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Motoport Marathon Air Mesh jacket By Moshe K. Levy #108259
OVER THE PAST 12 YEARS OF PRO- fessionally testing motorcycle gear and accessories, I’ve had the chance to sample the proverbial highs and lows of the industry. I’ve experienced “bul- letproof” designs which left me stranded by the side of the road, and I’ve been pleasantly sur- prised on a rare occasion as well. After logging a full 12 months and over 23,000 miles in a Motop- ort Marathon Air Mesh Kevlar jacket, I can safely say that I have never tested a product which so thoroughly exceeded my admittedly lofty expectations. To put it bluntly, this is the most functional motorcycle jacket in the world. I was fitted for it in
Motoport’s 5,600 square foot shop in San Marcos, Calif. There, company owner Wayne Boyer went over the garment’s construction in detail. Boyer is a veritable walk- ing encyclopedia regard- ing the design and fabrication of riding gear, and he expounded at length about kevlar fabrics, abra- sion strength, full coverage armor material, and the technicalities of safety stitching. Because Motoport gear is in use by over 180 police departments worldwide, there were a few examples on display showing minimal damage after motor officers had been in some horrific high speed crashes. There were also some other mid-level brands exhibited which had turned into shredded Kleenex after
38 BMW OWNERS NEWS April 2016
minor crashes at parking lot speeds. It was a powerful presentation of just how vulnera- ble we are without the benefit of quality gear. The Marathon is a custom built garment,
specifically tailored to the rider’s measure- ments and available with a plethora of
improves on the standard Tri-Armor with a ¼” layer of Dow Corning’s APS silicone- laminated woven fabric sewn to the outer covers, creating what the company calls “the highest rated impact-absorbing armor in the world.” The coverage is phenomenal, protecting vast swaths of the elbows, fore- arms, shoulders, back and chest. For all-season use, mul- tiple types of liners are avail- able. I opted for the warmest choice, namely a waterproof/ windproof/breathable Aero- Tex liner with its own zip-in Warm & Safe 90W heated sub- liner (tested separately in BMW ON, February 2013), allowing the rider to mix lay- ers as conditions dictate all year long. Many other options exist, including eliminating standard pockets, adding more cargo pockets, altering the jacket’s length, and of course a multitude of colors to choose from. The construction of the
Motoport Marathon Air Mesh Kevlar jacket.
options to suit nearly any requirement. My test Marathon was maxed out on reflective bands, with two 1” yellow bands on each bicep area, one 1.5” band running down the outside of each sleeve, and a massive 4” stripe running across the back, all 3M® ASTM-rated Scotchlite® material. A visible “emergency information pocket” runs over the top of
the right shoulder, allowing
placement of a waterproof emergency med- ical ID card in case of the unexpected. The optional “Quad-Armor Upgrade”
Marathon is reminiscent of an Abrams tank. There is nothing dainty or subtle about it. It’s all business, from the militaristic SWAT-like appearance to the coarse Dupont Kevlar mate- rial, the tear strength of which
is rated at 1,260 pounds. (For refererence, even competition grade leather is rated to 110 pounds, at best.) There is no polyure- thane coating on the Kevlar, so unlike many other jackets, it will not melt if the material slides along the pavement. The critical seams are all safety stitched with heavy- duty, bonded nylon thread. Massive YKK zippers are used throughout, with thick pulls for gloved hands. Storage is plentiful; the outer layer has four oversized pockets, plus two hand warmer pockets in the waist
member tested
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