I'm looking for a new textile jacket. My Frank Thomas jacket zipper no longer works, it was a piece of crap since I bought it. I just want a black jacket with little or no logo on it, I don't want to look like a walking billboard. Armor and removable liner are a must. Does Joe Rocket make a good jacket? The "Alter Ego" looks ok- http://www.cyclegear.com/spgm.cfm?L1=3&L2=&L3=&L4=&item=SUL_751-2602_G&tier2=55
Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

I bought a GX Cortech black jacket from newenough.com!
Works great and the price is right! 8)

http://www.newenough.com/browse/view_product_images/639

Did you check this thread?

http://www.honda599.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=712

+1 on shopping new enough!!! I saved alot of money getting my and my wife's gear from them. They were great, overall.

Never heard of "New Enough", looks like a good site. Thanks.
Also checked that older thread, and someone had a good idea about cutting the threads on the stitching that holds on the logos. Gonna have to try that one. :)

I am wearing the alter ego textile jacket currently. It is black with red and does have a joe rocket patch on each shoulder and one large rocket patch on your lower back. I hear ya on not wanting to look like a billboard The jacket has been great so far. You can unzip most of the textile portions of the jacket and you have a mesh jacket underneath it also comes with the zip in waterproof liner. When it is unzipped you only have textile left from your elbows to your neck and across the upper portion of your back. I have only ever taken the lower part of the arms off and that was plenty to ventilate the rest of the jacket. I get cold fast so you might need to take the rest off. My only complaints is that the velcro on the wrists are in the wrong spot to be able to close the sleeve tight. One half of the velcro is glued to a rubber tab at the wrist and on one arm it came unglued. Also the keyhole tab that cinches down the arm has started to come off. Both I have fixed but you would not expect that on a jacket you have had for four months. Cycleworks in Groton has them on hand so you could go try one on. :D

After a couple of years with a shite jacket, I did my research properly and ended up with the Ixon Sismic jacket and I have been really happy with it. It has a removable water proof layer, a removable quilted layer, venting and armour.

http://www.bikebiz.com.au/contents/media/ixon-sismicjacket.jpg

Gotta pick up my Vanson VentMax soon... ah, money to burn. :)

+1 on shopping new enough!!!

I second that and then some. I'm going with the Joe Rocket Phoenix 4.0. Last year's model but better than the 5.0 (2008 model). It has an inner pocket for storing an extra face shield for those evening rides in addition to an inner pocket for mp3 player, keys, etc.. You can get it on New Enough for $89 instead of $150 for the Phoenix 5.0! When you take the water-proof liner out, it's light-weight enough to wear in even the crap-nastiest of hot, humid southern days.

A pic:
http://www.newenough.com/image/path/6189/small/Default.jpg

I just bought two great jackets this week: Dainese Fairbanks textile for most of the year and a Vanson vent max jacket for the warmer days. I would highly recommend them both.

UPDATE: Sweet baby jesus I'm a big fan of the Phoenix 4. Not a drop of sweat on my brow, plenty of pocket space (can't even tell that you have an extra face shield in the special pocket, and still plenty-o-protection (haven't eaten it though... knock on wood).

Oh yeah and $89! :ride

That's what I'm wearing that I don't trust much. The face shield pocket is nice, though. You don't have to default to clear if you know you're going to be out past sunset...

That's what I'm wearing that I don't trust much. The face shield pocket is nice, though. You don't have to default to clear if you know you're going to be out past sunset...
I wouldn't either. The Phoenix uses some of the least protective mesh available. That's why I'm springin' for the Vanson VentMax. Might be a fair amount more expensive, but it's 1000 Denier Cordura with leather reinforcements and CE Shoulder/Elbow/Back armor.

The Phoenix uses some of the least protective mesh available.

Damnit Jim!

Damnit Jim!
Sorry, dude! Icon does the same with a lot of theirs. Least protective doesn't necessarily make it BAD. After all, we could be talking the difference between it surviving one crash or ten. One is really all you need. If it's comfortable enough that you don't skip wearing it, then it's awesome. I might recommend picking up a CE back protector, though. Fieldsheer makes one for about $20 that you can cut to fit.

I can testify that the Phoenix 4.0 jacket will protect you in a slide down the asphalt (within limits of course). I put that jacket to the test a week before memorial day weekend. I went to newenough.com to purchase a replacement jacket because I shredded the left sleeve. Better the sleeve than my skin! Yes, I got another Phoenix 4.0. It's comfortable and it will do a heck of a lot better than nothing.

I can testify that the Phoenix 4.0 jacket will protect you in a slide down the asphalt (within limits of course).
That's good to hear! Geez. Out of curiosity, how fast were you going?

I have a Shift Racing Airborne jacket, I positively love it, only gripe I have is the armor in it seems a bit bulky. I got it from motorcyclesuperstore.com for $99 + free shipping.

I'm not sure of my exact speed. I slowed for a sharp curve, but not enough it seems. I slid about 30 feet while the bike went another ten. For a short portion of that slide, I was under the bike.

The armor in the Phoenix 4.0 jacket was certainly a help. It saved me some bruising. The Phoenix 2.0 pants also did a fair job. I got a small abrasion burn under my knee. That's about it. I guess the knee armor slid up a bit. A good improvement on the pants would be some sort of attachment to the riding boots scheme.

I was able to continue riding that day. The bike itself was protected by an R&G frame slider. That needs replacing too. I've got a set on order.

I just ordered a Phoenix 4.0 from newenough in the closeout section, only $90! I had looked at the 5.0, as well as the Tourmaster Flex Air 2 for $150 but decided to go with the Phoenix. I can dress in layers when it gets cold here, I don't need the extra bulky liner that comes with the Tourmaster. I'm definitely looking forward to getting it, I hope it comes by this weekend.

Has anyone noticed the option to have newenough donate $1 to a rider group of your choosing upon checkout? I was disappointed to see that honda599.com was not on there, I think I might mention that to them. They're getting a lot of good pub on this site from what I've seen so far...

I'm not sure of my exact speed. I slowed for a sharp curve, but not enough it seems.
Glad to hear the gear did its job. Do you tuck the pants into your boots, or over the sides?

Over the sides.

I made a video about it which can be seen here:

http://www.livevideo.com/video/Fudmottin/0ECC37E5514B43769A80F9946767A5D9/fudmottin-goes-down.aspx

Doh, gotta wait till I'm at home to look.

Hmm... looks like it held up pretty well but I was hoping for a little better (I too have a Phoenix 4) considering the speed. I low-sided doing about 25-30 and the leather jacket I wear when it's not 90 degrees out has but a few scuff marks on it.

Hmm... looks like it held up pretty well but I was hoping for a little better (I too have a Phoenix 4) considering the speed.
Considering the difference in cost, it's more reasonable to think of the Phoenix as a "one time use" kinda protection. That's part of the tradeoff.

Hmm... looks like it held up pretty well but I was hoping for a little better (I too have a Phoenix 4) considering the speed.
Considering the difference in cost, it's more reasonable to think of the Phoenix as a "one time use" kinda protection. That's part of the tradeoff.
I wear a Phoenix 4 jacket and it held up very well when I went down. I was only going 25-30 MPH but there isn't a mark on the jacket.

I wear a Phoenix 4 jacket and it held up very well when I went down. I was only going 25-30 MPH but there isn't a mark on the jacket.
Glad to hear it did. Maybe a more appropriate statement would be to expect a textile jacket to save your butt once, and be happy if you can use it again. Just don't expect it. $90 jacket versus the medical costs from a moderate speed incident? Definitely worthwhile.

Very often in the area I'm at, I'll see folks rolling in badly damaged textile jackets. Sleeves ripped halfway off, etc. Eesh.

Only the left sleeve on the jacket got ripped up. I *was* under the bike for a portion of the slide. The clutch lever trapped my hand, so my forearm had the load of the front of the bike pushing it into the road for a portion of the slide. The elbow guard extended far enough down to keep my elbow and forearm from getting hurt. I had the waterproof liner in at the time and it is still fully intact.

Every crash is probably at least a little bit different. I don't think I've gone down the same way twice. I'm getting really good at falling down.

I'm getting really good at falling down.
And obviously pretty damn good at getting back up, too. :thumbsup

Maybe a more appropriate statement would be to expect a textile jacket to save your butt once, and be happy if you can use it again.
I'm ok with that. Does that mean that everyone who spends $250 on a textile jacket expects to go down 3-4 times.... :wink:

I'm going to error on the side of ridding in a manner where I expect NOT to go down (although I have in the past). When in doubt, slow it down into the turn. If you're too slow, it just means you can really hammer it on the way out.

I'm going to error on the side of ridding in a manner where I expect NOT to go down (although I have in the past). When in doubt, slow it down into the turn. If you're too slow, it just means you can really hammer it on the way out.
Safe riding will do a hell of a lot more for you in the grand scheme than dropping an extra $100 on a jacket. Sadly, that logic doesn't stop me. Picked up the Vanson Vent Max 3 last night. :oops:

Just had a coworker come in, see the jacket, and say, "Gosh, aren't you hot in a jacket? I am. I'd rather ride without one. Other than your head, they can fix anything." It's hard to keep a straight face when the guy saying this nearly had his arm ripped off in an unprotected accident.

Another coworker: "Oh, you must ride a sportbike."... "You don't need all that stuff on a cruiser." Wow.

Another coworker: "Oh, you must ride a sportbike."... "You don't need all that stuff on a cruiser." Wow.
Yeah aren't those things un-crashable? Yeah, it's 'cause they hover.. and have tentacles. :lol: Jesus people are morons some times.

I had a friend tell me I didn't need gear on my 450 because it was a small bike.

If your going 75 on a 450 nighthawk or a cbr 1000rr and you come off the results aren't going to be too different. :roll:

You obviously haven't priced a CBR recently.

Ordered a Phoenix 4.0 from newenough on Tuesday, and it was sitting on my doorstep on Thursday evening...well actually my neighbor's doorstep (stupid Fedex). But anyways, time to test it out today. It's not even noon yet and I'm dripping with sweat just from applying my new tank pad! Time to hit the open road and see how this thing breathes.

Verdict: It breathes well and I'm sure it would be perfect in 80 degree DRY heat...but it doesn't handle humidity very well. It's still comfortable enough that I'll wear it as opposed to nothing, not much you can do when it's humid anyways.

You obviously haven't priced a CBR recently.

I meant skin ripping off wise.

Verdict: It breathes well and I'm sure it would be perfect in 80 degree DRY heat...but it doesn't handle humidity very well. It's still comfortable enough that I'll wear it as opposed to nothing, not much you can do when it's humid anyways.

Come on dude... it doesn't get that humid in Iowa that often!

Verdict: It breathes well and I'm sure it would be perfect in 80 degree DRY heat...but it doesn't handle humidity very well. It's still comfortable enough that I'll wear it as opposed to nothing, not much you can do when it's humid anyways.

Come on dude... it doesn't get that humid in Iowa that often!

You're joking, right?

Well in all fairness, we do live in the land of 99% RH... :lol: