Alpinestars Dyno Jacket
Published: March 23rd, 2001
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The Alpinestars Dyno Jacket is both fun and bold while being protective. Though I believe that the Dyno Jacket is one that should be worn by both sexes, I can't help but think of that deoderant slogan, "Strong enough for a man, but made for a woman."
As a woman, just as a man, I want to be fully protected while riding, but I also don't want to be indistinguishable from my male counterparts.
I'm a fashionable young woman, and there's no reason I should have to look like a short version of Calvin in gear simply because I ride a motorcycle.
One of the most exciting things about this hot number is that it has removable heavy protection in both the shoulders and elbows, yet it still flatters (we can all appreciate that) the female form underneath. It is made of 1.1 mm thick full grain leather with reflective piping and has one inner and two outer pockets. You can also choose from three color options: blue/white/black, black/red/white, and black/grey/white.
When I first received the jacket, it felt very stiff, but I knew it would loosen up with wear. Since, I had not gotten my motorcycle license yet, I decided to break it in by wearing it whenever I could. I tried to get my co-workers to ride to lunch every day, and I even got to wear it out at Willow Springs while holding on tightly to Brent on the back of the F4i. But, being a passenger limits the amount of breaking in you can get, so I decided to sport the jacket to the Anaheim round of Supercross. After easily taking out the removable protection, I was styling and ready to go. This jacket was a definite attention-getter, and I was asked about it several times. It was a little more difficult to put the protection back in, but nothing to fret about.
However, the true test came when I wore it for my Motorcycle Safety Foundation Course. After all, the most important aspect to having a protective jacket is for riding (not being a passenger). The Dyno has a snap collar which bothered me a little at first, but soon became unnoticable. The sleeves also zipped into the perfect tapered position. The only thing that gave me a little trouble was the zipper that kept getting stuck and is taking longer to break in than the leather. It felt natural to ride in the jacket, and I had no problems with it. The best part was that it kept me protected from the cold.On the last day of my MSF course, it was pouring the whole time. My upper body was completely warm, though my rain-soaked jeans prevented my legs from enjoying the same warmth. Unfortunately, I have not been able to see what the jacket feels like on those warm days (who would've thought I'd have to say that while living in southern California?).
This jacket is versatile and I recommend it to anyone of either gender who wants to be protected and stylish whether they're riding or in the passenger's seat. Though the retail is a little pricey at $420, I think it's well worth the money. In fact, I like the jacket so much, that I'm going to take advantage of the fact that the jacket has a zipper that allows you to zip it to pants, and buy myself some leather pants. Thankfully, once I get a pair of Alpinestars' new leather pants, I will actually be stylish and protected when I ride to school.
Verdict: a stylish, versatile jacket with a high price.
Motorcycle Online Rating: ***1/2
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