What do you guys think about white riding jackets?

I'm looking at getting a women’s white Icon Tuscadero jacket for colder weather, but it may not be such a great idea...
I have a white Icon Women’s Merc. And yes, it shows the dirt, grime and bug guts quickly. I have to wash it about once a week, and that has made it pretty dingy looking (no matter how careful I am washing it). I like the sporty style of white, the visibly factor and not having to wear a stupid road guard vest when I ride on base, but I'm not sure if picking another white jacket is worth it.

Will white leather clean up better or just be a pain? Will it have a shorter life span than a colored jacket?(I'm getting ready to retire my Merc only after 6 months). What are your guys' experiences with white jackets and your opinions?

 

White leather IS a colored leather and if it's quality leather it'll have the same life span. If it gets a bug blat on it that doesn't come off with leather cleaner -- just apply some white shoe polish stuff. Your main enemy will be oil and grease -- stay away from the chain (bike chain, not me).

 

I agree white leather isnt a bad thing, I have a white and black leather jacket combination and havent had adverse affects in keeping it clean.

 

yo...them little creases that are already there on leather and those that will develop...grease, dirt and grime love those places.
so that's something to consider.

and Bren if you aren't female...STOP BUYING WOMEN'S GEAR.

 

Bren,

Even though white is a bright color, I've found that people still don't really pay attention to it...it blends into their field of vision...like a moving cloud. I had a white jacket and I still had the same close call average as I did with a bright blue/grey reflective jacket.

As for cleaning the white jacket, it's a PITA (pain in the *ss) to be sure, but if that's the color you want, then it just means you have to spend a little more time after rides getting the bug guts and road grime off. Plan on an additional 20 to 30 minutes cleaning; a little more if it has air hole mesh, etc.

At what base are you stationed? The Safety Office at some installations has leeway on wearing the orange vest; if you have a motorcycle jacket with reflective strips, you don't have to wear the orange vest.

Anyway, good luck on your purchase.


Steph

 

I found that Honda Spray Polish works exceptionally good for cleaning colored (and white) leather...makes it look almost like new again! I've used HSP on Alpinestars and RS-Taichi gear with no problems...give it a try!

 

Only time they make us wear the constructon worker vest is after dark on base.
I wear mine off base if it is raining.

Get you a solid yellow helment. The cages will see you months in advance.

 

they sure do look cool till they get dirty

 

I have since moved to a new area (Phoenix). The base here requires you to wear the road guard vest even if you have a white jacket unlike back home in San Diego. So, different bases are different.
I bought a new white Joe Rocket Cleo in anticipation of the warm weather here (and my Icon was just looking like thrift store clothes). Boy what a nicer jacket, it fits so much better and looks better, sexier. I dont know how it will wash up yet. BUT after riding here in Phoenix and seeing how crappy people drive (yes they drive worse than the Japanese in Japan, I lived there for three years), I have now decided that *IF* I gain even a nano second of time from someone seeing me better, translating into a few inches from hitting/crushing me, than I will pay a couple hundred dollars for new jackets to replace the dirty/dingy ones every so often (every 6 months?) Ask me again in six months and see if I still fell the same way. Its all about reducing the risk as much as possible. But then I bet there is someone out there that is asking, "Well, Bren, Why dont you just attach a strobe lite to your back?" Well, let me think about it...

Has anyone seen any official studies on this subject? They should be out there somewhere?

 

i have a white leather Icon coz my bike's all-black and its not too hard to maintain if you wipe it down after every ride
but then i'm a guy so my standards of clean are lower than yours :-)