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Is a two piece motorcycle jacket/pant combo ineffective?

fuzzybabybunny

fuzzybabybunny

Moderator<br>Digital & Video Cameras
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I'm in need of leather pants. I've already got an AlpineStar leather jacket. I'm wondering though - is a two piece system ineffective in a crash? A lot of people seem to advocate a one piece, but most of my riding is just local - nothing too serious.
 
fuzzybabybunny said:
I'm in need of leather pants. I've already got an AlpineStar leather jacket. I'm wondering though - is a two piece system ineffective in a crash? A lot of people seem to advocate a one piece, but most of my riding is just local - nothing too serious.
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Unless you're riding the shit out of your bike on a track, a two-piece is just fine. IMO even leather pants are overkill for the majority of riding, heavy textile pants are fine. A good jacket and quality boots/gloves along with a good full-face helmet is generally sufficient.

ZV
 
Zenmervolt said:
Unless you're riding the shit out of your bike on a track, a two-piece is just fine. IMO even leather pants are overkill for the majority of riding, heavy textile pants are fine. A good jacket and quality boots/gloves along with a good full-face helmet is generally sufficient.

ZV
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Gotcha. I want leather pants because textile pants are generally gone to hell after just one fall. I don't want to spend $100+ on some textile pants just to gave it get shredded after my first fall.

I also want to participate in a track day, so I kinda have to go leather.
 
fuzzybabybunny said:
Gotcha. I want leather pants because textile pants are generally gone to hell after just one fall. I don't want to spend $100+ on some textile pants just to gave it get shredded after my first fall.

I also want to participate in a track day, so I kinda have to go leather.
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Sounds like good enough reasoning. Just a heads up, from what I've read, when the trackdays say a 1-piece OR a 2-piece suit, they're most likely referring to a 2-piece suit with a zipper so that the pants and jacket can be connected to "become" a 1-piece. They're not talking about a random pair of leather pants coupled with a random leather jacket.
 
roguerower said:
Sounds like good enough reasoning. Just a heads up, from what I've read, when the trackdays say a 1-piece OR a 2-piece suit, they're most likely referring to a 2-piece suit with a zipper so that the pants and jacket can be connected to "become" a 1-piece. They're not talking about a random pair of leather pants coupled with a random leather jacket.
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Yes, you would need to zip them together. A* makes some nice leather pants that zip to their jackets but they are expensive. Oh, and all that leather is heavy...
 
Ok this varies widely depending on how the jacket is attached to the pants.


As much as I love alpinestars, the attachment zipper is usually attached to the flimsy liner. If you go down that liner will immediately rip - make sure the zipper attaches leather to leather.

For my alpine stars stuff I just bought a zipper attachment and had it sewn in to the leather.



That being said, a 1 piece generally holds up better but it's a PITA on the street
 
It will be a good day when manufacturers standardize zippers. My wife has had to do some sewing for me over the years so these things fit together.
 
I'll agree w/ Jules, leather is frickin heavy! The 1-piece suit I just got weighs a shit ton and was a little restrictive when I wore it for the first time but it got better throughout the day. I found that it really helps me transition in the saddle from one side to the other when taking a corner.

Getting in and out of it can be a bit difficult but not too bad all things considered.
 
Getting in and out of a suit is helped a lot by getting an undersuit made of whatever stretchy material they use. Added bonus is that it helps keep your leathers a little cleaner too! Suits just slide off then.
 
Zenmervolt said:
Unless you're riding the shit out of your bike on a track, a two-piece is just fine. IMO even leather pants are overkill for the majority of riding, heavy textile pants are fine. A good jacket and quality boots/gloves along with a good full-face helmet is generally sufficient.

ZV
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That's basically my setup. I commute to work on my bike... a full suit is out of the question.
 
Does anyone here use the leather reinforced jeans? Right now I have a pair of mesh pants. I wear them by themselves when its hot, and over jeans when its cooler. But taking off the pants is kind of a PITA when I ride to school. I'm either going to get non-mesh textile pants in the spring or those leather lined jeans.
 
I only wore leather on the track and that was a Joe Rocket 2 piece set.
worked as well as a 1 piece.
for the streets man there is nio way I'd want to wear that suit.. uncomfortable and hot and just flat no thanks..

My street outfit was a Joe rocket Mesh armored riding jacket steel toed boots and dragging jeans with helmet and gloves.

it gets damn hot down here in Texas so the mesh is almost mandatory in the summer.
 
CVSiN said:
it gets damn hot down here in Texas so the mesh is almost mandatory in the summer.
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You know nothing about how hot a summer can be until you've experienced a midwest summer. We don't get quite as hot here as you do there, but we almost always have at least 80% humidity which really makes it feel much hotter at 90 degrees than it would at 110 with low humidity. It makes riding with a jacket in the summer almost unbearable.
 
CVSiN said:
I only wore leather on the track and that was a Joe Rocket 2 piece set.
worked as well as a 1 piece.
for the streets man there is nio way I'd want to wear that suit.. uncomfortable and hot and just flat no thanks..

My street outfit was a Joe rocket Mesh armored riding jacket steel toed boots and dragging jeans with helmet and gloves.

it gets damn hot down here in Texas so the mesh is almost mandatory in the summer.
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From my experience last summer, the only way to stay cool in Texas is to make sure everything you wear is fully perforated and to NEVER stop moving. The suit I got is fully perforated so we'll see what happens as it gets hotter out. Last week when it was 70 it was almost perfect.
 
simonizor said:
You know nothing about how hot a summer can be until you've experienced a midwest summer. We don't get quite as hot here as you do there, but we almost always have at least 80% humidity which really makes it feel much hotter at 90 degrees than it would at 110 with low humidity. It makes riding with a jacket in the summer almost unbearable.
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Being in Florida is fun during the summer. I've found that mesh, textile, leather, it doesn't really matter if I have to stop moving. Once I stop, it's over.
 
simonizor said:
You know nothing about how hot a summer can be until you've experienced a midwest summer. We don't get quite as hot here as you do there, but we almost always have at least 80&#37; humidity which really makes it feel much hotter at 90 degrees than it would at 110 with low humidity. It makes riding with a jacket in the summer almost unbearable.
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How does it compare to having gravel scraped out of your open wounds with a wire brush? I hear that really sucks...but I've never experienced it personally.
 
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