gt702

Well, we had the boot discussion, now let's move up the body.

I need to update my summer commuting protection and would appreciate your collective, and constructive . Other than shorts and flip-flops, does anyone have experience with overpants they would like to share?

I'm looking for protective pants I can use over my street clothes for going back and forth to work (no place to strip out of leathers). Preference is to be able to put them on and off over boots, some ventilation or atleast not water proof so I don't sweat all summer, and some fairly legitimate protection (hips, knees, abrasion).

I currently have some Joe Rocket Balistic 5.0 pants which meet some of the criteria, but turn into a steam bath at much over 70-degrees because they are fully sealed. I also question the quality after having a cheap zipper open up this past week (fixed the pull and all is right for now).

Here are a couple I've looked at ... any thoughts on these or others?

Tour Master Flex Textile
Tour Master Flex Textile/Mesh Motorcycle Pants :: New Enough, LTD

First Gear HTII (might be another plastic bag without venting)
FirstGear HT II Textile Motorcycle Overpants :: New Enough, LTD

JR 7.0
Joe Rocket Ballistic 7.0 Textile Motorcycle Pants :: New Enough, LTD

Any others I should consider?

Thanks

__________________
Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.
Albert Einstein

ND4SPD

Aerostitch?

__________________
"This is your life - are you who you want to be?"
Learn all you need to know about Mac OS X

luvtolean

It's such an incredibly good option...I love mine for riding to work. It comes right off over the boots, I change right here at my desk.

A friend used to ride in with a suit and tie under his in the rain.

__________________
Someone needs to present the facts and the physics rather than just the rhetoric. Poor old Carmelo doesn't understand the physics of a motorcycle. - Jerry Burgess, on spec tires and changing engine rules

maxib

I know that a 'stich is spendy, but it's really not much different in price than some one piece leather suits, and less expensive than many. I've had mine for years and love it. My one piece Roadcrafter has been easy to get into and out of... It only gets better with age! I wear this commuting and on long road trips.

I crash tested mine in 2002 when I totalled my VFR on Wisconsin backroads before sand and gravel had been washed away by spring rains, and found it to be as good as any one piece leather suit I've ever crashed in. I did have the optional back and hip pads, but I can assure you that protection for me was top notch. Aerostich did a really good job of repair to the 1 inch spot that tore, and the suit looked brand new after. abtech allows the suit for the street group at Grattan which should tell you it is good protection too!

There is a lot of ventilation with the zippers, however if you aren't moving it gets really hot above 90*F. I've survived temps from 30* to 102*F with it though!

mrsmaxib has a two piece Roadcrafter/Darien and she loves it. If mine ever wears out, I plan to get another. (I don't sell this stuff, I'm just a very satisfied customer!)

This year Aerostich also mentioned in their catalogue that it is okay to wear shorts under the 'stich because the protection is that good. Sounds to me that this is exactly what you are looking for!

gt702

Money mostly.

I'm familiar with the Roadcrafter and have ridden in one before. I didn't like it for long distances (week trip from MI to VT/NH) and would rather not spend that kind of change when there are other viable options that would serve me as well.

Other thing is the bulk of the Aerostitch. I want to be able to roll it up and stor it in the Givi with my helmet and gloves (heated vest when it is cooler) so I don't need to carry them into work.

That is all

__________________
Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.
Albert Einstein

seamus

Along the Aerostich lines is the Olympia Phantom line. Same style (over clothes) just a little bit less expensive.

And I like the "No Way You Didn't F'n See Me Yellow".

__________________
Ducit Amor Patriae

Richard Herald, The Gentle Giant

The nation that makes a great distinction between its scholars and its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting done by fools.
--- Thucydides

gt702

The Airglide 2 Mesh pants are more along the lines of what I'm looking for right now. Thanks for the heads up

__________________
Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.
Albert Einstein

SomeStrangeGuy

Joe Rocket Alter Ego's are awesome, if I wasn't a fat bastard I could slip them right over my jeans. But since I can't, it gives me an excuse to not wear pants at the office.

__________________
GPS Discussion Forums

Time is the ultimate currency.

f1_hurricane

Draggin Jeans if you dont mind bringin your work pants with you could be an option

JohnnyDiablo

Dickies, slacks or jeans, I wrap the pant leg over at the ankle and pull my socks up and over them. Slip on my the lower half of my aplinestars two piece and put on some work shoes or dr martens. I have to suck it in a little to zip up the jacket.

At the airbase I was the resident power ranger reporting to work. At my new job they just smile and commend my persuit of safety.

Rarely I just wear a jacket and jeans.

__________________
"I wont have to worry about putting gas in my car, I won't have to worry about paying my mortgage.. You know, If I help him, he's gonna help me."

gt702

Thanks for the suggestions , but pull over and carrying my pants in isn't a very good option for me. Due to the "village" configuration of the office complex, the closest I can park to my desk is a good 400 yards away; litterally an 8+ minute walk. With no where inside to change; apparently rest rooms were considered an unnecessary luxury when they designed this place ... very limited and small.

By design, my leathers fit snugly so that all pads are in the right place if I need to use them, so there is no way my slacks would fit without being a total mess when I made it to work. Leather would be a nice solution if they would pack small enough to store on the bike. I haven't found those yet. I do applaud you on making it work.

I'll keep looking for the best compromise, though I don't like compromises

__________________
Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.
Albert Einstein

SheepOfBlue

Change jobs

__________________
A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way

slickwill

My leathers would definitely not fit over a pair of slacks. My leathers pretty much fit like a second piece of skin, if I gained 5 pounds (or took up cycling) I'd probably never get into the thighs. So I also am looking for a decent pair of commuting pants as I think it may be time to start riding the bike a lot more for commuting. I have to be in slacks, shirt, tie a couple days a week and starting in August it will be five days a week. I've also never ridden in the rain, never had a drop on my bike. That might change if gas keeps going up.

__________________
If it has wheels, I've crashed it, and some things that don't skis, snowmobile, card board box, giant tube, sentra, dirtbike, lawn tractor, grandmas bread tray, kayak, canoe, raft, bicycle, waterskis, tobaggan, horse, ATV, Now my CBR (women)

ONEvcs

I suggest you were pants when you commute.

gt702

If I could find one that pays as well and still has a resonable number of hours in a week, I would. For now, I'll stick it out with the walk (need the exercise anyway ) until the wife and I decide where and when we move farther south.


Slickwill,
Good luck with the commuting and hopefully the tie thing means moving up to bigger and better. There are some pretty nice overpants out there with a variety of features and levels of protection. Even some of the mesh pants come with rainproof liners or panels that zip on. Finding the right mix of features and fit are where I'm struggling.

Never had a drop? Don't you wash that thing? It must be filthy by now

If you can swing the price and have a good way of carrying/storing it, the Aerostitch is probably at the top of the heap in regards to protection and durability ... as noted above. They do work as advertised, but bunch behind my bad knee too much and are bulkier than I want for my shorter commute. So I'll keep my eyes open.

__________________
Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.
Albert Einstein

slickwill

I even looked at a VFR with bags yesterday. If I could own two bikes...

__________________
If it has wheels, I've crashed it, and some things that don't skis, snowmobile, card board box, giant tube, sentra, dirtbike, lawn tractor, grandmas bread tray, kayak, canoe, raft, bicycle, waterskis, tobaggan, horse, ATV, Now my CBR (women)

gt702

Sell the Huffy

Congrats on progressing in your studies. I'm a fairly short commute myself, maybe 16-20 miles, and I have good leathers for anything else, so don't want to splurge on the Aerostich right now (money earmarked for other things).

The pants I listed in the first post, and the Phoenix Airglide look pretty interesting. The Tourmaster products I've seen seem to be much better quality the JR, but the one's I've seen have added nice features and deleted other features I like. I've never seen any of this current crop of pants in person, and the local store that stocked stuff like that seems to have closed.

__________________
Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.
Albert Einstein

slickwill

I'm in the same boat. I just spent over $1K on Astars leathers and boots. My wife isn't to "keen" on anymore motorcycle spending.

The lack of seeing stuff in person is the reason it took me almost a year to decide on and purchase leathers. I'm happy with the end result but it took WAY too much research. I would really like to see any of these things in person.

__________________
If it has wheels, I've crashed it, and some things that don't skis, snowmobile, card board box, giant tube, sentra, dirtbike, lawn tractor, grandmas bread tray, kayak, canoe, raft, bicycle, waterskis, tobaggan, horse, ATV, Now my CBR (women)

Baketech

You need to edit the typo in your profile...it says you are only 29...

__________________
"Ten times more charming than that Arnold on Green Acres..."

seamus

He does already smell like pee, though.

__________________
Ducit Amor Patriae

Richard Herald, The Gentle Giant

The nation that makes a great distinction between its scholars and its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting done by fools.
--- Thucydides

slickwill

That's one of my favorite old threads. I love all the people that get on FBO and somehow stumble on that thread, then call Bake all sorts of dirty names.


I'm mature for my age In all honesty the thing looked brand new. I didn't get a chance to ask a salesman how many miles it had on it but it was in the used bike collection at the local Kawi/Suzuki/Triumph dealership and other than the fact it was with the used bikes I'd never have guessed. The thing was mint and had the matching Honda hard bags, and heated hand grips. $7899. If it was $1000 less and pre-Vtech I probably would have traded the F4i right there.

__________________
If it has wheels, I've crashed it, and some things that don't skis, snowmobile, card board box, giant tube, sentra, dirtbike, lawn tractor, grandmas bread tray, kayak, canoe, raft, bicycle, waterskis, tobaggan, horse, ATV, Now my CBR (women)

DEPO

I have the Joe Rocket Ballistic jacket and pants.... the 5.0 version

I will attest..... It is very well built, I crashed in it at Grattan at the hooters track event and it saved my skin from great damage.

It is a one time crash suit, just like most.... now I made mine reusable by putting patch work over the holes. It is mostly water proof, but if you are in a huge storm it will not keep you totally dry.

I do like it though.

__________________
Welcome to the Dance!

slickwill

I already have the ballistic touring jacket so I might just go with the matching pants.

__________________
If it has wheels, I've crashed it, and some things that don't skis, snowmobile, card board box, giant tube, sentra, dirtbike, lawn tractor, grandmas bread tray, kayak, canoe, raft, bicycle, waterskis, tobaggan, horse, ATV, Now my CBR (women)

DEPO

I wish I went with the touring jacket, because mine is the short jacket which is kind of a pain when humped over a gas tank.

__________________
Welcome to the Dance!

slickwill

I actually have been pretty happy with it. It was given to me with the bike, I might not have been smart enough to pick it out on my own. My only complaint is that the snaps on the front make me nervous for my paint job.

__________________
If it has wheels, I've crashed it, and some things that don't skis, snowmobile, card board box, giant tube, sentra, dirtbike, lawn tractor, grandmas bread tray, kayak, canoe, raft, bicycle, waterskis, tobaggan, horse, ATV, Now my CBR (women)