MotoPort Kevlar Products

[angellr]

Just ordered the MotoPort Kevlar Jacket/Pants. Spoke to Wayne on the phone and he was extremely helpful.

http://www.motoport.com/_product_35442/ ... lar_Jacket
http://www.motoport.com/_product_35442/ ... evlar_Pant

I must say that these items are "spendy" but will hopefully fit fairly well. They took all kinds of measurements and in the end it should be a good fit.

Anyone else have any experiences with these products?

[jreinhardt]

Bob,

I have had mine for five years now and I consider it the best riding gear I have ever owned. I have two sets - the mesh kevlar and regular kevlar.

[deilenberger]

Bob - any particular reason you got this instead of an Aerostich Roadcrafter?

Looks like a nice setup, and the pants copy the RoadCrafter 2-piece pants zipper setup (which works great..) Only thing I wouldn't be super enthused about is the zip-in liner. I've never found one of those that really fits well, and it's a PITA to have to stop to put it in. With the Roadcrafter - when it starts raining, I just reach over and close vent zippers. Of course if you do a lot of really hot riding - the zip out liner will make a big difference (the Roadcrafter does get a bit warmish above 95F..)

I'm curious - are they custom making it as far as size? What options do they offer for sizing? While RiderWarehouse does offer that on their suits, for people like me (shaped sort of like the Penguin in Batman comics) - there are still some fit problems.

[blueviewlaguna]

I bought a custom tailored MotoPort Kevlar Hong Kong police suit with the full Quad-Armor and absolutely love it. The fit, ergonomic design and hot weather/cold weather comfort has been outstanding. I spent about 4 hours with Wayne Boyer touring his manufacturing facility before I ordered and his materials, production methods and quality are absolutely tier one - its a total concept, a lot of attention is paid to the stitching methods, stitch materials and zippers so that the high-strength fabric is not defeated by joint failures.

Motoport uses the latest Dow Corning impact armor protection and it covers more of the body than any other suit I researched. During my research I found the following from Wayne on the subject:

"I'll try to explain as brief as possible about the new EN-Certified Armor.
Satra a company in England has an impact certification called EN. If you are a company in Europe and have an EN-Certified armor, that motorcycle apparel can be classified as Safety Apparel.

"Satra drops a 6" X 6" anvil from about 7 feet on armor. The resulting impact is measured. This is one way to measure impact but when a rider crashes many other factors apply that can't be evaluated by dropping an anvil on top of the armor.. Up until about 5 months ago the only armor that had an EN-Certification were made from a hard plastic. Very few riders will wear the majority of this hard plastic armor. Over the years we have found too many problems with the hard armor:
1. Impact can be magnified and transferred to another part of the body.
2. Armor is too hot, uncomfortable, heavy, must be strapped to the body to stay in place and the outer material the jacket/pant is made from is shreds, even at a low speed tumble.
The above issues in both #1 and #2 cannot be evaluated by dropping an anvil straight down on top of the armor.

"Dow Corning has developed a Silicone coated textile that absorbs impact better than any plastic or foam I've seen. This new material is called APS. (Active Protection System.) The APS is soft, comfortable to wear and is
made in an open weave. We sew the APS on our current Tri-Armor and call it Quad-Armor. Our new armor is EN-Certified.

"The back protector is a 5 layer system. (Impact requirement is higher for back armor.)

"This armor is far more comfortable, lighter and breathes better compared to all other EN-Certified Armor. The main issue is that impact is absorbed far better than any other armor in the world.





The police suit is high visibility and "official" looking - when I changed over to this gear, it had the very noticeable effect of drivers keeping their distance due to the dual high vis/unique "police" look.

Be sure to order early - usually a 4-5 week lead time.

[angellr]

Bob - any particular reason you got this instead of an Aerostich Roadcrafter?

Looks like a nice setup, and the pants copy the RoadCrafter 2-piece pants zipper setup (which works great..) Only thing I wouldn't be super enthused about is the zip-in liner. I've never found one of those that really fits well, and it's a PITA to have to stop to put it in. With the Roadcrafter - when it starts raining, I just reach over and close vent zippers. Of course if you do a lot of really hot riding - the zip out liner will make a big difference (the Roadcrafter does get a bit warmish above 95F..)

I'm curious - are they custom making it as far as size? What options do they offer for sizing? While RiderWarehouse does offer that on their suits, for people like me (shaped sort of like the Penguin in Batman comics) - there are still some fit problems.

Actually sending back the RoadCrafter 2-piece due to fit/heat issues. I live here in SLC where it gets really hot during the summer months and very cold during Spring/Fall. Feel this is a better fit/combination for me. AeroStich makes a fine product, however, just does not fit well for me. Also, the Quad Armor is something I am looking forward to having.

[Don C]

I have an older Motoport Canyon jacket, It's Cordura, not Kevlar. But it's my favorite piece of riding gear. Very durable and comfortable.

[Bheckel169]

I've had the same pants you ordered for 4 years and really like them. They are a nice fit and the liner takes care of cool days. I found with the liner on they are a bit bunchy (if that's a word) in the back where the liner zips into the pants, but it's not enough of a problem to worry about. I feel safer because I am in kevlar.
Bruce

[ShinySideUp]

I've had the Motoport mesh jacket and solid pants (both with waterproof liners) for 3 years and like them. The fabric is stiff, but once on the bike, that doesn't seem to be a problem. My neighbor says I look like RoboCop.

The best parts:
I've never been wet, even in all day drenchers.
Without the liner, the jacket feels like I'm wearing a T-shirt in hot weather. Total air flow.

So far, I've tested neither the Kevlar nor the armor and would like to keep it that way.

For everyday riding on my job, when it's not raining, I prefer the comfort of leather.

Bill

[michael Tobias]

I got one of the kevlar mesh/quad armor jackets last year.....it is a bit bulky, but then again so am I. It took a few weeks of getting used to... it really needs to break in. I will say that it is excellent in hot summer weather....mine is light grey with some hi viz patches and stripes, I am not sure whether it is my advancing age or just beginning to feel mortal but I really like the body armor. fortunately I have not had to test it. I did get the rain liner and cold weather liner. that tends to make it bulkier but they seem to work well.

the only gripe I have is that my favorite riding gloves have a gauntlet that is a bit small and hard to get up over the sleeves.

I hope you enjoy the suit and wear it for a long time without ever having to test its capabilities.

[angellr]

Been thinking of changing the colors ... since it will be a few weeks before it is made ... thoughts on Black w/HiViz accents like police jacket photos? I do like the Gray w/HiViz, however, worried that it might look dirty all of the time? I also do not intend to test out the quad-armor anytime soon!!

[theadjective]

I saw the Motoport discussion and wanted to add my own impressions. I recently took delivery of the Air mesh Kevlar jacket and the air mesh Kevlar overpants. I am extremely happy and satisfied with my investment - and it is an investment from a financial standpoint. But money well spent in my view. The build quality is outstanding. Very substantial garments that impart a feel of quality. I opted for the quad armor upgrade for both jacket and pants along with the waterproof liners and insulation for both. The fit of everything is spot-on. Be sure to give them as much measurement info as possible if you have a special build. Their staff was always helpful on the phone and I spoke to the owner-president on a couple of occaisions. In short, I feel confident and protected (as protected as you can get on a bike).


If you want to give yourself as much protection money can buy then I can highly recommend the Motoport product.

Bob
2007 Chrystal Grey R1200R

[ShinySideUp]

the only gripe I have is that my favorite riding gloves have a gauntlet that is a bit small and hard to get up over the sleeves.

I know what you mean.

Try Lee Parks deerskin gloves. The gauntlet is generous and fits over my Motoport with rain liner. I love the glove's flexibility and the phase change stuff in them conducts the heat from the grips to the backs of the fingers. They've become my favorites.

If you get them, pay close attention to how Lee says to size them. They will start snug and stretch to perfect if you follow his method, in my experience.

http://tinyurl.com/55x92

Bill

[ka5ysy]

I can also highly recommend the Motoport Airmesh II Kevlar gear. I had the unfortunate occasion to give the tri-armor a try in the pants and jacket. Works great and had no road rash despite a hard body slam to the right side that cracked four ribs. The docs that checked me out said the armor absorbed most of the hit that would have caused shattered ribs. Lee Parks gloves and my Oxtar Matrix boots protected the hands and feet, and kudos to Shoei X-11 for saving the brains and limiting the damage to a good concussion.

I did change to the quad armor when I ordered the High-Vis lime green jacket. Reason was that the black mesh, while ok for south Louisiana in the summer, it was still uncomfortably warm if stopped more than a minute or so. The High-Vis is noticeably much cooler when in direct sunlight, and is much more comfortable in 95 degree, 90 % humidity conditions we normally have.

The company is great to work with, makes superior quality safety gear, and after you ride with their stuff, anything else makes you feel positively naked in comparison. Money well spent: You get what you pay for, and a lot more