Leathers, jackets & suits (Jan - Dec 2012)

Tucano Urbano Libeccio AB jacket, £169.99 Miles covered/time: 2000/eight months What’s good: They don’t come any more stylish and practical than this all year round use jacket. It’s a well cut piece...

Alpinestars Racing Replica one-piece suit. £1999.99 Time used: One year What’s good: These protected me from serious injury a few weeks ago after a cold tyre highside going in to Graham Hill bend at...

Rukka jacket/trousers (superseded, try  Arma-S £1099/£769) Miles covered/time: 15,000/five years What’s good: Liner in, vents zipped up, winter rain… liner out, vents zipped open, summer sun…...

Alpinestars Tech Chest Guard £44.99 Time used: Six years What’s good: I’m so used to wearing a chest protector now that if I forget to use it, I go into a blind panic, especially if I’m racing. I...

Alpinestars Quick Seal Out Jacket and Pants £89.99 Time used: Six months What’s good: I’ve had more use out of these two-piece waterproofs than I’d like this year, thanks to all the rain we’ve had.

Bering Shelby jacket, £327.99 Time owned: Two months What's good? The Knox armour in the shoulders and elbows is very comfy and fits perfectly to my frame (lanky, slight). It’s one of the thickest...

Alpinestars Stella Excursion Gore-Tex Jacket and Pants Miles covered/time: 2000/three months What’s good: Riding through one of the wettest springs on record this kit has kept me dry and toasty. The...

Knox Venture Shirt, £109.99 Time used: Four weeks What’s good: This Lycra shirt contains CE-approved elbow and shoulder armour plus a hard protector. It’s excellent. I wear it beneath my Barbour...

Tucano Urbano Nano rain jacket, £49.99, and trousers, £39.99 Time used: Three months What’s good: This is rainwear that fits in your pocket. They’re lightweight – the jacket is 180 grams, the...

Alpinestars GP Pro leather jacket £429.99 Time used: One year What’s good: This is a beautifully made and comfortable riding jacket, which is half of a two-piece racing suit. I wear this jacket with...

Alpinestars waterproof over-jacket (superseded by Quick Seal Out version, £89.99) Time used: Six years What’s good: I’m not a huge fan of textile bike gear, I always find it a bit ‘frumpy’, so most...

Keis heated jacket, £169.99 Time used: Two months What’s good: This top of the range heated jacket is packed full of features including outputs to piggy-back heated gloves and insoles, a specific...

Knox Cold Killers mens sport top, £54.99 Miles covered/time: 500/two months What's good: It’s lovely and snug and surprisingly, for something so thin, warm. The arms and front are both windproof and...

Knox Cold Killers sport pants, £44.99 Time owned/miles covered: Two months/500 miles What's good? Exactly the same as the sport top, they’re comfy, light and, most importantly, warm. The elasticated...

Klan HOT heated inner jacket £125.00 Time used: Four months What’s good: The best thing about this thin, lightweight, windproof heated jacket is I can squeeze it inside the kit I wear the most:...

Weise Tex Midlayer fleece jacket £74.99 Time used: Five months What’s good? I’ve been wearing this fleece a lot over the past few months, both on and off the bikes. I like its looks, fitted cut and...

EXO² StormRider heated vest £179.99 Time used: Three months What’s good? This body warmer keeps you warm before you’ve even heated it up, which is a good sign. Plugged into the bike’s battery it’s...

Weise Tex Midlayer long sleeve shirt £59.99 Time used: Five months What’s good: Unlike some thermal mid-layer jackets, I can fit this long sleeve thermal top underneath my leathers, usually popped...

Frankly baselayer, £59 Miles covered/time: 1500/three months What’s good: Manufacturers of baselayers (or thermals to you and me) often spout the most dreadful techno tosh to sell their wares without...

Weise Tex Midlayer trouser £49.99 Time used: Three months What’s good: I’m really impressed with these thermal trousers and I’m wearing them a lot under leathers, winter riding gear and even jeans...

Hein Gericke Blizzard Rain Pants, £29.99 Miles covered/time: 2000/two months What’s good: For autumn riding, I tend to go with a leather trousers/Gore-Tex jacket combo unless it’s tipping it down with...

Barbour Surtees waxed jacket, £279.95 Miles covered/time: 500/one month What’s good: The wax cotton jacket has made a bit of a comeback recently with many manufacturers now offering similarly styled...

Revit Athos vest, £39.99 Miles covered/time: 500/one month What's good: MCN’s Adam Child reckons the vest is so bright he thought I was a police motorcyclist when I caught up with him on the commute...