4 (and a half) myths about leather suits, debunked!
Bovine leather or kangaroo leather? Quintuple seams? Hand lotion? What‘s true (and what’s not) about your main protection tool
Myths and fake news: these days, it seems we keep bouncing from one to the other. But you already know this. Here at Vircos, over the years, we’ve heard it all. And we bet that you too, surfing from one forum to another, often have ended up caught in an endless discussion on the merits of one or the other.
Things like…
“Biaggi and Valentino prefer the bovine over the kangaroo!” or
“I used the X-brand hand lotion for my old suit, and 12 hours later it was better than new!”
Now, truth is there’s always something to it. Something, not everything. So let’s go on and debunk the most relevant exaggerations and claims. You know, suits are made to protect you, and there’s no use making stuff up and risking to do damage.
After all, sometimes we fall, it’s inevitable.
1. “Cowhide is more resistant than kangaroo leather!”
Well… not necessarily, no. Although on average bovine leather is thicker than kangaroo leather, this does not mean it is safer protection. Allow me to explain: there are a lot (a lot!) of factors to take into account. So don’t get caught up in these general considerations, and request detailed information from manufacturers.
Also, you should always be aware that what matters most for your safety is the Tech Air Airbag!
2. “Double, triple, quadruple seams: the more the merrier!”
Let’s be clear: surely a riveted and double riveted seam is definitely better than an open, raw cut seam. Still, what matters is the execution, which must be flawless.
The stitch density must be correct and, above all, properly positioned.
3. “Hand lotion makes old suits look like they just left the factory!”
That would be great, it would be awesome, and certainly applying a neutral cream on an old suit won’t damage it. But an old, mistreated piece of cardboard miraculously coming back to life thanks to an emollient really cannot be true. Sorry about that.
4. “Buy it bigger: you’ll be more comfortable while you ride!”
We can debunk this myth very easily: no, you won’t. The suit must be a perfect fit, with correct circumferences and lengths. Why? I hear you ask. Because if a suit fits perfectly, the protection it provides is higher. Also, it will save you a lot of hassle in the saddle. Pads make the perfect example: any issue with the pads most likely depends on a poorly fitting suit, rather than on the pads themselves.
Think about it: wearing a very, very large shirt, will make it easier or harder for you to move around?
½. “Buy it tight, it’ll loosen after a while!”
Same issue, different perspective. The suit must be bought in the right size. Because it makes sense. Of course, your suit will marginally adapt in time: leather is a natural, organic product. But it won’t adapt much. That’s what we all should be thinking: “Buy it the right size: in time, it will fit better and better”.
So, here are you four and a half myths, debunked! We hope this can be helpful while choosing your racing outfit. Still, so many myths out there: what other miraculous claim have you heard about motorcycles? Tell us, and we will try to confirm or debunk them for you.
Having the correct information can work wonders for your protection. And we care about it.
