How cold can you still ride a motorcycle in a Schott 740N peacoat?

[MrProper]

My wax jackets from the past also had a smell. Somehow the fabric and the wax smelled. Not a stench, but it was noticeable. In fact, it got stronger when wet. Still cool jackets though.

 

[Barnwell]

Motorcycling in Taiwan - brings tears to my eyes every time:

 

[VansonRider]

Oh also, those Barbour peacoats that @VansonRider suggested are excellent, and as rare as hen's teeth now as they're discontinued. You could also try to find a Barbour Shovler, which is similar.

The one he's linked up there is a lady's one though.

Here's a Shovler -

Good catch, buttons on the wrong side! ‍

 

[Canuck Panda]

Wild Wolf 125

 

[Aloysius]

My wax jackets from the past also had a smell. Somehow the fabric and the wax smelled. Not a stench, but it was noticeable. In fact, it got stronger when wet. Still cool jackets though.

It indeed has a smell, but it’s like the smell of an unscented candlem not unpleasant. What I meant is that I think OP has been misinformed by some people that it’s a stench.

 

[photo2u]

Motorcycling in Taiwan - brings tears to my eyes every time:

Love the video. Makes a lot of sense to me. By the way, I ride in my leather, 30s car coats. Have two, one in Europe and one in Cali. Harley-Davidson introduced them in the early 30s. Can go wrong with that.

 

[SlowRain]

I've thought of something else that I haven't been factoring in with the waxed canvas jackets: my wife rides on the back. She may find the material sticky, and the wax may heat up and transfer if she's pressed up against me, as she's wont to do. It's a shame, because some of those Filson jackets are really nice looking, but I think I have to back off of this one.

Next up for me to look into is Carhartt WIP and their 12oz Dearborn canvas with some kind of a zippered liner underneath.

 

[Aloysius]

I've thought of something else that I haven't been factoring in with the waxed canvas jackets: my wife rides on the back. She may find the material sticky, and the wax may heat up and transfer if she's pressed up against me, as she's wont to do. It's a shame, because some of those Filson jackets are really nice looking, but I think I have to back off of this one.

Next up for me to look into is Carhartt WIP and their 12oz Dearborn canvas with some kind of a zippered liner underneath.

Just fyi, the level of heat you need to melt and transfer the wax from a waxed cotton jacket is a stove. Not saying you need to get one, but as someone who’s also lived in melting Asian heat, that’s definitely not enough to do it.

 

[SlowRain]

Thanks. She may find it sticky and smelly, though (she's fussy about things like that). I think there are too many unknowns for me to commit that much money to something she may or may not be thrilled with. It's unfortunate, because each new idea I pursue gets less and less classy. I still have my trusty Gore-Tex, but nice-looking + warm and wind-resistant seems difficult for me to pull off in my situation.

 

[Aloysius]

Thanks. She may find it sticky and smelly, though (she's fussy about things like that). I think there are too many unknowns for me to commit that much money to something she may or may not be thrilled with. It's unfortunate, because each new idea I pursue gets less and less classy. I still have my trusty Gore-Tex, but nice-looking + warm and wind-resistant seems difficult for me to pull off in my situation.

Have you looked at the offerings of the revived Goldtop? Really nice range, extremely reasonable prices, and built in armour to boot.

 

[navetsea]

There is a reason why 60% of road deaths in Taiwan are motorcycles/two wheels... (compared to 20% in the Uk for example)

in asia 2 wheels mopeds are the majority of the traffic, so its only normal when the percentage is much higher, I don't know about taiwan, but here in my country nobody dress up as a rider to ride, basically mopeds are here like bicycles for the dutch, people wear clothes for their destination that day. and car drivers are always aware of motorcycle/ mopeds around them, even when you already giving sign to make a u turn and already starting to make the turn there would still be moped trying to fit in and pass your car from that side. highspeed crash is a rarity, when there is mortality usually because the rider got ran over by incoming traffic or got caught into a truck chassis or frame and got ran over, or stupidities like stopping at the the traffic light on a steep incline right behind a big vehicle, or truck with brake failure couldn't stop at the crossing and hit a whole row of moped riders killing dozens, in most cases all the armor in the world even full racing gear won't help when that happened.

and in a majority muslim country there are lots of women wearing hijab under their helmet, their peripheral views is 0 real tunnel view like wearing horse blinders, so we are very aware of unpredictability of their actions or make extra effort to give signal when we want to overtake, or even reverse from parking, so many time when I'm already driving reverse out of my parking spot, there come a lady with a moped behind me from the side, and stop right behind my reversing car to answer their phone, its not ignorance or stupidity but my entire orange car is in their blind spot they just don't see me.

 

[SlowRain]

I don't want this thread to get derailed any more than it already has been. While it's unfortunate that navetsea had to make his post, he is correct in describing how the realities of Asian traffic differ from European and North American traffic. I'm comfortable with someone making a general recommendation about the various kinds of protection. It's a very good thing for people to be aware of it and consider it, but a full-fledged discussion about it and the riding environment would best be discussed in a separate thread. If someone wants to start that thread and put a link in here for those interested, that would be fine.

 

[SlowRain]

Have you looked at the offerings of the revived Goldtop? Really nice range, extremely reasonable prices, and built in armour to boot.

Thanks. If I were riding long distances on the highway, I would consider leather. But there are really only a few styles I like, and none of them are exactly motorcycle jackets. I'm also not a fan of the really tight look of jackets which are purposely designed for motorcycle riding. And, not to be overlooked, is how I would stand out wearing one of those--and I already stand out here. Leather is just not an option I'm considering.

 

[barnabus]

Another thought for waxed jackets (your noted objections aside - which fwiw I think are misconceptions) is a Barbour Commander.

Lighter weight, button up front if that's what you're after, thicker warm lining, and cool enough for James Bond ofc.

Men's Barbour Beacon Sports Jacket

Barbour's Beacon Sports Jacket is the new season Commander for Barbour, inspired by the jacket worn by Daniel Craig in the James Bond film Skyfall in 2012. A favourite amongst the fashion conscious due to its celebrity status, the Beacon Sports Jacket stands out with its leather collar and cuff...

www.outdoorandcountry.co.uk

(forgot, they changed the name for the reissue. It's the Beacon Sports jacket now)

 

[SlowRain]

Actually, my wife and I went to a shopping center today which is a little further away, and stumbled across a Barbour store. We very seldom go to that place, so I had no idea the store was even there. They had a few waxed jackets, so I tried one on. It was too big--and too expensive--but it gave me a frame of reference. There was absolutely no stickiness and no smell. She liked it at least, but there were a number of items about it I didn't like.

That got me wondering. How sticky and smelly are they right after they have been waxed? I'm pretty sure this one had been sitting in the store for quite a while, so either everything had dissipated, that's how they come from the factory, or they really don't have any stickiness or smell. (I originally heard about the stickiness and smell from a YouTube review.)

 

[hardlyworkingman]

Thanks. She may find it sticky and smelly, though (she's fussy about things like that). I think there are too many unknowns for me to commit that much money to something she may or may not be thrilled with. It's unfortunate, because each new idea I pursue gets less and less classy. I still have my trusty Gore-Tex, but nice-looking + warm and wind-resistant seems difficult for me to pull off in my situation.

Wax is great. Dont give up on it yet. As some of the previous posters @barnabus , @Aloysius mentioned Barbour is a great choice.

Barbour offers two types of waxed jackets, unlike filson.

Sylkoil and Thornproof
[you can google and find more about these two processes and how jackets are made]

I can't comment on Thornproof Waxing process which is supposed to be similar to Filson's. But I own Barbour's sylkoil jacket which i strictly use for commuting to work or around town. It is water resistant and keeps me warm. The smell is non existent on this jacket.

When you buy barbour, look for description that says Sylkoil

Examples:
Thornproof - https://www.outdoorandcountry.co.uk/mens-barbour-duke-waxed-jacket.html
Sylkoil - https://www.outdoorandcountry.co.uk/barbour-classic-bedale-jacket.html

 

[Corky Corcovado]

I don't find @Carlos840 or @navetsea comments to be derailing. You're asking about jackets to wear while riding in Taiwan. They're commenting about what would protect and what wouldn't, also what factors contribute to why you might wear something protective or not. It seems to me most people in that part of the world have no concern to wear much protective gear/clothing. So yes, you'll look like a western goof out there in a super hot and stifling protective jacket. If you want to wear a peacoat I'm sure it'll be fine as people pass by you in tank tops or windbreakers or whatever.

 

[Will Zach]

Maybe the youtube guy was referring to an old, crusty Barbour that smelled... New ones don't smell, nor are sticky. Not Barbours, not Filsons, not Drizabones, not myriad others. The fabric is wax-treated in-line, in huge big rolls, to specs, and paraffin-based waxes have barely a scent. Not more than a new untreated fabric would smell. Now cleaning a waxed fabric after multiple bike rides may be a bit of a chore and a potential PITA. You have to use pure water to clean the bugs off and whatnot, but it will also take some wax off. You have to re-wax it yearly. High maintenance.

 

[barnabus]

Actually, my wife and I went to a shopping center today which is a little further away, and stumbled across a Barbour store. We very seldom go to that place, so I had no idea the store was even there. They had a few waxed jackets, so I tried one on. It was too big--and too expensive--but it gave me a frame of reference. There was absolutely no stickiness and no smell. She liked it at least, but there were a number of items about it I didn't like.

That got me wondering. How sticky and smelly are they right after they have been waxed? I'm pretty sure this one had been sitting in the store for quite a while, so either everything had dissipated, that's how they come from the factory, or they really don't have any stickiness or smell. (I originally heard about the stickiness and smell from a YouTube review.)

I've rewaxed many jackets myself over the years, and also had my Barbour International rewaxed by Barbour themselves when it went in for repair (after a bike off, coincidentally) and never had a resulting smell or stickiness.

When rewaxing, the wax is melted into the fabric of the cloth and should leave no surface residue. When I do it myself I go over the jacket with a hairdryer after waxing to melt it in. At Barbour they do it on a heated table life a giant hotplate.

A smelly jacket with a sticky surface would be completely impractical and wouldn't sell in the volumes that Barbours and Belstaffs and all the others do.

However, when they're new you sometimes get a 'non-slip' surface, where lint and fluff might stick. Nothing that would be sticky to touch though!

All that said, I'm genuinely not trying to convince you into a wax jacket. I think they're great and I love mine for riding, but other options are good too - which I why I suggested the N-1 before. If you don't care about protection, military jackets are a good shout under pretty much any circumstances. Even an M65 with a liner might be a more viable option than a peacoat.

 

[barnabus]

Has anybody suggested Carhartt yet? Canvas is tightly woven, zip front to keep the wind blast out. And something like this has a warm sherpa lining too;

https://www.carhartt.com/gb/en-gb/products/Relaxed-Fit-Washed-Duck-Sherpa-Lined-Utility-Jacket-103826-18?categoryId=3074457345616696196