My Favorite Women's Motorcycle Textile Suits

It feels good to be back in the world of motorcycle gear! I've seen some really cool stuff in the past week or two, especially for women riders. So here's my roundup of year round / multi season suits that will take you from Fall to Winter to Spring, and maybe Summer depending on where you live.

Remember, your 2 piece suit can only work as well as your base layer allows in terms of breathability. And if you're not wearing a base layer, gooooooooo get some! Not only will it help your gear fit better but it'll also help regulate the sweat and keep the gear from sticking to your skin.

[button url="http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/revit-womens-sand-jacket" style="dark"]REV'IT Sand[/button]

The Sand is a replacement for their first attempt at an adventure touring outfit, the popular Ventura. It's based off the men's version, and follows the same shell/liner system. What I loved about the Ventura and now the Sand is that the jacket shell is super lightweight. It still has the 2 removable liners but once they're out you have a well ventilated, summer jacket. The bust and arms have a fairly generous fit as well as the hips/waist with longer arms and length overall.

[button url="http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/revit-womens-levante-jacket" style="dark"]REV'IT Levante[/button]

Although the Levante isn't a 2 piece set, I have to mention this jacket. It's more of a 3 season jacket with 2 removable layers but not the warmest jacket because of the mesh ventilation on the front and back panels. The fit profile on Levante is definitely more suited to a taller, narrower (shoulders/arms/torso) body type such as my cohost on Moterrific, AdventureGoddess. Check out her review here.

[button url="http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/fieldsheer-adventure-tour-jacket" style="dark"]Fieldsheer Adventure[/button]

I stumbled upon this outfit recently while helping one of my readers find pants. They have a nice profile to them and go all the way up to a US 18! They would certainly make a nice year round outfit, since you can remove the 2 in 1 liner. The shell is lightweight and would probably work ok in summer, depending on your tolerance for hot weather.

[button url="http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/olympia-womens-ranger-jacket" style="dark"]Olympia Ranger[/button]

The new Ranger is an updated version of the popular AST women's jacket. Still a waterproof shell, they've redesigned the jacket overall. Check out Rania's blog post about this jacket here.

[button url="http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/klim-womens-altitude-jacket" style="dark"]Klim Altitude[/button]

  

Women in the riding community have been anticipating this release since rumors of Klim developing a women's 2 piece GORE-TEX shell surfaced a couple seasons ago. It's here, and it basically a women's version of the men's Latitude. Just tailored and fitted for women. This version also has one key feature that the men's doesn't however; Adjustability to lengthen the pants a few inches! Finally something we get that men don't when it comes to motorcycle gear. These also go up to a Size 22!

[button url="http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/dainese-womens-zima-gore-tex-jacket" style="dark"]Dainese Zima GTX[/button]

 

I especially love how the front of the jacket lays flat, so to speak. Partly because of Dainese's special Mugello fabric, but also just the way they sew and fit everything together. The design is always clean and simple. I'm wearing a Euro 40 (US 4) with the liner in. Of course, you can pair this with any of the Dainese Womens Textile pants (no jeans).  The GORE-TEX is not removable, but the thermal liner is.

The Zima is one of my personal favorites. I'd say that it has an average fit. Not too narrow, not too curvy. Somewhere in the middle, but not as narrow as some of their other jackets. If you're looking for the matching GTX pant, the Travelguard (above; thigh vents/hip armor/adjustable knee armor) or Galvestones are the way to go. And of course, if you aren't interested in GTX, then there are a few other Dainese pants to choose from.

Do You Need a 1 or 2 Piece Leather Motorcycle Suit?

 

A reader contacted me via Facebook recently and asked me what I thought about Spidi's 1 piece leather suits for women. The first thing I said was that they're outstanding. The quality is fantastic and they look incredible.

I had to poke and prod this new rider a little more. She was about 20 and just starting to ride.  I asked her why she was interested in a 1 piece and she said simply because it looked cool. I can't argue with how cool they look. I'd LOVE to wear one of these from Spidi.

But I'd probably wear the one on the left (Trackster Touring Suit) more often than the one on the right (Mantis Wind Pro Suit). Mainly because I need the flexibility of a 2 piece when I'm actually out riding. And the Mantis is probably more aggressive in terms of fitment for track riding. Notice how the knees bow out a little bit on the Mantis, immediately forcing you into a more forward posture.

But which one do you need? I guess the answer is both, technically speaking. They both offer excellent levels of protection while on the road, no matter what you're riding. But which one are you more likely to wear? Probably the Trackster. Given it's easier to take off your jacket, say if you're stopping for lunch. But on the other hand, I ride with a lot of friends who wear 1 piece suits for weekend rides too, not just track days or racing. And they simply zip off the top half to walk around or when we're sitting down for lunch. That's simply not my ideal method of wearing gear.

It all comes down to what your preference is and which one fits you the best. Having ridden in 2 piece suits over the years, I absolutely love the flexibility and feel. I also tend to wear sport touring suits which aren't as aggressive in terms of fitment. They're designed more for touring and upright riding positions. I do wear the Revit Galactic however, as my summer riding jacket since it's so light and ventilated. It's definitely the most aggressive jacket I've worn so far. And it's not as comfy as my touring textiles. But I do appreciate the fit on my sporty. It almost supports me while I try and keep my upper body off the tank on long rides.

Keep in mind also that 2 piece leathers come in many forms, not just racing. Take for example the Dainese outfit I'm in the photo at the very top of this post. The jacket is the Cage and the pants are the Firefly (discontinued awhile ago but they offer several other alternatives).

I wore that outfit for my first novice track day. As a novice, it was the perfect outfit since I definitely wasn't planning on pushing myself to the racing, knee dragging limits. Although that jacket looks a bit 'race like' it's really not. It's far less aggressive and fits more like a casual jacket without the added articulation that you see on the elbows of the Galactic pictured right above. The fitments are really what tell the two apart. One immediately feels comfortable, doesn't immediately make me bend forward when trying it on and is definitely easier to wear overall.

When I'm able to do track days on a regular basis, I will probably invest in a full 1 piece suit not only for the added protection, but comfort on the bike. When all you're doing is leaning forward and riding around a track, you want your suit to support you completely in that position.

Remember that when you're venturing into leathers that there will be a break in period that's going to be uncomfortable (no matter what style or brand they are), completely out of your comfort zone and just plain annoying until they soften and loosen up. How much they break in varies from brand to brand, and type of leather to type of leather (kangaroo v. cow v. sheep v. goat, etc.). You could get anywhere from 1/8" up to a half size increase in fit.

Just remember my shopping rules to ensure that you get the right size and don't forget those baselayers to help increase your overall comfort while wearing leather!

Recommendation for Short Women's Motorcycle Pants

 

Reader Kim V. from Boston wrote me asking for recommendations for pants that would work year round.

The Ventura pants by REV'IT are my #1 favorite option, also given her size and body type. (US 10, wider torso, 28" inseam) For Kim I'm going to recommend a size Euro 40 or 42, depending on how her measurements work out next to the size chart. Go with the size that accommodates your largest measurement.

They're extremely versatile, given the 2 removable layers. They're also available in short, standard and long lengths. The knee armor is also adjustable! Also, remember to try on any pants while in riding position since the knees will move up considerably depending on the riding position.

Check out my full review here!

Motorcycle Gear for Kids!

For those of you looking for street motorcycle gear for your kids, check out Kinder Rider. They offer jackets, pants, boots, helmets and gloves!