After 2 years roaming around in my bog standard Frank Thomas textile jacket and trousers that cost nothing more than the price of a few sweets from the local sweet shop and my 1 piece leather suit that I had when I got my first ever bike, a Honda CBR600F, I finally had enough of getting caught out in the wet, suffering from wet crotch syndrome after a short blast into work and inadequate protection that seemed as useless as a soggy notebook. It would have been stupid to spend such moola (That’s money) on such great kit to start with especially as I was only a beginner, then there was the fact I didn’t even know such kit existed, so I couldn’t have done anyway. But now, Rukka is all I will wear, until it wears out… I’ll be old then, from what I have heard about it.
I ‘m one to go out and ride whatever the weather, nothing baffles me, you could ask many people that, so I need kit that’s like mined. Able to confront harsh weather for sustained periods offering quality protection and durability. If you pay Circa £1,000.00 for kit then you expect it to last, at least for the time you take up motorcycling. Rukka does this for me. I have heard from many consumer reviews that Rukka if cared for will last happily up to and sometime beyond 8 years. and that my friends is one reason why I purchased Rukka.
Gore-Tex, the wonderful intermediary material that magically stops water from making it’s way from the outer shell of your jacket to your skin. Not a great feeling if you can help it, especially if you ride daily, the extra effort of drying your kit and preparing it for the next day so it’s nice and dry for your trip into the office is nothing more than a nuisance. I’m sure many people will agree. It’s a different story if it’s a weekend toy and you get caught out once in a blue moon, that wouldn’t bother me then!
I purchased my Rukka suit back in August 2012 and to date have ridden around 6,000 miles in the comfort of it’s linings. I purchased the Rukka Athos Jacket, Rukka Focus Trousers and Rukka Atlas Gloves. I already had some Sidi B2 Gore-Tex Touring boots so now I had an ideal outfit for commuting / touring and general riding!
Rukka Athos Jacket
Rukka Athos Jacket
You have to Lubricate the dry lock-out zip, wash it frequently, it weighs a tonne and has so many pockets, no matter where you think you left your keys you always have a 5 minute phase of hunting for them pre and post ride.
But it’s a jacket that does what Rukka state it does. I feel I can review this kit because it’s seen 6,000 miles + the cold days, hot days, rainy days and windy days, so what do I think? It’s magnificent, I’m going to base this review on the Scotland trip I took because during that time I experienced many different climates in a short period of time and to a good degree.
The jacket holds well against the wind, weather it’s just a little breeze or extreme winds as we have experience recently, it blocks it all, pop a ‘Buff’ or neck scarf around your neck and it’s virtually your own little micro climate that you have going on, you won’t feel a thing. The wind against your chest on an open bike like the NCX doesn’t give you the chills or the feeling of being blasted by a stream of cold air, but, instead a feel of utter comfort and nothing less. It turns weather into a thing of the past, as if it doesn’t exist and that’s just what I love, completely blocked from the weather outside but still able to get the ‘feeling’ from riding. I love also how there is very little buffeting from the jacket, unlike my last one I would experience heavy buffeting at time but with the Athos this is almost a thing of the past.
BRING ON THE RAIN, because boy, it’s not getting it in. Wash your jacket (Something that I still need to do) and it’ll keep the Gore-Tex fabric fresh and dirt free. Gore-Tex has ‘pores’ and so these must stay clear of dirt in order for the Gore-Tex to function effectively and as new. I recall from Scotland that on one wet Tuesday I rode for 10 hours, of which around 4 hours was consistent heavy rain, rain that was so vast that even locals thought rivers would swell and have potential to burst their banks, roads becoming layered in surface water and drains visibly swallowing it all up as quickly as it could. Did I get wet? I don’t need to answer that. I didn’t nor did my wallet that was tucked safely into the inner breast pocket or my trusted hanky that was stowed in my trouser pockets so when I stopped from time to time to fill up my mighty small 14L tank, I could wipe my nose with a dry cloth, and that is priceless!
The neoprene collar is a life saver, with or without a neck buff it doesn’t matter this offers a lot of protection and gives you absolutely no irritation whatsoever even when it’s wet, it’s perfect!
IT’S LIKE A SAUNA IN HERE, no I joke, it’s comfortable even in hotter temperatures, obviously I’m going by British weather standards here so low – high teens but it worked well, with the liner in, I think though, like a lot of clothing items when it comes to their warmth, they work as effectively as your body. Some people are always hot, some always cold and for those lucky few, always spot on. But for me it works well, hot day, liner in and I’m the ‘hot bodied’ type of person I’m still happy with it’s performance and comfort. In fact It’s not uncommon for me to wear little more than some underwear and a t shirt beneath my suit of armor before going out riding to the shop or for a few hours with a group!
The Cordura fabric is holding up very well, it feels long lasting, durable and perfect for daily wear & tear or long trips. Every time I put the jacket on, I feel protected, comfortable and best of all, ready for any weather climate. Let’s go and ride the world? Okay then…
Rukka Focus Trousers
Rukka Focus Trouser
Snug, comfortable, well fitted, provide plenty of protection…
The trousers zip into the Rukka Athos Jacket via a 360 Degree zip at the waist, there is then a strap that comes down from the back of the jacket under the bum up past your crotch and then secures at the front of the jacket to stop the jacket riding up while riding, I never use it as the jacket stays firmly in place but on longer runs I use it just in case the wind catches on the motorway etc… not that I travel on the motorway much.
The trousers offer two front waterproof pockets that are deep and big enough for a wallet, phone, the usual bits of crap that you’re not even sure why you carry them and not much else. The trousers don’t really have much functionality, after all, it’s not really needed as the jacket both the Athos and the others in the range provide the main storage you need.
They hold up well against the wind, so long as you have your trousers zipped into the jacket, no wind chill is experienced. As you’d expect, like the jacket rain is no match, high quality durable zips to secure the trouser around and over your boots.
Both items have a high quality finish, you feel you don’t have to be so ‘careful’ but just use them without much thought or paranoia about breaking them. A true everyday product.
Rukka Atlas Gloves
Rukka Atlas Gloves
These are to date the best glove I have used, and I’ve used a lot of gloves! When they first arrived I thought I had made a big mistake choosing such a thick winter glove, especially in August, but we didn’t experience much of a summer so a good choice after all.
When I first got the gloves they were very stiff, a month later, still very stiff, I thought these aren’t ever going to break in and I’m going to have to spend another 100 odd pounds on their summer Gore-Tex glove as the Atlas were starting to make my hands ache. Finally after some prolonged use they gave way, now they are exceptionally comfortable, easy to put on and take off and rather warm. I suffer from cold hands so can’t comment on their warmth at low Degs C but I certainly notice a big difference riding with these in low temps than say a pair of Richa winter gloves.
I have no hand guards or any other protection on my bike.. yet… so these take the brunt of everything. After riding from Uig on the Isle of Skye to Wiltshire in 12 hours (570 Miles), these gloves saw a cold start, rainy day and sunny afternoon, my hands didn’t hurt, there wasn’t any pressure applied when shooting down the motorway or any aching of my hands / fingers but kept them in high comfort instead. I loved them, I feel they are a second skin to me, perfectly tailored to my hands almost and up for anything you throw at them, I promise!
To conclude…
The good:
– 5 Year warranty on the Jacket / Trousers
– 2 Year warranty on the gloves
– Loan garments if yours need repair
– High quality / world leading materials
– High durability (possibly up to 8 years or more)
– Good sizing, almost a perfect fit!
– Complete protection
The bad:
– Expensive
– Investment more so than a purchase
[Above: Fort William]
[Above: Love this pic but not sure where it is!]
NC700X Adventures 