Motoport Marathon Air Mesh Kevlar Jacket Review

[moshe_levy]

Hello All-

 

My latest video review is here, this time focusing on the Motoport Marathon. Please let me know what you think...

 

 

-MKL

[BULLman]

Nice review

[moshe_levy]

Thanks!

[Mike05]

 

It IS a great review! Nicely done.

 

I've been wearing Motoport products for years & greatly appreciate both the level of comfort & optimal protection provided.

 

Crashed my bike (2013 R1200RT 90th. Anniversary model) in March (totaled; since replaced - same bike) due to an unmarked section of ripped up pavement in Arkansas, sending me alternately tumbling and sliding down the road. Pants suffered minor but obvious damage on one knee. Sent to Motoport for repair and while at it, replaced the accent stripes on both the jacket & pants from silver to the yellow neon. Repairs & "added" stuff fairly priced & now good as new and ready for another 5 years of riding!

 

By far, the best gear I've ever owned.

[Smoky]

Good review, it works better without the sunglasses.

 

I also ride in Motoport gear and love it.

[moshe_levy]

Thanks. I'm slowly transitioning to a no sunglasses look. It makes everything take 3x as long to produce, though, because I have to memorize more things to say.

 

-MKL

[Blind Squirrel]

Good work. Your reviews keep getting better.

[moshe_levy]

Thank you Scott. Hope to have you as a subscriber.

 

-MKL

[markgoodrich]

Most detailed, informative review I've seen, of the Motoport stuff, but I still have the same question nagging at me which has kept me from pulling the trigger on a suit: Does the armor meet or exceed current CE standards? It looks great, and like another American brand, there is lots of anecdotal evidence that the armor works, but there is only one repeatable, objective test of moto armor, and if it's not been tested I always wonder why not, and retain concerns about it.

 

 

[Gene#3]

Most detailed, informative review I've seen, of the Motoport stuff, but I still have the same question nagging at me which has kept me from pulling the trigger on a suit: Does the armor meet or exceed current CE standards? It looks great, and like another American brand, there is lots of anecdotal evidence that the armor works, but there is only one repeatable, objective test of moto armor, and if it's not been tested I always wonder why not, and retain concerns about it.

 

If you check out their site closely you'll see they address your concerns in detail: http://www.motoport.com/quad-armor/

[Blind Squirrel]

Thank you Scott. Hope to have you as a subscriber.

 

-MKL

 

Done!

[Mike]

Motoport has come a long way. Many years ago, I ordered a pair of their pants . They turned out to be 2" too short, so I contacted the company for an adjustment. I sent them back and the pants came back a couple weeks later with 2" of fabric--not even matching fabric--sewn onto the bottom of each leg.

 

With all the customization now available, they seem to offer very attractive options.

[moshe_levy]

Yes. I was surprised how well the pants fit, since I ordered them sight unseen using the sizing instructions online (which are extensive!). That was around 2011. I was fitted for the jacket at their facility in San Diego, so obviously that fits perfectly.

 

-MKL

[moshe_levy]

Most detailed, informative review I've seen, of the Motoport stuff, but I still have the same question nagging at me which has kept me from pulling the trigger on a suit: Does the armor meet or exceed current CE standards? It looks great, and like another American brand, there is lots of anecdotal evidence that the armor works, but there is only one repeatable, objective test of moto armor, and if it's not been tested I always wonder why not, and retain concerns about it.

 

If you check out their site closely you'll see they address your concerns in detail: http://www.motoport.com/quad-armor/

 

In my industry (power supplies) the CE mark is little more than a defacto trade barrier. We make electronic power supplies for the US military, in service since 1966. They comply to all US military safety standards, but if you try to sell them in Europe - Boom! - stopped dead in your tracks until you have a CE consumer mark for safety. If you're a European company, the agencies will slap that sticker on based on total BS ("self certification," which basically means the manufacturer certifies that his product is compliant, and nobody actually checks anything.) If you're a foreign company (non-EU) you have to jump through hoops. 6-12 months of "testing" and 5 figure testing fees.

 

Since often we are talking about entire orders worth maybe $50-100k, that basically blows us out of the water. It's very much on purpose, to keep the homegrown stuff safe from competition.

 

The testing is bullshit (as though the US military would use unsafe product, and the EU armed forces equipment is somehow "safer.") The idea that other standards aren't equivalent (or even more stringent) is also bullshit. The way it's administered is bullshit because it's entirely to shelter Euro stuff from competition, and the final outcome is also bullshit.

 

Off the record, I've had Euro customers who want my stuff slap a CE "self certification" sticker on it and pass it to the Euro military that way. Nobody bats an eye, because French hands applied the sticker to my American hardware. Viola! It's safe now!

 

So I don't put any stock at all into CE as having any merit whatsoever.

 

-MKL

[Mike]

Most detailed, informative review I've seen, of the Motoport stuff, but I still have the same question nagging at me which has kept me from pulling the trigger on a suit: Does the armor meet or exceed current CE standards? It looks great, and like another American brand, there is lots of anecdotal evidence that the armor works, but there is only one repeatable, objective test of moto armor, and if it's not been tested I always wonder why not, and retain concerns about it.

 

If you check out their site closely you'll see they address your concerns in detail: http://www.motoport.com/quad-armor/

 

In my industry (power supplies) the CE mark is little more than a defacto trade barrier. We make electronic power supplies for the US military, in service since 1966. They comply to all US military safety standards, but if you try to sell them in Europe - Boom! - stopped dead in your tracks until you have a CE consumer mark for safety. If you're a European company, the agencies will slap that sticker on based on total BS ("self certification," which basically means the manufacturer certifies that his product is compliant, and nobody actually checks anything.) If you're a foreign company (non-EU) you have to jump through hoops. 6-12 months of "testing" and 5 figure testing fees.

 

Since often we are talking about entire orders worth maybe $50-100k, that basically blows us out of the water. It's very much on purpose, to keep the homegrown stuff safe from competition.

 

The testing is bullshit (as though the US military would use unsafe product, and the EU armed forces equipment is somehow "safer.") The idea that other standards aren't equivalent (or even more stringent) is also bullshit. The way it's administered is bullshit because it's entirely to shelter Euro stuff from competition, and the final outcome is also bullshit.

 

Off the record, I've had Euro customers who want my stuff slap a CE "self certification" sticker on it and pass it to the Euro military that way. Nobody bats an eye, because French hands applied the sticker to my American hardware. Viola! It's safe now!

 

So I don't put any stock at all into CE as having any merit whatsoever.

 

-MKL

 

A little off topic here, but I've had some peripheral contact with EU types and that's totally consistent with what I've seen. Form--and formality--over function.