Question about Roadcrafter 1 pc

[pjripple]

Hi all. I'm getting close to pulling the trigger on buying an Aerostich Roadcrafter 1 pc. I have a question.... I have a 12RT, will the Roadcrafter roll up and fit in one of the panniers? Will it roll up with the back protector and all of the other pads? Or will I be stuck wearing/carrying the 'stich with me the whole time I'm off the bike? Any other input about the suit would be appreciated as well. I live in southern Nevada and I know the suit will be hot this time of year, but I just bought a cool vest and and am really impressed with how well it works under my Joe Rocket jacket, I'm sure it would perform well under the Roadcrafter as well. Initially, I was leaning toward going with a Motoport Ultra II Air Mesh jacket and pant combo, but I need it sooner than they can deliver (5 weeks). Thanks for your input.

[David]

I just drape mine over the bike and leave it. Or, in a sketchy area I take it with me.

 

It will fit in the sidecase, but not easily with the backprotector.

 

If you're worried, your best bet is to drape it over the bike to hide things, and then get a cable and loop it through a sleeve to the bike.

[smiller]

I live in southern Nevada and I know the suit will be hot this time of year,

Hot? We both have similar high temps (actually yours are even worse) and I would consider a suit like the 'stitch as absolutely unusable in the summer months (June-Sept.) That's been about the only thing keeping me away from one.

[mneblett]

Hi all. I'm getting close to pulling the trigger on buying an Aerostich Roadcrafter 1 pc. I have a question.... I have a 12RT, will the Roadcrafter roll up and fit in one of the panniers? Will it roll up with the back protector and all of the other pads? Or will I be stuck wearing/carrying the 'stich with me the whole time I'm off the bike? Any other input about the suit would be appreciated as well. I live in southern Nevada and I know the suit will be hot this time of year, but I just bought a cool vest and and am really impressed with how well it works under my Joe Rocket jacket, I'm sure it would perform well under the Roadcrafter as well. Initially, I was leaning toward going with a Motoport Ultra II Air Mesh jacket and pant combo, but I need it sooner than they can deliver (5 weeks). Thanks for your input.

Yes, it is tight, but it will fit. I have a 1 pc. Roadcrafter with back protector and all the pads. You have to fold it somewhat neatly to minimize the volume (like a folded blanket takes less space than a balled-up blanket), but I can get mine into the saddlebag. I put the neck at the front of the case with the suit turned outward (so the back pad is flat against the back of the saddlebag), then start folding the arms and legs inward until the octopus is contained in the cage

 

FWIW, it's easier to put in the 49L top case, which is where I usually put it.

[pjripple]

Thanks for the input. It's nice to know that it will fit in the side cases if absolutely necessary. I like the idea running a cable through the jacket...that's pretty clever. I guess that seals the deal. Now I just have to pick which color. Probably the neon yellow if my s.o. gets her way!

[elkroeger]

Hot?

 

+1 for a guy who lives that far south, I'd really stop and consider the 2pc. Up here in Seattle, in the summer, I rarely use the pants, just the jacket. I don't know how you'd do it down there, unless you're buying it for winter or some other special purpose.

 

the 2pc also fits in a sidecase. REI sells a 6' cable that's just right for running through the sleeve.... Kabletek flexweave.

[Jon_M]

Hi all. I'm getting close to pulling the trigger on buying an Aerostich Roadcrafter 1 pc.

I bought the Roadcrafter two-piece suit and have a love/hate relationship with it. It's very well made and durable, and offers as much protection as you are likely to find. On the downside, it is bulky and confining compared to some other gear, and it does not, repeat does not, vent well. From what I have heard from others, the one-piece is even harder to ventilate, so I think you will find it a real burden in the hot summer months. I live in Southern California, which has some hot days, but nothing like the sustained blast you get in Nevada. A water-cooled vest is a big help if you can get air to it, but most fairings make that difficult --as does the design of the Aerostich. It vents under the armpits and not in the front of the jacket, and that is pretty useless for a swamp-cooler type vest.

 

Having said all of that, I have hung on to my 'Stich for eight years. I've come close to dumping it and keep deciding to give it a reprieve. Just FWIW, if I absolutely had to buy new gear, I would probably go to the Olympia multi-season stuff. Reasonably priced and very cleverly designed.

 

[russell_bynum]

I live in southern Nevada and I know the suit will be hot this time of year,

Hot? We both have similar high temps (actually yours are even worse) and I would consider a suit like the 'stitch as absolutely unusable in the summer months (June-Sept.) That's been about the only thing keeping me away from one.

 

It depends on a bunch of stuff. FWIW, I've worn mine up to 116F. It was hot, but anything is going to be hot when it's 116F. With some evaporative cooling, it was fine. But...if you're stopped, things get ugly REAL fast.

 

If you're going to be doing lots of stop and go when it's hot, the stich is a bad decision. If you don't want to sweat (maybe you're commuting when it's hot and you need to get to work looking decent), then it's a bad choice. Otherwise, it's fine. My Roadcrafter is my only gear for the street, and I have no complaints. The last time I went out for a day ride, it was 103 and the heat didn't bother me at all.

 

I will note that I seem to be fairly well acclimated to our semi-desert climate (but it's a dry heat ) and the heat doesn't bother me like it does other folks.

 

 

[russell_bynum]

A water-cooled vest is a big help if you can get air to it, but most fairings make that difficult --as does the design of the Aerostich. It vents under the armpits and not in the front of the jacket, and that is pretty useless for a swamp-cooler type vest.

 

 

That's a good point to note. Currently, I ride a (nearly) naked bike...lots of air flow. I use the stock short windscreen in the full-down position on my R1100RT. The other bike I wear the Roadcrafter on, is Lisa's R1100RS (small fairing). On those bikes, I've been fine. But, if I was one of those guys who rides with a Cee Bailey +37 windscreen so that I sit in a bubble of completely still air, a Roadcrafter would be pretty miserable at anything over about 85 degrees.

 

Also...FYI, when it gets really hot, I unzip the armpit vents and the back vents. Then I bring the front zipper down a bit (maybe 6"). That seems to make the suit act as an air scoop and I get all the airflow I want. That wouldn't work well with a barn door windscreen, but was fine on my RT and works really well on the Tuono.

[RichEdwards]

Sold my RoadCrafter. Too many better choices for the heat of Florida.

[pjripple]

Sold my RoadCrafter. Too many better choices for the heat of Florida.

 

What did you go with instead? Just curious. I've got to admit that I have been looking almost exclusively at Aerostich because they are the "Gold Standard" of motorcycle gear....maybe I need to broaden my horizons a little. I don't mind dropping a chunk of change on my gear, I just don't want to be sorry about it 2 weeks later.

[RoanokeRider]

I have a 2 piece Roadcrafter and what I like about the 2 peice is that on really hot days I can slip out of the jacket even at just a gas stop and not burn up. Also when going in for just a quick cup of coffee same thing, slip out of the jacket and just wear the pants in. At a rally if it is cool or rainy in the evening you can just wear the jacket. All that being said, I still wear my Darian far more. It is just more versital then the RC. Has removeable liner, seems to vent better and certainly leaks far less then the RC in heavy rain. If I could have only one it would be the Darian. YMMV.

[Bill_Walker]

Buy some cheap Joe Rocket stuff for now and then wait for the Motoport Kevlar to show up. You'll be a happier camper.

 

I've got the Motoport Kevlar Mesh (and I have a 'stich), and while the Motoport isn't the most convenient gear I've worn, it's the most temperature-friendly. I tend to run hot, i.e., I sweat a lot in any temp over 80. The stich behind a fairing is a cooker for me. The Motoport is much better. I keep my stich for quick test runs while working on bikes, but that's all I wear it for.

 

The Motoport stuff is fiddly to put on, and the pockets are a pain to use (the openings are small to keep stuff from falling out, but the Kevlar will abrade your skin while you're getting your hand in and out), but it does flow a fair amount of air and there's no better protection.

[elkroeger]

I might disagree with some of the poor ventilation comments. Certainly it's a trade-off. Winter in Seattle, and with everything zipped up tight, there are still too many vents.

 

#1 it depends heavily on your fairing. Hot So. Cal. summers with an RT and LA traffic? Um, I'll pass. Naked bike across Nevada at 75mph? Yeah, probably.

 

Fiddling with the zippers can get you quite a bit. It may seem counterintuitive, but I don't unzip my armpit vents all the time, or all the way, usually. Open the back vent, and the collar a bit, as well as the wrists. My RS fairing allows air to run up the sleeve, in the collar, around my middle, and out back and bottom. I find that if I open the pit vents more than about 3", I get less airflow inside the jacket. A wet vest inside there also works out well for me. But like I said, it really depends on your fairing.

 

 

 

 

[NoHeat]

This morning I visited the Aerostitch store in Duluth to order a one-piece Roadcrafter.

 

It was helpful to have somebody fit me to get the right size and alterations. It was something like trying on business suits at a men's store, except that you sit on a faux motorcycle while they take the measurements.

 

It was also good to try on all their gloves. I came home with a pair of nice elkskin gloves with padded knuckles.

[RichEdwards]

What did you go with instead? Just curious.

 

I still have a Darien jacket for the rides north that I take every year. It allows much more air flow than the Roadcrafter. I can usually be found in mesh gear in Florida. I own Olympia and Revit mesh jackets, both with good armor. My mesh pants come from First Gear because they are available in tall sizes.

[NoHeat]

My mesh pants come from First Gear because they are available in tall sizes.

 

Any thoughts on the recent advrider thread on FirstGear mesh pants?

[Mark K]

This morning I visited the Aerostitch store in Duluth to order a one-piece Roadcrafter.

 

It was helpful to have somebody fit me to get the right size and alterations. It was something like trying on business suits at a men's store, except that you sit on a faux motorcycle while they take the measurements.

 

It was also good to try on all their gloves. I came home with a pair of nice elkskin gloves with padded knuckles.

 

 

Nothing like going there in person, is there?!

[Mark K]

I have a 2 piece Roadcrafter and what I like about the 2 peice is that on really hot days I can slip out of the jacket even at just a gas stop and not burn up. Also when going in for just a quick cup of coffee same thing, slip out of the jacket and just wear the pants in. At a rally if it is cool or rainy in the evening you can just wear the jacket. All that being said, I still wear my Darian far more. It is just more versital then the RC. Has removeable liner, seems to vent better and certainly leaks far less then the RC in heavy rain. If I could have only one it would be the Darian. YMMV.

 

I couldn't agree more (emphasis added). Well put!

[pjripple]

This morning I visited the Aerostitch store in Duluth to order a one-piece Roadcrafter.

 

It was helpful to have somebody fit me to get the right size and alterations. It was something like trying on business suits at a men's store, except that you sit on a faux motorcycle while they take the measurements.

 

It was also good to try on all their gloves. I came home with a pair of nice elkskin gloves with padded knuckles.

 

 

Nothing like going there in person, is there?!

 

I've been considering this myself. I'm riding back to the midwest next month, and it wouldn't be out of the question for me to shoot up to Duluth and stop by the Aerostich store and be able touch, feel, try all the different gear. I was hoping to get something before I left, but it may be wise to wait...

[NoHeat]

This morning I visited the Aerostitch store in Duluth to order a one-piece Roadcrafter.

 

It was helpful to have somebody fit me to get the right size and alterations. It was something like trying on business suits at a men's store, except that you sit on a faux motorcycle while they take the measurements.

 

It was also good to try on all their gloves. I came home with a pair of nice elkskin gloves with padded knuckles.

 

 

Nothing like going there in person, is there?!

 

I've been considering this myself. I'm riding back to the midwest next month, and it wouldn't be out of the question for me to shoot up to Duluth and stop by the Aerostich store and be able touch, feel, try all the different gear. I was hoping to get something before I left, but it may be wise to wait...

 

There are some advantages for visiting the Aerostich store in person. You can feel and try the gear, as you mention, as well as getting measured for alterations. You get a 10% discount for buying right there.

 

Another good thing about it is that bikers are welcome to stop and hang out. They have benches outside, and there is a kitchen area inside where you can probably sit and relax while drinking a soda from the machine. I enjoyed chatting with somebody who was headed west to a national park.

 

However, don't expect a lot of attentive customer service while you're in the store. It's not like shopping for gear at my local BMW dealer. It's a busy mail-order facility that happens to have a lightly-attended and slightly-disheveled salesroom in the corner. My experience (on a Tuesday morning at the beginning of August) was that you'll find yourself standing around a lot wondering if a sales person will show up, and if they do, you'll wonder when they will come back after mysteriously disappearing (maybe to attend to mail-order stuff). None of the features of the suit were explained to me, and none of the options or accessories were mentioned or described -- if I hadn't studied the catalog I wouldn't have known about them and I wouldn't have thought to ask that they be included in the suit that I ordered. Luckily they have printed catalogs sitting on the counter, so that you can examine one in lieu of talking to an attentive salesperson. There were lots of suits and gloves available to try on without requiring a salesperson, but I'm not sure what you should do about looking at the smaller items, which are under the glass counter. Since nobody was around to help, I had to step behind the counter to look at the various back protectors heaped on the floor back there to see which one might be best for me.

[Jon_M]

However, don't expect a lot of attentive customer service while you're in the store.

 

That's an interesting comment --and somewhat surprising. I guess they don't get enough ride-in traffic to justify investing a lot of time and resources in personal service. It's at odds with their general atmosphere of customer support. My suit went back and forth in the mail twice before everything was fitted properly. That was a bother, but the service was courteous and supportive and the outcome was right. From what you say, it could be a real drag if you were a walk-in customer who needed some fairly detailed modifications in the basic suit (don't we all?). I take it you would just let them get your measurements and send the suit to you later in the mail.

[mneblett]

I also drove up there to get a 1-pc Roadcrafter custom fit. I agree with the comments about the nature of the "store" (really, a convenient-for-customers adjunct to the mail-order business). It is a cluttered, reasonably-well organized space -- but I liked it for its informal, "not-a-yuppie-boutique" atmosphere.

 

I wouldn't interpret the comments above as saying their customer service is abysmal. In my case, the staff was there as much as I wanted them to be, and when I asked for help getting sized and with answers to specific questions, the folks were very helpful and pleasant, and clearly interested in helping me get what I wanted/needed. Exactly the customer experience I was looking for. They clearly understand what "customer service" is all about.

 

I'd definitely head back up there again (and I may do so soon -- I've lost enough weight that I need to sell my current suit and pick up another -- anyone interested in a 6 year-old size 50, short leg Roadcrafter?? .

[Tim Yip]

I'll throw my two cents worth in on Aerostich's in-store customer service.

 

I was there a few weeks ago. The young woman sales clerk was exceptional. She knew everything about the various Aerostich riding suits, helped us on trying the gear, explaining patiently how to do it, and exerted no sales pressure at all.

 

The other good reason to visit the store in person is you get 10-percent off all purchases, even if you order a custom-sized suit and they ship it to you weeks later. You can't complain about that!

 

FWIW.

 

Cheers.

 

Tim

[Selden]

I had all the attention I needed 3 years ago, including offers of beverages. I may have missed it in previous comments, but in addition to the 10% on-site discount, Aerostich will ship your old gear home at no charge (of course, this just gives you more incentive to buy more stuff, since you don't have to carry it on the bike).

 

Great place. I wish they weren't a thousand miles away.

[Mark K]

From what you say, it could be a real drag if you were a walk-in customer who needed some fairly detailed modifications in the basic suit (don't we all?).

 

Not exactly a walk-in, I called a week before arriving and told them the day +/- that I planned on being there. I wanted the collar replaced on my jacket. They said no problem for service while-u-wait just about any day, as long as I got there before 2:00, as the Darian sewers left mid-afternoon. The repair was made quickly. In addition (and without asking), they replaced all my zipper pulls, a handful of inside Velcro patches that were beginning to separate and added some new seal tape to some areas that were wearing from the inside.

 

I can imagine why others my have felt slighted from a service standpoint, however -- there were a lot of riders there waiting for one thing or another (like myself) as well as folks who stopped in for a break, maybe to browse, and some conversation with other riders. It would be difficult to tell who wants/needs help and those who are just hanging out or killing time.

 

I wasn't approached when I first arrived, but once I made my desires known, I was treated quite well, and was even hunted down (I was outside visiting) once my jacket was ready. It's not a great place to loiter for a couple hours, though, as it cost me another $100 in additional merchandise.

[Gnossos]

I've had a Roadcrafter, a couple of Dariens (one of them a regular, one a Lite), and two Motoport outfits. I live in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, so it was a no-brainer going up to Duluth to visit, get fitted, and have alterations to the Dariens. I bought my RC on ebay -- didn't like it, though, and it went back on ebay and disappeared pretty quickly.

 

The Dariens were good, but not great in different kinds of weather. It seems to me that they are best in temperate climes where the threat of rain is high -- they really are waterproof, and they do a good job of breaking the wind. Behind a well-faired bike (I ride an R1200RT) they don't vent nearly as well as they do on a naked bike -- I found my Darien really uncomfortable in the SW when the temperatures got much above 80 or 85. (I run hot, though!) I read about Motoport gear on ADVRider, and took the plunge, getting the right size air mesh Ultra II jacket on ebay, and stopping in to get fitted for the pants when I was down in southern California. It took a while to get used to Motoport's design -- they are stiff and bulky and a bit heavy, but their protection is second to none. And they pass plenty of air. Even when it's pretty hot, as long as the bike is moving. When you stop, though, it's a race to see how quickly you can get out of at least the jacket!

 

This summer I took what was by far the longest trip of my riding career -- 11,000 miles from MN to the SF Bay area, and then north to Vancouver, Alaska, and back to MN. The temperatures ranged from a high over 100 (near Redding) to the high 30s (several places in the Yukon Territory and in much of Alaska). It also rained -- a lot. You have to be really systematic about getting the waterproof liner in at the first hint of rain -- kind of a bitch when it comes to the pants. Also, I found that a heated Gerbings jacket liner helped immensely when it got really cool, or when it rained. The evaporative cooling on the waterproof liner chills you down, and you need the electric liner to get the temperatures comfortable. This wasn't an issue with the pants and their liner -- silk long johns worked fine. You also have to decide if you want your waterproof pants on the outside, or a waterproof liner on the inside with the pants. If you're on gravel or dirt roads, having overpants keeps the kevlar mesh ones clean when it rains.

 

In sum, I'm really impressed with the Motoport gear, and it has become my standard wear. I can get the jacket into the pannier without any trouble. I keep the pants on -- I don't wear jeans underneath, which meant that I basically wore the Ultra II mesh pants for five and a half weeks, switching to jeans only when I was in the same place for an extended time and not riding much. Oh -- the Motoport stuff still looks great. It really is built to last.

 

If you're interested in some pix of the trip, including a few of the gear, check out http://rogers-mc-trip.blogspot.com/ .

[der Wanderer]

So... the Roadcrafter is a great suit, no doubt. But at nearly $800 it is almost twice the price of an apparently equivalent Olympia Phantom. Is it worth it?

[pjripple]

Hi all. I'm getting close to pulling the trigger on buying an Aerostich Roadcrafter 1 pc.

I bought the Roadcrafter two-piece suit and have a love/hate relationship with it. It's very well made and durable, and offers as much protection as you are likely to find. On the downside, it is bulky and confining compared to some other gear, and it does not, repeat does not, vent well. From what I have heard from others, the one-piece is even harder to ventilate, so I think you will find it a real burden in the hot summer months. I live in Southern California, which has some hot days, but nothing like the sustained blast you get in Nevada. A water-cooled vest is a big help if you can get air to it, but most fairings make that difficult --as does the design of the Aerostich. It vents under the armpits and not in the front of the jacket, and that is pretty useless for a swamp-cooler type vest.

 

I think you are correct. I just got my 1pc Roadcrafter delivered today. It didn't fit quite right, but even more importantly it was hot in my air conditioned living room. So I was checking it out and it just looks like it wouldn't vent very well at all. I was really looking forward to have a great piece of gear, but I think I'm going back to the drawing board.

[Whip]

I have a 1pc and a 2pc Aerostich. I wear the RC jacket all Summer long. I use the 1pc for Winter.(I live in South Texas) I believe if your skin hits the road you'll wish you had an Aerostich.

 

 

 

 

[B-1 Pilot]

 

I think you are correct. I just got my 1pc Roadcrafter delivered today. It didn't fit quite right, but even more importantly it was hot in my air conditioned living room. So I was checking it out and it just looks like it wouldn't vent very well at all. I was really looking forward to have a great piece of gear, but I think I'm going back to the drawing board.

 

You gotta give the stich a chance to be broken into... it takes a couple weeks of riding (because of the high denier and strength of the fabric and the armor) If you can seek out riding it in the rain to help soften it up a bit and mold to your form... soon you will be able to slip it on or off in under 30 seconds.

 

When it is hot out, remember to open the armpit and back vents... I have ridden with my stich (which is black by the way) in up to 100 degree temps. I rode into work in thunderstorms and 70 degrees this morning and home in 90 degrees and sun and the suit was prefect as usual (and I wear it over my uniform most days).

 

B-1