Five Motorcycle Riding Suits for Year Round Touring

By Motorcycle Classics Staff
Published on October 8, 2010
1 / 5
The Tourmaster Centurion one-piece motorcycle suit
The Tourmaster Centurion one-piece motorcycle suit
2 / 5
Aerostich Transit Suit
Aerostich Transit Suit
3 / 5
Aerostich Roadcrafter one-piece motorcycle riding suit
Aerostich Roadcrafter one-piece motorcycle riding suit
4 / 5
Joe Rocket Survival Suit
Joe Rocket Survival Suit
5 / 5
The Vanson Mark 2 Cobra motorcycle riding jacket and Highway 101 motorcycle riding pants make a great leather riding combo.
The Vanson Mark 2 Cobra motorcycle riding jacket and Highway 101 motorcycle riding pants make a great leather riding combo.

Price and availability confirmed at time of publication. Subject to change, please visit the product website for the latest prices and availability. 

The staff at Motorcycle Classics recently reviewed these five motorcycle riding suits for year-round motorcycle touring:

1. The Aerostich Roadcrafter is the original and still the standard when it comes to motorcycle riding suits. And for good reason; it’s built like a Mack truck and damn near indestructible. Available as a one-piece (shown) or two-piece motorcycle riding suit, the Roadcrafter is made of 500 Denier Gore-Tex outer fabric with 1050 Denier nylon and TF3 armor at the shoulders, elbows, forearms, knees and shins. Everything is held together with heavy-duty zippers and serious stitching.

I’ve got four years and thousands of miles on my one-piece Roadcrafter, and short of being a little dirty from roadspray, it’s actually better than new. The heavy-duty nylon takes time to break in, but it’s slowly getting close to what you might call “supple.” Some people run a new suit through the wash, but I decided just to wear it and see how it broke in. Although I have lots of options, it’s become my go-to riding outfit for motorcycle touring and commuting, especially when it’s below 85F. The underarm and back air vents keep things comfortable except when temps climb above 90F, yet it’s plenty warm on cool days; throw in a Kanetsu electric vest and you’ll stay warm all winter. It does leak a little bit, but only in the heaviest downpours, and then only after an hour or so.

Getting in and out is easy once you learn the dance; a neck-to-ankle zipper on one side combined with a crotch-to-ankle zipper on the other make it a snap. Anybody wanna race to the Canadian border? Available in many colors. Price: Starts at $847 (one-piece), $897 (two-piece). More info: www.aerostich.com — Richard Backus 

2. The Joe Rocket Survivor Suit is the newest arrival to the one-piece motorcycle riding suit party. Made of Roc Tex 600 nylon, the suit features a removable spine pad (with a pocket for an optional C.E. spine protector), double layer Rock Tex 600 nylon at the shoulders, elbows and knees, and a removable, insulated full sleeve and pant leg liner for when it’s cold. When it’s not, pull out the liner, undo the main zipper, and zip up the FreeAir panel on the front. This mesh panel is cleverly integrated into the main zipper structure and allows you to ride with the front open to the wind, yet still safely secured. The rear of the suit features a reflective strip, along with a vent so air can pass from the front and out the back. It also features a SureFit custom adjustment system with 11 adjustment points for an optimum fit. In the few hundred miles we’ve put on the suit so far, we’re impressed with it’s build quality and snug cut, which makes the wearer look less like a spaceman than some other suits here (mainly Backus in his red Aero Roadcrafter). With it’s venting open, we’ve found it to be comfortable, even at 90F without a fairing. Our only complaint so far is that depending on your height and size, the top neck snap can be a little tight and rubs against your neck when fully closed. Available in charcoal color (shown). Price: $399.99. More info: www.joerocket.com — Landon Hall 

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