Hot weather experience with BMW's Rallye 3 jacket/pants... - Page 2

GSBS · 07-19-2010, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xeraux

The GoreTex™ liner for my R2P (or Savanna II or Santiago, etc.) fits in my Trailguard, just fine.

Thanks for checking!

Xeraux · 07-20-2010, 07:07 PM

Okay, took the Trailguard for a ride tonight.

It flows every bit as much air as my R2P. Since you're used to that, you know what I'm talking about.

Rootkiller · 07-20-2010, 08:35 PM

I have had a trailguard for a few months and love the venting,I have been in the
high 90's with good luck.My fully mesh jackets flowed more air but I feel it can be too much some times.

With an evaporative cooling vest , gerbing liner and a light weight rain jacket I can ride from cold long distance touring to very warm dual sport/easy single track riding with great protection.

I dig it!

GSBS · 07-21-2010, 04:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xeraux

Okay, took the Trailguard for a ride tonight.

It flows every bit as much air as my R2P. Since you're used to that, you know what I'm talking about.

That's good to hear.

GSBS · 07-21-2010, 11:37 AM

...from Sierra BMW in CA.

Nobody in the Southeast (I called dealers in Atlanta, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Nashville, Tallahassee) had anything close to my size in stock and no one I talked to seemed to really know much about the Trailguard gear.

At Sierra I talked to Suzanne and she was extremely knowledgeable about the Trailguard's features and fitment anomalies and spent lots of time walking me thru taking measurements to come up with the right fit.

It should be here next week.

Hayden · 07-21-2010, 02:18 PM

Two years ago I went from the Savannah 2 to the Comfort Shell. While I really liked the Savannah 2, with and without the liner, the Comfort Shell is the best of all worlds. I just spent two weeks riding in southern Europe with weather ranging from two straight days of 50 degree rain in Switzerland, to 85 degree days in Germany. Perfectly dry in the rain with just a light polarfleece and very comfortable in the warmer weather with the vents open. The jacket is completely waterproof and yet vents very well in the summer. Just yesterday, I rode in 105 degree heat, and while hot, the jacket vented extremely well through the vents and the material.

Since the material of the Comfort Shell is not Gore Tex or spayed with any waterproof coating, the waterproofing remains constant and there is no need for zip-in liner. Check out the BMW site for the details on the material.

Tato · 11-18-2012, 09:35 PM

So, by now there has to be a lot of RP3 jackets out there in 100+ heat!

And back to the original question, is it a good jacket for hot weather? Is that BMW material opening pores in warm weather any good, or should I go with a mesh jacket?

Thanks for your advice guys.

Hikertrash · 11-19-2012, 03:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tato

So, by now there has to be a lot of RP3 jackets out there in 100+ heat!

And back to the original question, is it a good jacket for hot weather? Is that BMW material opening pores in warm weather any good, or should I go with a mesh jacket?

Thanks for your advice guys.

Mine was comfortable in 100+ degrees when I wore a LD Comfort shirt under it. I'd wear it for any rides over an hour. For running errands around town, I still prefer my Venting Machine. We've got zero humidity here in the desert except for August, but I couldn't imagine it being comfortable to use daily in Panama.

Tato · 11-19-2012, 05:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hikertrash

Mine was comfortable in 100+ degrees when I wore a LD Comfort shirt under it. I'd wear it for any rides over an hour. For running errands around town, I still prefer my Venting Machine. We've got zero humidity here in the desert except for August, but I couldn't imagine it being comfortable to use daily in Panama.

That's the thing. Here it;s extremely hot and humid, but the weather is like that year round, so there is no need to have different jackets. So I thought maybe that would be an excuse to spend the dough on the Rallye 3. Very few people buy them down here, I thought it was the $900 price tag.

A buddy has a BMW Airflow and he doesn't even take it off when stopping for a snack. I thought about the Airshell, but the hi-viz neon yellow is too flashy for me, good fit though...

Any more people had any experience with the Rallye Pro 3?

cliffy109 · 11-19-2012, 06:52 AM

When reading this, I didn't notice that the thread was 2 years old. The next generation of Rallye jacket is coming out this spring so there should be some good deals on the Rallye3 in the next few months.

The other thing I have to contribute is about liners and high heat and humidity. I don't care what the CARE system claims. There just isn't any way to have a liner in 90+ heat with 90%+ humidity that will be comfortable. I am a commuter in Virginia and I ride almost every day. I keep looking for the magic system that will take care of heat, cold and wet all in one and it just doesn't exist. You can get close, but the need to be waterproof and comfortable in hot weather just doesn't work out.

Here are a few options to consider. There are things I have discovered over the past few years of daily commuting:

1. I know it is nice to have a matching jacket and pants, but nothing is better year round than Aerostich Darien pants. They are thin enough that using them in the hottest days of summer isn't horrible. They really are no worse than mesh pants yet are totally waterproof if you hit a sudden downpour. They are too thin in the winter but that's what heated Gerbing liners are for.

2. A waterproof outter shell is great if it has decent venting, but even that gets too much once the temps get over 85-90. I have the BMW Tourance 2 jacket which is a great 3 season jacket. The zip-in liner is thermal only. The outter shell itself is waterproof so all you need to do is close the zips when it rains. The Tourance doesn't have nearly as many vents as the Rallye jacket and if it did, it might make a good 4 season solution.

3. In the summer, I use an Airshell which is great for hot weather but requires a liner if it rains. That is a PITA. When I leave work in the summer, I check the local weather radar and have to decide if the chances of getting dumped on are high enough to warrant the extra heat that comes with the liner. It is not a pleasant trade-off.

4. I looked at the Klim Badlands jacket and it has a lot going for it. It is waterproof and has great venting and fantastic armor. It has no provision for a zip-in thermal liner which limits its usefulness. I know from experience that a Gerbing liner works best when beneath a layer of fleece or Thinsulate which means too many layers that are unconnected. To me, that makes the Badlands another 3 season jacket (spring, summer and fall but not winter).

5. A Rallye3 also has a lot going for it. If used with the Aerostich pants, it might qualify as a 4 season jacket. Stopping to put in a jacket liner isn't the worst thing in the world if it rains in the summer. The rest of the year, the liner could stay in so it really is only rainy days in the summer that it falls short of perfect for all riding conditions.

Hikertrash · 11-19-2012, 04:39 PM

Quote:

4. I looked at the Klim Badlands jacket and it has a lot going for it. It is waterproof and has great venting and fantastic armor. It has no provision for a zip-in thermal liner which limits its usefulness. I know from experience that a Gerbing liner works best when beneath a layer of fleece or Thinsulate which means too many layers that are unconnected. To me, that makes the Badlands another 3 season jacket (spring, summer and fall but not winter).

I replaced my R3 with a Klim Badlands and while it'll still be a 3 season jacket here (spring, fall, winter) I have no problems with layering. I always wear LD Comfort shirt under it and if it gets real cold, I'll throw on my W&S heater liner over that. I found the R3 no better. The R3 liner is not 100% waterproof (not goretex like R2 liner). I always had to carry a waterproof shell for rain. The R3 liner was never warm enough during winter so I always wore a fleece jacket under it before I got my heated liner. Now the Badlands is a heavy jacket, maybe a little heavier than the R3 and I haven't had it long enough to try it the summer heat, I have a feeling it's gonna be too hot for short rides around town.

Quote:

5. A Rallye3 also has a lot going for it. If used with the Aerostich pants, it might qualify as a 4 season jacket. Stopping to put in a jacket liner isn't the worst thing in the world if it rains in the summer. The rest of the year, the liner could stay in so it really is only rainy days in the summer that it falls short of perfect for all riding conditions.

I rode through a rainstorm once with the liners in and never again. It took over a day for the jacket to dry out. I purchased a rain jacket that goes over it in heavy downpours which I liked a lot better because it kept me dry. With the rain jacket I had (Revit Nitric H2O) the R3 was just about the perfect year round jacket.

'05Train · 11-20-2012, 06:55 PM

The R3 rocks.

I've got the gray/blue jacket & pants, and I've worn them up to around 112 degrees. When it's that hot, I couldn't care less about getting rained on, so I don't consider using liners. The jacket and pants vent great, and with the liners in keep me dry. I find that even with the liners in, they're too drafty for really cold weather.

I've got a pair of 'Stitch AD-1 pants, and won't wear them above 80-85 degrees; they're outrageously uncomfortable when it gets hot.

Tato · 11-21-2012, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by '05Train

The R3 rocks.

I've got the gray/blue jacket & pants, and I've worn them up to around 112 degrees. When it's that hot, I couldn't care less about getting rained on, so I don't consider using liners.

That's what I intend to do, wear the R3 without liners in 100+ degrees. I'd rather stop under a bridge or at a gas station if it rains anyway, so no need for the liners specially in that kind of heat! But is it comfortable to wear in summer, even around town in slower traffic?

My wife presented me with a Joe Rocket Ballistic 7.0 and i like it's looks, but it is unbearable to wear in traffic. And gotta take it off on every short stop on a ride. Even at night it makes me sweat! I intend to keep the R3 for a few years, so if it's comfortable, I'll get it and probably have forgotten about the price a couple of months later anyway.

cliffy109 · 11-21-2012, 06:09 AM

Nothing is "comfortable" when the temps are over 100 and you're stopped. Think about it... are you comfortable standing in the sun for 10 minutes with shorts and a t-shirt in that kind of weather? The lack of comfort when stopped in high heat (worse in high humidity as well) has nothing to do with the jacket material or even the venting. Its just friggin' HOT!

I have finally accepted that mesh is not the answer if you will be on the road for more than an hour as well. Even beyond 30 minutes and you run a risk of dehydration in a mesh suit. A well vented but not mesh suit is far preferred by the long distance riders.

Tato · 01-13-2013, 09:24 PM

BMW Venting Machine. Quite an odd name for jacket, but it really keeps cool in high temps. I read a little about it, and it is an awesome jacket, only complaint is that the fabric is rough against your neck/throat at the collar (just don't snap the closure when you zip up the jacket). You guys riding in the 90's 100's should try one, it is awesome. Good thing I gave up on the idea of the Rallye3 and got the Venting Machine.

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/bmwventsuit/

BMW is expensive but well worth it, feels strong, kinnda light but fair armor, and despite being a black jacket it keeps amazingly cool in the sun. All the silver areas in the chest, back and arms are reflective. 4 zippered pockets, 2 outside and 2 more inside. Elbow, shoulder and back armor included (BMW Airshell did not come with back armor, but has the pocket for it to be purchased separately, wtf?)

I wear a wick tshirt under it, and you even forger u r wearing a jacket!

Hot weather issue solved! Hope this tip helps someone.

07-20-2010, 07:07 PM	#17
Xeraux Archvillain Joined: Sep 2006 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Oddometer: 30,435	Okay, took the Trailguard for a ride tonight. It flows every bit as much air as my R2P. Since you're used to that, you know what I'm talking about. __________________ Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future. If, after I depart this vale, you ever remember me and have thought to please my ghost, forgive some sinner and wink your eye at some homely girl.

07-21-2010, 11:37 AM	#20
GSBS ^OP FunHog Joined: Nov 2005 Location: Blount Springs, AL Oddometer: 3,455	Just ordered the Trailguard... ...from Sierra BMW in CA. Nobody in the Southeast (I called dealers in Atlanta, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Nashville, Tallahassee) had anything close to my size in stock and no one I talked to seemed to really know much about the Trailguard gear. At Sierra I talked to Suzanne and she was extremely knowledgeable about the Trailguard's features and fitment anomalies and spent lots of time walking me thru taking measurements to come up with the right fit. It should be here next week. __________________ My book's website (Now Available) 2003 BMW F650 Dakar (Back from the Brink) 2003 Victory V92C + Velorex sidecar chassis + Harley sidecar body (Canine Chariot) 2010 WR250R (Twiggy)

07-21-2010, 02:18 PM	#21
Hayden Adventurer Joined: May 2007 Location: Roseville, Ca Oddometer: 25	How about the Comfort Shell Two years ago I went from the Savannah 2 to the Comfort Shell. While I really liked the Savannah 2, with and without the liner, the Comfort Shell is the best of all worlds. I just spent two weeks riding in southern Europe with weather ranging from two straight days of 50 degree rain in Switzerland, to 85 degree days in Germany. Perfectly dry in the rain with just a light polarfleece and very comfortable in the warmer weather with the vents open. The jacket is completely waterproof and yet vents very well in the summer. Just yesterday, I rode in 105 degree heat, and while hot, the jacket vented extremely well through the vents and the material. Since the material of the Comfort Shell is not Gore Tex or spayed with any waterproof coating, the waterproofing remains constant and there is no need for zip-in liner. Check out the BMW site for the details on the material.

11-20-2012, 06:55 PM	#27
'05Train Mind is not for rent Joined: Jun 2011 Location: Maryland Oddometer: 847	The R3 rocks. I've got the gray/blue jacket & pants, and I've worn them up to around 112 degrees. When it's that hot, I couldn't care less about getting rained on, so I don't consider using liners. The jacket and pants vent great, and with the liners in keep me dry. I find that even with the liners in, they're too drafty for really cold weather. I've got a pair of 'Stitch AD-1 pants, and won't wear them above 80-85 degrees; they're outrageously uncomfortable when it gets hot. __________________ 2005 FXSTB/I 2012 R1200GS/A

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07-20-2010, 08:35 PM	#18
Rootkiller Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Mar 2003 Location: Monroe, Washington Oddometer: 343	I have had a trailguard for a few months and love the venting,I have been in the high 90's with good luck.My fully mesh jackets flowed more air but I feel it can be too much some times. With an evaporative cooling vest , gerbing liner and a light weight rain jacket I can ride from cold long distance touring to very warm dual sport/easy single track riding with great protection. I dig it!

11-18-2012, 09:35 PM	#22
Tato Adventurer Joined: Jun 2012 Location: Panama Oddometer: 25	So, by now there has to be a lot of RP3 jackets out there in 100+ heat! And back to the original question, is it a good jacket for hot weather? Is that BMW material opening pores in warm weather any good, or should I go with a mesh jacket? Thanks for your advice guys.

11-19-2012, 06:52 AM	#25
cliffy109 Beastly Adventurer Joined: May 2009 Location: Spotsylvania, VA Oddometer: 1,283	When reading this, I didn't notice that the thread was 2 years old. The next generation of Rallye jacket is coming out this spring so there should be some good deals on the Rallye3 in the next few months. The other thing I have to contribute is about liners and high heat and humidity. I don't care what the CARE system claims. There just isn't any way to have a liner in 90+ heat with 90%+ humidity that will be comfortable. I am a commuter in Virginia and I ride almost every day. I keep looking for the magic system that will take care of heat, cold and wet all in one and it just doesn't exist. You can get close, but the need to be waterproof and comfortable in hot weather just doesn't work out. Here are a few options to consider. There are things I have discovered over the past few years of daily commuting: 1. I know it is nice to have a matching jacket and pants, but nothing is better year round than Aerostich Darien pants. They are thin enough that using them in the hottest days of summer isn't horrible. They really are no worse than mesh pants yet are totally waterproof if you hit a sudden downpour. They are too thin in the winter but that's what heated Gerbing liners are for. 2. A waterproof outter shell is great if it has decent venting, but even that gets too much once the temps get over 85-90. I have the BMW Tourance 2 jacket which is a great 3 season jacket. The zip-in liner is thermal only. The outter shell itself is waterproof so all you need to do is close the zips when it rains. The Tourance doesn't have nearly as many vents as the Rallye jacket and if it did, it might make a good 4 season solution. 3. In the summer, I use an Airshell which is great for hot weather but requires a liner if it rains. That is a PITA. When I leave work in the summer, I check the local weather radar and have to decide if the chances of getting dumped on are high enough to warrant the extra heat that comes with the liner. It is not a pleasant trade-off. 4. I looked at the Klim Badlands jacket and it has a lot going for it. It is waterproof and has great venting and fantastic armor. It has no provision for a zip-in thermal liner which limits its usefulness. I know from experience that a Gerbing liner works best when beneath a layer of fleece or Thinsulate which means too many layers that are unconnected. To me, that makes the Badlands another 3 season jacket (spring, summer and fall but not winter). 5. A Rallye3 also has a lot going for it. If used with the Aerostich pants, it might qualify as a 4 season jacket. Stopping to put in a jacket liner isn't the worst thing in the world if it rains in the summer. The rest of the year, the liner could stay in so it really is only rainy days in the summer that it falls short of perfect for all riding conditions.

11-21-2012, 06:09 AM	#29
cliffy109 Beastly Adventurer Joined: May 2009 Location: Spotsylvania, VA Oddometer: 1,283	Nothing is "comfortable" when the temps are over 100 and you're stopped. Think about it... are you comfortable standing in the sun for 10 minutes with shorts and a t-shirt in that kind of weather? The lack of comfort when stopped in high heat (worse in high humidity as well) has nothing to do with the jacket material or even the venting. Its just friggin' HOT! I have finally accepted that mesh is not the answer if you will be on the road for more than an hour as well. Even beyond 30 minutes and you run a risk of dehydration in a mesh suit. A well vented but not mesh suit is far preferred by the long distance riders.

01-13-2013, 09:24 PM	#30
Tato Adventurer Joined: Jun 2012 Location: Panama Oddometer: 25	BMW Venting Machine. Quite an odd name for jacket, but it really keeps cool in high temps. I read a little about it, and it is an awesome jacket, only complaint is that the fabric is rough against your neck/throat at the collar (just don't snap the closure when you zip up the jacket). You guys riding in the 90's 100's should try one, it is awesome. Good thing I gave up on the idea of the Rallye3 and got the Venting Machine. http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/bmwventsuit/ BMW is expensive but well worth it, feels strong, kinnda light but fair armor, and despite being a black jacket it keeps amazingly cool in the sun. All the silver areas in the chest, back and arms are reflective. 4 zippered pockets, 2 outside and 2 more inside. Elbow, shoulder and back armor included (BMW Airshell did not come with back armor, but has the pocket for it to be purchased separately, wtf?) I wear a wick tshirt under it, and you even forger u r wearing a jacket! Hot weather issue solved! Hope this tip helps someone.