Leathers

[Hoggs]

. I don't use leather at all because of my personal beliefs

oh no you're not one of those vegetarians are you?

I go textile jacket and proper bike jeans with some ex-army gortex over trousers for when it's wet (which is often). best 12 quid I ever spent

[NeilM]

2 piece leather in the summer.

Leather trousers and textile jacket In the winter.

[tuktuk]

Nothing like a young lady in a nice set of leathers

[TC1474]

Does colour actually make any difference?

 

 

Actually, colour can have an indirect bearing. White is the most difficult colour for leather to take.

If you look at a brand, look at anything white in the range and look to see if their white is a brilliant white or a grey dull white.

The better qualitiy the leather the brighter the white will be whereas the poorer quality skins will be white but quite dull or with a grey tinge.

If the brand produce good quality products in white, even though you probably don't want anything white, it is usually a good indication that the rest of the range in other colours will be of an equally good quality.

Brazilian and southern German hides are regarded as being the best quality. Much of it to do with the climate and the grass the cows feed on.

[Westbeef]

Ive got a textile winter jacket and a summer one, I've only got one set of trousers at the min which are armored over-trousers, nice and thick but a bit too hot in the summer. Going to invest in some leathers for the summer, but they'll be 2 piece, until them I'm stuck with the extra warm trousers.

[Guest]

How many people on here actually wear full biker leather suits?

I am just wondering how hot they make you?

 

I have one piece leathers and they keep me cool but my actions on the road makes me sweat I will say that 96% of the time when out on my bike I will be wearing leathers other times I will wear skirt or a dress to just stir the hate for biker thing bit more and safety a bit

[SouthernManc78]

There are new trousers on the market I cant remember what they are called but watched some guy use an electric sander on them while wearing them, they seemed pretty good. I am looking to upgrade my kit, feel its time for a change.

 

I think these are what you mean www.roadskin.co.uk

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[Joe 90]

Full dainese race suit for me like above doesnt feel right without it. Only get hot when standing about

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[Reiver]

. I don't use leather at all because of my personal beliefs

oh no you're not one of those vegetarians are you?

I go textile jacket and proper bike jeans with some ex-army gortex over trousers for when it's wet (which is often). best 12 quid I ever spent

 

Yes I am .. actually I am one step worse than one of them... Sorry Feel free to shoot me or mow me down if ye see me ...

Anyway, I can't get above 65mph on my bike so I think my textile gear will suffice

[painkiller]

There are new trousers on the market I cant remember what they are called but watched some guy use an electric sander on them while wearing them, they seemed pretty good. I am looking to upgrade my kit, feel its time for a change.

 

I think these are what you mean http://www.roadskin.co.uk

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Thats the one, they seem pretty good

[MR_W]

Always my 2 piece for a decent ride. If it's 5 minutes to tesco or 15 mins to my mates I don't do the leather trousers I do normal jeans as I am lucky to hit 30. If it's soaked, full textiles.

[bonio]

Can't find leathers to fit me. There's always way too much spare space around my bum. So in summer it's a leather jacket and Hood jeans. Textiles in winter.

[Joeman]

Can't find leathers to fit me. There's always way too much spare space around my bum. So in summer it's a leather jacket and Hood jeans. Textiles in winter.

thats pretty normal - all leathers make you look like youre wearing a huge nappy.

[Stu]

Can't find leathers to fit me. There's always way too much spare space around my bum. So in summer it's a leather jacket and Hood jeans. Textiles in winter.

thats pretty normal - all leathers make you look like youre wearing a huge nappy.

 

I think its his half legs that are the problem

My mate has the same issue and went the custom made leathers!

Its funny as the tops of his boots aren't too far off his knees

[bonio]

[

I think its his half legs that are the problem

My mate has the same issue and went the custom made leathers!

Its funny as the tops of his boots aren't too far off his knees

Yup. Little lady legs attached to half a bum.

[NeilM]

I look like an extremely large telly tubbie in my leathers.

[Stu]

I look like an extremely large telly tubbie in my leathers.

 

Dipsy?

[Gin]

Can't find leathers to fit me. There's always way too much spare space around my bum. So in summer it's a leather jacket and Hood jeans. Textiles in winter.

thats pretty normal - all leathers make you look like youre wearing a huge nappy.

Sure your bikes not just making you shit yourself when you roll the throttle a bit far?

[Hoggs]

Yes I am .. actually I am one step worse than one of them... Sorry Feel free to shoot me or mow me down if ye see me ...

Anyway, I can't get above 65mph on my bike so I think my textile gear will suffice

that's cool dude I'm just going to eat your allocation of bacon

[phil4]

I've a set of textiles which get most use in the winter. A one piece "race" suit for track, and leather jacket and Kevlar jeans for summer.

I get too hot in all of them, my thermostat is broken.

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[tuktuk]

I cant say ive ever felt too hot when moving on the bike? Bit uncomfortable when stopped and stood around chatting on the hottest of days but those are rare.

[NeilM]

You can.

I rode down from leeds to Surrey on the hottest day last year.

Took the hoodie off at Leicester forest East.

Base layers off at Watford gap.

By the time I was on the m25 leathers open to my naval

Not a pretty sight.

Gets to the hotel was literally dripping!!!

[Cpt_Tact]

Hoonigan days - 1 piece/ motox boots, full armour and I put up with the sweaty moobs and having to peal the leathers off at the end of the day.

Normal days/ touring - Leather Jacket, Kevlar jeans, normal motorcycle boots, knee armour and some forcefield shorts underneath - nice and comfortable and easy to maintain a reasonable temperature.

https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/235666

Night out - Leather Jacket, draggin kevlar long johns with Levi jeans, TCX motorcycle trainers

Nipping to shops - Leather jacket, Levi's and my motorcycle trainers

Its all down to you, you have to way up the pro's and cons but the simple fact is I go all out when I know I'm having a day of it but it doesn't mean I am less likely to get knocked off etc when just having a bimble around with your mates and seeing some new sights. I factor in the numerous coffee stops and walking around a town or up a little track for a view so a 1 piece and motox boots just aren't comfortable for doing that.

[TC1474]

A few people have mentioned heat and in the summer it can be a valid point.

Many people bang on about armour and 1.4mm thick leather (which is a load of cr@p by the way), but what many people forget is that if the leather is too thick or there is too much armour, it can cause riders to dehydrate which in turn can cause serious concentration issues and loss of control.

It is about getting the balance right. I have dealt with quite a few crashes where in the height of summer a rider has come off and suffered life threatening injuries not because he was under protected, but because he was over protected.

I had a freind and colleague on a trip many years ago who had that very problem and ploughed into the back of a car because as the temprature had risen (we had set off for Dover at 5am) he had not reduced his layers and by mid morning he was cooking and he literally did not recognise that a car in fromt of him had stopped.

He spent several weeks in a Dutch Hospital before being airlifted home by air ambulance

When I retired, I threw about £4K's worth of a very well know brand of leather away because it was so heavy and during the summer we were tempted to use just our tunics with leather strides (which are the most vulnerable part of the body after the head)

These days, Kangaroo and Goat offer very good summer alternatives as they are thinner than cow but stronger, much lighter and so more comfortable during the summer, and it is easy to put a jacket on over the top when it is cold or wet. The downside is that Kangaroo and Goat stretch even more and more qickly than cow, so tighter is better with these two skins when new.