Hit Air Motorrad 2 Touring Grey Mesh Airbag Jacket Review

[PhotoAl]

Thanks for the review.  I'm a believer in airbag gear.  I wear a Dianese vest under my jacket.  It says equivalent to so many back protectors but I still put a CE 1 back protector in my jacket just in case.  I have summer and winter jackets.  On long trips it is always the summer jacket but when riding in colder temperatures I put my rain jacket over the jacket to stop air flow thru the jacket.  Too many layers and it gets a bit snug but my Warm and Safe heated jacket does a great job so don't need lots of layers.  Always travel with the heated jacket, a light fleece jacket and a couple of long sleeve t-shirts.  Just in case something happens to the heated jacket.  Of course last trip none was used and temperatures hit 104F in Montana - toasty!  Airbag vest flows air nicely and I hydrate and sweat!

[2and3cylinders]

I have a warm and safe heated jacket liner too as well as their super touring gloves and they're single and double heat troilers

I'm always wear a long sleeve cool max 1-quarter zip shirt with a collar. Soaking it down as well as my headsweat keeps  me sometimes almost too cold with a mesh jacket. I also use a rain jacket and pants to cover my mesh jacket and trousers.

The stuff you learn over the years...

I wear one and carry sometimes 2 or 3 more pair of gloves. And toe warmer packets as well as hand warmer packs which you don't need with the fj with the Heated grips and my k t m handguards.

Just change to my spring windscreen/spolier, and put away the Givi barn door with spoiler till the fall.

I love to sweat.

I hate the cold now gonna go live with my youngest in San Diego one of these days and leave my wife behind because she hates the West Coast.

[maximNikenGT]

Was familiar with the hot hands but didn't know about the toe warmers and had to look them up...learned something new!

 

Same with the Warm and Safe heated gear - didn't realize you were all referring to an actual brand name until both of you mentioned it.  

Edited May 13, 2023 by maximNikenGT
Added photos

[maximNikenGT]

Took some screen captures from Hit Air official Motorrad video to show what the mesh version (highlighted in cross pattern) allows more air to flow through as well as what the airbag deployment looks like. 

 

[TomNorden901]

Hi maximNikenGT,

Thanks for doing such an excellent and extensive revue of the Motorrad 2 Mesh jacket. It's very helpful. 

How are you finding the jacket on warm days? I read your comments for days around 26 C, but have you had any days north of 30 degrees C yet? 

I'm looking at buying the mesh jacket. I already have the winter jacket and love it. But it's going to be too hot for summer in Australia.

Best Regards,

Tom

[maximNikenGT]

20 hours ago, TomNorden901 said:

Hi maximNikenGT,

Thanks for doing such an excellent and extensive revue of the Motorrad 2 Mesh jacket. It's very helpful. 

How are you finding the jacket on warm days? I read your comments for days around 26 C, but have you had any days north of 30 degrees C yet? 

I'm looking at buying the mesh jacket. I already have the winter jacket and love it. But it's going to be too hot for summer in Australia.

Best Regards,

Tom

Hey TomNorden901,

I've ridden with the jacket in temperatures exceeding 30 degrees C / 86 degrees F and I absolutely prefer this Hit-Air jacket paired with my Richa vented summer pants over my Aerostich R3 Lite suit which has lots of vents for summertime riding. My only suggestion is that if you're using this jacket in temps exceeding 30 degrees C that you have a minimal windscreen so that you can let all that airflow pass through the mesh jacket to give some additional cooling.

HOWEVER, per another article on heat indexes, generally speaking, once one begins riding in temperatures exceeding 35 degrees C / 95 degrees F, that cooling wind now potentially becomes "cooking" wind, and your body may suffer from having too much "cooking" wind flow through your jacket and heat you up even faster.

Personally speaking, if I am riding in ambient temperatures exceeding 35 degrees F / 95 degrees F:

a. If the ride is about an hour or less, I'd prefer to have the smaller Niken windscreen mounted in ambient temperatures exceeding 35 degrees F / 95 degrees F, to have the cooking wind evaporate my body sweat under the jacket. For shorter rides, the cooking wind is tolerable. 

b. If the ride is longer than an hour, I prefer to have the larger Givi windscreen mounted to reduce the convection oven effects on my body over longer distances. 

In both cases I tend to run a hydration pack filled with ice water to provide additional cooling and take periodic sips as needed. Getting lightheaded/dehydrated/heatstroke while riding your bike is no good. 

And if ambient temperatures are over 38 degrees C / 100 degrees F, I make sure to take more frequent safety stops to cool down in the shade somewhere and rehydrate. Under these circumstances (and barring any forecasted rain) I would absolutely choose the Hit Air mesh over my Aerostich R3 lite. 

One other thing of note while I was writing this is the mention that you ride in Australia (whereas I ride in the Carolinas). We don't have as dusty an environment where I ride in the Carolinas in comparison to some of the more remote desert areas of Australia (closer to the Outback and the interior vs. along the coastal regions e.g. the route leading to the 12 Apostles). I haven't tested how easy the jacket is to clean yet in comparison to my Aerostich suit.  I only mention this because I don't clean my jackets that often, unless I'm reapplying Scotchgard waterproofing or to clean off dead bug splatters / road grime. Based upon a trip to Australia a few years back, Australia's insects/flies generally speaking seem to be way bigger than Carolina insects/flies. On these two conditions I suggest you consider the darker version vs. the white version since I believe it will hide the dirt/dust and bug carcasses better so you can go longer between cleanings. 

 

Edited September 16, 2023 by maximNikenGT
Clarified logic

[TomNorden901]

Thanks again for your comments maximNikenGT. Do you wear your hydration pack over the jacket? I want to do that but I'm not sure whether it would interfere with the airbags deployment.

[maximNikenGT]

I actually cargo net the hydration pack in an insulated sleeve down on top of the pillion/passenger seat and then reach for the long sip tube as needed. When I wore my Aerostich suit I was able to route the sip tube through my helmet carabiner to keep the sip tube nearby and take sips while on the go. This no longer works for the Hit-Air jacket since there's not really a similar spot near the upper chest to attach a small carabiner clip to.

This is to:

a. as you surmised, minimize airbag jacket interference in the event of dismount and

b. Reduce long distance fatigue by reducing any additional weight on the body. 

Fuel tank on the Niken is not that big so usually when I stop for refueling I'll take additional water during the break. 

[2and3cylinders]

I hang a small insulated hydration bag on the left side of my tank bag, and have a clamp clip near the end of the hose that clips to the collar of my Hit, and sip on the roll...

[Ride365]

I just stop and take a break when I'm thirsty.  

[miweber929]

3 hours ago, Ride365 said:

I just stop and take a break when I'm thirsty.  

Agreed!!! 

[2and3cylinders]

Breaks?!