Motorcycle Summer Jackets and Armor

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There is a European body called CE which makes standards for vehicles, much like our DOT. They have a standard for motorcycle clothing and protective armor. All of the suits below which feature armor are CE certified. CE armor is good stuff for protecting you in a slide, or from small impacts.

People seem to focus on the injury caused by the slide. This is not where you tend to get hurt. On a taller bike like a touring or sport touring bike, you get hurt more from the fall. The bike is tipping over at 1g, but that number relates to the bike's center of mass. Your shoulders are about three times as high up as the center of mass, so you're actually levered into the ground at 2 to 3 gs, which means the fall from like 3-5 feet above the ground is effectively more like a fall from 6-15 feet above the ground. Leather and CE padding aren't going to have much effect on this.

You see these films where GP racers go down at 100 mph and walk away. It's worthwhile to remember that they are falling from only a foot or so high - often their knee is already on the pavement, and their elbows are only a few inches up. It's only a slide, and leather handles that just great.

The jackets below are perforated for lots of air flow, and have CE padding to help protect you in case of a crash. They are comfortable from about 70 degrees into the low to mid 90s. Some have zip-in liners that make them comfortable down to almost 60 degrees.

Sometimes these jackets are available at large discounts at NewEnough.com or MotorcycleCloseouts.com.
 

 
FirstGear Mesh Tex jacket. Mesh nylon shell, Perforated EVA shoulder and elbow armor with EVA foam back pad. Perforated nylon lining. Hand warmer pockets and inside wallet pocket. Adjustable sleeve cuffs and adjustable waist. About $130.
 

 
Joe Rocket Phoenix jacket. Mesh nylon shell, Perforated EVA shoulder and elbow armor with EVA foam back pad. Perforated nylon lining. Hand warmer pockets and inside wallet pocket. Adjustable sleeve cuffs and adjustable waist. About $110.
 

TourMaster GX Air jacket. Armor link mesh and 1680 denier ballistic nylon shell. Removable armor on elbows, shoulders and back. Padding to protect collarbone and back. Velcro forearm & cuff straps. Upper back Scotchlite panel. Optional zip-out liner with 3M Thinsulate. About $155.
 

Aerolite Jacket Fully-lined polyester mesh, Sewn-in temper form padding in the shoulders, elbows/forearms, lower back and spine. Removable temper form padding with vented heavy-duty plastic on shoulders and elbows/forearms, dual-density spine pad. Scotchlite reflective piping on the back for added safety. Front zip, 2 zippered side pockets plus one inside chest pocket. Sleeves have velcro cuff plus 2 nylon web straps with a 2-position snap to adjust sleeve width. Machine washable. About $85.

Body armor is apparently meant to be worn under a motocross jersey, so you can give maximum advertising exposure. Sometimes this equipment is available at large discounts at NewEnough.com or MotorcycleCloseouts.com.
 

Acerbis Net Body Armor Airflow chest plate, elastic netted jersey and padded neck. Adjustable and removable plastic inserts, kidney belt. $160
 

Azonic Body Armor Injection molded plastic, full spine fitting plastic. Built in kidney belt and Spandex adjustable straps. Same as O'Neal armor. $180.
 

EVS BJ4 Protective Jersey. Rip stop vented jersey material. .060" thick molded plastic shields with foam impact panels. Dual closing kidney belt included. Full-length zipper for easy on and off. About $130.
 

EVS BJ2 Protective Jersey. Rip stop vented jersey material. .060" thick molded plastic shields with foam impact panels. Secured elbow pads. Dual closing kidney belt included. Full-length zipper for easy on and off. About $140.
 

O'Neal Z-5 Body Armor. Lightweight netting, high impact injection molded plastic. Full zipper front closure. Adjustable elastic kidney belt. Adjustable Spandex straps throughout the arms and shoulders. Same as Azonic. About $185.
 

RockGardn Flak Jacket Kidney belt has a hidden stash pocket for keys. money, ID, etc., Moisture-wicking Lycra and perforated 10mm soft EVA padding Nylon-covered, hard EVA chest plates. Fully padded down entire length of the arms. Wide, impact-dispursing, articulated back slider. Adjustable shoulders About $185.
 

SixSixOne Pressure Suit is made from perforated EVA foam under layer and mesh fabric. Injection molded plastic armor for chest, shoulder, elbow and forearm. Removable, injection-molded plastic articulated "Spine Armor". Velcro waist belt. Thumb loops keep arm protection in place. $190
 

SixSixOne Assault Pressure Suit is made from perforated EVA foam under layer and mesh fabric. Injection molded plastic armor for chest, shoulder and biceps. Removable, injection-molded plastic articulated "Spine Armor". Velcro waist belt. $110
 

SixSixOne Assault SP-1 Pressure Suit Removable articulated injection molded spine column. Injection-molded shoulder, elbow and forearm plastic impact shields, foam under layer. Vented mesh main body. Comfortable, adjustable elastic Velcro waist belt. $160

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