BMW R1200RT/R1250RT Forum

Well with the warmer weather apparently about to arrive I have been considering whether to get a mesh jacket as I suffer with any temperature over 16C on the bike. Seen the Oxford Arizona at a reasonable price and am tempted. Anyone else use a mesh jacket and got an opinion?

I have a dainese mesh jacket which is great but very little protection, so use to wear it with the Dair vest. When in Spain last year i still didn't get the airflow I wanted due to the temperatures and wearing the the Dair vest for safety. 


Just got a Klim mesh and it's perfect, great protection and great air flow.

We’ve had Rev’it mesh suits for about the past 9 years as we tend to ride down through Italy into Greece each year, and temps have frequently been in excess of 35c, the highest was 50c in Athens one year and Italy mid to high 40’s.
The suits were relatively inexpensive and pretty good, with  removable waterproof(-ish) thermal liners. A good general fit but baggy once the liners were removed, and I often wondered just how use they’d be if we came off because there would be little chance that the level 1 body armour would stay around your elbows or knees.
This year we’ve thrown the wallet into the arena and bought Klim Marrakesh suits, vastly superior protection and very comfortable, but at about twice the price. I doubt it will let in as much air as the Rev’it but I do feel a lot more reassured with the protection.
We’ll see in June on our trip… co-incidentally we also wear air vests too.


https://www.motolegends.com/motorcycle-jackets/klim/klim-marrakesh-jacket-in-black.html

I can highly recommend this jacket from Rukka


https://www.motolegends.com/motorcycle-jackets/rukka/rukka-forsair-pro-jacket-black.html


The whole jacket is made from a loose weave material so the air flows through keeping you cool. I have the older version and it works better than any other jacket I have owned. Downside is it is not waterproof and any temperature below 20 C and you freeze. For Rukka the price is not too bad but it will last a lifetime. The Forsair gloves are also excellent.

+1 on the Forsair gloves, they’re the only gloves I use now.


The Rukka and Klim are the same price range. I bought ours from Motolegends making use of their ‘Price Matching + 10% extra off’ promise.

I'm fairly new to the world of mesh gear.
Here in Oklahoma, USA our summer temps routinely top 100°F and 5-10° is not uncommon in July and August and the relative humidity will run 50% or higher, it's kind of like trying to breath hot soup some days.
I picked up a Sedici Marco Mesh jacket in Sand/Black color a couple of weeks ago and so far like it. The highest temps I've ridden in with it were only 95°F but I was pretty comfortable in it.

I've got the BMW Airflow jacket and my wife has the Knox Zephyr. They are both good and appear to offer good protection but I think the BMW jacket is better but both worth a look,


Mesh jackets are great, they let a lot of air through even with a barn door fairing like on the RTs so really stop you over heating, the down side is if the weather changes you can get very cold very quickly. Because of that I always take a rain jacket to put over the top with me (the BMW jacket includes this and has a special pocket for it); they are not just for if it starts to rain, if it gets cold you can put it on and that stops air going through the jacket meaning it is a lot warmer. I also tend to carry an EDZ Inner Shell jacket as that take no room and again gives you the another option of keeping more heat in.

Using a light waterproof jacket such as Scott are really useful over mesh jackets. As you say they are not just for when it rains but when its colder like first thing in the morning. A true jacket that flows lots of air cannot be waterproof as well so these light weight over jackets are essential.

Mesh is great within a narrow temperature range. When the ambient gets above 90 F, it's value diminishes. At that temperature try going back to your leathers and polyPro underwear. Start poring water into all the openings and zipping up. You will be comfortable for about 30 minutes, then do it again. Check out the LDComfort website for the rational. They really work. As probably do their competitors

I ride in southern Texas and it's not real fun in the summer  :beee:

I use a Held mesh jacket, which I bought from Get Geared.  It has some body armour and worked a treat when I rode across the Nullarbor in Oz, at temperatures up to 40C.


Anything over 20C seems to be OK - below that and I wear my normal riding gear.


Regards,


Old Foxy

General advice re hot weather riding here -
https://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/news-and-views/advice/biking-tips/riding-motorcycle-hot-weather


Water-filled evaporative cooling vests info here -
https://www.motorcycletourer.com/motorcycle-cooling-vests/


and just bought a Fly Racing cooling vest £47 inc P&P from the US, way cheaper than the BMW version and uses the same technology.
[size=7px]https://www.flyracing.com/products/49465?sku=477-6023S[/size]
[size=7px]I bought a 'L' but as it has elastic panels I think an 'M' may have been a better fit. [/size]

Despite our weather there are some days/weeks when anything else but a mesh jacket is too much.

I got Acerbis jacket and pants this summer and they do work quite well.



https://www.acerbis.com/en/motorsport/d ... ts/0023744

https://www.acerbis.com/en/motorsport/d ... ts/0024293

Suffer as well. got a Rukka forsair pro jacket and trousers from ebay and really rate it. can remove knee armour without taking trousers off for walking around in. Fairing on Rt doesnt help airflow but when get out of traffic stand up and blow heat away. Comfortable for me down to 16c. Just wear another layer in morning and remove as day goes on.

Well back in August when it was well over 30° I’d had enough and stopped at Sportsbikeshop (other motorcycle clothing emporiums are available) and bought a mesh jacket. It was a Held Jakata in grey. What a difference that was even with a back protector. Not cheap but well made and a good fit. So I’m happy!
https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorc ... rod/532099

I've used and RST Pro Series Ventilator-X CE Textile Jacket & Trousers and overall I'm pretty impressed it in terms of keeping you cool, just one problem, the jacket is a bit short, as in if you got a bit of a beer belly, there's a gap between the jacket and the trousers. It's not a problem on the bike, but standing up, if you don't pull the trousers up and hold them up with braces it's not exactly flattering! Other than that, comfortable, plenty of air and although partially white, it washes well and comes up good.
https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorc ... rod/457313