Need leathers. Recommendations?

[dom_911]

Afternoon all,

I'm looking to get a suit (two piece leathers with zip that comes round most of the waist) so that it can be used on tracks, but is also flexible and can be
used individually i.e. jacket only, and was wondering what companies people would recommend? Crowtree seem good value for money starting at £495, but I don't
want to travel up to Lincolnshire to get it and don't think there is much point in getting made-to-measure and then measuring myself.

If it makes any difference, I'm 5'11" and fairly well built and yes, I will be getting out to try some suits on, but would just like some opinions to narrow my search down.

BKS have a v.nice suit builder on their web-site, but I then looked at their prices and thought that £1100 odd pounds was a bit more than I was planning to spend.
I have also decided that I don't want to go to the bother of made-to-measure suits as

A) I'll change shape as soon as I wriggle into them for the first time and the price premium will no longer be justified, and
B) Neither Crowtree or BKS are conveniently located.

Also, does anyone know the web address of that company that specialises in last years products? Because to be honest I'll be keeping the suit for years anyway and therefore don't care if the design isn't beeding edge.

Cheers.

P.S. I know that this topic has kind of been done before, but the thread that I found was more what people owned than what people knew to be good. Not that anyone would intentionally buy crap.

[pesty]

Ive got an Alpinestars 2 piece and if I could get away with it I'd wear it everywhere I went

never tested its protective qualites but always gets good write ups

have a look at Spidi factory jacket that seems to have really good protection and looks cool as as well best of both worlds

[bikerkeith]

Try MW leather of East Ham. I know several people who got their leathers from MW, they also do lots of race leathers. If you trust your skin to them when racing, that sounds like a fair recommendation.

[a j]

Dom

I have a Carrara suit, they are off the peg and hand made and are very good, they wre in Royston, Herts. I've crashed in mine several times and they have loads of wear left. Search their name and you'll get their site.

If you want last years, J&S in new malden (i believe they have other shops) do loads and cheap too. I have to say in my limited experiance that using two piece leathers individually doesnt work very well. The jackets tend to be too short and multi colour jackets arnt cool in the pub! May be better looking at Jackets and trousers?

Best of luck
AJ

[funkyboogalooo]

I have had all sorts, frank Thomas, Spidi, ALpinestars and Dainese. I allways bought the best in each of their ranges. Like you i wanted Crowtrees but coulnt be arsed to go to Louth. In the end I did and must say they are awesome. It was a pleasure to meet them and see how it was all done and the quality is fantastic. I only wish I had bit the bullett first time round and saved myself all the hassle of top line off the peg stuff that didnt quite fit but I thought 'would be ok'. It wasnt so
GO FOR CROWTREE. Speak to Linda and go for it.
Mike

[gixxer1000]

I ride in 2 piece (full zip-around) Alpinestars leathers and had a recent off going round Mallory Park. The Alpinestars held up very well (superficial scrapes only).

Lesser leathers would have perforated for sure (I came off at around 90mph).

[mel]

I've crash tested loads of different makes (except BKS as I could never blag a set but would still treat them as the RR of leathers) I rate Wolf as the best off the peg value for money crashers, also very good are MW and Crowtree (basically good english made suits as you can't beat good mad cow hide ) I have also crashed in both Dainesse and Kushtani and while they offer good flexibilty and adequate protection IMO they only really have one good crash in them, after that I wouldn't trust the seams. Never had Spidi or Alpinestar but would class them as similar to Dainesse. Oh and as for Frank Thomas

[mags]

Gerick always come out rated very highly in crash tests by RiDE and they are resonable as well.
Personally, next time I buy a set of leathers I am getting made 2 measure, if that means a long journey to be measured then so be it.
I have had a couple of low speed off's in Dainese Cordura stuff with hard armour and its survived well and therfore I have Dainese jacket and trousers, but the fit isn't perfect and I wish I had spent the extra and got made 2 measure stuff. If you are not an off the peg size then you won't be getting protected as well as possible I guess?

Mags