Right.  Mine does as well - completely defeating the purpose of a mesh jacket.

Quote from: CETME on May 08, 2008, 05:47:25 PM
Thanks for the suggestions guys.

The Rev It stuff looks pretty damn good and affordable. I saw that motoport jacket. I wish they had more pictures of it, especially considering the price, according to them though its the bees knees. But it seems to have the ultimate protection and excellent airflow.

I don't think I could use perfed leather here in the summer. I would bake I think. I had a joe rocket mesh jacket and I would still be hot, so I would imagine that the leather would be worse.  But of those of you who recommended the leather, what sort of high temps are you guys riding in?

Yeah, I could definitely wear leathers at TOB. That place is a freezer.

A couple of years ago I picked up a Rukka Airflow for street use.  It was expensive (relative to alternatives) but its protection is very good (at least for street) as I have had to use it that way.  Its not "cool" looking like a sweet leather jacket but it is versatile for hot, cold and wet which is handy because where I live the weather can change and you will be prepared.

If was buying today I would  def look at Revit (or whatever new technologies evolve) as they look to be similar with better pricing.

I took my Rev'it Air out today - street and highway - 70/80 degrees F.
Very airy, almost chilly and no parachute effect. The foam back protector is also perforated and removable.
Rev'it sizes are normal European sizes. I guess smaller than many US jackets? I have 3XL, which they call XYL - it's at least one size smaller than a CorTech GX 3XL. Rev'it homepage has some strange and untrue sizing charts. I'm 6'4" - 50" around the chest, 44" around the widest part of my stomach - and the 3XL/XYL fits very well. Narrowest part is behind shoulders/armpit.

I wear Dainese perf, both one piece and a Santa Monica jacket in Texas. It's fine going down the road in 90 degree plus temps, but does get warm if you stand around in it for a wile not moving.

It's not the heat it's the ...

Humidity does make a difference. I'm now in Arizona highlands (moved in the Fall, so haven't experienced real desert heat other than while visiting), and am looking forward to seeing if I can make it through the summer in perfed leather (it's also cooler up here than it is down in the valley where NAKID hails from, so I'm hopeful).

But back in Washington DC, perforated leather didn't do all that well even at highway speeds on those 100 degree/100 percent humidity days we'd get every so often. Hit stop and go traffic on those days, and I'm not joking that it occasionally felt like I was flirting with serious dehydration and heat-related illness (with all the ensuing degradation of my riding skills and perception). That, and I was soaked through by the time I got where I was going. Even though it was a compromise on protection, I was a safer rider on those kinds of days in a Joe Rocket mesh jacket, because the alternatives would so badly erode my abilities as a motorcycle rider. Well, except for a Corona T-Shirt & shorts. I hear those hold up even better than Helimot in a get-off...

If i was still living there (or in Florida, where the OP is), I'd take a close look at some of the designs that are mesh in the torso but with leather at the elbows, shoulders & areas that are going to take the worst of it in a crash. The two I know of are the Joe Rocket Super Ego or Reactor (which is on sale at New Enough at the moment), but I'm sure there are lots of others. That MotoPort jacket looks ideal, but I look at the price and find myself edging back toward leather, and really NICE leather at that...

Good Luck

The first jacket I ever bought was a JR Alter Ego.

I decided on it b/c of the versatility as far as weather conditions.

Soon after that I bought several leather jackets to wear if I plan on riding anywhere close to aggressively.

But I still wear the Alter Ego if I'm not riding hard and we're having a high humidity day.

Unparalleled ventilation with some protection.

I've crashed tested it at low speed and it held up just fine.

Quote from: triangleforge on May 09, 2008, 03:24:39 PM
But back in Washington DC....

Aside from being Hollywood for the Ugly People, DC is the eighth ring of hell.  No gear will protect you.

dainese nevada perf here. 

HI is pretty hot and humid, but not nearly as bad as florida in the summer. ugh. I don't like thinking about it 

Quote from: superjohn on May 08, 2008, 08:52:51 PM
Has anyone tried the Olympia Stealth one-piece suit? I'm going to need something for commuting this summer and this looked promising

http://www.olympiamotosports.com/stealth/stealth.htm

I bought one last week and love it. I'm in Atlanta and plan on wearing it as my commuting gear for the Summer. I rode in today with the suit over a pair of jeans and a long sleeve dress shirt (temp was in 60s) and found it quite chilly.

I only wear it when it gets really but I have a Power Trip tex. jacket.  It keeps me cooler than not having a jacket at all, has ce armor in all the important areas

I have a Dainese textile jacket with ballistic mesh on the torso, arms, and back panels.  It has CE armor on the elbows/forearms and shoulders, and you can zip in armor for the spine.  Adjustable waist, cuffs, two zippered pockets.  I don't see a name on the jacket, but the receipt says "G. Zentex Tex."  Bought for $250.      Comes with removable liner, and can be zipped onto pants.  I live on Maui, hot but not as humid as Florida.  Jacket breathes great, but will get hot in go nowhere traffic in the middle of the day.

I live in Vegas and have been wearing a First Gear mesh jacket for two years.  Recently over on ADVrider there has been some guys that took an asphalt roll with some lower quality mesh gear and show pictures of the jacket actually melting to their skin.  There is some great info over there but the short story is stay away from polyester mesh jackets and look for nylon or kevlar.  A buddy of mine just crashed his new Triumph Tiger    but was wearing an Air Mesh Kevlar jacket from these guys.

http://www.motoport.com/

He swears by it before and after crash and they have an incredible warranty.  Lots of the San Diego ADVrider guys give them props too so I may look into one for myself.  They have a short jacket that zips to pants or a 1-piece air mesh suit.  If you call they will also mail you out a fabric swatch to feel and see.  Might be worth a looksie.

You might want to check out Alpinestars new Perforated full grain leather/ Denier Fabric Jacket w/ removeable CE shoulder and elbow Armor . It's called the Neo.The Leather runs all along the back of the sleeves and shoulders and the front is the Denier Fabric plus the inside of the arms all the way from the wrist to the neck is of a corduroy mesh fabric for max air flow.There is a foam back pad but as an accessory there is a CE-RC back protector available. Pre-curved sleeves.hook and loop waist adjustment, couple of front pockets ,inside zip pocket, also has a zipout thermal liner. MSRP $299.95. You might want to look for a white colored jacket since it would be cooler than a darker color on sunny days. I just picked up a Dainese Santa Monica White perforated jacket at Moto Wheels on the web for that very reason.

i would stay with leather and try a Kokatat brand tee shirt (a kayak shirt).  it fits snugly, wicks water, etc.  Or try the the exoffico tee shirt.  it really helps keep you cool under the leather jacket.  in fact, exoffico is probably a better aplication for riding.  but worth trying both.

i just rode from houston to miami and back during bike week (which i avoided like the plague) on the S4rs.  i wore leather jacket and bohn armor under the jeans.  it was hot but the above mentioned teeshirts helped.  and given the way people drive on 95 and 75, not to mention in town, opting for leather is, in my view, is the best option.  by the way, the miami ducati dealer was extremely accommodating.  knowing i was from out of town and needed fluid changes and a gemeral ck up, they put me right in their process and had me out in no time.  a great bunch who will go out of their way to help if you are in the area and need assistance

wear the leather and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

pecos

Mine's Dianese D Tech, AWA( All Weather Ability) very comfortable.