Last updated 13th April 2019
Head behind the bubble
  • Home
  • Riders blog
  • Out there, riding - my articles
  • My Bikes - Past and Present
    • Ducati 1098s
    • Honda CBR954RR FireBlade
    • Ducati 695 Monster
    • Kawasaki ZX7-R
  • Motorcycle Media
  • My kit
  • Other rides
  • Videos
  • Bucket List
  • Contact me

March 04th, 2019

3/4/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Let's talk motorcycle kit. It's the stuff that keeps us safe, warm and comfortable and the market is super crowded with garments from a multitude of manufacturers from across the globe.

Personally, when I started riding, the very first piece of kit I purchased was a set of Alpinestars gloves. This simple transaction has subsequently steered me in the direction of the Italian giant ever since.

Since 2007, I've purchased one pair of track pants, one vented jacket, one one-piece race suit, three pairs of boots and three pairs of gloves, all of which came adorned with the famous A-Star logo. I like the brand and I like the garments. So with that in mind, as I've decided to start a series of updates talking my kit, I thought I'd begin with the most expensive piece of clothing, biking or otherwise, that I've purchased; The Alpinestars Atem one piece race suit.

After crashing in an Arlen Ness suit on a trackday at Silverstone, I was in the market for a new suit and I took advantage of an online winter deal to pick up a black and white Atem suit for around £700, which at the time, was about £300 off.

This is what the blurb says: 

'The Atem is a fully CE-certified, technical one-piece leather suit offering class-leading protection for the street and track. Developed at Alpinestars specialist performance suit department and extensively tested in MotoGP and WSBK, the suit combines premium materials, safety features and ergonomic styling to give high levels of security and performance.'

This is what I've found:

Once I'd worn it a few times, the suit has proved itself to be extremely comfy. When on the bike the form of the leather actually supports the body when sat on the bike. Worth noting here, that both my bikes are sportsbikes so I'm sat quite far forward). When off the bike and walking / standing, the weight of the suit causes a slight discomfort in my lower back. I'm 6'3 and have long legs and arms, am fairly muscular and wear an EU size 56. I always wear the suit in conjunction with a Dianese D1 Wave back protector. I either wear a Buff or a high collar base layer so I get no rubbing around my neck.

When riding, the suit doesn't cause any additional turbulence, which is especially noticeable when wearing a textile suit on a sportsbike at speed.

As you would expect, the suit is compatible with both my A-Star Supertech boots and gloves, but because of the armour in the shins, it does make securing the boots a little tight.

Picture
White was a poor choice and is almost impossible to keep clean. The irony is that the contrast of black and white will actually make you more visible to other road users over a more traditional black suit.
​
No seams have come undone and all the zips work. Speaking of zips, the leather tab on the main zip gave way after about a year of use and some of the more intricate detailing to the suit, most notably the big logo on the chest have peeled away. I'm putting the later down to wearing a ruck sack and the friction between the two resulting in the damage. For what is effect a £1000 suit, this is disappointing.

Thankfully I haven't tested its crash performance so can't speak for it. General press coverage for the suit has been quite positive however and the armour in the suit never makes it uncomfortable and is present in all the major zones, with the exception of the chest.

The venting helps keep my temperature down, but even when its not exactly baking, I do find myself being quite hot in the suit, especially when not in motion.

I chose this suit over others primarily for the hard plastic armour on the outside of the suit on the shoulders, elbows and knees. My previous suit didn't have these and I prefer the prospect of the plastic sliding on the tarmac rather than the leather gripping at impact.

So am I happy with the suit? Well yes I am. Its my preferred piece of kit and will wear it whenever I can, even if there is a risk of rain. The level of comfort means that when riding, it doesn't register that I'm wearing it. The Atem is now onto it's third iteration is a still priced around the £1000 mark, so it's quite an investment. I'd certainly buy another one, but would probably steer away from one with such large white areas.



0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Me

    My name is Matt Brown and I'm a UK journalist formerly based in London, but now calling the South of England home. I've been riding bikes since 2007, but got hooked straight away. Nothing gives me the feeling of freedom, even when stuck in a city. In 2010 I became a RoSPA gold rider, but when it comes down to it, I'm Just a normal man, riding his bikes as often as he can.

    Archives

    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012

    Categories

    All
    1098
    Ducati
    FireBlade
    Monster
    Weather
    Zx7r

    View my profile on LinkedIn

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.