BMW Apparel?

[Promethean]

I was going through the BMW riders apparel catalog and they seem to have interesting rider gear. Does anyone use these and can attest to the quality? Would the quality and fit justify the price?

Any suggestions or comments are appreciated.

[MilesAway]

I have the ralley jacket as well as a pair of their boots. Both are top notch. There is a bit of roundel tax but they were the only ones that had what I was looking for particularly when I bot the jacket (bright colour, LOTS of ventilation, lots of reflection, lots of pockets and waterproof)

Never been disapointed.

[Bones]

I have:
1. Savanna Jacket.
2. Savanna Pants.
3. Summer Pants.

I have used the hell out of the Savanna Jacket and it has held up very, very well. It is very well made and it fits me like the BMW tailors came to my house to fit it for me. I am not in love with european zippers (backwards from regular zippers in the USA) but they work fine. The quality of the textile, reflective areas and stitching makes me feel good about it whenever I put on the jacket.

The Savanna pants are also very well made. I have worn them a fair amount, but not nearly as much as the jacket. My only issue with them is that I am thinner in the waist than the pants are and since they have a european styling (lower rise waist than some other motorcycling pants), I find them a little odd feeling when I am walking around in them...but fine when riding. The summer pants have been great. Not as robust in protection as the Savanna pants, but they tell you that ahead of time. But much safer than jeans and quite comfortable.

All in all, I think the BMW gear is of very high quality...and it should be because it is expensive. If you are looking for high quality stuff and aren't overly concerned about how much it costs, I think you will be happy with it.

Hope that helps.
Jeff

[Bones]

By the way.............

If you are looking for outstanding boots that fit the BMW riding genre, consider Vendramini Marathon boots. They cost a bit less than BMW boots, are more comfortable and have a lot of real protection (ankle armor, toe, foot bed, shin), are real leather, as waterproof as any leather boot out there. I can't say enough good about them.

Jeff

[BobFV1]

Ot's all great stuff. I have Savanna II jacket and pants, Venting Machine jacket and pants, Summer pants, and gore-tex boots. All very excellent gear. Look for sales on Savanna II gear as it has been discontinued and there may be great prices on remaining stock.

[Tripton]

I bought the club jacket last summer...then got the leather club jacket for Xmas. I dont really know what they would be like for distance stuff, but i love them for weekend trips. Seems top notch to me.

[Promethean]

Thanks gentlemen.

[Promethean]

Thanks for the info on the boots. I love the look and the reviews are great as well.

About the apparel, I was leaning toward the leathers. :D Thanks for the inputs all!

[Ed K]

Summer pants and Venting Machine jacket are great...but generally dont care for BMW boots...

[fnfalman]

I bought the Airflow II jacket. It doesn't vent as well as the Venting Machine but since that I was getting the Airflow for a lot cheaper, I went that way instead. Now I'm kicking myself in the ass for not spending the extra $100 and get the jacket I really want. The Airflow vents OK but not as good as the 100% mesh Venting Machine. I bought it late last summer so I wasn't suffering too much. We shall see how well it fares this year.

I haven't quite decided to get the Venting Machine pants or the Santiago pants. I want a textile pants that vents fairly well during the summer but also gives a bit of wind resistance in the fall and spring. In the winter, I break out my heavy leathers.

But I digress. I am very impressed with the BMW textile gears. They're made out of heavy cordura instead of cheap polyester like most of the other brands. My best friend has a set of textile from Rukka of Finland. That outfit is top notch but distributorship in the US is sorely lacking and the one guy that is the distributor was a real pain to deal with. So he took his wife to Scottsdale BMW in Arizona and got her a set of Santiago top & bottom with the Gore-Tex liner. He was very impressed with the BMW quality when compared to his Rukka gears.

[Nail24]

You guys have just gotta quit using the yuppieDINK word apparel. It's riding gear-stuff- track leathers. It runs side-by-side with the H-D boutique crap. How can you have decals (tats) and go to a Harley Boutique.:thumbs_down:

[Wild Will]

Summer pants and Venting Machine jacket are great...but generally dont care for BMW boots...

I've worn a pair of BMW boots for the last 7 years. They're still waterproof and have superior protection. The new model is called the Santiago. They come already broken in. They are by far the best boot investment I've ever made. I've replaced the steel toe kicks once, and got extra latching parts.
I think they're made in Italy by one of the big boot mfg's there. I can easily hike along the rocky river bed wearing them, in comfort.

BMW gear is very expensive, like the bikes. The quality is excellent. I crashed in my Rally Pro suit - only a small scratch on one of the patches. Nothing will prevent damage from impact.

I have two Aerostiches, 1 and 2 piece. When it's broken in (by washing) it's the most comfy unit on the market. It's stiff when new, and comes in myriad sizes, so fit it imperative. I sent mine back 3X until it worked. Easy on, easy off and great crash protection and comfort. Lighter than either of my 2 leather suits.

I have Air Flow and Rally Pro BMW suits, and Summer pants with extra armor. Both do what I want them to do. The Airflow makes a great dirt riding summer get up. The BMW suits usually (not always) have a full length sleeve zipper, which makes riding in the heat far more comfy. I won't buy another piece of riding gear without a sleeve zipper shoulder to wrist; it's that good.

The quality remains long after the thrill of a bargain. The 'Stich is the only one that can be repaired again and again. Regularly seen on track days oiut west here. I carry a rain suit with me in winter; the Gore tex on the 'Stich is irrelevent to me, as I love the protection, weight and comfort. It's like an old friend.

[dee jones]

Will , my sentiments exactly. The Stich is the all around gear. It's good for every ocassion. As matter of fact I think I'll wear my old beater stich today to run errands. Those suits last forever. When I walked into Duluth's Rider warehouse, they said they had never seen a suit so used, this suit is ugly and worn, but still works.
Denise decided it was time for a new one, and we couldn't pass up the instore price.
Will take care up there in them beautiful Caifornia redwoods. And watch out for those damn logging trucks.:020:

[Gord]

I bought the ballistic nylon (?) club jacket back in 2005. I love the look and it is quite comfy. But it is not waterproof. It is not as warm as my Alpinestars Airflow jacket. And it has this annoying fraying on the collar and the cuffs. I am not overly happy given the roundel tax I paid and the quality I received. Now I love the look of the leather Club Jacket. But at C$800 it is not worth it given my Icon Skill jacket was only $500.

(Which raises the question, when will the retail prices in Canada drop given that our dollar is now worth more than the US dollar. But that is a question for another thread.

In general, I love the look of BMW gear, but find it is over-priced. I don't feel the same way about their motorcycles though! I wonder why my double standard when it comes to buying BMW.
:icon_redface:

[Blue Mist]

I like my Santiago jacket. I have worn it for 2 seasons. With the Gore-Tex liner it is good for spring and fall. I wear a Gerbings under it, no problem. In summer I remove the liner and open the vents and it is very breezy. The neck fits me better than the Aerostich Darien did, and the Santiago is much much better in warm weather.

The only hitch is that, since the Gore-Tex is on the inside, rain gloves must be worn tucked in under that liner. In summer I have started carrying Frogg Toggs and leaving the liner at home.

It gets comments on how good its looks, too.

[Tweety1]

I have the new club jacket and the overpants, plus a silver impregnated mesh shirt. All great and top notch quality.

The BMW Zumo with traffic, all BMW dealers, and MP3 player is great with my optional 4GB SD card. Mine is also loaded with 1/4 mile advance speedcam warnings and Fodor's NA travel guide.

[Biff's R]

The BMW Goretex boots have been great for the last 4-5 years. I only wished that I had bought 2 pairs since they were $77 at the time.