 gsm denim (or your standard jeans), will last just over half (0.6) of a second (SATRA, 2002).

http://www.roadsafety.mccofnsw.org.au/a/88.html

[Cool Cat Racing]

A leather jacket, depending on the crash, is fine afterwards. A textile jacket will do fine at normal speeds but you may get a little rash and afterwards its time to buy a new jacket as it will not survive. I have both a textile and leather jacket/pants. If the jacket is a bit loose then it will move up your body in a crash and can be almost useless. If you have matching pants most have zippers to attach the jacket to the pants to keep this from happening. It sounds like you may want to exchange it for a smaller jacket or get a leather one which is the best option. The one you posted looks to only really be good to keep wind and water off you but doesn't look like it will do much if you go down.

[David88vert]

My sources may be wrong, but i'm just going by what they say:



http://www.roadsafety.mccofnsw.org.au/a/88.html

My sources are real-life people in crashes here and now. I've personally watched a friend crash at 90mph, sliding on asphalt in his Joe Rocket Phoenix jacket to a stop, get up and the jacket is worn out, but he is ok.
I've personally seen many instances like this with many different jackets, pants and people in different environments over several years. Lether is better than textile obviously; however, a name-brand textile clothing will hold up just fine in a street crash.
Ever hear of Draggin' Jeans? http://www.dragginjeans.com/custom.aspx?id=1

[markopolo311]

Aight, I'll respect you guys' first hand experience. I just know what I read, but real world test is what counts.

+1

[David88vert]

Aight, I'll respect you guys' first hand experience. I just know what I read, but real world test is what counts.

+1BTW - first hand experience sucks to have. It's cost a lot of money (replaced bikes and gear)....;)

Again, textiles are fine for NORMAL riding on the STREET. They are not acceptable for track, and I prefer to wear my leather gear when I go to the mtns also. Of course, that's spirited riding.

Also, I've only been referring to name-brand textiles - not Ebay, Thai-made, off-brand crap.