It was finally time to change my 4 year old H-D jacket. It has started to show signs of wear and tear and there are physical tears at the both sides at the bottom of the jacket. I got my eyes on the Macna Nighteye and Komine has released the High Reflective (HR) version in their 2019 lineup. The only shop I know which brought in the stock is MegaBike Taiping.
Paid them a visit recently and saw the Komine Parka HR jacket. Tried to find one for my size but it was sold out and the owner recommended me the RS Taichi Drymaster Alpha as my requirement was to get something light, airy and breathable.
Here are some profile/specifications of the jacket from the RS Taichi website:
"PROFILE
・Waterproof and Breathable DRYMASTER nylon outer shell construction with
Teflon HT coating.
・T-DRY mesh liner.
・Removable and adjustable CE approved armor on shoulders, elbows and PE
vented foam padding on back.
・360° visible reflective print for increased visibility in night time.
・Adjuster on upper arm and forearm for better fit.
・Waist adjuster for better fit.
・Internal pocket on left chest.
・Large zippered vents on side for airflow.
・Belt loop connection tab on back.
・CPS (Chest Protector System) for securely fastening optional chest protector." I did not get the CPS. It is listed down as a future investment (hopefully). Here is an overall view of the jacket:
・Waterproof and Breathable DRYMASTER nylon outer shell construction with
・T-DRY mesh liner.
・Removable and adjustable CE approved armor on shoulders, elbows and PE
vented foam padding on back.
・360° visible reflective print for increased visibility in night time.
・Adjuster on upper arm and forearm for better fit.
・Waist adjuster for better fit.
・Internal pocket on left chest.
・Large zippered vents on side for airflow.
・Belt loop connection tab on back.
・CPS (Chest Protector System) for securely fastening optional chest protector."
Protection:
This is the most important aspect of a motorcycle jacket. What use is a motorcycle jacket if it offers no protection. There is a saying "Dress for the slide, not for the ride". The jacket comes with removable EN1621-1 elbow and shoulder armor and a high density back foam pad. The back foam does not offer much protection but already an improvement compared to the H-D jacket. The back foam can be upgraded to a CE certified armor.
I notice that all brands besides H-D comes with the protection pads. H-D just sells you the jacket and the protection pads are all sold separately and the price for the jacket is almost the same as other brands and cost more if you wish to get the armors.
I notice that all brands besides H-D comes with the protection pads. H-D just sells you the jacket and the protection pads are all sold separately and the price for the jacket is almost the same as other brands and cost more if you wish to get the armors.
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| All armors provided with the jacket |
Left: Elbow armor
Right: Shoulder armor
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| Top: High density back foam pad |
It is advisable from Taichi to remove the armors before washing the jacket. There are individual pockets in the jacket to hold the armor pieces in place.
Left: Shoulder armor pocket
Right: Elbow armor pocket
Right: Elbow armor pocket
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| Top: Back armor pocket |
Pockets and vents:
There are a total of 3 pockets and 2 vents for the jacket.
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| 1 small internal pocket just enough for my wallet. |
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| 2 external pockets circled in red. Above the pockets are the 2 ventilation zippers which can be zipped up during rain or opened during a hot day's ride |
Huge ventilation when the zips are opened
The inside of the jackets are all mesh which gives good airflow when the vents are opened. The only issue I have with the location of the vents are that they are sitting a bit too high up the rib cage and more towards the back. I would prefer them to be more to the chest area for better airflow.
Other accessories:
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| Additional chest protector can be purchased and attached to the buttons |
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| Stickers |
Front and back of the "booklet". The price shown is before discount
Front (Japanese) and back (English) of the protection information sheet
Front (Japanese) and back (English) of information sheet for the Taichi Drymaster and T-Dry
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| Warnings for to not misuse the product |
I shall start with the issues with the jacket. One of the issues are the amount of available pockets. There is only one small pocket inside the jacket. Two would be nice because I keep a In Case of Emergency (ICE) card in a separate pocket in the previous jacket and not worried about it falling out every time I remove my wallet. Now I have to be more careful.
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| Zip on the opposite side. Remember this is a mirror image |
I find the main zip placement a bit weird. Usually the zip part is on the right side and the part to insert into the zip is on the left. This is the other way round which makes it a bit more tedious. All these are minor complains I have with the jacket.
The plus side: the jacket is light. Feels like wearing a normal jacket with armor pads. This jacket is also waterproof which means I do no need to carry my rain suit along. All I need is just the pants and set to go under the rain. The vents works well when going above 28 km/h.
There more reflective patches all over the jacket. This makes it safer on darker days when I have to be out on the road. The H-D jacket only has reflective lining along the back and I feel a bit unseen at night.
The plus side: the jacket is light. Feels like wearing a normal jacket with armor pads. This jacket is also waterproof which means I do no need to carry my rain suit along. All I need is just the pants and set to go under the rain. The vents works well when going above 28 km/h.
There more reflective patches all over the jacket. This makes it safer on darker days when I have to be out on the road. The H-D jacket only has reflective lining along the back and I feel a bit unseen at night.
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| Reflective panels on the jacket. Image taken from RS Taichi website |
Overall I would recommend this jacket to anyone who is looking for a light waterproof airy jacket for their daily commuting.
Remember to ride safe, be vigilant and keep the rubber side down
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