• Welcome to the Two Wheeled Texans community! Feel free to hang out and lurk as long as you like. However, we would like to encourage you to register so that you can join the community and use the numerous features on the site. After registering, don't forget to post up an introduction!

Motoport? Anyone reviews?

Forums New posts
Wearing a vest over a high flow jacket seems like not the right decision here in Texas.... Does the yellow really get dirty that fast? I just hose my current high vis yellow fieldsheer down with some soapy water now and then. I'm not fussy.
 
Morgan Buchanan said:
Wearing a vest over a high flow jacket seems like not the right decision here in Texas.... Does the yellow really get dirty that fast? I just hose my current high vis yellow fieldsheer down with some soapy water now and then. I'm not fussy.
Click to expand...

I'm sure if you get a Motoport Hi Viz you're going to get something that looks like this:

i-rsNbHQt-M.jpg


To clarify, my jacket is black with hi viz fabric pockets. You can ask Wayne, but I don't think he sews on pockets made of air mesh kevlar.

I use my jackets off road as well as on road. Off road, the pockets get dirty really fast.

And I really don't like the look of hi viz pockets on a black jacket anymore. I'm going to get Wayne to make the jacket all black.

A whole jacket made of air mesh kevlar hi viz and used on road is another matter. Would probably be fine if not great looking too.

Your choice of colors of pocket flap and pocket color. You can have Wayne make the whole thing hi viz with no contrasting black anything if you wish.

The hi viz vest idea was for Steve only, if he needed to get on/off Lackland AFB to meet the "contrasting colors" code.
 
Yeah, I was basically thinking all high vis and I didn't enjoy 10 miles of gravel, so you could say "I don't off road a lot." LOL
 
Holy thread revival Batman!

Put my deposit down yesterday. They say they're eight weeks out on delivery. So I've got a little time to do measurements and decide on options. For the Motoport owners, anything you'd do different or wish you had added or left off? Pocket placement or deletes, hip pads, suspenders, etc.

After reading 62,572 articles and forum threads and talking to Motoport, I think I've decided on the Marathon Air Mesh jacket and the Ultra II Air Mesh pant. Add quad armor to both.

Jacket
Emergency info pocket
Left sleeve pocket
Delete chest pockets(at least the upper, maybe all)
1 1/2" yellow reflective down sleeves
1 1/2" yellow reflective across back
zipper to pants

Pants
Mesh front stretch back
zipper to jacket


Thoughts, comments, general discussion?
Anything I missed?
 
Phil, it looks like you are getting outfitted with the same Motoport setup I have. I wrote my initial review of the gear in 2012. 6 years later I am even happier with the Motorport 'investment' than I was then. I've taken numerous trips around the country and the gear still looks brand new. Not one broken zipper. Not one tear. I've had a few people mistake me for a fireman but other than that, I would buy the same setup again today.

Fortunately, I can not give a review on it's safety effectiveness. I plan to never have that review.

BTW, I ride a 2012 Super Tenere these days. Love the bike!
 
:tab Delete all upper chest pockets. They block the air flow. SNAPS or a zipper maybe would be nice on ALL pockets instead of velcro, if that is an option. My velcro is pretty much worthless, but then my suit is 11 years old.

:tab My jacket sleeves are really tight at the wrists. The adjustment strap they installed is at the most relaxed fit position. I am not sure what size wrist they thought was going to go through there on any smaller settings. I do not have unusually large wrists. It makes wearing the rain liner, thermal liner, or even a long sleeve shirt uncomfortable. You might want to take a wrist measurement and add a bit.

:tab On my pants, I put on my dirt boots and measured the circumference at the biggest part of the calf. I wanted to make sure the pants would fit over it without hanging up on it as I stood up or sat down. I also had them put in hip bone armor in the sides, which they did not do as standard back when I bought my suit.
 
Seismo said:
Phil, it looks like you are getting outfitted with the same Motoport setup I have. I wrote my initial review of the gear in 2012. 6 years later I am even happier with the Motorport 'investment' than I was then. I've taken numerous trips around the country and the gear still looks brand new. Not one broken zipper. Not one tear. I've had a few people mistake me for a fireman but other than that, I would buy the same setup again today.

Fortunately, I can not give a review on it's safety effectiveness. I plan to never have that review.

BTW, I ride a 2012 Super Tenere these days. Love the bike!
Click to expand...

Tourmeister said:
:tab Delete all upper chest pockets. They block the air flow. SNAPS or a zipper maybe would be nice on ALL pockets instead of velcro, if that is an option. My velcro is pretty much worthless, but then my suit is 11 years old.

:tab My jacket sleeves are really tight at the wrists. The adjustment strap they installed is at the most relaxed fit position. I am not sure what size wrist they thought was going to go through there on any smaller settings. I do not have unusually large wrists. It makes wearing the rain liner, thermal liner, or even a long sleeve shirt uncomfortable. You might want to take a wrist measurement and add a bit.

:tab On my pants, I put on my dirt boots and measured the circumference at the biggest part of the calf. I wanted to make sure the pants would fit over it without hanging up on it as I stood up or sat down. I also had them put in hip bone armor in the sides, which they did not do as standard back when I bought my suit.
Click to expand...


Thanks to both of you.
Hip pads are still extra. Most reviews downplay the need/effectiveness. Any additional thoughts on that?
Did you both get black? would you do it again?

I'm planning on skipping the liners and making do with what I have now as it seems most of the liner reviews are less than complimentary. Any thoughts?

Any one else care to share their experience?
 
Yes, I would skip the liners. I have both the jacket and pants liner and never use them. If it is wet I put on the Frog Togs. I have a heated liner if it gets too cold.

My jacket color is black and my pants are gray. I'd get the combo again only because I don't really care about the color.
 
Leg zippers. He put them on mine without me asking, and charged me for them, but frankly I think I'm glad he did. It makes putting boots on so much easier.
 
My zippers are full length on pants. Hip pads are a must. They argued with me, but on my very first trip I used them and was glad I had them. I was not so lucky on a prior get off and my left hip hurt to lay on in bed for almost a year!! If you don’t get them, wear those compression shorts with the hip pads. A bruised hip is not fun!

Mine was all black. At its age, it has faded a bit. I would do without liners. Rain liners inside are cold against skin, whether stopping rain or just cold wind. Over jackets work much better.
 
Ah...one more observation.

I got the zipper that connects the jacket to the pants. It is such a hassle to connect that I never use it and would not get again.

The full length zippers on the pants legs are well worth it.
 
I would not pay extra for the jacket to pants zipper unless I was going to be doing trackdays. I think most of the trackday organizations require it. Otherwise, I'd just get the 3/4 length jacket and never look back. I have the zipper on my jacket/pants and I don't think I have EVER used it, not even once, in eleven years.

When I bought my pants, the leg zippers only came up to the knee. I paid extra to have the left leg go all the way to the crotch and the right leg is full length from ankle to waist. It makes putting the pants on and taking them off, with the boots ON, MUCH easier. I like this especially for when I am camping and I want to get out of the pants at the camp site but may not want to remove my boots just yet, or I put my boots on in the morning while breaking camp but don't want to put on the pants until just before we leave. My current Klim Badland Pro pants don't have the full length zippers and I cannot put them on or take them off if I am wearing my boots. It is very annoying. Even when not camping, it is just easier to get the boots on/off when not wearing bulking riding pants.
 
Crew Chief said:
Leg zippers. He put them on mine without me asking, and charged me for them, but frankly I think I'm glad he did. It makes putting boots on so much easier.
Click to expand...

Tourmeister said:
My zippers are full length on pants. Hip pads are a must. They argued with me, but on my very first trip I used them and was glad I had them. I was not so lucky on a prior get off and my left hip hurt to lay on in bed for almost a year!! If you don’t get them, wear those compression shorts with the hip pads. A bruised hip is not fun!

Mine was all black. At its age, it has faded a bit. I would do without liners. Rain liners inside are cold against skin, whether stopping rain or just cold wind. Over jackets work much better.
Click to expand...

Tourmeister said:
I would not pay extra for the jacket to pants zipper unless I was going to be doing trackdays. I think most of the trackday organizations require it. Otherwise, I'd just get the 3/4 length jacket and never look back. I have the zipper on my jacket/pants and I don't think I have EVER used it, not even once, in eleven years.

When I bought my pants, the leg zippers only came up to the knee. I paid extra to have the left leg go all the way to the crotch and the right leg is full length from ankle to waist. It makes putting the pants on and taking them off, with the boots ON, MUCH easier. I like this especially for when I am camping and I want to get out of the pants at the camp site but may not want to remove my boots just yet, or I put my boots on in the morning while breaking camp but don't want to put on the pants until just before we leave. My current Klim Badland Pro pants don't have the full length zippers and I cannot put them on or take them off if I am wearing my boots. It is very annoying. Even when not camping, it is just easier to get the boots on/off when not wearing bulking riding pants.
Click to expand...

Glad you guys keep saying this, I thought that was the way they came since the pair I saw recently was made this way. After the protection aspect, that was actually the main selling feature in my eyes. You are talking about the overpants, right?

I'd also planned on the connecting zipper because I use it with my present gear. I doubt there are any track days in my future. I'll rethink that.
 
I have the jean type pants and only have the short zippers. I don't wear mine as overpants.
 
When I went down in Mexico west of Guadalajara/east of Mascota, I was wearing Motoport stuff. I have a couple of Wayne's jackets.
 
:tab My jacket and pants are the Air Mesh II Kevlar. Seeing that mine are 11 years old, they may have changed the standard options since then. I also had them leave off any/all logos, especially the one on the flap that covers the belt snap. I told them I would let everyone know what I was wearing ;-)

:tab One thing I REALLY like about the Motoport stuff was the coverage by the armor. My Klim gear has that D30 orange armor and it moves around a lot, especially the knee/elbow armor. If you land directly on the point of your elbow or center of your knee cap, you are probably good, but if you hit the sides of your elbow or knee, the armor does not wrap around and won't do much good. I know this from experience when I tucked the front end at low speed on an algae covered crossing on Cow Creek Road last year. I hit the inside of my right elbow, right near the funny bone, and it swelled up like a cue ball in a matter of seconds!!

:tab The Motoport armor stays put and has good coverage. The suit looks heavy and bulky, kind of like the Klim stuff, but once I have it on, I barely even notice I am wearing it, just like the Klim suit. It would be nice if the Motorport jacket had a kidney belt like the Badlands Pro jacket. That is a nice feature.
 
The only downfall is that Motoport can make you look like a giant North Korean dictator due to the functional (lack of) styling.

Especially if it’s all black
 
Most of the people that are in this thread have owned KLR's. Stylish we aint.
 
Crew Chief said:
Most of the people that are in this thread have owned KLR's. Stylish we aint.
Click to expand...

Touche!

I think I had only had my KLR for a year or so when I bought my suit. The very first time I wore the suit was the first day of a trip down to Mexico on the KLR. The very next day I got to test the suit for the first time. On the Mexico side of the border we were approaching a stop sign right near all the immigration/checkpoint offices. A border agent was doing something and right as I started using my front brake for a stop sign, he tossed a huge bucket of soapy water into the road right in front of me. He didn't even look... until he heard the sound of my bike hitting the pavement! I never even felt the hit and the suit showed no sign of any wear at all. The bike was fine. After assuring him I was fine, we carried on with the trip.

At the local biker bar I've often been asked if I was some kind of fireman or something :doh: I usually tell people I just beamed down from the Mother Ship :-P The next thing they ask is, "Aren't you hot in all that stuff!?" Then I point out that it is all mesh. They are never convinced though.
 
Thanks for all the help. I just called in options and measurements. Production date is scheduled to be June 6 so there is still time to make recommendations.
 
Tourmeister said:
At the local biker bar I've often been asked if I was some kind of fireman or something :doh: I usually tell people I just beamed down from the Mother Ship :-P The next thing they ask is, "Aren't you hot in all that stuff!?" Then I point out that it is all mesh. They are never convinced though.
Click to expand...

Those who understand will never need to be told. Others will not understand no matter how much you show them the benefits.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top