Modern Vespa

Who: Corazzo
What: Women's 5.0 in Light Blue
Where: Local dealers or Metroscoot
How Much: Mine was $199 but I've seen a range of prices

After three days of adjusting to my new jacket I have to say that I pretty much love it. It is *almost* perfect!

Fit & Comfort
This jacket is SO much more comfortable than the women's 3.0 that I bought with my scooter. The sleeves actually reach my wrists now and even go a bit past them which is nice for riding. The cuffs have a nice long piece of velcro so you can adjust them depending on what gloves you are wearing. I also like the stretchy side panel. It makes the jacket more pliable.

I love the fleece lining around the cuff and neck compared to the scratchy-ness of the jacket's predecessor. My only concern with the lining is that it is bright white and I know it won't stay that way long. Oh well, a dirty scooter jacket is a loved scooter jacket, right? I just wish it was dark blue to match the stretch side material.

I also feel like it will be much easier to layer under this jacket when it gets cold again whereas in the 3.0 I could only wear a light weight fleece under the jacket.

The back hem of the jacket is lower than the front. I like having that extra length because nothing is worse than plumbers butt on a scooterist!!

The one annoying part for me is how wide the "sticky" part of the velcro is at the neck. If I don't completely cover it with the flap then my helmet strap gets caught on it and makes it difficult to turn my head while riding (dangerous!) After the first few days I got the hang of pulling the flap all the way over to cover the velcro but I think I'll make a modification so the patch isn't quite so big. It is almost choking me when I have it all the way covered.

Armor
The armor makes a HUGE difference. The armor in the 3.0 was 2 flat pieces of material while the new armor is Knox armor that curves in the right places on my elbows and shoulders. I also appreciate the addition of a back armor panel. It doesn't feel hugely substantial but I like to think it would help in the event of a crash. The armor is removeable in this jacket as well so it is easy to get rid all those bug stains in the wash.

Exterior
The shell is nylon (according to Metroscoot's website it is 1000 denier Cordura) while the lining is polyester. There are two side zipper pockets lined in fleece. These pockets are DEEP! I think you would have a hard time losing stuff from the pockets if you forgot to zip them up while riding. I do wish they had included an interior pocket as I liked to carry my cell phone in there in my other jacket. There are two vertical zippered vent pocket behind the back of each shoulder but none in front which I found to be a bit strange.

The zipper is a full length zipper that stops just below the neck. There is a flap over the front of the zipper as well as beneath the zipper to keep the wind out.

Visibility
The Scotchlite on this jacket makes it insanely visible at night. I went on a ride last night with someone who had a 5.0 as well and they were the brightest out of the group. I've included pictures both with and without a flash and you can see what a difference it makes. The blue isn't very eye catching in the day time but it it bright enough to be seen against these gray Seattle skys.

Weight
The jacket is pretty light weight and is in fact lighter than my Cortech LRX jacket. I like being able to layer beneath it when I need to. It hasn't been too hot here yet but it has been perfect for the weather we've had. I'll see how it does during the summer.

Conclusion
I like this jacket a lot! I'm considering putting my patches on this one once I read the technical post about "how to sew on a patch"

I've included pictures of some of the parts I wrote about. Please excuse any messiness in the background as I have recently moved!

Sarah, nice review.

Very nice write up of a great jacket!

Thanks, Sarah--

--Deborah

Thanks for the review. My GF is considering this jacket and this will sure help in the decision making process!

Very good review of a sweet looking jacket, Beale.

I can't thank you enough for that. I have been going back and forth between a couple of jackets and this one about sums it up for me. Did you find the size/fit to be appropriate?

I think the sizing is pretty true. I usually wear a medium and while the medium 3.0 was a bit small, this one fits very well and allows for some layering if needed as well.

Great review... Thanks!

Moved to Review subforum.

Hey, i'm thinking about getting this jacket and i wanted to see how it's been since you wrote that review... what temperatures do you feel comfortable in it? i'm curious if it will be heavy enough for now but light enough for summer... if that's possible how has it held up in general?

The jacket has been holding up very well. I haven't been wearing it during the winter because it is not water proof and does not have an insulated layer which I appreciate in my Cortech when it is cold.

The jacket is perfect for the spring and most of Seattle's summer. On the REALLY hot days it does get a bit warm but I think that will be the case in almost any jacket that isn't a mesh. I few extra zipper vents would be nice.

I do wish that the velcro closures at the cuff weren't so bulky because it can be difficult to fit the gauntlet of my gloves over them sometimes if I don't get them just right. One of my favorite parts of the jacket is how reflective it is at night. I don't know how a car could miss me coming down the road with that jacket and my yellow helmet!

Good luck with your decision!

great review - i read this before i bought my 5.0 and it pretty much decided it for me!

one thing to add .... with the shoulder armour removed it makes a great all purpose lightweight jacket. i wore mine all week during a visit to newfoundland and had compliments from people who couldn't believe it was an armoured jacket

I wore my jacket all weekend with the armor, and do not recommend wearing it with short sleeves before breaking it in a bit..my elbows and shoulders were rubbed a bit too much from the armor..I should of taken out the armor first.

My jacket is also a bit scratchy at the front of the neck..I'm tryin to break it in

I really like the jacket. Its comfortable and lightweight. The only problem is that I burn up in the summer with it when I'm not moving (at red lights or when gearing up). Wish there was more armour for the back and/or chest. The neck velcro does like to attach itself to the helmet strap sometimes.

wore the jacket all day sunday, and no probs at all with the scratchy neck area..

jacket rocks!!

Purchased the jacket today, white, with red stripe. Matches my red vespa perfect! When I saw it hanging in the store, I knew I had to have it. I put it on and instantly knew I was sold. It fit like a GLOVE!

Riding today on the back of the Vespa, my bf was driving, was great! It was 10 degrees all day, which has been the warmest weather this year yet! I didn't get cold at all and felt very protected.

I LOVE the fuss around the cuff and neck. It's very comfy, but like mentioned above, if the cuff isn't done up all the way, the velcro is a tad scratchy on the neck.

LOVE the length of the jacket in the back, no worries of bum popping out!

I took the armor out and the jacket itself is a great spring time jacket! A tiny bit big in the shoulders, but IMO will double as a stylish spring jacket.

After trying the jacket on after spending the last 3 days straight trying on motorcycle jackets, this one dominated in comfort!

Recommended 100% to stylish female riders!

still love mine!!!

Received my Corazzo 5.0 Men today from overseas shipment.

I notice that the zipper is on the right (see when worn).
In Europe, right zippers means that it would be Woman's clothing.

I ordered Men's jacket so I am curious if this is OK for Men's order
Size label says L/G...the jacket fits, but is not really 'wide' for me.

I fitted perfectly on the Men's size chart for 'Large'

Zipper on the right should be right (held by the right hand)... at least here in the US... for men's AND women's, I think.

Thanks for the info!

8) Right looks 'right/ok' indeed for the Corazzo jackets.
Felt unusual for me as in Europe for men left is right 8)

I got a mail from Corazzo, apparently Men have right-zippers, Woman have left-zippers.

Corazzo's Unisex jackets have European style left-zippers. They get a lot of questions from US customers and they have to explain this too.

does anyone have picture of the ladies 5.0 in Red and White and men's 5.0 in Brown and Orange? Website only shows a small swatch for both.

http://corazzo.net/store/product.php?productid=16175&cat=249&page=1


You can change the colors on this page.
Corazzo is such a great company to deal with, Chad and Bradford go the extra mile for customer service.

Anyone know if you can get replacement knox armor if you have an older model?

I would contact Corazzo as they direct you to a suitable replacement.

Well, sure I could just contact them directly but then how does that take advantage of this group already doing the work for me?

Seriously though, they just weren't open at the hour I posted that.

Wow!!! this is an incredible analysis and description of the jacket. I have one my best friend gave me on my last birthday, I'm very happy with it, but once I've read your review, I NEED one of this. I'll start to find it if Corazzo can deliver to Mexico or I'd need to make it deliver to Texas where my brother lives.
Thanks for your time, are you a sales person?? (hehehe...just joking)

Hi all ...
Noticed the buzz about Corazzo!

Have just recieved the Corazzo jacket this morning - my oh my!
I ordered one for my girlfriend and she loves it!
I got her the white 5.0 with red stripe - very hot!!!!!

Gotta say the quality is really impressive!!! Thinking of getting myself one ( mens!
Got it at www.myscooterparts.co.uk
will post pics if she lets me!

Well done on the review. I have to admit that this was one of the reviews I read about the Corazzo and proved to be instrumental in persuading me that a Corazzo was the way to go.

I'll soon be bringing home a new baby for the weekend joy riding (a PX200) and am thinking about new gear especially for the new scooter but honestly I think I'll just stick to the Corazzo as it's such a good jacket - comfortable, warm even in the early morning winter temperatures, highly visible.

Great review!

I went to a local dealer to try one on, just to make sure I felt it fit alright before dumping a nice chunk of change on it (not that it's expensive for what it is--I just don't normally buy $200 jackets). They didn't have the color I was originally looking for, so I tried on a pink one. Apparently it fit pretty well, as 6 total strangers came up to give me compliments as I wore it around the store.

Long story short, I brought a pink one home the day I ordered my GTV. Figured it couldn't hurt to get used to it a little before I wear it all the time on the scoot. And as for the color... who am I to argue with 6 complimenting strangers? So far, I love the jacket, and I haven't even ridden with it yet. I think if I layer up with it well enough, I'll be able to use it most of the winter. I especially like the longer back.

Pchop-- if you look at the official Corazzo online store, check the drop-down menus in the product descriptions. If you change the color in the menu, it will provide a large graphic of that color jacket.

Hi,
I'm hoping to get one of those for my wife for the upcoming solstice holiday.
She is a "petite" (5'2") and usually takes women's mediums. Sometimes they're long in the waist. What is the experience as to fit among our readers?
I don't mind it if her "bum pops out" either, Peafactory, as long as I'm behind her to appreciate it!
Chuck

I am 5'2" and 110 pounds. I have the Marine Blue Corazzo jacket in small. I also fit in the extra small, but decided the small was better because I could put it over other light weight jackets or sweaters and it would not be tight. It has worked well for me. I emailed Corazzo with questions and they were great. They will exchange sizes for you if it is not right - just need to pay shipping. I like the long sleeves and long tail and like the fact it doesn't look like a motorcycle jacket - quite mod. On the brown jacket - one of our San Diegans has one - it is medium brown. My hubby has the other style - I forget the number, but it is medium blue with a red horizontal stripe - also looks quite 60s mod, but not so bright as mine. His only problem is that the back neck doesn't come up high like the 5.0 so he definitely needs a scarf in winter (yes, SD does have winter).

Winter in SD.... hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Oh man, that's funny.

having to put on a long sleeve tshirt doesn't qualify as winter...I have two friends who moved there from here, and I'm emailing them your quote as we speak.

Thanks for the belly laugh.

I've had the Corazzo 5.0 for just under a year now and I've worn it continuously whenever the temp is between 30f - 80f. (It's a bit cold when moving at 30 and a bit hot at stops at 80). It's held up very well with all the wear and still looks great! I've given it alot of abuse as I wear it pretty much all day, five days a week in the winter. (I don't have the opportunity to change jackets, so it's also my walking around jacket). The colors are still bright and the soft stretchy underarm part still looks good with just a bit of pilling where my backpack straps rub.

The cut is flattering yet still generous enough that I can wear sweaters under it. The longer tail stays put even with a backpack. That extra coverage is a wonderful detail. It's also reasonably waterproof which I've tested quite thoroughly since I live in Oregon.

The jacket is a bit stiff. It's very comfortable for riding and exactly what I'd want if I went down (knock on wood), but it's not ideal for walking around wear.


My one major complaint is the collar. I still find it rather annoying. My neck just isn't that long and I almost never fasten it all the way up. (I wonder if the jacket is scaled evenly when sized up so the large collar is taller than the small?) I've finally gotten used to making sure that the velcro doesn't catch on my helmet, but it still catches my long hair. I hate having to pull my hair out from the velcro of the collar.

A smaller complaint is that the mesh liner is a bit harsh on good sweaters. It pills my softer sweaters but is alright with tight hard sweaters like my llbean cotton sweaters or my wool ski sweater.

All in all I rate the quality and thought that went into the 5.0 jacket very highly. I like the quality so much that I've bought their lap apron which has seriously made NW winter commuting so much more pleasant!

I'm also going to buy a new jacket from them to compliment the 5.0. I want something a bit softer for the days where I'm riding a short distance but walking around in my scooter jacket alot. I'm waiting to see if they announce anything new (like a parka) if not I'll get the bomber. I'm a loyal NW Corazzo costumer!

Corazzo 5.0 jacket saved my life last saturday! the jacket has no asphalt rash at
all. i have no fractures, no bruises but shoulder dislocation. it could be
much worse.Corazzo jacket was one of the best and clever invetments i've
made. thank Corazzo so so so much.

The more I wear it, the more I love my 5.0. It's got a great look and style, even when just going out on the town (with the armor taken out). I plan to take it with me on a vacation to Yellowstone this weekend, because I know it will be pretty warm, without being bulky, yet still roomy enough to layer up under.

I just sent my 5.0 back to Corazzo to have the main zipper replaced. I had somehow popped a couple of the zipper teeth out, and from previous experience with other garments, I knew it was only a matter of time before the whole zipper got messed up. Corazzo made it super simple to return it, kept me updated on its progress, and sent it back quickly. It was the most painless warrenty return I've ever had to do. I can't wait for their all-mesh jacket to come out!

And another comment, about the fabric. I wear this thing almost daily, except during the hottest summer days. So I wash it fairly frequently for a jacket of this type, probably once a month or so. It always comes out just as bright as the day I bought it, and I only use regular laundry soap, nothing special. Although I probably should re-coat it by now with their recommended water-proofer, it's still more water resistant than almost all of my other jackets.

I get comments all the time about how great this jacket looks, and how visible it is. People I don't even know will say how they saw me going down the street. And it actually fits great, too! I normally wear petite sizes, which don't exist in motorcycle gear. A women's medium fits me very well in the 5.0, even with the arm length. It does bunch up just a little in the arms, but not enough to look bad or bother me. It's one of the reasons I like it so much.

I've had my 5.0 for almost a year now. Although I thought it was pretty pricey when I got it, I now realize it's one of those things you get what you pay for. I feel it was well worth the cost. Hopefully I will never need to test the armor, but so far, nearly every other aspect of this jacket still impresses me.

I got my 5.0 last week and while it seems as though I definitely won't be able to wear it year-round where I live (summers are brutal!), it's perfect for this time of year.

I'm also of the short-necked variety and find the collar a bit high, but it hasn't bothered me as much as I thought it would. I often leave it open as well.

I like the contours both of the jacket itself and of the armor, which I find is designed so that I don't look like a football player. Love it.

I almost chose the light blue but ended up buying the stone version instead after I tried it on. Here is what that color looks like for any that are interested:

Everybody's comments and pics have been really helpful. My main question is, how warm is the 5.0? I ride my scooter down to about 20 degrees Fahrenheit. I realize I'd need to layer, but will a hoody or sweater do? And if I'm 5-3, 125 pounds, would the medium give me enough room to layer?
Thanks!

The 5.0 isn't lined with a warm liner at all. At 20*F you'd be pretty damned cold. I used to ride with my Corazzo 5.0 in the winter in sub zero temperatures and was fine, but I had to really really layer. I would consider it a better jacket for spring and fall than winter.

I have the same color as the OP in medium & find it a bit snug with a few layers on. You might be better off with the large if you plan to ride in such chilly temps.

Thanks, Benito & jenscully.