Triumphrat

HeliBif

How much of a difference does a lack of venting make in a leather jacket in non-asphalt-melting temperatures. Uncomfortable enough to discount having one for regular everyday use?

I live in Vancouver, Canada so about the same climate as Seattle. No brutal LA or Arizona summers to worry about.

gas_pig70

Venting is good even here in Seattle. I have a leather Joe Rocket Mercury jacket that has zippered venting in the inside/upper arms and in the lower backsides. Trust me, they are worth it even in 70 degree weather. It's amazing how much air flow can go into the arm vents (on a naked bike).

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'07 Speed Triple 1050 | '08 WR250R
"'Course, don't ever tell anybody that they're not free 'cause then they're gonna get real busy killin' and maimin' to prove to you that they are." -George Hanson

Olderslower

I have non vented, vented and perforated leather jackets. There is a definite cooling effect when comparing the nonvent vs. the vented jacket. Of course that will depend on the number and style of the vents and whether or not bike has a fairing. There is a dramatic difference when wearing the perforated jacket though. I can wear it on 80 degree plus days with comfort and actually have to keep it at home for summer night riding. All three jackets have their place, my .02...

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2008 T100 B/W, centerstand, Flanders narrow cafe bars, Manic Salamander barend weights, Sargent Seat, Works Performance Shocks, RaceTech Fork Springs and Emulators, A I removed, desnorkled, Dominator Touring exhaust, 118 mains, no shim, 2 3/4 turns

AZSprintOwner

I have a Joe Rocket leather jacket that has 6 vents on it - 2 in the upper arms, 2 on the chest, and 2 exhaust vents in the rear. The vents make a huge difference.

I sometimes forget my vents are open, and on the days I've commuted to work on a chilly morning (around 40 degrees) I realized right away they were open and had to pull over to zip them up. As gas_pig70 noted, even on a 70 degree day, having the vents open makes a big difference. I'm sure location of the vents makes a difference, but on my jacket, I get great airflow with them all open.