Ive been riding around without a real jacket for quite sometime but finally decided to order one last week. I ordered it online, hesitant as to whether the jacket would fit me or not. Well today it finally came in. I tried it on and although all my body parts fall into the armor snugly, I'm feeling the jacket might be too short. It covers my waist completely and hangs maybe about 4 inches below my waistline. I've never owned a motorcycle jacket before, so maybe this is the way it's supposed to be? What do you think?

also, does the armor lossen up in time? because it's supper stiff right now.

 

Assume the - somewhat - crouched position on the bike. It should be tight but you should move freely your shoulders and elbows/arms.

 

Jacket: Jackets should be SNUG. Leathers should be super-snug. Motorcycle gear serves myriad purposes. The one we all know and love is to act as ablative armor when we fall, so you wear away gear and not flesh. One of other reasons people don't realise is, if you fall and crack bones, you want your limbs to be stabalized. If your gear is snug, your limbs have extra support, so you don't end up with compound factures. It will act as an exoskeleton until the paramedics can cut it off (and they will. If you ever see an medic with gear on, the next thing you'll see is sheers)

Leather will stretch (and shrink in the rain) over time to conform to your body style a bit better. If it's textile, don't expect much change.

The jacket should be long enough that if you roll into a ball, there shouldn't be any bare flesh showing on your back or butt cheeks between the jacket and your pants. if you have pants that attack to the jacket you don't have as much to worry about. People generally don't slide on their front (they roll). A lot of people slide on their back.

Armor: If it's hard armor, it won't budge. Chances are, if you bought something with integrated armor, it's soft armor. That stuff will conform to your body. Just wait till summer when it gets hot, and you get sweaty.

And, as the other guy said, "assume the position." If your gear is snug, well made, covers everything, and is comfortable when you're bent over, then all's well.

Edit: me no spell gutt


[Modified by project_mercy, 4:31 PM 1/10/2003]

 

4 inches below your waistline sounds a bit long... then again what do I know

 

Any good shop will let you try it on sitting on the bike. It should suddenly feel 'comfy' once you're hunched over on the bike.

Leathers are uncomfortable in a standing position, period, at least until they're broken in...

 

What jacket did you get?

 

JoeR Meteor 3.0. gotta steal on ebay.

 

That jacket soudns pretty damn long to me. 4'' below the waistline...My dainese jacket comes right down to my waist.

 

For a JR Meteor that sounds like its too long. I also have a Meteor and it hangs about and inch below my waist. I like it pretty snug so it does its job, so if its comfortable then your fine. Ryan

 

Yeah that is definitly too long.