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I am now having to commute by MC roughly 190 mile round trip, present Dainese gear is not waterproof anymore (having to wear waterproof oversuit which is a right faff) so need to buy new gear.
So far looking at:
Halvaarsons Prime/Prince £800 ish
Klim £8-900
By the time I've bought new boots and gloves I'm looking at an £1100+ spend.
Is this kit going to do the job or do I need to go the "Rukka" route and nearly double my spend to get reliable gear?
I would like to able to wear the new gear in the Summer as an alternative to my leathers if necessary but it's not a necessity.
Ta
I use Dianese Typhoon jacket and trousers. Warm, waterproof and comfy. Cost £400. I think I'd prefer to buy a new set every 12 to 18 months than spend 5 times the amount on something else.
I’ve got some Dianese kit that’s done commuting duties for 5 years, maybe 50k miles in total, and had been utterly faultless. It’s still waterproof even after a crash!
It was about £550 when new
Mrs PP has some Held kit that’s about the same price and it’s not as good. Trousers leaked quickly.
So, price isn’t necessarily an indication of quality IME.
I was doing 52 miles round trip, are you doing 190 every day?!?!!?!
If it’s a colossal mileage like that I’d be spending more than the £1200-ish(helmet, gloves boots etc) my kit cost to be honest, but I doubt I’d be doubling it.
Good boots are worth every penny though. I can’t see past Daytona Road Star GTX. I had my first pair 12+ years and replaced them with the same.
I can highly recommend my earlier version of the Revit Sand
https://www.revitsport.com/en/men/jacket-sand-3.html#101
Its a multi layer jacket. The outer layer is a tough mesh that provides the safety, then there's a removable waterproof and thermal liner so for summer I take it out and you get a really well vented jacket. I can layer underneath it according to wind/warmth/wet requirements and adjust the waist and arms straps for bagginess.
What size feet are you? I have a pair of Dainese Tempest waterproof boots sitting unused in their box. Size 44, cost £165, yours for £100 plus postage if that's any use.
My Klim Latitude leaked.
The Rev-It Neptune I now have is pretty damn good. Not perfect but close.
Rachel
I may be a little out of date as haven't ridden for a few years, but I used to buy Triumph branded stuff from World of Triumph. Always mega discounts and I it was all really good quality, especially the textiles. I think it was rebranded stuff - the leathers were all Alpinestars anyway.
Maybe worth a look?
To be honest, if I was commuting that kind of mileage all sessions, I’d bite the bullet and buy an [s]Adventrespec[/s] Aerostitch one piece thing. They are apparently amazing.
No I wouldn’t. I’d buy a car.
Rachel
Lots of interesting thoughts there thanks, I will pursue some of them - not the car though as I ready have one and much prefer the commute by bike as I know I'll be on time 😉
Boots are a size too big unfortunately SD!
PeterPoddy
Only do the commute twice a week as on my work 4 days and stay over two nights. Already bought new helmet(£500) so will be into a hefty amount if I go the Rukka way, which I don't think I will be as it appears not to be "that great".
Halvarrsons seem well made with good warranty and excellent after sales but not 3 layer Goretex, Klim is my next manufacturer to check out.
I’ve got a Klim jacket, it’s great and waterproof but the neck is a little gapey even when tightened down. In the cold I find it needs decent layers underneath but in the summer it’s a dream with all the vents.
I found them all to fit a bit different so try on before you buy, I’ve ended up with a Badlands jacket but the Badlands pants didn’t fit right.
Boots wise, Alpinestar Toucan, they are a bit big and clumpy but are so comfy and have never let a drop of water in. Worn every day for 4yrs I think now and don’t show any sign of wearing out. Just don’t expect to walk a mile in them!
HG ProShell are fantastic if you can get to a store.
I have Rukka Navigatorr- spot on quality, waterproof, Outlast doesn’t work with me but that’s due to nerve damage.
Get proper under layers and you’ll be very warm and bone dry.
Rukka also has the best warranty of any manufacturer by a long margin.
Whatever you choose get ProShell - as there is no outer layer to wet out.
Anything with a liner will not be dry by the journey home unless you have a dedicated dying room.
They are also a lot colder due to the water load pulling heat away.
Thanks again, proshell sounds like the answer as my present Dainese is a single membrane.
I used to wear Rukka year round. Look the liners out in warmer weather and varied what I wore underneath.
Where are you based and what size? I don't use my Rukka kit anymore. It's just going to waste in the cupboard. One of my plans for the new year is to get stuff like that in eBay. I think I've finally realised I'm not getting another motorbike.
I guess it depends where in the country you are but in the wet north west I find textile jackets get smelly and cold over winter. Less likely to affect the Gore-Tex Pro stuff but I find you end sitting in a wet paper bag that saps all the heat out you on long trips. It also takes an age to dry (hence it getting smelly) as you end up with water trapped between the outer and waterproof layers.
Regular cleaning might solve the bad smells but who wants the faff of regularly washing a jacket in winter.
I’ve still got my 10 year old 90,000 miles Dainese jacket which is way past being waterproof and use over gear. Once it starts leaking it goes in bin and new stuff is bought. It drys quickly, doesn’t get smelly and doesn’t cost a fortune.
Also make use of the previous 6 hour rain radar on Met Office app to decide if I need to put waterproofs on.
I have Rukka, their entry level two-piece, which was still a thousand pounds five or six years ago. I'd call it a 3-season suit as it's not really warm enough for mid-winter. Fantastic quality though and I was advised by the Rukka rep to wash it regularly and re-proof. A friend who, at the time commuted [i]every[/i] day regardless, had their top of the range suit, which I believe was twice as much, but faultless.
Onzadog
I'm in Sheffield 5'8" 11 stone.
Nice idea if it works!
Thanks
Aerostich leak like sieves.
Got Klim, to date it's been 100% faultless, best kit I've ever owned.
Halvarssons stuff is ace too, you won't go far wrong there either TBF.
Yep, within striking distance of Sheffield. Happy to sort out a meet so you can have a closer look.
Got the sizes for the Rukka?
I'll message you later with the sizes.
Best thing I ever had was a Dunlop Dispatch Rider's coat. Long divided skirt which fastened round the legs leaving just the bit below the knee to worry about.
It was quick to get on and off, made of rubberised light canvas. Nothing came through it and I rode in all weathers.
But finding WW2 surplus these days may be a stretch....
Cyclelife, the jacket is 50, the trousers are 52.
Worth a look at the website to see what that means in real things like inches or centimetres.