Racing leathers-- hmmmm

[wvracer97]

With '05 upon us I thought I'd bring up the topic of Race Leathers...

Yes, I'm finally hanging up my 7 year old beloved purple and Yellow AGV suit ;D

I'm torn between custom work through SYED or Vanson and the high dollar Alpinestar GP suit (or equiv).  So what can I expect from custom work vs. a 1700.00 off the rack mack daddy?  Any suggestions on what to go with... oh, and I'm not necessarily looking to blow 1700 bucks, just wondering how much more I get for that kind of money ???

I also want to get custom letting done (name, team name, etc) on the suit-- who's good with that?

Thanks!

[KBOlsen]

For repairs, lettering AND custom work, see Alexa of www.spyderleatherworks.com

She keeps the MW/GP folks nice and tidy - and does great work at very fair prices.  

As for the benefits of a custom suit... ewll, you have a top-quality product that is designed and built to fit YOU perfectly.  I don't know how you're built, but if your purchase requires alterations, you'd have been better off having one made to begin with.

Super Dave and others here can attest to the superior protection and durability of Vanson leathers.

I've had a Syed for going on 4 years and it has repeatedly crashed well - I send it to Alexa at the end of every season so she can make sure it's "110%".  I would have bought a Vanson, but at the time, $800 was my limit.

[spyderchick]

Thanks Kim.

wvracer: Get the customs. Alpinestars makes a great suit for off the rack, but you can not beat customs at a comparable price for fit and durability.

Feel free to contact me with any questions you might have.

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

Vansons are as good as leathers get.  My suggestion, (and what I've done) would be to buy a custom made Vanson suit in two colors, and then have Spyder Leatherworks do your graphics.  Alexa does the nicest custom work I've ever seen , and she's very reasonable!  Check out her site for pictures of her work, and don't be afraid to let her help you with design.  I gave her a line drawing on a napkin, and almost fainted when I saw what she'd done with it!  The woman is an artist!

[Super Dave]

Where do you work?

I still work in the United States...

Buy a good quality US made suit.

Mine is made here with US leather, US workers, etc.

Some suits will say "Made in Italy", but that only refers to the liner.  Other parts are made in Tsunami zones where workers are paid beans and the MOTOGP riders that wear their suits are paid hefty contracts.

[wvracer97]

Where do you work?

I still work in the United States...

Buy a good quality US made suit.

Mine is made here with US leather, US workers, etc.

With that being said I guess it sucks that we all race Japanese bikes ;D

[Super Dave]

Yeah, that's one where there's really not a perfect realistic opportunity.

Buell has made great strides, but the budget to maintain one, and buy one, is still beyond me.  

I inquired about racing a VR1000 at one time.

[Fat_Nate]

I'll add my support for Vanson.  Their custom stuff is amazing, and they are good about fixing it if you decide it doesn't fit just right.  Also, they have never been hit by a tsunami, which I think is important.

[PJ]

With that being said I guess it sucks that we all race Japanese bikes ;D

Well, we don't ALL race Japanese bikes...  ;)

Vanson. Spyder Leatherworks. Nuff said.

[dylanfan53]

Anybody ever think about something lighter?  I weigh enough already and, although Vanson's have held up well, they weigh a ton.
Do the lighter leathers (kangaroo?) hold up as well and are there any brands at a similar price as Vansons ?
My post holiday diet resolution ain't going so good and I'm not above saving the weight by other means.

[Protein Filled]

I saw a set of the MotoGP Kangaroo at the Lithium Motorsports shop a few weeks ago (BTW, real nice shop you got there Rob!). They are extremely light and pretty cool looking, but I don't know how much protection they offer. They feel so thin it's almost scary, but they are supposed to be tougher than cow hide. It will be interesting to see how well they hold up to crashes/regular use.

[EX#996]

My post holiday diet resolution ain't going so good and I'm not above saving the weight by other means.

LOL!

 ;D    ;D    ;D    ;D    ;D

You and a few ** other ** guys I know.

Dawn  ;)