Riding gear is something many of us usually avoid, knowing we are ignoring our safety. Previously, we discussed why riding gear is so important that it may save you from the most brutal accident; if you missed that post, you may read it here.

Today, in this motorcycle riding jacket buying guide, we will discuss how to choose a good riding jacket, considering the most important factors like types, safety, features, comfort, price, brand, etc.

Note: This guide is not biased to any brand; all the inputs are as per my knowledge.

Types of Riding Jackets

Mostly, we have either the street-focused riding jacket or the touring riding jacket; by the name, you may have already understood their purpose. Basically, a street-focused jacket has a maximum mesh panel for better ventilation, comparatively more tighter fit, and another hand touring riding jacket, also known as an all-season riding jacket, comes with better safety protectors, coverable mesh panels & little bit comfortable fit.

Also, there is another category, a race suit, which fits very snug and protects you best.

Safety

Safety is the biggest factor while choosing a functional Riding Jacket; otherwise, there is no point in wasting money, correct? Let’s first discuss what parts are prone to impact in a crash or accident: the Elbow, the Shoulder, the Spinal Cord, and lastly the Chest. While getting chest protection may require you to shell out a few bucks more but you must not compromise.

You may have heard a lot of certification standards like SAS-TEC, CE, etc. Generally, in budget Riding Gears, especially jacket & pants companies provide CE Level 1/2 protectors, which cost less but provide basic safety. The more you spend, the more safety you usually get.

Features

For a good Riding jacket, below are the must-have points.

Material

The riding Jacket should be made of a minimum of 600D Polyester (heavy-duty fabric) material to protect you from abrasion in case of a crash. Some mid-range even provides Cordura reinforcement at abrasive zones. There are many brands that mix leather or denim for better styling.

Ventilation

In India, we mostly face scorching heat throughout the year; hence, ventilation plays an important role. Generally, you should choose mesh jackets that provide excellent airflow to keep you comfortable. We will discuss a little more in the Types of Riding Jacket Section.

Rain Liner

Most of the budget jacket includes an inner/outer rain liner, which may save you from light to moderate showers. Nowadays, even budget rain liners tend to get breathable material, but only a few feel as comfortable as Gore-Tex. If possible, choose a Riding Jacket with an outer Inner Liner so that you can wear or remove it quickly.

Thermal (Winter) Liner

Similar to a rain liner, this inner shell (mostly) provides a comfortable & cozy feeling in colder weather. In the case of sub-zero temperatures, you can additionally wear a rain liner too.

Removable Protectors for easy wash & Upgrade

Over time, Riding Jackets will get dirty, smell bad, and provide less airflow, so you need to wash them. And frankly, I feel you should have removable protectors for ease of washing. Also, if you wish to upgrade armor, you should have an option.

Waterproof Pocket/Compartment

You may use a rain liner or an external raincoat, but what about your essentials, like a mobile? For that, most of the Riding Jackets come with minimum one waterproof pocket.

Visibility

Lastly, it is very important to stay visible in the dark. Here, reflecting panels work great, although most of the riding jacket has them, so still look for it before you decide.

Comfort

One of the most driving factors to decide not to buy a riding jacket is comfort. It is true that it adds heft and sometimes may create irritation or feel quite uncomfortable because of comparatively thick, highly abrasive material and protectors, but trust me, things have changed a lot.

Today, most jackets come with lighter fabric and protectors. With continuous usage, you will get accustomed, and do not forget to check for cushioned trims on the cuff and collar area.

Also, keep in mind similar to the snug helmet fit mentioned in our helmet buying guide, the Riding Jacket must also fit well to protect you. Protectors should be in place (use the buckle to adjust). Initially, you may feel odd, but in a week, it will be comfortable.

Brand & Price

There are many brands in the Riding Jacket category, like Alpinestars, Rynox, Furygan, Aspida, Biking Brotherhood, Zeus, Solace, Royal Enfield, and many more. I feel in the 10K (INR 10000) range, Rynox can be your best pick. I have it, and I do not doubt that they are advancing their technology to provide better safety and quality at a very competitive price.

Recommendations

1. Always try to get light-colored Riding Gear for additional visibility at night, along with a reflective panel.
2. I prefer to shop Riding Jacket or any other Riding Gear offline because the correct size & fit is very important and you can even observe the product better. In case buying online, try to test it in an offline shop and then order the size you felt perfect.
3. Protectors are there to save you, so buy the best protection possible in your budget.
4. In a week or so, the Riding jacket will get comfortable, hence wear regularly (break-in).

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Don’t forget to check out our complete Ladakh Ride Blog series and Riding Gear related posts.

Certainly, if you loved this riding jacket buying guide, share this with your buddies. Additionally, if I’ve missed anything, please let me know in the comments section. I will include it in the post.

Thanks! Have a great day ahead.

The post Motorcycle Riding Jacket Buying Guide appeared first on Rider Escaped

A rider is not only someone who loves long rides or has a very expensive motorcycle either but also everyone who rides a motorcycle for any reason. As a rider, we often underestimate the value of our or our pillion’s life, whether we don’t wear a helmet or any other safety gear. 

Today we will discuss why you should invest in Riding Gears now; otherwise, things might go really bad.

Riding is a passion, a brotherhood, or an integral part of a rider’s life. Admit it or not, it gives us a thrill, a sense of freedom, community, happiness completely different perspective on life, and the list goes on.

In motorcycling, as a rider, we probably look after almost everything like bike specifications, servicing, ergonomics, places we can visit, insurance, modifications, etc, but still, most of us hardly concern ourselves with our own safety. 

Many of us are actually aware of how these riding gears might save our lives in case of any unfortunate event. Still, they don’t opt for it.

What are Riding Gears?

Riding Gears are nothing but the best possible protection for our body, but are made in such a way that it doesn’t feel uncomfortable. A helmet is a well-known riding gear; similarly, purpose-built gloves, jackets, trousers, boots, etc, also exist.

Is it true that Riding Gears are mostly uncomfortable?

Yes, almost every budget riding gear won’t feel comfortable for most of you. But trust me, within a week or two of continuous usage, this will change dramatically. It will not only become a style statement for you, but you will also start feeling uncomfortable without those; it is a fact.

In my case, I always used a helmet only, no riding jackets, trousers, boots, or gloves, not even for 4000+ km rides. Although I had gloves, I never used them as they hurt.

During the Leh Ladakh ride, I had no choice but to wear gloves because of the cold, and surprisingly, after a few hundred kilometers, it became a habit, and now I feel uncomfortable without gloves.

Riding Gears is not expensive than your life!

True, Riding Gears are in general expensive, if not super expensive. Tell me, how much does your life cost? I might sound very funny to you, right, because life is precious, so why are you leaving your life unsafe, exposing it to unfortunate events?

You can purchase a complete standard riding gear set, including a Helmet, jacket, trousers, gloves, and boots, for about 13k to 20k INR. For better or best options, you may need to shell out more than 50k, also.

You may check out our comprehensive guide on How to buy a good Helmet. Also, I will share similar guides for each riding gear category soon, outlining different aspects you must check before purchase.

My sole motive is to help you buy the best possible product at every price point.

Why are Riding Gears super Important?

An accident can happen anytime; no one can predict it, correct? Suppose you are riding on an open highway at a constant speed of 80 kmph or riding to the office through the busiest traffic of your city. Now, what if someone hit you, maybe due to rash driving, electrical failure, unconsciousness, or at the worst, you lose control and fall?

You were maintaining traffic rules, still, shit happens in life. Frankly speaking, this happens frequently.

I too had faced a similar, but the scariest accident in my life, just because of someone else.

Now, wearing riding gear does not guarantee that you will return home without a scratch, but it can absorb maximum impact in case of an accident, and mostly you will be safe & alive.

Let me tell you, when someone meets with an accident, his/her head, palm, elbow, shoulder, spinal cord, hips, knees, ankles, and toes are the most prone to take almost 100% of the impact. That is why most of the riding gears provide protection at these critical points. Additionally, good riding gear is always made of highly durable & abrasion-resistant material like Cordura.

We will discuss riding gear material and other important aspects more comprehensively in How to choose and buying guide article.

Conclusion

Finally, I would say, it is your life and you can obviously do whatever you want, even risking it to death also. 

But still, I would request you to thoroughly read How a Helmet saved my life from the scariest accident I can possibly ever meet and then decide.

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Don’t forget to check out our Riding Gear information section.

Certainly, if you loved the content, share this with your buddies. Also, if I missed out on anything, do let me know in the comments section. I will include it in the post.

Thanks! Have a great day ahead.

The post Why Riding Gear can be a lifesaver for you appeared first on Rider Escaped

If you are a long-distance tourer on a motorcycle, you probably heard of Tankbag. They are awesome to carry your stuff on top of the fuel tank, no matter what motorcycle you have you can use this crazy item. Today we will review Rynox Optimus M V1 Tankbag. We have been using this tank bag since September 2016, so we should be in a good position to share our opinion.

Why Tankbag?

Firstly, why tank bag? Tankbag, in general, sit on your motorcycle fuel tank and occupy less space while maintaining good motorcycle balance. It gives you a good capacity too. But the most important advantage of a tank bag is to have easy access to frequently used or fragile items. Suppose, you want to take your DSLR out to capture a stunning beauty en route, it will take hardly a minute to do so, Just open the zipper of your tank bag and done. Otherhand keeping this kind of item in a saddlebag may shred some more time to you. In case you are using a soft luggage setup (saddle bag ) keeping valuables could be a nightmare during fall, who knows? Nowadays most of the tank bag comes with more 20-25 liters capacity, but I will always recommend using a tank bag for your valuables like a laptop, DSLR, wallet, action camera, motorcycle papers, etc. You may also store raincoats, pair of socks, toiletries.

Why Rynox Optimus M Tankbag?

The “M” in name resembles the magnetic version. Being a Royal Enfield Thunderbird 350 owner, I chose to purchase this model, earlier I had Scoyco magnetic Tank bag which was not so good to hold the tank properly, even few of them broke while using. I had purchased this Tankbag for INR 3450 from the local store “Gear UP” in Kolkata. The store guy literally convinced me to buy this bag but I never regret.

Key features of Rynox Optimus M Tankbag:

1. Powerful monopole magnet
2. Great build
3. Leather kind of finish at the bottom which minimizes the chances of getting scratch on the tank.
4. Large capacity
5. The magnetic section can be removed to use as a backpack
6. It came with a lot of buckles to use in case of heavy load.
7. Easily accessible side pockets, one transparent pocket at the top and an organizer pocket for your documents
8. It came with a rain cover which was big enough to accommodate the largest shape of this bag.

P.S. Sorry for the dust on the bag.

Pros:

1. During the Kanyakumari ride, I loaded this tank bag to its maximum capacity but it was steady even at higher speeds.
2. The outer fabric is very robust, withstand a lot of fall and friction.
3. Using this bag as a backpack was also comfortable, straps can hold all the load.

Cons:

1. Price is a little bit high than the budget competitors but it definitely worth every penny.
2. It sipped in water during heavy rain 2-3 times despite having rain covers. Although few times, I did not observe a single seepage of water in terrific rains. I would always suggest keeping a plastic at the base before loading luggage which will ensure zero wetness.
3. V1 version used to have semi-soft plastic handles which used to hard while fully loaded after some time but the newer version V2 seems to have fabrics for better comfort.

Verdict:

I believe at this price bracket of Rs. 3450, this bag was a great deal. Considering the experience, I will suggest anyone, to purchase the newer V2 version for INR 3550 while publishing this review. Personally, tank bags and saddlebags are not frequently changing items so getting the best product at a moderate price, will be a wise decision. Although I have highlighted a few cons above surely those are not deal-breaker for this tank bag anyway. Always read reviews from various owners to understand the pros & cons before purchasing.

Disclaimer: All the above observations and facts shared are unbiased based on my personal experiences in the last 2.5 years.

You can visit the below link know more about the Rynox Optimus M Tankbag.

Rynox Gears – Rynox Optimus M V2 Tankbag

Also, check out our Rynox Urban Riding Jacket Review here.

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The post Rynox Optimus M Tankbag Review appeared first on Rider Escaped

Today I will share my personal experience on Rynox Urban Riding Jacket. Before that let me share my thoughts in Riding Gears, are they worthy?

We, riders love riding long distances on our motorcycle, we spent a lot on our motorcycles. Firstly, we select the best motorcycle we can afford based on our taste, then we equip a lot of peripherals like aux light, mobile charger, saddle rack, etc. to make that motorcycle more comfortable according to our taste. But we always lack on protecting riding gears. For those who read this term for the first time in life, riding gears means helmet, a protective jacket, pants, boots, gloves, etc.

We always use helmets during our trip for safety then why not other protective gear. These are equally important for a ride. Few people say,

“We are experienced rider, never met with an accident”

But who can see the future? It is always better to protect yourself as much as possible during the ride. If you can not afford right now, start saving to purchase at the earliest. Although I do not have a riding boot and pants right now. I will purchase definitely buy in some time.

I started a long ride from 2015 and in 2017 I have purchased myself a riding jacket. During these 2 years, I met with 2-3 accidents, luckily either it was helmet or bike which took the impact and saved me. Finally, in October 2017, I decided to purchase a pair of a jacket for me and my wife.

This review is on Rynox Urban Riding Jacket and after using it for 1.5 years.

Comfort:

The first thing I would always prefer is comfort, no matter how much protective it is, you will never going to wear if it is uncomfortable. With all armors, it is a little heavy, but once you are habituated, you will never feel the weight. There are two buckles near the arm & elbow area and two in waist area to adjust as per your comforting. For further adjustment, a zip and velcro strap provided in the cuff area. There is perforated & smooth material inside which feels very comfortable. Being a mesh jacket it ensures maximized airflow. You get two zipped pockets on either side and inside one waterproof zipped pocket which outperformed p in heavy rain.

Attachments:

This jacket comes with two extra liners, rain protector and thermal inner. Both of the liners can be attached with a zip and two small buckles in the cuff area. Both of these worked great but rain protector might sip in during heavy rain.

Safety Armors:

This Jacket is made of 600D polyester which can resist a huge impact before it wears out in case of an accident. It comes with Knox flexifoam CE level 1 armor for elbow & shoulder and a foam kind of back protector. All these armors are removable and washable even upgradable to the higher level protector.

Rynox Urban Riding Jacket, 5 Pros:

1. This jacket is very comfortable in this price bracket.
2. There are multiple ways to adjust according to your fit.
3. The zipper feels smooth even after 1.5 years of usage.
4. Those who want to use it with a riding pant, there is a zipper to attach that too.
5. Liners served their purpose well, although I always prefer to have an exterior rain protector.

Rynox Urban Riding Jacket, 4 Cons:

1. Level 2 armor could have been better to shred out some more weight.
2. Back protector is basic not certified CE level 1.
3. Stitches in few joints and especially near back protector compartment lack confidence.
4. This jacket should have an exterior rain protector.

Verdict:

I always prefer purchasing this kind of stuff from a store, so that you can feel the product before purchase which also ensures better fitting. If you are new to riding jacket and have enough reasons to protect yourself from mishaps, this jacket could be the best pick in this budget. Although I have highlighted a few cons above those are not deal-breaker for this jacket anyway. Always read reviews from various owners to understand the pros & cons before purchasing.

Disclaimer: All the above observations and fact shared are unbiased based on my personal experiences in the last 1.5 years.

Also, check out our Rynox Optimus M Tank Bag Review here.

You can visit the below link know more about the Rynox Urban Riding Jacket.

Rynox Gears – Rynox Urban Riding Jacket

Click to follow our Social Media Handles to get the latest updates

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest | Ladakh Blog

Although, we are in a process to queue up the next post shortly until then do subscribe to Rider Escaped Newsletter to get future updates.

If you loved the content, share this with your buddies. Importantly, if I missed out on anything do let me know in the comment section, I will include in the post.

The post Rynox Urban Riding Jacket Review appeared first on Rider Escaped