Jacket Or Not?

[Jer]

Hello!

Newbie here.

Just got a GZ250 for commuting thru town to work and back.

Do I need a "motorcycle jacket"

Would a jean jacket be ok? I want to be safe. But I dont want to buy crap I dont need.

[Sarris]

Now you've opened a can of worms. Sick 'em guys.

LOL

:lol:

Also, use the search engine on site. This horse has been beaten to death, decomposed, and turned to dust.

[Moedad]

YES, you need a "motorcycle jacket"!! End of discussion.

[Jer]

well of course I have to ask "why"?

[Moedad]

Originally Posted by Jer

well of course I have to ask "why"?

A proper jacket will will be made of more durable material (thick enough leather, or a good textile made specifically for protection in case you go down) than denim and will have CE armor in the shoulders, elbows/forearms, back, etc. And I don't mean to sound militant about it; you're certainly free to choose to wear whatever you want or don't want. 90% of the members here will say the same thing about protective gear though. Not because they want to be part of the majority, but because it's safer.

[Jer]

What about something like this?

http://offer.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll

I worry about being too hot......

[Moedad]

Originally Posted by Jer

What about something like this?

http://offer.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll

I worry about being too hot......

Link didn't work. You're in Iowa? I know the Midwest can get pretty humid and hot. We have guys in the South even down into Florida who wear jackets. I'm in Southern California near the beach, and while it can get pretty warm in the summer here, we don't usually get the humidity that you get in much of the country. I have a Joe Rocket Meteor 5.0 jacket with lots of venting that I wear. It has a zip-out liner that I took out when I got it and haven't put it back in since. I commute to work too, but my ride is only 15-20 minutes. On summer mornings it's quite pleasant. On the way home, I'm glad it's only 15-20 minutes.

[Jer]

try this link

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... 0247440156

Yeah, mornings are ok. It'll take me 30-45min to get to work thru town.

On the way home it'll be brutal but thats not as big of a deal. I have a shower at home.

Not at work!!!!!

[patrick_777]

That's a decent jacket. I prefer mesh jackets with CE approved armor in them, but that reopens that can of worms. You should read through the Jacket threads because they already answer your questions and most posts are very thorough and well-explained.

I ride to work at 6pm, so it's usually right in the hot part of the day. In my backpack, I carry comb and some hair gel, because helmet-hair annoys me, and hats are frowned upon in my workplace.

You do have a full-face helmet, right?

[Water Warrior 2]

Originally Posted by Jer

Hello!

Newbie here.

Just got a GZ250 for commuting thru town to work and back.

Do I need a "motorcycle jacket"

Would a jean jacket be ok? I want to be safe. But I dont want to buy crap I dont need.

Yes you should have a proper jacket(your choice of course). Try on an armoured jacket at a dealer and hit your elbow with a small hammer. Now try it with a jean jacket. Now start over with your shoulders and back. You will notice quite a difference. Nuff said.