Aerostich Roadcrafter California weather daily riding two-piece or one?

Those who already have Aerostich suits, do you recommend two or one
piece?

I finally decided to ditch my 30-year old leather jacket (not only is
it too much hassle keeping a second set of dress clothes for work but
the leather seems to have 'shrunk' in the girth over the years) for my
daily 50 miles and my weekend 100 miles (on average) on the flying
brick. I'll get the Aerostich Roadcrafter instead. My question is ---
One piece or two piece?

I ride mostly in northern California, all year round, on a faired bike
(although calling a K1200RS faired is pushing the term a bit). Rain or
shine, I ride. It never gets cold in California (not like it did back
east anyway), so warmth isn't what I'm looking for. Since it never
rains from May through November here, and since rain is no big deal
anyway, I don't care for the water resistance of the heavier Darien
suit. Abrasion resistance and crash protection is all I care about
(other than fit).

Being a pragmatic man, I'll order black with black ballistics (I assume
black won't get as dirty looking as quickly). I'll also have Aerostich
tailer the size to fit. With the back and forth of the test suit that
entails, the charges will top $800 USD for the Roadcrafter one-piece
suit. My point on the cost is that the extra $75 or so for the
two-piece over the one piece is not a concern.

The concern is whether the two piece is "better" than the one piece
from the practical standpoint of use. One of my beemer buddies swears
by the two piece saying he can use the jacket on a camping trip like
the Range of Light (where he is otherwise storage-spaced stressed).
This saves him having to carry an extra jacket.

However, two other buddies equally swear by the one piece saying the
two-piece is heavier, their are extra "gussets" around the waist which
seem to collect puddles, and worse of all, the zippers on the two-piece
don't hold the pants on as they don't seem to have a locking mechanism.


All agree one should never ride sans pants anyway so the only utility
is in camp. However, and here's my dilemma, today I ride with jeans and
a jacket all the time so I'm very used to riding with just the jacket.
The two piece, for all its foibles, allows that use model.

OK, I've given you enough background (I hope) to advise me (and the
next guy who has this question when he's talking to "margaret" at
Aerostich to order in time for the September Range of Light ride.

I'm going to order this probably before the middle of the week and
unless I'm swayed by good advice here, I'll lean toward a black on
black Roadcrafter one piece.


But I'm open to suggestions (plus this will help others).
If you ride wearing Aerostich, do you prefer the one piece or two & why?

 

Both have their advantages. I can get into the one-piece far quicker than a
two piece. However, the two piece offers the mix-and-match that the one
piece doesn't. The storage part is sort of moot as the things are too large
to fit into most saddles bags. You most likely will have to wear it to
wherever and the one-piece gets kinda in the way at times in restaurants and
stores. I've had people help me pull legs off and on in parking lots while
hoping about on one leg. Makes for good moto-Karma.

You didn't say where in NorCal you are, but if you are in the Central Valley
where it gets over 100 degrees, the Stitches will become a sweltering sauna.
Then you'll need a mesh jacket too - or at least one that breathes better as
being wrapped in Teflon or Gore-Tex in 120 degrees ain't fun. Looks like
two-piece here, no?

Right now it looks like BMW has the best climate management suits out there,
but they are BMW dollars too and not tailorable like the Stitch. Gerbings
has some nice Ultra suits if you want integrated wiring and heating.
MotoPort (Cycleport) has some really heavy armored suits with Cordura or
Kevlar (which breathes pretty well I might add). I also like Kevlar suits
as they are Velcro friendly (i.e. they don't pile and fray around Velcro
like Cordura does).

Good luck. Buy both. ;o)

(...oh, my one-piece has been in the closet for several years. The
two-piece get the most use, fwiw)

B~

 

The two piece wins for versatility, and it does everything the one piece
does.
Everything that matters, that is, and more.

Plus you get more pockets.

 

.. I'll get the Aerostich Roadcrafter instead. My question is ---

Hmm.....
I have a one piece Roadcrafter, and a Darien Light Jacket. If it is hotter
than hell, I wear the Darien, with a pair of Aero pants, or leather pants
depending on the heat factor.
The Roadcrafter one piece is my main riding wear though, if it hotter than
hades, then you can pack the pockets with ice and let it evaporate. Or wear
some light under garments (long sleeved t-shirt, and long cotton pants (
check REI for great under wear stuff).
The zippered vents work well for getting a breeze going so as long as you
dress appropriately underneath, you will be comfortable.
Winter is the same in reverse, layers of REI fleece pullovers and thermal
undies are the ticket. Make sure you order on the baggy side so that you
won't have anyh binding when you move. Arm extender modifications are good
and the rear gusset if you want to have more leaning forward room.
You can get them made to unzip and remove , too, so there is some
flexiblilty.

Rain? No problem. Just ScotchGard the seams a little extra, and make sure
you get a nice even coating. Who cares about rain? Whee.
They are both great products, period. So whether you go two piece or one ,
you will be happy.
The great thing about one piece though, is that it will be more
weatherproof, and is easy to wear your work/street clothes underneath. So if
you commute like I do, you can just unzip and walk away from the suit when
you get to work.

Storage, well neither is really easy to fold up small, but I have a cable
lock that can loop through the armpits and through the bikes frame, and it
hasn't been an issue yet. I also have a Givi topcase that will hold the One
piece OK, but that only works on my BMW.
Ok, nuff said.

--
Jim Stinnett
VTR1000
R1100RS
YZF R1
http://moto-rama.com

 

Two piece. I have a one piece suit and it sucks (like wearing one
piece leathers all the time). I also got mine one size too small, so
it fits fine with jeans and a shirt but is too tight with a heated
liner on. And folks they ain't all that warm. 40 degrees minimum
without heavy gear underneath. Too hot ( poorly vented) in the summer
too -

Overrated $700 gear but nearly as tough as leathers in a crash. I went
down at the track in mine once (50-60MPH) and there was just a small
tear near the knee pad.
Bob Nixon, Chandler AZ
01 Sprint ST "RED" 50K miles

 

I've got the one-piece and love it. Seattle climate isn't so different than
North Cali, if you mean SF. If you mean Vacaville, that's different.
Anyway, for my climate, the one piece is perfect. I wish I had bought one
about 6 years ago, instead of leathers. Even on 80+ degree days, the one
piece is fine as long as I am moving more than 10 - 15 mph. Suit is
weatherproof enough for me, and comes off in a flash. If I rode more, I
might by both versions (one and two-piece), but for only having one, I thing
the one piece is great. Be sure to buy a little larger than you need (one
size up) so you can wear other stuff underneath if it does get cold out).
Their sales people can help you out with that choice -- they are excellent.

Peckham

 

I actually bought one of each so I could figure this out myself, and
since I felt the two-piece had no drawbacks, I sold the one-piece and
haven't regretted it.

I went for medium colors like blue. Black would be way too hot for me
in August. A dark color on the knees is good for hiding dirt when you
kneel down to check tire pressure.

Bonus: In fall -> spring, if I want to go out to lunch with people from
work and I need a jacket, I zip them apart instead of having to wear the
whole thing, nothing, or keeping an extra jacket at work.

Even in NorCal (SFBayArea) I find the Roadcrafter not water tight enough
for the core of the rainy season. I had crotch and leg leaks along the
zippers. At that time of year I switch to my First Gear Kilimanjarno
jacket and pants. Never a leak, never a draft, great stuff.

Ken
'91 K100rs
West San Jose
all year around

 

One would think that Aerostitch would have fixed that crotch leak by now
from all the press that issue has generated over the decades. If others
have, why not them?

One would think.......

B~

 

Wouldn't that sort of defeat the purpose of the zipper?

Al Moore
DoD 734

 

Thank you everyone for the advice. Not only does it help me make a
better informed decision, but, it helps others out there who have the
same question.

After all your input, it was basically a coin flip as to whether the
one piece or two piece Aerostich Roadcrafter was the right suit for my
conditions.

ONE PIECE PROs:
- Easier to don and doff for that daily commute
- Slightly lighter & less bulky (completely fills my right saddlebag)
- Rider's legs are always protected (if you're wearing the suit)

ONE PIECE CONs:
- It's all or nothing (you look like a spaceman at the supermart)
- You might not bother with the one-piece on a hot day short trip

TWO PIECE PROs:
- You can unzip your pants to go inside in a public place
- Slightly more pockets

TWO PIECE CONs:
- Slightly heavier & more bulky (still fits in the R saddlebag though)
- Some report the pants zipper isn't designed well (self unzips)

Since I'm in northern California (as in San Francicso), the weather
here never gets cold (I'll take the X5 to Tahoe to ski in the winter,
not the K). The coldest it drops to is barely about freezing in the
early morning just before sunup in the worst of winter, which, after
riding back east for decades in all kinds of weather is nothing
whatsoever to worry about. I'll get the Roadcrafter slightly larger so
that I can layer to keep warmer. The hands and feet are what goes first
anyway, and the suit won't help them (although the K12's heated grips
help somewhat). But most of the time it's warm as toast here so the
Roadcrafter would do where the Darien won't.

Same with rain. Some say the one piece leaks, others say the two piece
leaks so I'll conclude the Aerostich Roadcrafter is not raingear (they
never said it was). Luckily, it doesn't really rain here in the San
Francisco bay area except for a couple of winter months, and it's
pretty predictable stuff (not like the storms that blow in back east in
the middle of a sunny day). It may be interesting to note that what
these Californians call a wicked storm would barely pass for a good
sustained stiff breeze back east (but we'll leave those storm comments
for another day). I've been here a decade and I haven't seen a good
storm yet (despite panicked news reports to the contrary).

Point is, the RoadCrafter model should do fine for me over the Darien,
especially sized one size too large in the upper body (although I've
taken note of those who mentioned it was either too hot or too cold at
times). Today, Aerostich sent me a "test" suit which had the knees too
low in a riding position so I will sent it back with instructions to
"raise" the knees. I also changed the colors to a lighter color as
recommended (although if I wore yellow, they'd force me to ride in the
back of the line on the Range of Light as nobody wants to see that butt
ugly sight in front of them. While I'm well aware that black absorbs
more light energy than black, I've never seen a scientific test which
actually shows clothing to be any hotter with darker colors (I think
"Ask Cecil" proved it to be an old wives tale, if I remember
correctly). Gray with red ballistics should do just fine.

BTW, are we supposed to RIDE in the test suit from Aerostich? I did
(how else could I test it?) but I noticed it was new and I asked the
friendly operator who said they restock the test suits as new when they
get them back from us. Hmmmmmm ... interesting ... they are "almost
new" then, if you ask me.

 

One more data point for you.... I wear a red one-piece, and I've been
asked more than once at my destinations, with all seriousness, "Are you
a fireman?" They feel a little silly when they realize how different
my 'Stich is from a fireman's getup, but still....

 

OK, but what about the intelligent questions? Shirley there must be
many who want to know exactly what that space suit is? How it works
and how effective it is.

You once tried to convince me the Stich was the best value for the
dollar in riding gear available. Now since that day I have spent maybe
$800.00 (Can.) on gear that will take up all of the room in my
saddlebags and I am still not happy with it.

Hmmm does Roadcrafter take trades?
--


Don
RCOS# 7

2000 - Yamaha Venture Millennium Edition

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My one piece is black on black. It's hot but no firemen mistakes -

http://members.cox.net/bigrex/Bob_Jerome
Bob Nixon, Chandler AZ
01 Sprint ST "RED" 50K miles

 

This may be OT but a rider emailed me this link a while ago when I
complained the BMW K1200RS seat hurt my butt:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0006B08O6/102-5098626-1378518?v=glance

For your six US dollars, the ad copy promises:
"Anti-Monkey Butt Powder Anti-Friction Plus Sweat Absorber"
"Ideal for butt busting activities such as motorcycling"

Back On Topic, I wonder if Aerostich sells a blue with yellow stripes
suit?
Then I can be mistaken for a CHP riding one of those police beemers!

 

It's Here!!! Anti-Monkey Butt Powder Anti-Friction Plus Sweat Absorber

Customers who viewed this item also viewed:

'Inflatable Party Sheep'

Graves Metal Vaginal Speculum- Medium

Ha!

 

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the very definition of "too much
information".

rj

 

Windbreakers are great. I used to carry one in my saddle bags in case it
got a little chillier than what I had expected. Sometimes I would wear it
on the outside, sometimes inside. It depended on conditions. It was a
mediumm blue with a white and dark blue rally stripe down one side. That
should tell you when I bought it.

rj

 

I wear a yellow and black Phoenix jacket. I've been asked if I was a
scuba diver.

Reassembler