I have never understood vests for motorcycle riding? While they may keep your core warm they offer no protection to arms and shoulders that are the main injures in a crash?? Bilt stuff is crap! As far as mesh gear goes, I have an old joe rocket hard armored mesh jacket that is my Summer "go to", but ya do get what ya pay for. Proper hard Motorcycle body armor does indeed provide more than "rash" protection. Dress for the crash...

 

Joe rocket is a great jacket I've had two. One went threw a crash(rear ended) & it saved my shoulder & arm. Still wore it last year finally got anouther. At first got a first gear as only one in high vis tall. Had to send it back as it didn't breath like the Joe. There might be some others that breath good but I new the Joe was good and went back to it. Once you get used to it you will feel funny with out it. Maybe road a handful of times with just t shirt, don't like it blows all over & feel like baking more being in the sun. The Harley mesh is a joke. The only Harley apparel I have is gloves everything else is over priced or I don't like

 

For sure. I have Olympia Airglide overpants and jacket for street use. The mesh gear is great, when it's really hot you can ride with just underwear or even commando under them. I wear full perforated leathers for the track.

Armor will offer great protection for a slide, and some protection for your joints in the event of impact, but depending on your velocity at that time, impact protection may be limited. Still, much much better than nothing.

You might want to check out YouTube for "MotoGP"-you'll be amazed at the kind of crashes and slides the riders get up and walk away from.

 

The wife and I both ride mesh in jackets in the summer and as long as you are moving down the highway they are great with the exception of hitting over 100 degrees. However found if you take a bottle of water and soak the coat at gas stops when you first put it on it will be cold. After about 45 minutes to an hour it starts heating up again.

 

Used my HD Sublime mesh jacket in Tennessee last week. I felt cooler with it on in the sun, plus you have road rash protection. My wife has a HD Callahan jacket, and she was not as comfortable. It does have a different style mesh, but being behind me probably didn't help with air flow. I will be wearing mine more often now, and recommend getting one.

 

It prevents the shirt from flapping in the wind. I expect passengers motivated the start of the trend.

Beary

 

Think the vest trend is more for patches.

 

Yes today, but riders have been wearing vest nearly since the invention of the motorcycle. Cowboys wore them in the windy old west for the same reason.

Beary

 

Op here I meant to say jacket not vest! Thanks for all the input ..I think I will get on from Leather Up

 

My DH likes his new Revit. I'm loving my IXS gear and my Scorpion mesh jacket. I'm not a big fan of Olympia jackets bc they don't fit me well.