Modern Vespa

Hello everyone.
So I want to buy a year round jacket that has elbow, shoulder and back protection. Breathable is important to me which means I like mostly mesh. I never ride in rain. I prefer riding in warm/hot weather. Budget around 150ish. What do you guys got for me??

I have the FirstGear MeshTex. I wish the sleeves were fastened with Velcro instead of snaps, but it is otherwise a good jacket. I will probably get another in Hi-Viz next.

I have this one... and I love it: http://www.corazzo.net/product/womens-speedway
If it's cold out I just layer up, but otherwise I think it will be good year round. Obviously this is a girl's jacket but they make more options for guys...

You can find them cheaper on other websites, I got mine from DenisKirk for about $60.

It has all the armor you could ever ask for and doesn't feel bulky or uncomfortable. FYI they do run a bit small so if you go with this brand, size up. I happen to be a tiny girl and the xs is almost too small (I normally wear a 0)

I'd say shop around and see what fits and feels comfortable. It's your body it is going on not ours!

That said, the wife an I both have First Gear mesh jackets, and for us, fit, comfort and quality are great. The nylon liner is good for when it's cooler out. So they are at least worth a try on.

I begin almost all of my gear shopping at Motorcyclegear.com

Here's their mesh closeout page. Bargains!

http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/closeouts/mesh_jackets_and_pants/

I second the guys at MotorcycleGear.com I got the Fieldsheer jacket last summer, but here in New England it's only a summer jacket. Once it went below 65 or so I went back to a thrift store leather jacket I have.

And I also bought a really nice leather Vanson CHP jacket back like 15 years ago from these same guys when they were selling used leathers. The Vanson would look ridiculous on a scooter, but there is no way I am parting with it.......

And don't forget to look in the LAST CHANCE BARGAINS
http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/closeouts/last_chance_bargains

Also if your on a tight budget, take a look at the "CUSTOMER'S CLOSET" there are some very good deals to be had on there. I have seen some stuff bought from the CUSTOMER'S CLOSET and I would get anything that said it was good or better, like never worn or like new.

ROD

Is the Prima still on sale?

Found it. This is more of a winter kind of jacket even though the liner zips off. I have worn it for 2 years and I am very happy with it. I am 6'3'. ideal weight at 165#, and my sleeve length is 26 inches. The medium size fits perfectly for me. Hope that helps. I am of the opinion that I don't need to spend a fortune for a jacket.

http://www.scooterworks.com/prima--pullman--riding-jacket--red-gray--products-113.php

I wear my Vanson CHP (great jacket) while riding the BV250. Hell, I sometimes even wear one of those Harley-Davidson billboard-looking jackets while riding it.

I have a First Gear mesh jacket that I bought several years ago. I never use the liner but find it very comfortable and use it all the time. It is getting old and the long rides have turned it from black to a faded black brown color but I recommend it highly. It is quite heavy and fits well so it stays very stable in the wind, a feature I like a lot. That is it to the left in my avatar, at the Beartooth Pass in Wyoming.

But since it is getting worn looking, I bought an Alpinestars Gunner breathable textile jacket recently. I think I am going to like it as it is very well designed and constructed. But being new, it is very stiff and rides up around my neck when riding, especially when wearing the wonderful quilted liner. I am now storing it crumpled up to try to get it to loosen up to be softer and more comfortable. I think it will be fine.

Hein Gericke stuff is very comfortable, practical and it lasts years, and Tucano Urbano and Corazzo make some neat jackets that are more scooter than motorcycle oriented. If you get a quality Jacket from a company that has a good reputation in the motorcycle clothing industry, as opposed to one that sells jackets as part of a huge line of accessories they carry, it will last longer, and more importantly, protect you better if it has to than a lot of the stuff out there.

Check out Revzilla.com. Picked up a Dainese Air Flux mesh with armour for $150

edit: apologies, i just noticed that you're looking for a 4 season jacket, which of course the Air Flux is not. I will add that most people usually have at least 2 jackets, 1 for summer riding and a heavier one for the rest of the year. good luck and report back with your final decision.

I have Tourmaster Intake 3.0 which is a mesh armored jacket that has two removalbe liners, one for warmth and one for rain, that is also quite wind proofed. It is a 3-4 season jacket depending on your climate. I wear it in hot summer with only the outer mesh, which breaths quite nicely and has the armor, all the to about 45 degrees and it is quite good. I am not a winter rider and will not ride if it is below freezing for fear of ice. I bought it last year at the international motorcycle show in Chicago, and comparing it to other jackets there thought it was a great jacket for a reasonable price. It also has good reviews on line, but I agree with others that you have to try this stuff on to find what works for you. Good luck hunting.

Yeah I saw this jacket and liked it but didn't go for it because of the sleeve snaps. Had another jacket with sleeve snaps and didn't like it.

Corrazo makes a nice looking perforated leather jacket. If you only ride when its warm it would work. On sale too.

http://www.corazzo.net/product/leather-5-0-perforated/

Unless your gloves cover the sleeve or fill the void, the jacket fills up with air like the Michelin Man. Not as bad with mesh but still a PITA. If you happen to have a jacket where the sleeves do not close tight, the easiest solution is to carry heavy rubber bands to place around the sleeve. Not pretty but effective.

The sleeve buttons on the model I have are so bad that I never snap the sleeves closed. But I tried on a new version at the Piaggio dealer near me and the snaps are considerably improved - much easier on/off. They still are not adjustable, but at least they are easy to unsnap.

LOL I just wear a T-shirt when it is warm

When it is cooler I wear Armadillo Hoody

I have a joe rocket ballistic, it has a complete padding and very cool in a hot summer ride, but comfortable even in winter.

Not shabby. I love all my Corazzo jackets. The 'large' size is sold out. I guess that tells you how good they are.

For a true four-season in LA, you're going to want a full mesh that you can either layer under or that comes with a good liner. I have friends in the area who have the Corazzo Ventata mesh and just wear a light jacket or hoodie under it. If you don't ride much in cooler weather or raisin, this might work.

I'm also in LA. I ride all year (no car) and wear my mesh the least of all my jackets. When it's needed, it's really needed. Very few solid textile jackets are comfortable at over 85° or so.

Depending on budget and personal style, there are some bigger touring jackets that would do such as the Rev'it Levante and Alpinestars Cape Town. The Scorpion Hat Trick is a more sport style with similar idea, mesh exterior with removable liners.

I've seriously thought about the Pullman as a commuter jacket for the winter here, since it only gets cold for about 2 months out of the year in Phoenix. I've almost pulled the trigger on it considering the price, but I'm worried about the fit. In Phoenix, there are oddly very few actual dealers of riding gear. All we get is the dealer shops which have very little if any variety of gear, and the typical Cycle Gear shops with their own Chinese made house brands only. At 5'11 and 150#, I'm one of those with stupid orangutan arms and a long torso, so buying jackets is a torture. I have my typical Dropkick Murphys Ike jacket, but for commuting to work and back this looks good

I hate it when it raisins! Phoenix gets only about 7" of raisins a year, but most of it comes during the monsoons, and a half inch of raisins in an hour sucks.

The fit is a bit snug and rather short - even shorter than the equivalent size Corazzo Postale or Shop Jacket.

Tell me about it! During that last bout of storms I had to ride from downtown Phoenix to the Mesa Center for the Arts 3 days in a row for shows. That's when I found out the "waterproof" Bilt Tempest gloves are anything BUT waterproof! Most miserable week of my year riding in that junk then having to work a 12+ hour gig. This is why I'm interested in the Pullman.

Well, at least it's not graping.

Yeah! They make that weird noise when you run over them. Eeeee.

Man, all this wine-ing over a simple typo.

Since most jackets tend to have a bit of a unique fit, and everyone doesn't have the same body size/shape, "testimonials" are not the best way to make a selection.

We like to support our local dealers, but there is not a lot of choices in the shops on our little island, and neither of us could find a really nice fit. So, when 25 folks arrived for the first Greek Islands Rally, we simply tried on their various jackets, found sizes and styles we really felt good in and bought what we liked. I'm sure there are enough PTW gear shops in Los Angeles to not have to wait until a Rally to find a good fit at a reasonable price if you invest a couple of afternoons in the venture.

I'm the same way about local dealers and have gone far out of the way to try to find some things locally to try them on. There's actually not as many options as you might think in the LA area, especially if you're looking for something specific. Many of the shops have cut down on the lines they actually carry in stock. When I've called around looking for something you'd think would be available - e.g., Icon 1000 Rimfire gloves, various helmets from big companies - the response I often got was, "We don't carry it in the store but could order it for you."

The International Motorcycle Show used to be where I'd go to try things on for future purchase, but the pickings are getting slimmer every year as OEMs and vendors pull out of the show. This year was awful. I was hoping to try a Nolan N44 helmet, a Rev'it jacket and some other items. Nada. I've been every year since 2007, but think I'll skip it next year.

You're unlikely to find the Prima jacket anywhere in LA. Only a couple shops carried them and they were poor sellers. I think NoHo Scooters still had a couple from the original 2009 shipment when the shop closed. Even Corazzo is scarce as dealers have cut back on inventory. Sometimes, the best you can do is shop online somewhere with a very good return/exchange policy.

I recommend this. And it's at a clearance price, which is rare for Scooterworks.com.

http://www.scooterworks.com/prima-riding-jacket--pullman--tan-gray--products-115.php#.UrIfSCgnHvw