| Author | Message | ||
     F_skinner |
Does anyone have any experience with the Roadcrafter 1 or 2 piece riding suit? Likes and dislikes? Any thoughts on comparing the 1 and 2 piece? Are there cheaper alternatives? What I need is something that I can wear work clothes under (slacks, shirt and tie) that will keep me warm and goes on and off easy. I am tiered of freezing on the way to work, and need something better. TIA Frank | ||
| Aeholton |
Are there cheaper alternatives? I hear good things about Teiz. http://www.teizms.com/ | ||
| Fung |
I have the 2 piece, and really like it. I do bring a rain suit with when it looks like rain. Mine is a bit old. Tons of pocket room. | ||
| Kenm123t |
Love the aero stich suits works well in rain if you care for the suit per instructions One piece can be easier I have the two peice in hiviz Looks like the green on fire trucks ride safe | ||
| Jaimec |
Buy cheap, buy twice. I have two Aerostich Roadcrafter suits, one of which is over twenty years old. The other is now five years old. When you amortize the price over that period, they're pretty damned cheap insurance. There is nothing else on the market as versatile as a Roadcrafter suit, and the company stands behind their product like nobody else since BMC was cruelly cut down by those ****** at Harley Davidson. Andy Goldfine is in the same league as Erik Buell when it comes to enthusiasm and customer loyalty. I look forward to getting their catalogs in the mail with the same enthusiasm I used to have for Playboy (back in the day).  | ||
| Pattio |
Been wearing a 1pc Roadcrafter for over ten years. It was a big expense to buy, but the expense got me a handmade american specialty product that has served outstandingly. I sent it back in to get some zippers replaced a few years ago and its ready for ten more years! (assuming I don't crash in it- its not meant to survive multiple crashes but will sacrifice itself for me if that day comes). Yes you can wear it over work clothes- perhaps a real nice business suit would get too rumpled, but for ordinary clothes the convenience is awesome. Zip it on, you're an armored, vented, reflective motorcyclist from head-to-toe, zip it off and in ten seconds you're a civilian again. Yes there are cheaper alternatives, and I'm sure many of them are perfectly adequate (it is just a garment after all) but don't think of it as 'expensive', think of it as an investment in safety, comfort, and convenience that will pay off over a very long time. | ||
| Mikef5000 |
The problem with comparing Aerostitch to Buell, is that Buell put out a product that was better or comparatively priced to the competition. Aerostitch is double. I will most likely be buying the Teiz suit posted above. I like the serious amount of features (knee pucks!), it's as waterproof as you can get, and is fully vented for the summer and comes with a full liner for the winter. But I also looked at the Joe Rocket Survivor: http://www.compacc.com/p.cfm/c/1001004/p/24945 The Tour Master Centurion: http://www.compacc.com/p.cfm/c/1001004/p/25008 And the Fieldsheer Highlander II: http://www.sandhillspowersports.com/sandhills/Onli neStore.do?DSP=200&PCR=1:5:50010&IID=fieldsheer_hi ghland | ||
| Froggy |
I have a one piece I have been using for the last 2 years. Pros: Very high quality, lots of pockets, lots of addon goodies, waterproof (when new), tons of vents, great year round. Cons: Not enough protection. The suit only comes with shoulder, elbow, and knee protection. Thats it. You can buy optional back and hip pads, but they should be standard. Even with this, it still has less protection than a typical textile jacket and pants. It is really annoying because if a rock gets kicked up at you and hits your arm, you would feel it as if you had bare skin. It also sucks in heavy rain, as you feel every drop. I also crashed 6 times the other night, and am all bruised up now. I have gone down similarly in standard textile pants and jacket and haven't received anywhere near the amount of injury. Only other con, I haven't figured out how to re-waterproof it, I tried all the spray on and wash in crap from their website, it only helps a little, and the zipper is still the major leaking point. | ||
| Svh |
Like Pattio said: "the expense got me a handmade american specialty product that has served outstandingly" I am getting ready to order one myself after trying a buddy of mines last year. He has had his for nearly 15yrs and after sending it to them for a refresher(~$100) at year 12 the suit looks just like a brand new one. Quality American made piece. | ||
| S2pengy |
I crashed wearing an Aerostitch one piece and I believe it saved me from breaking several bones... Sent it back to the factory and it returned better than ever after a rather massive rebuild... I am a believer... | ||
| Reepicheep |
Then you ride your Buells like I ride my Enduro bike (KDX-200)!  (just kidding, I suspect you mean crash #6... but seriously Froggy, it may be time for an intervention... you need to add margin!) | ||
| Froggy |
No, I had my first 6 crashes on my Blast within 10 minutes of each other  | ||
| Drkside79 |
Froggy is looking to become the new  | ||
| Pattio |
"The problem with comparing Aerostitch to Buell, is that Buell put out a product that was better or comparatively priced to the competition. Aerostitch is double. " Just my opinion, but I don't believe the (true) fact that a similar product can be stitched together for less in Malaysia or VietNam reflects badly on the 'value' of a Roadcrafter. If Walmart sold an exact Roadcrafter replica sewn in China for $99 I would still want mine from Minnesota, thanks. I'm coming off jingoistic by stressing the country-of-origin, but my real point is that the arrival of a cheap reproduction product does not mean the original is overpriced- it just means somebody found a way to undercut. Maybe if some of those cheap suits were on the market when I bought my 'stich (they were not) I might have made a price decision and bought one, but I guess ten years has made me attached to mine (eeew...) and now I'm partisan about it. | ||
| F_skinner |
Great input everyone. Can someone comment on how they hold up in cold weather? I have been reading the reviews on the Aerostich site but have not made it half way through yet. My normal commute is only 20 miles but I am really uncomfortable below 25F. I would like something that blocks the cold so I do not have to use heated gear (beyond heated gloves). Frank | ||
| Firemanjim |
FRank, I am a big fan of their pants, not so much the jackets. No removable liner, not as much armor, collar has no padding. Bought both sets of pants on eBay for good prices(lost weight and needed smaller ones). Pants are great for ease in and out and all year around riding. I currently have a Teknic 3/4 length jacket I really like.---And it was 60.00 on eBay! | ||
| Pattio |
My normal commute is only 20 miles but I am really uncomfortable below 25F. I would like something that blocks the cold so I do not have to use heated gear (beyond heated gloves). I don't think its any warmer than any other nylon garment (except for my warm glow of jingoist smugness). The strong points are build quality, versatility, and ease of use. Aerostich themselves will tell you that the suit is not the 'best' at anything, just very good very much of the time. For temps that low, it takes a suite of stuff (good gloves, thermal skivvies, etc) to be comfortable- just the suit won't do it. | ||
| Prior |
I am an Aerostich fan, have bought other stuff and just keep coming back to Aero. Like Jim said, love the pants, jackets are pretty good, but I haven't found a better combo yet. I've got a high viz 46L for sale in the classifieds... Alex | ||
| Drkside79 |
Why not just buy a snowmobile suit. It's cheaper and you can just put your Armored jacket over it. | ||
| Froggy |
Frank, I wear my 1 piece in year round NY commuting. I also use a Gerbings heated jacket underneath and extra thick non-heated pants. I am very comfortable, in fact I bought a heat troller to turn down the jacket as its too much for putting around down, then I put it back to high for when on the slab. When spring comes, I just leave the vents closed but leave the jacket home, summer I open the vents. | ||
| Court |
You can not do better than a 1-piece Aerostich for either weather protection or crash protection. I've got some 1-piece and 2-piece. I've been wearing the 2-piece a lot lately but the 1-piece, once broken in, is tough to beat. | ||
| Jaimec |
Roadcrafter suits are NOT "winter riding suits." They are all season suits. I've worn them all winter (layered and electrified), and I've worn it riding through the Nevada desert in August (vents open). There is nothing else like it on the market. It will keep you reasonably dry in a downpour (though it will eventually leak through the zippers). I rode from Atlanta, GA to New Jersey in the pouring rain and remained warm and dry (though my K1200LT has a full fairing; would've been a lot wetter if I was on my Buell). I didn't get wet until I got stuck in traffic on the Staten Island Expressway. I've also involuntarily "crash tested" a couple of suits. Not only did my skin remain unharmed, but after sending the suits back to Aerostich for repairs you'd never know they were involved in and accident in the first place. When I wear my Aerostich, I can leave a lot of other things home (such as a rain suit, jacket, etc) and have more room to pack other stuff. The suit itself practically qualifies as "soft luggage" with all of the pockets it has built in. Again: There is nothing else like it on the market. | ||
| Brumbear |
Froggy classic Phoenecia NY 2009 Froggy sitting outside we are all eating and we are wearing our gear he has the aero on. A heard of chrome cows roll in Chromosexual says hey dude you riding a snowmobile trying to be funny Froggy says deadpan and to the point NO crickets chirp everyone looks at chromosexual wwwwwelll I'm just saying Froggy looks at dude walks away CLASSIC douche chill moment it was great | ||
| Hammer71 |
That was some funny sheet. The guys expression was the best. My 2pc Roadcrafter is the cats azz, all year round riding and no issues whatsoever. Been down with it on the last Headless Horseman run and again no issues there either (hard pressed to find where it touched down) Bear people do give a puzzled look when you come flying past them on 287 in a snowstorm. Read the f-in tank | ||
| Court |
I had an idiot at a Harley shop once ask me . . . "you dressed for winter?". My response "no, fall". Brainless mouth breather. The Aerostich is not, as Jaime says, a "winter" suit. I wore one testing all winter once and if that were my goal I'd buy a 1-piece and buy it in a size that would allow electrics under it. The best thing about Aerostich is simply the service. The folks are amazing. | ||
| Brumbear |
Yep Hammer at near a 100mph in a snowstorm that and you reaching over trying to shut my kill switch at 75mph on rt 28 got some folks out of the way you crazy bastard.  | ||
| Brumbear |
Ya know come to think of it that was some crew that day. Froggy got his head on a swivel taking pictures flying down mountain roads. That guy Walt with the tuber come to think of it he was a trooper but never did see him again though. Froggy's cousin me running off the road on the big Indian with my Italian racing slicks( BAldini's) Don and Hammer running through the Catskills like they stole the godammed bikes ... WOW!!!!!!!!! I can't wait for spring!!!!!!! | ||
| Dentguy |
I don't remember the exact words but I was having lunch with a friend and a guy asked if his Aerostich was a flight suit. He said no it's a riding suit. The guy said, oh it looks a little weird for a riding suit and asked if it was comfortable. My buddy said, it looks better and is more comfortable than a skin graft and the guy walked away without saying another word. (Message edited by dentguy on February 25, 2010) | ||
| Throttlepansy |
I was very tempted by a roadcrafter, but had heard variable reports regarding water-proofness, which is essential for me (lots of winter commuting). However, I found a very viable alternative, from Olympia Motosports, their "Phantom" suit. I got one in fluo yellow, it is easy to put on, has good armour (tested, twice...) and a removable inner liner for winter. It has loads of pockets & venting, and has been 100% waterproof in miserable UK weather. Olympia are US based http://www.olympiamotosports.com/... But it's made in China...Yer pays yer money, yer takes yer choice.... | ||
| Jaimec |
If you are REALLY expecting rain, just make sure the storm flap behind the zipper is positioned properly. That'll prevent the water from coming through for a few hours more than if it isn't. Best thing about the Roadcrafter is that if you can find a place to hang it, it dries overnight. Not much help if you're camping, but who likes setting up a tent in the rain? If you're in a motel, the next morning you'll have a dry suit to climb into. Then you can work on it getting wet all over again. I do most of my vacation riding in Atlantic Canada. It rains there. A LOT. Just ask Newfiebuell next time he's on. I've never had an issue with the Roadcrafter's waterproofness. |
