06-19-2006, 04:19 PM
The Rio is very thin compared to other mesh offerings. That is not my main concern with the jacket, though. The cuffs are velcro and don't offer that much "pull" resistance. If you slide on your arms in a spill the sleeves could get pulled up and leave your arm skin vulnurable. I won't say that my gauntlets wil cover it, nor should anybody else, because if your wearing mesh you're probably wearing thin summer gloves, too. The same goes for the waist belt - I could easily see it sliding up revealing a portion of my lower back. If you slide a good distance I could see the thickness of the mesh material becoming an issue - but not in a 20 or 30 mph lowside. The padding, if you have a typical fall over and look stupid accident, is just as good as any other jacket, though, and will suffice. I think that if you're going to go out and really wick it up you need to be in something leather, no mesh will cut it if you're headed out to West Virginia.
I wouldn't return the jacket, I'm satisfied with what I got for what I paid. As for the commute-able safety value of mesh, I believe that I'm a safer rider when I'm not concentrating on how hot I am wrapped up in a leather jacket on a hundred degree commute: sacrifice a little passive safety for a little active safety.
Anyways, I think the value of colorful leathes is quite limited. I've owned both bright colored ranger leathers, and my current black vanson and black JR Rio. I never had anybody notice me any sooner in something bright. If you're very concerned with being seen the vest investment you can make is a white helmet. If anybody is really going to stand by the "better to wear noticeable things than not be seen in black" arguement here is the spot to prove your mettle. [Everybody should remember the seventy something percent increase in visibility of a white helmet over any other color from their time in the MSF course.]
RJ and I went to Clarendon one night - we met a couple of my lady friends there. When they pulled up RJ stuck his power ranger jacket in their car and I had no problems wearing mine right into the bar. Think about how you're going to feel when you walk around in the bright colored stuff - you may say now "oh, whatever, the safety's worth it", but I can say that I personally couldn't stand walking around in my Joe Rocket Blaster. At night, from my experience, relfective piping along the sides of the jacket that a car would see if they couldn't see the headlight of the motorcycle is much more effective than a light color.
No matter what you buy, though, you need to ride like you're not seen. Drivers can "make eye contact" with you and be looking right through you. No matter what you're wearing people will cut you off, pull out in front of you, and block your path as quickly as you can blink your eyes.
I wouldn't return the jacket, I'm satisfied with what I got for what I paid. As for the commute-able safety value of mesh, I believe that I'm a safer rider when I'm not concentrating on how hot I am wrapped up in a leather jacket on a hundred degree commute: sacrifice a little passive safety for a little active safety.
Anyways, I think the value of colorful leathes is quite limited. I've owned both bright colored ranger leathers, and my current black vanson and black JR Rio. I never had anybody notice me any sooner in something bright. If you're very concerned with being seen the vest investment you can make is a white helmet. If anybody is really going to stand by the "better to wear noticeable things than not be seen in black" arguement here is the spot to prove your mettle. [Everybody should remember the seventy something percent increase in visibility of a white helmet over any other color from their time in the MSF course.]
RJ and I went to Clarendon one night - we met a couple of my lady friends there. When they pulled up RJ stuck his power ranger jacket in their car and I had no problems wearing mine right into the bar. Think about how you're going to feel when you walk around in the bright colored stuff - you may say now "oh, whatever, the safety's worth it", but I can say that I personally couldn't stand walking around in my Joe Rocket Blaster. At night, from my experience, relfective piping along the sides of the jacket that a car would see if they couldn't see the headlight of the motorcycle is much more effective than a light color.
No matter what you buy, though, you need to ride like you're not seen. Drivers can "make eye contact" with you and be looking right through you. No matter what you're wearing people will cut you off, pull out in front of you, and block your path as quickly as you can blink your eyes.
When it comes to Ryan Jenkins, the story ends with me putting him in the wall.
2009 Speed Triple | 2006 DR-Z400SM | 1999 CBR600F4 | 1998 Jeep Cherokee
-Ginger
2009 Speed Triple | 2006 DR-Z400SM | 1999 CBR600F4 | 1998 Jeep Cherokee
-Ginger