Transit Suit: A Revolution In Leather

Aerostich Transit Suit

Update: My other gear hung in the closet during the 2009 season.  The Transit suit was what I wore, although sometimes I substituted my First Gear over-pants for the Transit pants.  When it was cold I wore it with the Aerostich Kanetsu Airvantage Jacket Liner (reviewed separately).

It was an especially cool and wet summer so I rarely had a chance to experience how this suit performed when the ambient temperature was above normal body temperature.  In the upper 80’s and low 90’s it was comfortable and I partially unzipped the jacket only a couple of times.

        The Transit is absolutely waterproof and windproof.  In cold, wet conditions I’d rather wear this jacket (with a heated liner) than any other I’ve ever owned or tested.  At below 40 degrees the ability to withstand wind while riding a naked bike made it practical to travel, although under these conditions the longest I rode was 4 hours.

            Cleaning bugs off the leather was easy, despite the perforated texture.  This is a heavy jacket and although remarkably flexible for new leather it will require at least another year to break in.  The pants are heavy and perfect for long days in the saddle, but not for walking around at rallies or strolling about taking in the sites.  I’d suggest buying them a size or two larger and wearing them as over-pants.  The mesh lining does make them comfortable heat-wise and the flex-panels work as they should, yet these are heavy leather pants.

            I must profess to feeling safer when wearing the Transit than anything else I’ve worn for street use.  The last time the ground caught me, my ballistic-nylon jacket felt mighty thin.

            I sorely missed having a nice large glove pocket on the jacket and those on the pants aren’t worth much except for some folded bills and a spare key.  I would like to have at least one cargo pocket on the pants.  For safety reasons, having stuff in pockets is not a good idea, but as a touring rider I like having pockets for a variety of essential items. 

            The test is over.  I have other gear.  What will I wear?  For long hard rides where I’ll cover a couple thousand miles, I’ll wear the Transit.  When the weather promises to be cold and wet or just very, very wet – the Transit.  For test riding new bikes I’ll always wear the gear that offer the greatest crash protection, i.e. the Transit.  For cruising downtown to hangout at a café and people watch – nope, I have more stylish leathers in the closet.

The Revolutionary Transit: First Impression

Reviewed by Ken Aiken for ThunderPress

The Transit leather suit from Aerostich is something quite different. Imagine a leather jacket and pants that are perfectly waterproof, absolutely windproof, and keep you up to 30-degrees cooler than regular leathers when riding in the hot sun. Fitted with TF5 military-grade foam the Transit probably offers more impact protection than anything short of competitive racing leathers or Motocross body armor. Although it contains several familiar elements, the leather material used in its construction is a state-of-the-art laminate made by W. L. Gore & Associates.

            Gore-Tex Pro Shell Leather consists of three layers: leather, Gore-Tex membrane, and nylon webbed lining. The outside is the highest quality cowhide—1.2mm thick perforated and 1.4mm thick smooth—that has been treated to resist water absorption and the use of a special dye that reflects up to 30% of the solar radiation striking it. These treatments also have the added benefit of prolonging the life of the leather. The newest Gore-Tex membrane is laminated to the inside of the leather and the seams are electronically welded to form a 100% waterproof barrier. This new membrane allows 25% more water vapor to be expelled than previous Gore-Tex products and the lamination process allows the membrane to stretch with the leather. The nylon webbed liner protects the membrane, shields the rider’s skin from leather abrasions in the event of a crash, assists air circulation within the suit, and provides a convenient means of creating pockets for armor and personal effects.

            The benefits of this new material are: 1) 100% waterproof, 2) 100% windproof, 3) reduces solar heating by 20 to 30 degrees, 3) increased pliability, 4) increased durability and abrasion resistance, and 5) prolonged life (for the leather—and possibly for the rider). The downside is that the material is expensive and it requires special techniques—i.e. higher expense--to make anything from it.

Gore-Tex has licensed only a handful of the world’s best motorcycle apparel manufacturers to use this new material and Aerostich is the only one in North America who was granted such. The Transit design comes off the drawing board of Andy Goldfine, the innovator who introduced ballistic nylon to the motorcycle-touring world. There’s no question that Gore-Tex Pro Shell is superior to conventional leather, but how well does the Transit compare against the two-piece Roadcrafter suit?

The Transit is fitted with removable TF5 armor—lots of it. Unlike conventional foams, military-grade TF foam is soft and pliable until struck. The harder it’s struck, the stiffer it becomes as it absorbs the force of the blow. Afterwards this “memory” foam returns to its previous pliable state and is ready for the next impact. I’ve bench tested TF2 foam with a five-pound hammer and (unintentionally) crash tested it on the highway. As a result I’ve become a believer in the advantages of TF armor over destructive cell foams. Not only does TF5 absorb more destructive energy than TF2, the armor used in the Transit is encased in a flexible shell that is contoured to fit the body part being protected and pockets in the nylon web lining keep the armor properly positioned.

Waterproof leather justifies the use of exceedingly high-quality waterproof zippers. The Transit has eleven of these: the primary jacket zipper, the two 28-inch-long zippers on the legs, the 14-inch long back vent, one on each wrist, the fly, and on four pockets (two on the pants; two on the jacket). Behind the long zippers are positioned 3-inch-wide storm flaps and a there’s a gusset behind the fly and cuffs. YKK zippers are used on inside vest pocket and for the heavy 18-inch rear security zipper that attaches the jacket to the pants.

            The flexibility of Gore-Tex Pro Shell leather is augmented by strategically placed panels of ballistic nylon and, on the pants, accordion-like leather panels that cover the kneecaps and back of the waist. I suspect this suit will become much more supple the longer it’s worn.

            The subtle touches that often get overlooked include soft-lined pockets, a heavy waist tab with snap, Velcro tab closures at the ankles and wrists, an adjustable waist cinch cord, and soft fabric on the inside of the collar. The large 3-inch wide by16-inch long reflective strip across the back of the jacket is a flap that covers a horizontal double zipper for the expansive rear vent--the same proven feature as found on the Darien and Roadcrafter jackets. The reflective material is also applied to the Velcro tabs on the ankle leg closure. These reflective strips are a sedate pewter color in daylight, but a transformed into brilliant white beacons when illuminated by headlights. I believe these are essential on a suit of matt black leather.

          The Darien jacket has ten expansive pockets. Coupled with those in my liner and pants I can carry—and loose track of—an incredible amount of gear. The Transit has a total of seven modest-size pockets. The Darien and Roadcrafter allow a liner –jacket, vest, heated, or not—to be zipped into place. Not so for the Transit (although I will wear an electrically heated Kanetsu AirVantage jacket liner with mine). When temperatures exceed 100 degrees I often load the huge front pockets of the Darien with ice, with the Transit I’ll be limited to using the wet tee shirt method of evaporative cooling.

         Being water and wind proof the Transit offers major protection against hypothermia. Add the new electrically heated Kanetsu and you can ride until Hell freezes over. In direct sunlight the Gore-Tex Pro Shell leather will keep you much cooler than conventional leathers and possibly a little bit cooler than ballistic nylon. Improved vapor venting of the Gore-Tex membrane and perforated leather will practically eliminate the sauna effect and greatly reduce the need for complicated venting openings (thereby retaining suit integrity in the event of a crash). Still, when ambient air temperature exceeds body temperature  (i.e. 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) evaporative cooling methods --an ice vest or wet clothing—are highly recommended and the closer humidity approaches to 100%, the less effective the Gore-Tex vapor membrane becomes. The Transit is not a jungle suit.

            The Transit doesn’t offer the crash protection of competitive racing leathers, but promises to perform better than any recreational motorcycle suit on the market – Roadcrafter included. These aren’t sexy leathers, unless you remove all the armor and buy one size too small, but the design is classic and won’t go out of style. I believe that the Transit offers a greater range of rider comfort (especially when augmented with a heated liner) than any suit on the market and the pants can be worn as jeans or as overpants. The Transit is a justifiably pricy, although it probably costs less than the deductible on your accident insurance. Regretfully the Transit is only available in standard sizes since the manufacturing process precludes custom tailoring.

The honest truth is that no comprehensive evaluation of the Transit can possibly be made until tens of thousands of miles have been logged and at least a year or two have passed. The best I can offer are my first impressions of a suit that promises to transform my riding experience.

The Transit Jacket retails for $797

The Transit Pants retail  for $697

Harley-Davidson Archive Collection reviewed by Ken Aiken

A lush coffee-table book (do people still have books displayed on coffee tables?) timed so that advance copies were made available at the unveiling of the new Harley-Davidson Museum in 2008.  Reviewed for ThunderPress, I present it here for those who may not have read that issue.

The Harley-Davidson Motor Co.: Archive Collection

Randy Leffingwell and Darwin Holmstrom

I’m reminded of the last scene in the film Raiders of the Lost Ark. The successfully recovered the Ark of the Covenant has been crated, loaded on a forklift, and the camera pans out to show a seemingly endless secret warehouse filled with similar crates that presumably hold other lost treasures of the world.  The Harley-Davidson Motor Company Archive Collection was sort of like that: a secret warehouse filled with motorcycles for every model year, special machines that have disappeared from public view, and bikes whose very existence were mere rumor.

We now know that The Motor Company has been stashing motorcycles away in secret since 1915.  That was the year in which the Davidson brothers and William Harley began saving at least one motorcycle from each model year. In 1919 they enhanced the collection by seeking out and repurchasing important motorcycles manufactured since 1903.  Months before the opening of the new Harley-Davidson Museum, Randy Leffingwell set up his photography studio in this secret warehouse within the Juneau Avenue complex and began documenting the collection. 

This lush coffee-table book might be “the gift” for Christmas 2008.  It weighs just over seven pounds and contains more lush photographs on these 407 pages than I can count.  If this tome contained nothing but Leffingwell’s photographs it would be well worth the $60 price tag.  However, the text written by Darwin Holmstrom provides so much unique information that this becomes an encyclopedia that’s absolutely essential for any collector or restorer of Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

1912 Model X-8-A

“In the summer of 2004, Archives staff cleaned this motorcycle and installed a new drive belt.  In the process of their examinations, staff members discovered that this machine has several engineering prototype features and experimental changes.  Some components appeared to be handmade.  The freewheel pivot was welded onto the frame, which had an extension welded onto it.  In addition, this vehicle has an experimental rear hub actuator, perhaps as a prototype or update for the freewheel mechanism introduced in two-speed hubs in 1914.

For 1912, the company introduced a new frame that enhanced riding comfort through an innovation it called the ‘Ful-Floteing Seat.’  This invention put some of the helical coil springs from the cushion front fork into the seat tube to provide additional compliance to the Troxel seat.  The Motor Company manufactured 545 belt-drive motorcycles in 1912, selling them for $235 apiece when equipped as this example.”

Motorcycles featured in this book begin with serial number 1.  Yes, the first motorcycle manufactured by H-D still exists and was completely restored in 1996-97.  The authors then jump to the 1906 single, followed by the 1907, and then to the only surviving example of the 1909 Model 5-D, their first V-twin. The book doesn’t document every machine in the archives, but does include many models that I’ve never seen published.

Over the years specific motorcycles have disappeared from public view only to reappear with the opening of the new Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee. The 1936 EL Record Bike on which Joe Petrali twice broke the American Straightaway Record on March 13, 1937 is one such machine. Others, like the 1981 Nova and the 1975 Model OHC-1100 Experimental, never even saw the light of day. The 1995 XL-1200 Biker Blues bike designed by Wyatt Fuller had never been publicly shown before the museum opened this summer and now joins the earlier 1994 FLSTN Fat Boy Biker Blues custom that appeared at events until 1998.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that the secret of this vast collection was a conspiracy that went far beyond the staff that lovingly maintained it. The first Buell Blast to roll off the assembly line was signed by every person involved in its design, engineering, and manufacture.  The 2003 Ultra Classic Electra Glide with sidecar that was built to commemorate the Motor Company’s 100^th birthday was dismantled, the parts sent around the world to all H-D facilities where employees signed them, and then was reassembled in Milwaukee.  There are over 10,000 signatures on the bodywork making this one of the most unique custom jobs in the world and it was never publicly displayed! I thought that three people couldn’t keep a secret unless one of them was dead, but the existence of the archive collection proves me wrong.

There are models featured with sidevans and sidecars, others as fully equipped military and police vehicles, and the servi-cars.  Road, track, and hillclimb models from different eras range from experimental and custom to championship bikes that proudly wearing “1.”  In addition to Sportsters, Fat Boys, and Glides, less-familiar models are also showcased.  Two chapters on “lightweights” include the ML-Rapido Baja; MC-65 Shortster; the M-50 and M-50 Sport; Model H Sprint; the BTH Scat; the Model B Hummer; and the S-series models. However, if these are not quite your idea of what a Harley should be, how about the D-3 golf cart or the Y-440 snowmobile?  H-D also had a line of bicycles that were produced at the closing of WWI. The Model 420 Motorcyke Tank Bicycle of 1917 doesn’t look like an antique since it fits right in with the current motorcycle-retro bicycle scene and H-D’s1918 Model 8-18 racer is a beauty even by 2008 standards. 

I think everyone has a “dream machine,” that if-price-was-no-object motorcycle model that they would choose as their perfect ride.  Mine has always been the XR-750 fitted with a café fairing and enhanced performance. After looking through this book my fidelity has been shaken by the appearance of 1977 XLCR-1000 Café Racer and I’d buy a 1994 VR-1000 in street trim if I could afford it.

The Harley-Davidson Motor Co. Archive Collection is much more than eye-candy, it’s a key reference book and essential for anyone for rides, wrenches, or writes on Harley-Davidson motorcycles . . . or ice yachts, or snowmobiles, or bicycles.

The Harley-Davidson Motor Co.: Archive Collection

Randy Leffingwell and Darwin Holmstrom, published by Motorbooks, Minneapolis, 2008

ISBN: 13-978-0-7603-3184-2

Hardcover, 407 pages

12 1/4 wide x 10 3/4 high x 1 3/4 thick

25 Years of Buell reviewed by Ken Aiken

Not long after this book was released by Whitehorse Press and reviewed by me for ThunderPress it became a classic.  Harley-Davidson announced the discontinuation of the Buell line on October 15, 2009.  The last motorcycle rolled off the production line on October 30^th.  Erik Buell has gone on to a new chapter in his history--Buell Racing—so it appears the story isn’t quite finished.  – Ken Aiken

                   25 Years of Buell                   

by Court Canfield and Dave Gess

Once upon a time there were over 200 American motorcycle marquees; then there was one.  In recent years several of these earlier brands were resurrected only to falter and fail while a handful of new ones were created. Buell is one of the later.

In 1993 Buell motorcycles made headlines when Harley-Davidson purchased 49% of the firm and the new company unleashed the S2 Thunderbolt.  The Blast became big news in 2000 when it was released as an entry-level motorcycle for beginners.  2003 saw the introduction of the XB design with fuel in the frame (instead of a tank), oil-in-the-swingarm (instead of the engine sump), and a perimeter brake with an inside-out caliper. In 2006 it was the XB12X Ulysses, a dual-sport, long-distance hauler that received rave reviews; this year it’s the 1125R with the new V-2 Helicon engine.  Behind each and every one of these models lies a wealth of engineering innovations that were often developed and tested under almost Rube Goldberg conditions.  The story behind their development is a splendid example of American ingenuity, entrepreneurial doggedness, and just plain surprises.

This business didn’t begin with those 1993 headlines and those seeking instant fame would do well to read 25 Years of Buell.  The innovations that mark these motorcycles didn’t just happen and success wasn’t achieved by simply having innovative ideas.  It’s a story about grasping opportunities, stretched purse strings, hard work and just a little bit of luck.  This book is the first comprehensive look at the birth and young life of an American motorcycle company.

Erik Buell is an entrepreneur, a craftsman, and an engineer who is best known for the motorcycle that bears his name.  While the man is not the motorcycle, the motorcycle is definitely the man.  Therefore, some of the short insider stories regarding particular “situations” in the development of these motorcycles become an insight into the man behind them.  Why the first injection-plastic part made especially for Buell motorcycles had to be created and the Tach Kit development for the M2 Cyclone are two good examples.  The short story about “Mr. Cash” and the longer one regarding the 1987 Harley-Davidson Winter Dealer Cruise illustrate how opportunities were grasped, even though that of the Buell bicycle came knocking on the door.  These are stories that almost any struggling entrepreneur can relate to.  Gearheads will be more interested in the Buell Trilogy of Technology--unsprung weight; mass centralization; and chassis rigidity—and that of Engineering Analysis. These accounts manage to emphasize the importance of Erik Buell’s vision and engineering design ideas without glorification or becoming mired in technical details.  Such restraint on the part of the authors is to be commended.

Both authors have played roles in the development of Buell as a successful company.  Court Canfield started the Buell Owners Group in 1990 and worked as an employee in customer service and media relations in the late 1990s.  Dave Gess became involved as the company’s PR agent in the mid1980s and returned as an employee a decade later in the purchasing department.  Both were volunteers before becoming employees and their personal involvement in the company makes this an insiders’ account of the first quarter century of the Erik Buell’s motorcycle business.

The story flows nicely and keeps me engaged.  The authors have not succumbed to techno jargon or delving into arcane engineering features, yet still managed to convey the innovative designs incorporated into these motorcycles. Yellow sidebars – some of these “sidebars” are full double page layouts – cover technical, production, and performance details. Photos document the history of the marquee, but many would stand on their own as motorcycle art.  All the diverse elements are arranged in a pleasing format and printed on glossy paper.  This is an example of how authorship and editorial layout can come together to produce a fine book.

25 Years of Buell

by Court Canfield and Dave Gess

Whitehorse Press, Center Conway, NH

2008

ISBN 978-1-884313-74-5

$24.95

127 pages, 8.75 x 10.25 inches, gloss paper, color photos

Aerostich Kanetsu Airadvantage Jacket Liner for Motorcycle Touring

PRODUCT REVIEW

 For the last ten years I’ve written product reviews for half a dozen motorcycle magazines and buying guides for another. I also do product testing: evaluating and reporting back to the manufacturer.  Most product reviews that are published are new releases.  Such products are news and every one wants to know about the latest and the best.  Some products require a bit more time to evaluate – like this one.  Sure, I could have made arrangements with a wholesale grocery distributor to spend an afternoon in their giant walk-in refrigerator where a fan would duplicate riding down the highway at speed, but I didn’t.  I spent a season wearing this jacket liner and testing it under actually weather conditions while riding a lot of miles.

       This blog is definitely an endorsement, but it is not an advertisement.  I’m including product numbers and prices from your convenience, not theirs.  I’ve tested the jacket liner, but not the vest.  Knowing the manufacturer I have confidence in the quality of their products, both in terms of design and manufacture, but can’t advise a rider as to whether the removable sleeve feature makes sense or not. 

Another consideration is the electrical drain.  The jacket liner delivers the heat, but it draws 75 watts to do it.  This might prove to be excessive on some motorcycles, especially if driving lights and heated handgrips are being used simultaneously.  The vest draws only 45 watts, so this becomes a technical consideration.  For consistency I tested this using the simple on/off Aerostich in-line switch, but now I’ll switch to an adjustable thermostat (which I prefer).

Kanetsu Airadvantage

I own heated gear and wear it--sometimes even in July.  Part of the reason is that I live in Canada and another is that I understand the meaning of wind chill.  Without dragging out mathematical tables and doing arcane calculations for rates of convective and evaporative cooling I know that when wind sluices over my body at 60 mph I get chilled faster than when standing still in the sunshine.  I also know that the higher you go up a mountain, the colder the air gets.  When body temperature begins to drop due to being cold for much too long –which could be 15 minutes or two hours depending on the circumstances—a process called hypothermia occurs.  Get really cold and less blood flows to the brain and even a very slight reduction in this oxygenated fluid causes the gray matter to start shutting down, beginning with judgment.   Staying warm is about more than just grandpa’s comfort level.

One of my favorite pieces of heated gear is a ten-year old Aerostich Unobtanium jacket liner. After a decade of service it continues to serve me well, but when Aerostich/Riderwearhouse came out with an all-new version I had to give it a try. This new one is called the Kanetsu Airvantage liner, and it contains a bit more heat-generating wiring in the arms, body, and collar, but the real difference is the addition of air bladders.  Air is a good insulator and it’s the principle behind thermal-pane windows, foam insulation, down sleeping bags, and air mattresses –- all of which I’m in favor of.  Just like on a life vest, there’s a little blow tube that allows air to be puffed into the inflatable bladders to create a pocket of insulating air.  Filling the bladders with air also has the advantage of fitting the garment tighter to your body so less heat escapes. The really sweet thing is that by plugging the electrical connection into a motorcycle battery the wiring in the lining heats up and, voila, the insulating pocket of air is now warm.

The concept works.  It works so well that I either plug it in or just inflate the bladders, but not both.  It would have to get very cold to simultaneously utilize both the inflated bladders AND the electric heating. For those that ride in any weather or tour long distances on a regular basis or just plain don’t like being cold, the Kanetsu Airadvantage is an improvement over conventional designs, even my cherished Unobtanium.   

The Airvantage has all the features found on the regular Kanetsu, including the three big zippered interior pockets (the vest/liner can be rolled up into the center pocket for packing or use as a pillow), one of which has the electrical connector and will hold all cords. It draws 75 watts at 5 amps; the vest version is 45 watts at 3.3 amps. It is available with BMW powerlet plug, QuiConnect 2, or good old dependable SAE and a lighted switch.

Available in three versions:

#1447 Vest $227.00

#1448 zip-off sleeves for vest $50.00

#1447 Jacket liner with heated sleeves $267.00

www.aerostich.com   800-222-1994