Paging Mr. Black, Mr. Peter Black

If you can: hit up your local craigslist/kijiji/whatever and see if you cant find a slightly cheaper jacket and use the Vest as well.

The Biggest thing this are going to protect you from is NOT broken bones, but road rash. So try and get a full textile jacket and get the icon vest as well.

(side note, I got caught in the rain with just the vest once. rain drops on your bare arms at 65mph HURT. A LOT. )

E. Julius > bob and john 03/07/2015 at 11:04

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Ah, I must not have done a very good job of describing what I was talking about with regards to the vest. I had no intention of not wearing a jacket, but I don't want to wear a jacket that has no back protector. If I bought a jacket like the Dainese you suggested , I would have to spend some extra cash to buy the back protector that goes with it. It's not that much extra money to just get something like the Icon vest instead, which I could continue to use when I upgrade my jacket. My question was whether, in your opinion, the full vest under a jacket is comfortable enough for summer riding, or if I would be better off just getting the back protector made for the jacket or maybe something like this .

What I'm trying to avoid is getting something that's so hot I either don't want to wear it or I don't want to ride because it will be uncomfortable.

Thoughts? Thanks again!

bob and john > E. Julius 03/07/2015 at 11:09

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ah, ok.

yea, get the vest. its going to be a bit warm, but because the jackets your are looking at are textile, the moving air will help cool you off.

worst case, just have a bottle of water to cool yourself off with :P

E. Julius > bob and john 03/07/2015 at 11:11

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Alright, thanks!

Jeff-God-of-Biscuits > bob and john 03/07/2015 at 11:12

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Hail. That's all there is to say about suck ass meteorological conditions. Especially when going across Wyoming, with not exits or overpasses for the next 40 miles.

bob and john > Jeff-God-of-Biscuits 03/07/2015 at 11:17

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I ahve been lucky and have not been caught in hail so far. we dont really get much hail in canada, so phew.

Jeff-God-of-Biscuits > bob and john 03/07/2015 at 11:19

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Yeah, I was even wearing motocross gloves at the time, with the thick padding across the knuckles, and every time I took a hit, I would pull my hand in for a second to shake it off. And it's louder than you would think.

yamahog > E. Julius 03/07/2015 at 11:22

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Vest + light colored vented textile jacket should keep you safe and cool at speed. If you're sitting in traffic, your back will probably get a little sweaty on a hot day, but it'll do that even with just a jacket.

Jeff-God-of-Biscuits > E. Julius 03/07/2015 at 11:22

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Have you thought about ... ebay?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Motorcycle…

sometimes you can find decent gear that hasn't been rashed. Also, the full flow textile jackets can get really chilly on a summer evening. Make sure that you have a rain jacket or a windbreaker that you can put on overtop of it. Windchill at 65 on a 65 degree night is chilly.

E. Julius > Jeff-God-of-Biscuits 03/07/2015 at 11:25

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I've looked at eBay and Craigslist, but I wear small sizes so usually the pickings are slim. When it comes time to buy I'll see what's on there but I have no problem paying full price for something that I know is going to fit. Good suggestion on the windbreaker!

E. Julius > yamahog 03/07/2015 at 11:26

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Thanks!

E. Julius > E. Julius 03/07/2015 at 11:57

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inb4 unnecessary "get your ban hammers mods!" post. Flag spam people.

McMike > E. Julius 03/07/2015 at 12:01

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Don't forget this.

http://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Mot…

E. Julius > McMike 03/07/2015 at 12:02

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Oooh thanks! I've been looking for something like this. Hopefully this will keep me sated until I can actually buy my bike when I come home this summer.

McMike > E. Julius 03/07/2015 at 12:06

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It's a good read. I rode for 20+ years before reading it last winter.

I was even more paranoid riding after reading it. Makes you realize how much you don't know.

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > E. Julius 03/07/2015 at 12:40

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The only way to ride

E. Julius > McMike 03/07/2015 at 13:08

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Just bought it. Thanks again.

orcim > E. Julius 03/07/2015 at 15:34

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I have no idea why, when riding a bike, there can't be an industry std. connector for riding garments that use the power of the machine to cool/heat the rider. Given today's tech, it seems like it would be easy as hell with not too much of a weight penalty. God know's there's enough power to spare.

E. Julius > orcim 03/07/2015 at 16:05

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Perhaps a decent idea, although in my case that type of thing would almost certainly be prohibitively expensive. Even if it weren't though, unless I'm riding year round I'd rather put the extra cash towards a better bike or helmet or something. Maybe it could work for some people.

orcim > E. Julius 03/07/2015 at 16:12

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I'm not thinking of it in a one-off type way (which would be expensive) just in an industry std. way (which would normalize the cost to an entire market.)

Yeah - it's not meant to be serious, but your talk of the spine protector wouldn't take much to do the NASA spacesuit mesh that transfers heat in the space suits. A little heat pump, and voila', that sweaty part of the armor goes away. I love the thought of that. Like heated gloves for cold.

Of course, this is a closer man/machine bond, and who knows where that could lead?

E. Julius > orcim 03/07/2015 at 16:15

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They already have heated gear, and although a standard connector would disperse the cost somewhat it would still be more expensive from a consumer standpoint to purchase heated gear than an equivalent unheated piece of equipment. Like I said, not a big deal to me because once it gets cold then it's time for snow drifting.

orcim > E. Julius 03/07/2015 at 16:26

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Quite so. And, as you've implied, we've done ok in the [previous 100 year] meantime.