Product Review: Motoleathers Imola Jacket and Leather Superbike Pants

Hi all. The gear I will be reviewing today is from Motoleathers. Im writing this review simply because there doesnt seem to be much info on the web about this company or their products.

First, we have the "Imola" Leather Jacket, and the leather Superbike Pants




Now, before we begin, I'll tell you two things. I've never owned leather gear before, and pants and jacket set me back $333.

I've been riding for a few years now - mainly commuting with the occasional blat on the weekends. Rattling around in the back of my head however, was what might happen if I fell off or had a blowout midcorner etc.

I usually wear a textile jacket with draggin jeans and some Rossi boots. Its a comfortable combination for Rocky's heat and short, fairly low speed rides. Out on the highway was a different story for safety however.

So I thought I'd get some leathers. Leathers are expensive. Even the Rjays ones. So I did some research and saw that you needed good double stitching, thick leather between 1.2-1.4mm, and if you could get some perforated sections on it, that would be good as well. CE approved armour was a must, and some removable padding would be great for impact protection, and good zips etc that would undo with gloves on.

After some poking around, I found motoleathers.com.au, and saw that everything was very cheap. I sent them a polite but suspicious email asking what was wrong with their gear. I got a reply that it was affordable with good features and they had some happy customers already.

The bike started playing up and funds went into that instead. But with a 1600km roadtrip coming up, I thought I'd get some leather on me for the highway. I called Jeff and he said he didnt have any of the 2 piece suits in my size at the moment, and I didnt want a different colour, so he suggested I take a look at some of the other stuff. I picked out the Imola jacket and the superbike pants.

They arrived on my doorstep the very next day.

Heres what they look like in the flesh.




The jacket feels quite weighty when taken out of the bag, and smells really nice as well. Mmm leathery goodness. I noticed (as advertised) there was double stitching and extra leather on the usual impact points.
The zippers are YKK and operate smoothly. The bottom of the jacket has an adjustable tightener, and another zip to connect to your pants.

Now Im a size 44 chest, but Jeff reckoned to go a size larger. I took his advice and that was a really good call. The fit is snug, but allows movement. I didnt tighten up the bottom, but I probably should have. Also should have done up the rear zip too. More on that later.

The jacket has a nice liner inside, but even on a cool day in Rocky I took it out. Heres what it looks like without the liner.



Zips on the ends of the sleeves and a button/clasp fit nicely over my Collins leather gauntlets too.

ON THE ROAD: I went for a hoon for about 40 minutes or so, mainly highway stuff and found the jacket to be very comfortable and not hot. I had the vents open on either side of the chest and the arms and that was very pleasant. Due to the correct sizing I didnt feel like I was going to get dragged off the bike by the wind (naked bike, no windscreen).
I should have done up the back zipper as I found the jacket riding up a bit at the back, thanks to my belly I think. More my problem than the jacket.

Cost: $159 plus postage.

The Superbike Pants





The pants feel a LOT different from a paid of comfy draggin jeans. I also have draggin camos which feel different again. Anyway, the leather pants have a lot of elastic and padding in them so you feel like your legs are springloaded to snap-kick fools in the head. Once you get used to this, its not a big deal. They'll get more comfy as the leather gets a bit more worn I imagine. These were a bit of a tight fit around the waist, but a good length. I was going to go up a size, but really, its only my gut thats the problem. I'll take it as a hint to shed a few kilos.

ON THE ROAD: The immediate difference is when you grip the tank. There is a lot of padding there so it feels different from jeans. I really got the impression my legs were protected because you can feel padding and armour just about everywhere that matters. When you're in your riding position, the pants just seem to "click" and become very comfortable - no more snap-kicking fools in the head. There was no pinching and the zipper in the fly and two button tabs kept it all together. The elastic waistband is very comfortable and didnt feel like it was digging in or anything. Zips on the ankles keep everything tucked into your boots.

Cost: $159 plus postage.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Overall, for $333 delivered, I dont think theres much to dislike. If you havent got some leather in your riding arsenal, you should. I found I rode with more confidence because I felt safe(r) in the gear I had on. I was pleasantly surprised both with the product and level of service Jeff provided over the phone. On race suits there is a 0% interest free payment plan where you pay $200 deposit and pay the rest over 10 months. I think I will refer to their gear in the future as "affordable" rather than "cheap", as cheap implies a product which doesnt inspire confidence. Time will tell how everything holds up (and remember, I havent had leather gear before), but so far, so good.