ok....sometimes i discover things others discovered LONGGGG ago.....

[RedValk]

and this is one of those things. It's hot down here in Bama. As such, i OFTEN...ride with just a short sleeve shirt (eh, and pants and boots and such ...not JUST a shirt ). I know i should wear more safety gear.....and i do when it is COOLER....but in the heat of the summer....think mid to high 90s...and humidity over 80% ....i don't wear jackets or chaps and such...

BUT........when i ride on and off the military base where i work...i HAVE TO HAVE LONG SLEEVES on my garment (and full fingered gloves, and etc....). So, for years i've suffered with riding on and off ....putting a jacket on to get on and off the base. Many times, i stop right after leaving the gate....and take the jacket off. it's a hassle.........

finally, i decided i had enough. i figured....AFTER ALL THESE YEARS....i'd look at one of those mesh jackets. NOW.....I don't like the looks of them.........and ....NOBODY WHO REALLY KNOWS ME WILL BE SHOCKED TO KNOW......I'm kind of a vain person...........so looks are important to me.........

But, i finally just thought i'd TRY one of these mesh jackets....just to get on and off the base. i didn't know where to begin in my looking, as having NEVER wanted one (or being able to force myself to be seen in one.........)....I didn't have the first clue on what to get!

But my local Honda guys gave me some advice....i narrowed it down to a Tour Master or Joe Rocket. i tried them on....and one other "cheaper brand"....and finally decided for what i want (MAXIMUM ventilation, eh....NOT so maximum visibility, minimal weight, versatility and function, cost, etc.)....that the Tour Master Airintake 2....in black and gray/silver (i would have gone all black...but figured that might be hotter in summer?)....fit the bill. it has a removable liner for both rain wear...and another liner....for cooler weather riding. you can wear NO liner, both liners, one liner....wear the rain liner as an outer garment...it's just very versatile!. For the money...and what i wanted...this seemed the best over all of MY needs.

man, i rode home yesterday...and back in today.....and so far.....I'M VERY PLEASED. So much so, i'm not quite sure WHY i've resisted getting one of these ALL THESE YEARS.....DECADES??????????????????

Anyway....for me, it was one of those epiphamies that most of you no doubt already had LONGGGGGGGGGGGG ago  

So, will you see me riding around at rallies wearing a mesh jacket now? Probably NOT. but i will be wearing it back and forth to work (30 miles) and back and forth to lunch from work each work day now. And .....it is pretty comfortable and not too bad looking..............  And i have been wearing my full fingered gloves almost exclusively now (verses the half fingered i usually wore....the base requires full fingered).

i'm not quite ready to look like those guys i see at the BMW shop with full face helmets (i wear ONLY half helmets....prefer the Scorpion model)....full guantlet gloves....riding pants...and Joe Rocket jackets.......BUT.............i do own a Tour Master now!!!!!!!!!

And i've stayed in a Holiday Inn Express many times..........

and i rode my Valk to work again today.........so now it IS VALK RELATED........  

[Bob E.]

I have the First Gear Mesh-Tex and really like it.  I wish the liner was waterproof though...maybe I'll spray it with some repellent to see if that helps.  But I've found I'm actually cooler (as long as I'm moving) with the jacket on because it keeps the direct sun off the skin...like riding in the shade all the time.

[Carolyn Schmidt]

Tim,

Glad to hear you found a jacket you like. I've been wearing a Joe Rocket mesh for several years. The first one was just the mesh and a rain liner. Patrick and I got new Joe Rockets last year that are like three jackets in one. I find I wear a jacket almost always when we ride. I feel much safer when I do. It's easier to do here in Michigan because it's not as hot as it is down there in Alabama.

Hope all is well with you and Sherry. Is she recovered from her accident with the horse? Give her my best.

Take care,

Carolyn

[ChromeDome]

I test rode the Joe Rockect and for some reason the jacket kept sliding and the zipper would end up pressing against my throat/adams apple ... a most uncomfortible experience while riding. When the weather get hot & humid on a road trip I just where a loose fitting long sleeve shirt which works very well. Since I am a fan of the Tour Master products, maybe I should check them out.

[Lyn-Del]

I have a First Gear, and for local riding, anything over about 80 degrees I find the jacket too da**ed hot to wear (yes, the lining is out).  I listen to all you guys telling me how cool they are, so I'll try it out again, when we won't be in stop and wait situations. 

We'll see .....

[Tundra]

Try this site out, they have some of the name brands you all mentioned, then they have some inexpensive mesh jackets also.
http://motodirect.com/category-1/17_18-Mesh-Motorcycle-Jackets.html

[T.P.]

 

[..]

A good mesh jacket is cooler than exposed skin. Fact.

A good mesh jacket with armor fitted will save your skin. Fact.

A good mesh jacket will stop wasps flying up yer T-Shirt. Fact.

[RedValk]

rode again at lunch....and darned....i have to agree....SO FAR...at least while moving, it actually seems to be COOLER with the jacket on.....as one stated...since no skin is exposed to the direct sun. Now, i also tried leaving it on while i went into the store to buy some stuff....and....while NOT as hot as a regular jacket....it was still TOO hot to want to leave on once off the bike....

Carolyn....Sherry is fine....has a small scar on her nose.....but not nearly as bad as it could be. We have a HUGE State championship barrel racing horse show we are taking off for tomorrow....we'll be gone all weekend....with her and Susan barrel racing....BamaJack and Phyllis are going with us...camping in their motorhome....Jack and i will work as "stall boys". Then at night...........I'll drink alot........................    Somethings........never change.......be it going to a bike rally....or going to a horse show....all i ever seem to do is work my a$$ off by day...........party by night...........

[Willow]

... I've been wearing a Joe Rocket mesh for several years.

I wear a Joe Rocket Phoenix mesh jacket.  We all know how good it looks on Carolyn, so I was convinced it would help me.

Jokes aside, they cut my old Phoenix off me last August.  I'm convinced that the spine pad (the only place it makes me sweat) is the reason I'm not in a wheelchair today.

Carolyn ... Sherry is fine ... has a small scar on her nose ...

Knowing Sherry, I'm sure it's a very attractive scar.

[RedValk]

Honestly, The Joe Rocket Pheonix was my NUMBER one choice.....until i tried it on. What i didn't like was that the sides were solid...and i wanted as much mesh and ventilation as i could get. i noticed even standing in the store, the Joe Rocket made me sweat just a little more....due to those extra solid panesls. HONESTLY, i like the looks ...and fit...of the Joe Rocket Pheonix BETTER. but, i just felt the Airintake 2 would give me more ventilation....and that was one of my real primary goals...down here in the hot/muggy south. It was a tough choice. I like Joe Rocket products, and in fact....am wearing some of their boots right now as i type this. I darn near got a Pheonix jacket....darn near. And....something tells me if my dealer had only had the Pheonix, and i bought that, i would be quite pleased with it too!

The fist few weeks, we called Sherry (lovingly  ) Scarnose...or Frankenose. She didn't seem to warm up to either....and....not wanting to be smacked any more, i gave up on giving her those new nicknames...... 

[RedValk]

gee...seems i'm getting to try the new jacket in all weather extremes. It was unusually cool riding in today (for this time of year). It's been hot during lunch when i rode to lunch.

And now........it's raining...and just about time to ride home....so guess i'll get to try out the rain liner   

[Willow]

Honestly, The Joe Rocket Pheonix was my NUMBER one choice.....until i tried it on.

Tim, I wasn't really trying to correct you on your choice.  I'm quite comfortable in believing the jacket you chose will function just as well.

My point, a little too subtle, was that I hope you learn to wear it more than just when you have to.

I'm a committed member of the SOTGMOTT group.  I really should belong to ATGATT.

(Some of the gear, most of the time)   

[RedValk]

i figured that...i just wanted to share with everyone i really did like that Joe Rocket Pheonix also...........

yea, i know....i really should wear more gear....more of the time.........

i should......................

and i am wearing more gear....................some of the time.............now.......

so at least for me, that's a start maybe?

[Thunderbolt]

on during summer.  We wear um all the time.  And we also went to the HJC Symax flip up helmet.  Used to use 3/4, never really had to use it for it's intended purpose thank goodness.  But saw some after pictures of folks that wished later they had something around their chin, so got the flip up.

[VMODON]

Right on to what Britman said. I've been commuting to work since 2001 by M/C and just recently bought and use my first mesh warm weather jacket. It was 107 degrees when I left work an hour ago, got to thinking, what if I did hit the ground, what didn't get road rashed, would probebly  sizzle on the black top. PS It's looking a lot like summer in Phoenix... Don...