cliff@unmvax.UUCP (04/21/85)
Greetings,
My leather jacket was stolen. I didn't object to buying leather
products when I bought it and when I made the transition it didn't make
sense to throw it away (besides, it helped me identify the holier than
thou vegetarians which I would just as soon avoid :-). Unfortunately,
I no longer purchase leather goods, so the question is fairly obvious:
Does anyone know of a good source of non-leather riding protection?
Previously I always wore my helmet, leather jacket a pair of jeans and
steel toed boots. Since my jacket was stolen I have been riding around
in either a tuxedo top or the top of my three-piece. I don't mind looking
funny, but I plan to ride back east again this year and I would like
something that would hold up a bit better were I to spill my bike at
highway speeds. Most of the vinyl stuff I've seen looked pretty flimsy,
but if anyone has suggestions for specific brands I will look into them.
Someone has suggested a flight jacket, but I have the feeling that they
would be too hot in the summer. Send mail or post responses and of course
--Thanks in advance.
Cliff [Matthews]
{purdue, cmcl2, ihnp4}!lanl!unmvax!cliff
{csu-cs, pur-ee, convex, gatech, ucbvax}!unmvax!cliff
4744 Trumbull S.E. - Albuquerque NM 87108 - (505) 265-9143wb@hou4a.UUCP (W.Baumgartner) (04/23/85)
The next best thing to a leather jacket, is a denim jacket for riding in warmer weather. It affords good abrasion resistance and is light enough to allow you to cool off. Get a good quality one and it will serve a long time. Also, a surplus army field jacket is very good. They have a removable liner for extra warmth if needed. I have been using all three (leather, denim, field jacket) along with a nylon wind breaker in various combinations depending upon the weather. I took a spill once while wearing the field jacket and it wasn't even fazed by the experience - nor was the bike :-).
darryl@ISM780.UUCP (04/25/85)
[] There is a new type of motorcycle clothing making its way here from across the pond. In Merry Olde they have waxed cotton jackets. Although they feel funny, they are fairly waterproof and are supposed to be better than denim (but not as good as leather). I've seen them advertised in the various rags, but as I already have a plethora of jackets, I don't recall who sells them. --Darryl Richman, INTERACTIVE Systems Corp. ...!cca!ima!ism780!darryl The views expressed above are my opinions only.
ron@hpfcmt.UUCP (ron) (05/08/85)
Re: Non-leather leathers
I saw an ad in ROAD RIDER magazine a month ago for a jacket made of
Kevlar(tm) advertised as a leather substitute. I don't have any more
details but would be interested if anyone out there knows any more.
Ron Miller
H-P Ft. Collins Systems Div
{ihnp4} hpfcla!ron-mtatge@hpfcms.UUCP (tatge) (05/09/85)
There is absolutely nothing available in the consumer world that
will give you a nickles worth of slide protection other than leather.
I'm sure you have, what are to you, sufficient reasons for your
leather boycott but it may be inconsistent with your motorcycle
habit.
If you insist on not buying leather and still riding, I would suggest
the heaviest Levi jacket you can find.
George Tatge
Fort Collins, CO
ihnp4!hpfcla!tatgecliff@unmvax.UUCP (05/12/85)
And the winner (from Rich Cower) is: >Fackelmann. I'm pretty sure it >is made in Germany. It is constructed of 5 floating layers of polyamide >long fiber and has 3 times the abrasion resistance of leather and is >warmer. You can also throw it in your washer (try that with a leather >coat). A place that used to have it was BCW (Bavarian Cycle Works, Inc. >385 8th St., San Francisco, CA. 415-863-8884. Thanks for all the replies. I haven't made it out to BCW, but I intend to be in the bay area during the last week of May and first week of June. I'll post further information later. > There is absolutely nothing available in the consumer world that > will give you a nickles worth of slide protection other than leather. Question for George Tatge Are you familiar with Fackelmann gear and find it lacking or would it have been more appropriate to say that you know of nothing available? --Cliff
hsc@mtuxo.UUCP (h.cohen) (05/13/85)
I have seen at least one company advertising denims with Kevlar interlining in the motorcycle magazines.