I have an Airflow jacket, I got it last year, so I don't know offhand if it is an Airflow 2. Anyway, I like the jacket alot, it is the best ventilated jacket I've tried. I use it in NYC, where we have 95 degrees with 90% humidity, and it's bearable. Protection is decent, soft armor on forearm, elbows and shoulders, and an optional back pad. Very pricy though, as is all BMW gear. My impression is that it is well made, and again, the coolest(as in temperature) jacket I've tried.
You should also consider the Rukka air power. It is made w/ a more open cordura, has ventilated armour and comes w/ gortex liners that make it a good three season system. I don't have one, but spent some time talking to a GS rider that had come to the NW from SF area, and said the system has been great. I believe Adventure Motorcycle Gear is the distributor.
Ah, Frank at AMG is a good guy and all, but we've already spent too much money with him this year. :) The jacket is for my wife, and she needs to try it on first without a lot of shipping back and forth. I think we may have a local Rukka dealer we can check with. Thanks. Jon
I "road tested" an Airflow last year, and although I escaped without a scratch, the suit was destroyed. Their marketing is bullshit, IMO. FWIW, I would NOT buy one again.
This was about a 40mph lowside. I slid about 30 feet. The marketing crap they use compares it to leather and regular ballistic material, and in my experience it didn't live up to what their "test patches" said it would.
Here's the "flight path". This was a very minimal slide - I shudder to think what would have happened at higher speed and a longer slide. That suit is overpriced and over-hyped as far as how good the material is in abrasion resistance.
Trust me - it would. Not to mention the fact that you can get an Aerostich repaired. DAMHIK... My biggest issue is the marketing ploy they use - showing the "wear" patches from ther tests would lead one to believe (as I did) that it would hold up better than a cheaper counterpart. Well, my experience showed me that it was NOT worth what I paid for it. Yes, it flows air, but so does my $150 Joe Rocket. And it has perfed leather on those areas likely to take the most abuse.
Jon, Trophy Leathers is a "local" Rukka shop in Downers Grove. Has some inventory. Also the pig's got a Rukka. FWIW, I did a crash in my darien in the rain. Lowside, about 30-40mph. Slid about 30ft. Most of it on my leg/ass, sorta sitting up, head never NEVER hit the ground. Odd wear marks in the jacket in places I can't imagine hit the ground... While it's hard to compare crashes, the Dairen held up better than this BMW kit did. The only wear marks were from where the zippers were along my left leg. Pretty darn amazing. It did leak, and $125 later is all fixed. Nicely done, not quite like new.
As a comparison, I did a good header and slide on a kilimanjaro jacket and pants. I probably approached Crash's slide distance. You have to look real close to see the evidence. Seems to me the mesh stuff gives a false sense of security.
The stuff that went away isn't even the mesh stuff - it's their "ballistic" material. The mesh is only in the chest area. That's the same material they use in ALL of their stuff, IIRC.
Man, looking at those gear pics...you are one lucky sumbitch. If you had hit the tree instead of pyg... Sorry to harsh your buzz...but I can almost feel the pain.
