Adventure Bike Rider Forum

I have mainly been using leather clothing during my MC life. Best protection in case of accident. And that was what I grow up with.
But some years ago I started to use some textile clothing.
"Budget" level. Not the cheapest. But not the top end either.

But I found problems with quality.
Seems, zipper.. And level of comfort and protection.

9 month ago, I changed mindset. I wanted to buy one set of top quality gear. That would last for long time.
As long as I ride....

I looked at some alternatives. Halvarsson/Jofama/LIndstrands since I am from Sweden. (If if works in Nordic climate, it works everywhere..)
But Rukka (also Nordic but from Finland) was my choice.
Halvarsson/Jofama has been working with leather since 1946. They are still my choice for leather equipment.
https://www.malungsskinn.se/skinnfirmor ... skradderi/

I compared some models, And selected the Realer model with laminated Gore Tex. Built in protection. Even chest. (No need to buy extra pieces)
Excellent extra warm detachable down jacket. That can be used separate. Not so slim and tight model. More comfortable for me
And....

I have now used this set for 9 months. I counted the days that I have been travelling on tours lasting from 2 to 22 days, => around 60 days. And on top of that. Many one day trips... So it has been used. In all kind of conditions.

I am very satisfied with this product. I am happy that I finally invested in quality. Everything with this product is very high quality. And well designed. That you discover after extensive use,. But not in the store.

The only time I do not use it is when it is really hot. Than I use a cheaper set with bad wind protection. Or a mesh jacket.

And the leather set is still used from time to time.....

https://www.biketrollhattan.se/jackor/1 ... ilver.html

It does appear to be very good kit. I was looking at it last week at 'Infinity' near Oxford but £799 for a pair of trousers and £1795 for a jacket is too rich for me...

Yes, they are not cheap.
But those prices sounds very high.

Today's prices where I bought my set are

Jacket 12 000 SEK
Trousers 8 000 SEK

Total 20 000 SEK
=> 1 500 £ for the set

I paid 10% less last autumn
Equivalent to 1 375 £

Yes, a lot of money.
But I will use them for the rest of my life.
And I ride a lot. And plan some long trips.

(1 500 £ that is less than what most pay for accessories on their bike)

v good quality clothing is worth every penny.
when i had some dosh, a few years ago, i bought some HG leathers. They were waterproof and felt quality. I put some leather (dubbin) stuff on them and they lost their waterproofness. I gained a small amount of weight and the fit was a struggle. so don't ever think a purchase is for life, only dogs do that, and only their life, not yours lol. But congrats on getting a decent outfit.

I was only thinking a few days ago, what crap all my textile stuff is. thin, sweaty, mis shaped for some reason lol, and would be useless in a fall, poor fitting pads etc .. and not even remotely waterproof these days.

I took a trip to swansea to look at m and p stuff .. I was shocked ... not only by the different bike models now available (I am so out of date) but by the seemingly high quality textile wear on display,.. and with larger better fitting? pads. I sampled the price of some nice looking trousers .. £500 .. and walked away. Cheapo for me it is then.


ps .. even the best bike clothing is dependent on the mid layers, for comfort, heat cold etc.

In my experience with all motorcycle clothing. Leather or textile doesn't matter that much. They get dirty. They lose their waterproofness. They get spots of wear and failures. Zippers break, seams fail, pressure points get holes. Falling/crashing tears them.
You add or lose weight so that they don't fit nicely anymore.

I try to find clothing in the clearance isle at the dealer.

PS. If anyone sees Clover R9 gloves in XL, please let me know. Mine are past needing replacement but they fit so nicely. You could say that they fit like a glove.

i have been using Rukka now for the last 5 or 6 years, I buy it all from ebay. Once you get to know your size you can always find nice stuff 2nd hand. I'm euro 60 for the winter that lets me keep the liners in and wear thermal stuff underneath. I have another suit size euro 58 for the summer no liners with lots of ventilatation zips. I always buy the Gore Tex stuff with the D30 armour, it also holds it price if you look after it and wash it a couple of times a year with Nixwax that keeps the gore tex working well. I doubt I have spent a grand on the whole lot and confident I could get most of that back if i wanted to sell.

I must admit to changing my mindset about clothing a few years ago. For 7 years I had a Halvorssons suit which was really
good, except in hot weather. I would just melt... I then bought a Knox jacket that is AA rated and wear that all the the time.
If it is cold I put a fleece on top, wet goretex jacket, cold and wet.... But when it is warm I just wear the jacket or put a MX shirt on top.
The Knox jacket is a very tight and comfortable fit, and as soon as you are riding that lovely cooling wind goes right through.
Best move I ever made for more riding comfort in hot and cold weather.

I have a pair of their lower spec trousers which i have worn extensively when I received them they looked like brand new its a long story but they ended up being gratis, unsure of the model but they are gortex but not laminate, they have had no maintenance and are pretty much waterproof still, very good in anything but the very cold with a pair of base layers on dont bother with liner, very good in the warm but perhaps not the hot (UK). The stitching has split on the crotch but my shape has changed so perhaps I will let that slide, although other trousers have survived. The inner ankle seam gave up a while ago I see no reason for that other than design failure/poor quality etc. As I need short leg choice is limited for me Rukka do short legs, my conclusion overall is neutral. I also have second hand jacket and new trousers but not used either enough to offer a valid opinion.

Over the last 50 years I’ve gradually moved from full leathers onto full fabric, initially with two piece leather, then leather pants/Rukka jacket mix as a’go to’ outfit, but about ten years ago our summer touring persuaded us to buy mesh gear from Rev’it for the annual holiday..

It didn’t take long before the Rev’it jacket with their liner replaced the Rukka as my standard outfit, primarily for comfort, as I found the Rukka too heavy and restrictive.

Then earlier this year I bought a Klim Marrakesh suit, what a great outfit… comfortable, smart, and a great compromise 3 season suit. My Rev’it and Rukka suits have been sold on, and my wife’s Rukka is up for sale.

The Marrakesh is actually a mesh suit and Motolegends advice wearing a Rukka or Klim puffa type jacket under it if the weather turns cold. My problem with this is that Rukka/Klim are £300+, whereas my preferred choice was a £117 Rab Cirrus jacket with synthetic filling that retains 85% of its heat if it gets wet against virtually nothing with a duck down filling.

Time and technology moves on, and for our personal riding requirements I wouldn’t go back to Rukka.