Tourmaster Riding Suits
TOURMASTER RIDING SUITS
EVALUATION
Every year before the first hint of cold weather the staff of this magazine assumes that motorcycle nuts are prudent and practical people. We round up the cold weather gear we used the previous winter and we get the stuff just on the market and we duplicate all the chilly riding conditions we can, acting on the assumption that most people get ready for bad weather before their hands turn blue. So it happened that this winter, when the people who make Tourmaster riding suits told us about their new equipment and asked that we try it, we opted out. Come see us next fall, we suggested. because we always do winter tips for the December issue and that's already out on the newstand.
Then we had second thoughts: Suppose the readers are like us? We don’t plan ahead that well. What we do is mean to buy a rainsuit the first time it looks like rain, but we put it off until we’ve gotten home soaked to the shorts three nights in a row. Then we rush off to the cycle store and get what’s left in stock. In short, we are now' in our coldest season, doing the March issue that comes out in February, so what we can do is try these suits right now, the temperature being in the 40s and foggy, and anybody who’s freezing every morning and evening wäll perhaps appreciate the information, mid season or not.
Besides, this is good stuff.
Tourmaster is the brand name for the folks who run Helmet House, a distributor and manufacturer of motorcycle gear, tires, touring equipment and helmets.
They're year-round riders and they did the design, then hired a clothing company to actually produce the suits.
There are two styles, one-piece, like some snowmobile suits, and two-piece, patterned after ski equipment in that the pants have a bib front and come up higher than the waist, to form a double layer over stomach and kidneys. The outside of the suits is 200 dernier nylon, coated and guaranteed waterproof. Next comes a padding of 6.9-oz. Polarfil, an artificial sort of down, with a quilted lining inside that.
Colors are dark blue or silver, with a reflective stripe down each sleeve. The stripe looks in the wrong place w hen you first put on the jacket. It doesn’t run straight down the outside, but sort of bunches up on the front of the sleeve. On purpose, because when you're on the bike, hands on the controls and arms extended, the stripes face front and—we hope—the colors and reflections tell oncoming traffic it s a human being on a motorcycle.
The designers ride motorcycles. The legs> of both the one and two-piece suits are cut extra long, so they don't ride up when you're in the saddle. They have straps to keep the legs down, which some of us like and some don't. The zippers are full length. You can open the Legs enough to get into the pants while wearing boots, and if you unzip from the top. there's room to wiggle your hand into your pocket for the keys you forgot to take out, or to fish up your wallet and credit card for the man at the pump. of both the one and two-piece suits are cut extra long, so they don’t ride up when you're in the saddle. They have straps to keep the legs down, which some of us like and some don’t. The zippers are full length. You can open the legs enough to get into the pants w'hile wearing boots, and if you unzip from the top, there’s room to wiggle your hand into your pocket for the keys you forgot to take out, or to fish up your wallet and credit card for the man at the pump.
Velcro is also used. One strap at the cuffs snugs the legs around your boot tops, straps with Velcro at the end of each sleeve tighten the gap there and a neck strap fastens the collar. The front zipper for the suit and the jacket has a Velcro overlay as a wind barrier. Suit and jacket also have an adjustable belt at the waist. two roomy pockets at waist level and one breast pocket. for sun glasses. etc. Velcro is also used. One strap at the cuffs snugs the legs around your boot tops, straps with Velcro at the end of each sleeve tighten the gap there and a neck strap fastens the collar. The front zipper for the suit and the jacket has a Velcro overlay as a wind barrier. Suit and jacket also have an adjustable belt at the waist, two roomy pockets at waist level and one breast pocket, for sun glasses, etc.
The material is pret' near waterproof. Normal blowing rain doesn't get through the outer layer. at least it didn't during the rainstorms ridden through to date. But the material is woven and it does breath a bit. so if you have to sit in water, and you do on most seats in a real downpour. some of the water will soak through. (To be fair here, seasoned hands on staff say they've seldom been able to find a riding suit of any kind that didn't get soaked or seeped through. at some point, given enough rain. wind and time.) The material is pret’ near waterproof. Normal blowing rain doesn’t get through the outer layer, at least it didn’t during the rainstorms ridden through to date. But the material is woven and it does breath a bit, so if you have to sit in water, and you do on most seats in a real dow npour, some of the water will soak through. (To be fair here, seasoned hands on staff say they've seldom been able to find a riding suit of any kind that didn't get soaked or seeped through, at some point, given enough rain, wind and time.)
We weren~t as impressed with the Velcro. Even the guys who like the material found that the cuffs bunch and fold under the one strap. leaving a gap for cold air. The neck strap worked but the designers a!lowed for some true pencil-necks: with the strap firm on our thinnest man, there was uncovered Velcro on the back of the collar. We weren’t as impressed with the Velcro. Even the guys who like the material found that the cuffs bunch and fold under the one strap, leaving a gap for cold air. The neck strap worked but the designers allowed for some true pencil-necks; w ith the strap firm on our thinnest man. there was uncovered Velcro on the back of the collar.
It catches on the padding of your helmet. No danger. but disconcerting to turn your head and meet resistance. The front flap Velcro holds but the overlap isn~t enough and unless you ride behind a fairing. the cold wind will find its way through. It catches on the padding of your helmet. No danger, but disconcerting to turn your head and meet resistance. The front flap Velcro holds but the overlap isn't enough and unless you ride behind a fairing, the cold wind will find its way through.
Pockets worked fine. There are only three. but road riders tend to pack-ratship. so if there were more we~d probably still complain. The three pockets have room for gloves. maps. scarves. Kleenex and your wallet and keys, which should be enough.
Both suits are cut long, and relatively thin. There should be more room beneath a winter suit for an extra jacket or heavy sweater. The man who wore the one-piecer says he could get his jacket inside the suit, but only after shrugging his way into the sleeves and then unzipping all `round so he Leould pull the jacket back into place. One of the. uh, portlys, in the building was asked to wear the one-piece for photos. He couldn't zip itif y~ wear a medium and aren't built like a stick, order the large.
The suits are not heat-prooL The right leg of our one-piece was scorched and holed. Our man reported this to the suit's designer.
`~Did it on a Yamaha. right?" "Uh. right. How did you know?" "1 did the same thing to my suit. Those Yamahas sure run hot,"
But, he went on to say. the distributor will have a repair service for those whose bikes don't come with heat shields for the exhaust.
What the Tourmaster suits do best is what they're supposed to do, that is, keep you warm. The legs and sleeves are long enough so there are no gaps. The belts work and the jacket doesn't balloon. The• two~piece suit is warmer because it has that double thickness around your torso, but either one works as well as anything we've tried excepting only electrically heated suits. The staff rider who's the most sus ceptible to cold, and who rides the longest distance each day. says he still needs his down jacket inside the Tourmaster jacket. but that this is the warmest he's been in winter, ever.
Prices are $139.95 for the ful'i suit. $89.95 for the jacket and $79.95 for the pants, in small, medium or large.hlackor silver, at your dealership or find a dealer via Helmet House, 2115 Colorado Ave.. Santa Monica. Calif. 90404.
