I would prefer to wear a jacket in hot weather. I feel better having some extra protection, but on the other hand, I don't want to die from the heat.

From your experiences, what's the preferred jacket of choice these days?

 

For me, any jacket is unbearable in the heat of the summer.

 

No jacket just sun block!!!!!!!!!! Way too hot and sticky in the Southeast for a jacket.

 

Don't know for sure who makes it as the Leather shop I bought this from said he designed it. Mine is heavy leather in a bombardier style (gathered at the waist). Has a zippered lining. I wear it year round. It's warm in 30 degrees and bearable in 100 plus.

While it is not cool in 100 plus it is bearable. It has four vents in the front and two in the back. Cost a little over $300.

I know this isn't much help but look for good venting and armor at the joints

 

We don't get too many hot days over here but when we do then I wear a Hiene Gericke perforated textile jacket, its like wearing a tee shirt but with the benefits of armour. I was thinking about this when I was riding an RK in Florida 2 years ago. I was thinking that at home I would be wearing top range Arai full face, vented and armoured leathers and hi tec boots and gloves. There I was perfectly happy with factor 20 and a decent pair of shades.

One piece of advice stuck with me from that time. Another rider suggested that I didn't use a particular road at night. "Why's that?", "Because the alligators like to come out and sleep on it and if your lying in the road, with two broken legs, the last thing you want is to be is eye to eye with a pissed off alligator". Again, not a common problem here.
Pete
Liverpool
England

 

I picked up a nice medium weight leather jacket at Wilson leathers here in NY.
It's good and sturdy, but comfortable in all temps.
The thing about leather (I think) is that it's "skin" so it breaths naturally..........never seen a sweaty cow.
When deciding what to wear, I "dress for disaster"........it's always easier to sit on the porch sippi'n a brew and picking gravel outa your leathers than it is to be laid out in the Emergency Room getting it picked outa yer ****!
Ride safe....and OFTEN!
Frank

 

Try a mesh jacket. The new ballistics offer great duarability and protective pads where it counts. Harley offers a couple, but there are others on the market. I researched it pretty hard and came up with a Firstgear Mesh in silver and black. They also make an all black one, but I figured the silver would be cooler. Some folks in Arizona wear these with a wet t-shirt underneath and they swear by the combination. You skin is shielded from the sun, the mesh allows the air to pass through and you have some protection if the unthinkable happens. I like mine.

 

I agree 100%- - I have been sweating it out with leather for years, until I got ahold of my first mest jacket with armour in it this Spring --(the HD Switchback) -- now it is my preferred jacket --

 

harley offers two heat resistant jackets. one is the new good looking screaming eagle and a more plain one. see them on the web site.

 

I wear a HD mesh jacket from a few years back. It is made of heavy nylon and perforated at the armpits. Nice air flow. It was 90 here yesterday and I was confortable while moving. I may have to check out that HD switchback...