Whether you’re looking to kit yourself out for the first time or treat yourself to some new riding gear, which should you choose?
If you’re into your track days and tend to ride on track rather than the road, then a one-piece leather suit is a no-brainer. Many track day providers ask that you wear a one-piece suit or a two-piece that zips together all the way round for maximum protection in the event of an accident. Should you part company with your bike at speed and slide across the floor, being a one-piece item or two pieces held together means there’s less chance of any of the clothing moving upwards, exposing any skin to friction on the Tarmac. However, if you hardly do track days and are looking for a suit that you can wear every day for commuting, leisure or touring, then a two-piece suit may be the choice for you.
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Now, we’re not here to judge. Our bike kit also shrinks magically when we’ve not worn it for a while – it happens to everyone. That being said, it’s important to choose riding kit that you’re comfortable in. You don’t want to be riding along with your mind consumed by how tight that zip is and how you can’t really breathe out properly. A one-piece suit is designed for riders who are the same/a similar size on the top and bottom – which many of us aren’t. Two-piece suits offer the added flexibility that you can choose a jacket which is a different size to the trousers – or vice versa – which makes it a lot easier to get a nice, comfortable fit for those of us who don’t have bodies like Marc Marquez.
The type of bike you ride can have an impact on what kit you may be the most comfortable in. One-piece leathers are traditionally designed to suit the needs of a sports bike rider – cut short in the body, they assume that most wearers will be in the ‘tucked’ position. So, it doesn’t take a genius to realise that you may not be terribly comfortable sitting on a naked bike with a more upright riding position in a one-piece suit. For those who have tried to stand up in one, there’s the feeling of being hunched around your shoulders – not to mention the ‘gathering’ of material in a certain area between our legs…
This point harks back to what you use your bike for the most. A two-piece suit lends itself to versatility more than a one piece. You can mix it up and wear your leather jacket with a pair of riding jeans if you’d prefer and treat the suit as separate items rather than having to be worn together all the time. And flexibility… Sometimes you may feel like a contortionist getting in and out of a one-piece suit. Designed to be a ‘second skin’, it’s important to have a good close fit, but this can make it quite difficult to get in and out of, so if you suffer from joint problems, then it might be better to choose a two-piece suit. You can’t beat heading into your local dealer and trying them on for yourself. Also bear in mind that they will loosen up – a bit like your favourite pair of worn shoes!
For many of us, a lot of rides culminate in stopping for a coffee and some cake, or fish and chips, or a bacon sandwich – you get our drift. Therefore, it may be more convenient to have a jacket that you can remove when you get to your stop, rather than having to walk round with the arms of your one-piece suit flapping around your legs and whacking into everything (we’ve all been there…). And convenience stops are more fiddly in a one-piece suit, too…
#morebikes #morekit #buyingguide #leathers #advice
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