My first Melbourne* winter

Wasn't that bad even with my early morning starts though my commute isn't
that far/long. I bought winter gloves that were too warm and bulky so didn't
get used. What saved me from freezing were glove liners and an open faced
balaclava made from the same thin polyester material. I paid $10 for the
gloves and $10 for the balaclava (maybe less). Getting through winter on
tires I wasn't 100% sure about was a bad, painfull and expensive lesson not
to do. PPE works better if your wearing it, this too was a bad and painfull
lesson.

I have seen jackets that are like a mesh with pads and am told that they are
as strong a leather but am very sceptical on this, what do you wear apart
from shirts and a singlet through summer? I was very hot in my leather last
summer and would like to be safe and cool, is this possible?

TIA




* Victoria, Australia.

 

In aus.motorcycles on Mon, 9 Oct 2006 15:14:46 +1000

I've come off in textile jackets, and had no problem. As I am
unlikley to slide more than 20 feet on an urban road before I hit
something horribly solid, I figure they'll do just fine.

Zebee

 

You just happened to luck into the warmest winter I can remember (and I
have been riding for 30 something years in Melbourne).

If the predictions are right in five or ten years Melbourne will have
weather like that in Sydney or Port Macquarie has now, so don't dismiss
that mesh jacket too quickly.

I saw one of the Blue Dingo brand mesh jackets on the weekend. Might
consider one for myself. $110ish sound like a good deal.

SteveB

 

Winter isn't usually the miserable stormy mess that everyone makes it out to
be however it was very mild and spring seems to be the same.

justAL

 

The mesh jackets with armour are usually designed to be worn under a
jacket and are more aimed at dirt than road applications. In a slide, I
imagine the mesh would tear and possibly allow the armour to fall away.
A jacket is designed to hold it all together.
I've heard good things about the ventilation on the Dririder Rallycross
jackets, meant to be very cool. I've always stuck with the leather
jacket, works for me. Yes, it's hot, but on a 40deg day, everything is!

Stu