textile/mesh or leather : Yamaha R6 Forum: R6MessageNet : YZF-R6 Forums

n1cK! · 06-12-2009, 02:15 PM

so i've been doing some research, but wanted to read some more opinions. does leather truly offer more protection than textile/mesh? or is it brand/price dependent? any particular brands to stay away from? any help would be greatly appreciated

gtpenny · 06-12-2009, 06:45 PM

i was just talkin to some guy at a leather shop.. he told me the biggest reason leather is so much better is because when you get into an accident with a leather jacket, the leather slides across the street.. as opposed to fallin off your bike with mesh or textile that catches on the ground and makes you roll and bounce more and in theory creating a higher risk of breaking bones..
im sure i did a horrible job explaining that lol.. and thats just what i heard from a guy tryin to sell me a leather jacket

n1cK! · 06-13-2009, 01:32 AM

i just went to a cycle gear today and was basically told the same thing. i'm not sure if the guys there are workin' on commission, but the guy was really helpful in answering ALL my questions (which is especially helpful since i am a noob). yes, he was also leaning more toward the $300+ leather jacket, but after what i've read and the quesitons i asked, it seems the way to go for protection.

bradbox · 06-28-2009, 03:39 AM

On trackdays, you have to wear a leather jacket & trousers, so there's probably some merit in what the accessory shops are saying.

I read in a magazine that textile offers much better protection up to a certain speed, after which leather offers better protection. And that probably answers the track day issue as well.

Like most riders, I prefer leather trousers to textile on the road, together with a textile jacket for all round weather protection (especially in London, where anything can happen to the weather in the next 5 minutes).

jebova2301 · 06-28-2009, 11:47 AM

I can personally speak from experience on leather. The leather protects you very well. I was being stupid and riding slightly over 100mph when a deer ran out in front of me. I panicked and put the bike down and went sliding. I was wearing a leather jacket, and my body came away with just minor scrapes and bruises. My pants on the other hand, those were jeans. My legs didn't do as well. They had some bad cuts. Moral of the story, get quality gear. I was wearing this jacket...

http://www.leatherbull.com/product_view.asp?pid=399

It is high quality at a low price.

Taos1 · 06-30-2009, 11:07 PM

I have all 3 types. A Joe Rocket mesh, Shift M1 textile Ballstic jacket and Teknic Chicane perforated leather jacket. Luckily I never had to find out which is better protection but I prefer the leather.
The mesh is only good for those really hot and humid days. The mesh is nothing more than a long sleeve shirt with foam armor sewn in. It's only good for very low speed get-offs. Don't waste your money on mesh.
I'm in the market for a new leather jacket. Preferably the Icon Accelerant perforated jacket.

kenshin90991 · 07-02-2009, 05:12 AM

if you have money and dont live where its REALLY REALLY HOT then go with leather.

if you live in an area where its always hot a textile jacket isn't a bad idea.

i view gear more of a give and get situation. if you have money to spend and the area your riding in isnt that hot a leather jacket is best. now if you live in an area that is hot and you get comfort at the price of some of your safety.

the moral is you ride with what risks your willing to take. honestly here in the central valley it gets rather hot, not as hot as other places but pretty hot, but i find a mesh jacket perfect. its all up to your own preferences. but in the end leather does offer the best protection. sorry if my view is hard to understand

skhy85 · 07-14-2009, 01:49 AM

Leather is always the way to go for maximum protecetion. Leather will let you slide if you come off of your bike, textile will catch and tear causing you to tumble and roll increasing the likelyhood of serious injury. This is way track require leathers. If it cost you are worried about, leathers might be more costly up front but you can usually wear them again. Texiles are usually only good for one fall. As far as brand go, I am an Alpinestars fan, they hold up nicely and they are reasonably priced. I just wrote a blog about one piece leathers if you are interested in more info.
http://onepieceleathersracegear.zoxic.com

cheapshirts · 12-18-2009, 03:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skhy85

Leather is always the way to go for maximum protecetion. Leather will let you slide if you come off of your bike, textile will catch and tear causing you to tumble and roll increasing the likelyhood of serious injury. This is way track require leathers. If it cost you are worried about, leathers might be more costly up front but you can usually wear them again. Texiles are usually only good for one fall. As far as brand go, I am an Alpinestars fan, they hold up nicely and they are reasonably priced. I just wrote a blog about one piece leathers if you are interested in more info.
http://onepieceleathersracegear.zoxic.com

I starting to like this forum. Now if Tiger Woods can say out of trouble maybe I will get some work done.

n1cK! · 04-30-2010, 01:55 AM

thanks to all for the advice. i ended up getting a textile jacket, then upgraded to leather when i got back from deployment. i also ended up getting some boots and some great gloves. through the months that i have been riding, i have learned that you will only do better the more money you throw at protection rather than throwing on how fast you could make the bike go. it turns out, the bike goes plenty fast enough.